Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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The Daily Work of Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of psychology teachers, postsecondary include:
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Recruit and hire new faculty.
What Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Need to Know
Top psychology teachers, postsecondary draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Abnormal Psychology Teacher
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
- Adjunct Psychology Instructor
- Adjunct Psychology Professor
- Applied Psychology Professor
- Applied Psychology Teacher
Job Outlook
There are roughly 529,292 psychology teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.0% over the projection horizon.
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $98,479 |
| Hourly median | $47.35 |
| 10th percentile | $62,590 |
| 25th percentile | $80,534 |
| 75th percentile | $116,424 |
| 90th percentile | $134,368 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $106,470 |
| North Dakota | $100,340 |
| Maryland | $99,740 |
| New York | $98,630 |
| Connecticut | $98,390 |
| Oregon | $96,330 |
| Rhode Island | $90,820 |
| Michigan | $89,550 |
| New Jersey | $85,590 |
| New Hampshire | $84,540 |
| Texas | $81,880 |
| Louisiana | $81,640 |
| Delaware | $81,530 |
| Utah | $81,370 |
| Vermont | $81,140 |
| Minnesota | $80,760 |
| Virginia | $80,750 |
| Massachusetts | $80,300 |
| New Mexico | $80,260 |
| Nevada | $80,230 |
| Nebraska | $80,130 |
| Montana | $79,370 |
| Kansas | $79,240 |
| Indiana | $77,310 |
| Washington | $77,250 |
| Florida | $76,910 |
| Colorado | $76,850 |
| Georgia | $76,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,490 |
| Arizona | $76,460 |
| District of Columbia | $76,450 |
| Missouri | $76,400 |
| Alabama | $76,300 |
| Alaska | $75,820 |
| Iowa | $75,540 |
| Illinois | $75,350 |
| Idaho | $75,320 |
| Ohio | $75,300 |
| Maine | $75,060 |
| South Carolina | $74,510 |
| North Carolina | $74,190 |
| West Virginia | $73,390 |
| Tennessee | $73,360 |
| Kentucky | $72,380 |
| Wisconsin | $68,430 |
| Mississippi | $64,580 |
| Wyoming | $64,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,950 |
| Arkansas | $62,880 |
| South Dakota | $62,400 |
| Oklahoma | $60,870 |
| Hawaii | $49,850 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for psychology teachers, postsecondary shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $99,211 | 16.5% | 1.02 |
| Middle Atlantic | $89,994 | 21.1% | 1.44 |
| New England | $84,770 | 7.0% | 1.58 |
| Southwest | $78,927 | 11.1% | 0.90 |
| Plains States | $78,457 | 5.5% | 0.82 |
| Great Lakes | $77,486 | 14.4% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,982 | 3.7% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $75,426 | 19.4% | 0.82 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | CA | $164,770 | 100 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $137,070 | 140 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $133,830 | 40 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $130,830 | 440 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $129,830 | 170 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $124,860 | 570 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $123,520 | 420 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $123,180 |
Which Industries Hire Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
Most psychology teachers, postsecondary are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 41,570 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where psychology teachers, postsecondary work:
Software Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Use
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for psychology teachers, postsecondary is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How to Become Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- School Psychologists (Supplemental)
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Economics Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future psychology teachers, postsecondary typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1066.00 (Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary).