Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for communications teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $90,010 ≈ $43/hr
National median salary $78,580
Total employment 29,420 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.1%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 2,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 35,800 → 36,600 (+800)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$148,200
- Oregon$115,430
- New York$105,490
- Delaware$103,860
- District of Columbia$97,920
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Mexico$59,760
- Mississippi$61,510
- Arkansas$64,670
- Kentucky$68,570
- South Dakota$69,050
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $148,200 | $135,000 | $71 | +64.6% | 3,140 |
| 2 | Oregon | $115,430 | $98,900 | $56 | +28.2% | 490 |
| 3 | New York | $105,490 | $84,690 | $51 | +17.2% | 2,490 |
| 4 | Delaware | $103,860 | $100,260 | $50 | +15.4% | 60 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $97,920 | $83,910 | $47 | +8.8% | 180 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $97,440 | $82,610 | $47 | +8.3% | 1,110 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $96,990 | $97,210 | $47 | +7.8% | 280 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $96,070 | $95,910 | $46 | +6.7% | 110 |
| 9 | Maryland | $95,370 | $83,510 | $46 | +6% | 440 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $94,620 | $95,760 | $45 | +5.1% | 40 |
| 11 | Michigan | $93,860 | $87,670 | $45 | +4.3% | 630 |
| 12 | Montana | $90,900 | $78,110 | $44 | +1% | 60 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $90,600 | $79,180 | $44 | +0.7% | 90 |
| 14 | Nevada | $89,340 | $82,020 | $43 | -0.7% | 70 |
| 15 | Utah | $87,130 | $77,950 | $42 | -3.2% | 180 |
| 16 | Maine | $86,670 | $78,000 | $42 | -3.7% | 60 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $86,130 | $78,780 | $41 | -4.3% | 640 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $85,970 | $83,380 | $41 | -4.5% | 450 |
| 19 | Arizona | $84,310 | $71,230 | $41 | -6.3% | 630 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $83,000 | $78,120 | $40 | -7.8% | 50 |
| 21 | Virginia | $82,480 | $73,750 | $40 | -8.4% | 790 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $81,430 | $77,790 | $39 | -9.5% | 1,530 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $81,250 | $77,780 | $39 | -9.7% | 1,380 |
| 24 | Vermont | $81,240 | $76,120 | $39 | -9.7% | 60 |
| 25 | Texas | $81,070 | $77,050 | $39 | -9.9% | 2,880 |
| 26 | Iowa | $80,970 | $77,700 | $39 | -10% | 320 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $80,540 | $79,810 | $39 | -10.5% | 320 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $80,390 | $77,250 | $39 | -10.7% | 170 |
| 29 | Illinois | $80,140 | $78,150 | $39 | -11% | 1,580 |
| 30 | Kansas | $77,950 | $64,180 | $37 | -13.4% | 300 |
| 31 | Washington | $77,690 | $75,330 | $37 | -13.7% | 420 |
| 32 | Missouri | $77,590 | $71,830 | $37 | -13.8% | 480 |
| 33 | Georgia | $77,080 | $73,430 | $37 | -14.4% | 460 |
| 34 | Colorado | $77,030 | $69,200 | $37 | -14.4% | 560 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $75,930 | $77,880 | $37 | -15.6% | 110 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $75,030 | $66,630 | $36 | -16.6% | 440 |
| 37 | Ohio | $74,530 | $77,660 | $36 | -17.2% | 1,390 |
| 38 | Indiana | $73,850 | $65,390 | $36 | -18% | 670 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $73,080 | $76,760 | $35 | -18.8% | 50 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $73,000 | $65,850 | $35 | -18.9% | 950 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $70,820 | $66,650 | $34 | -21.3% | 230 |
| 42 | Alabama | $69,490 | $63,760 | $33 | -22.8% | 300 |
| 43 | Florida | $69,310 | $65,740 | $33 | -23% | 1,260 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $69,050 | $71,300 | $33 | -23.3% | 80 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $68,570 | $62,380 | $33 | -23.8% | 470 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $64,670 | $59,810 | $31 | -28.2% | 140 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $61,510 | $61,290 | $30 | -31.7% | 180 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $59,760 | $49,880 | $29 | -33.6% | 400 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 133 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $180,650 | $167,620 | 300 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $166,920 | $176,630 | 290 |
| 3 | Fresno, CA | $136,730 | $138,080 | 80 |
| 4 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $134,110 | $147,820 | 310 |
| 5 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $133,300 | $143,840 | 120 |
| 6 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $130,160 | $143,170 | 1,360 |
| 7 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $119,860 | $143,330 | 260 |
| 8 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $110,330 | $120,380 | 40 |
| 9 | Lawrence, KS | $109,350 | $110,120 | 120 |
| 10 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,440 | $108,210 | 100 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing communications teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $105,730 | $142,580 | 990 |
| 2 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $96,320 | $110,380 | 7,200 |
| 3 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $96,320 | $110,380 | 7,200 |
| 4 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $85,650 | $105,280 | 6,200 |
| 5 | Other Schools and Instruction | $82,590 | $94,870 | 30 |
| 6 | Other Schools and Instruction, Privately Owned | $82,590 | $94,870 | 30 |
| 7 | Junior Colleges | $79,290 | $97,820 | 7,950 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $78,950 | $91,550 | 21,090 |
| 9 | Educational Services | $78,580 | $90,010 | 29,420 |
| 10 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $78,580 | $90,010 | 29,420 |
| 11 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $78,580 | $90,010 | 29,420 |
| 12 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $78,400 | $87,110 | 21,390 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do communications teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median communications teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $78,580 per year (mean $90,010), and about 80% earn between $47,590 and $143,720.
How much do communications teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $43 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $90,010 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays communications teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for communications teachers, postsecondary at $148,200 per year (median $135,000).
What is the job outlook for communications teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.1% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 2,700 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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