English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for english language and literature 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 $89,580 ≈ $43/hr
National median salary $78,760
Total employment 57,720 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth 0%
Slower than average
Annual openings 5,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 72,200 → 72,200 (0)
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$134,950
- New York$104,260
- Massachusetts$103,940
- Oregon$101,490
- New Hampshire$99,470
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Oklahoma$59,080
- Mississippi$59,850
- Arkansas$64,210
- Florida$64,490
- Alabama$65,490
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $134,950 | $130,490 | $65 | +50.6% | 5,460 |
| 2 | New York | $104,260 | $84,850 | $50 | +16.4% | 6,110 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $103,940 | $83,980 | $50 | +16% | 2,900 |
| 4 | Oregon | $101,490 | $91,870 | $49 | +13.3% | 960 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $99,470 | $98,650 | $48 | +11% | 230 |
| 6 | Delaware | $99,090 | $97,100 | $48 | +10.6% | — |
| 7 | Connecticut | $98,200 | $97,310 | $47 | +9.6% | 940 |
| 8 | Vermont | $95,840 | $86,870 | $46 | +7% | 170 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $95,530 | $82,300 | $46 | +6.6% | 410 |
| 10 | Michigan | $94,670 | $90,240 | $46 | +5.7% | 1,730 |
| 11 | Maine | $93,890 | $84,290 | $45 | +4.8% | 230 |
| 12 | Maryland | $93,770 | $83,760 | $45 | +4.7% | 830 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $92,970 | $79,190 | $45 | +3.8% | 540 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $92,220 | $80,800 | $44 | +2.9% | 840 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $88,440 | $78,760 | $43 | -1.3% | 1,950 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $88,050 | $78,450 | $42 | -1.7% | 500 |
| 17 | Arizona | $87,830 | $76,990 | $42 | -2% | 870 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $87,040 | $80,670 | $42 | -2.8% | 2,530 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $86,950 | $84,200 | $42 | -2.9% | 920 |
| 20 | Texas | $86,400 | $78,900 | $42 | -3.5% | 4,310 |
| 21 | Indiana | $82,520 | $69,180 | $40 | -7.9% | 1,000 |
| 22 | Virginia | $82,420 | $67,330 | $40 | -8% | 1,810 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $82,010 | $66,450 | $39 | -8.5% | 230 |
| 24 | Washington | $81,800 | $79,840 | $39 | -8.7% | 1,000 |
| 25 | Alaska | $81,200 | $82,770 | $39 | -9.4% | 90 |
| 26 | Nevada | $81,100 | $85,830 | $39 | -9.5% | 280 |
| 27 | Illinois | $80,140 | $77,570 | $39 | -10.5% | 2,570 |
| 28 | Missouri | $79,580 | $73,070 | $38 | -11.2% | 1,040 |
| 29 | Utah | $78,770 | $73,280 | $38 | -12.1% | 420 |
| 30 | Colorado | $78,420 | $72,910 | $38 | -12.5% | 1,220 |
| 31 | Iowa | $78,230 | $79,720 | $38 | -12.7% | 510 |
| 32 | Montana | $77,540 | $73,160 | $37 | -13.4% | 130 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $76,390 | $64,470 | $37 | -14.7% | 840 |
| 34 | Ohio | $74,050 | $65,140 | $36 | -17.3% | 2,240 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $72,690 | $60,350 | $35 | -18.9% | 430 |
| 36 | Kansas | $72,240 | $62,340 | $35 | -19.4% | 460 |
| 37 | Georgia | $71,890 | $65,530 | $35 | -19.7% | 1,140 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $70,650 | $64,220 | $34 | -21.1% | 1,150 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $70,580 | $65,090 | $34 | -21.2% | 540 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $70,400 | $63,690 | $34 | -21.4% | 120 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $69,610 | $62,030 | $33 | -22.3% | 140 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $69,180 | $63,280 | $33 | -22.8% | 250 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $68,270 | $63,370 | $33 | -23.8% | 2,140 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $65,870 | $62,960 | $32 | -26.5% | 110 |
| 45 | Alabama | $65,490 | $62,910 | $31 | -26.9% | 1,040 |
| 46 | Florida | $64,490 | $59,740 | $31 | -28% | 2,480 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $64,210 | $56,520 | $31 | -28.3% | 320 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $59,850 | $60,680 | $29 | -33.2% | 530 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $59,080 | $53,200 | $28 | -34% | 500 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 211 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $165,090 | $167,930 | 610 |
| 2 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $160,050 | $161,950 | 480 |
| 3 | Fresno, CA | $137,730 | $143,960 | 200 |
| 4 | Ann Arbor, MI | $137,400 | $117,620 | 350 |
| 5 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $132,500 | $137,240 | 500 |
| 6 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $132,230 | $134,280 | 50 |
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,810 | $126,060 | 2,150 |
| 8 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $128,160 | $126,870 | 370 |
| 9 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $114,010 | $122,080 | 70 |
| 10 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,770 | $130,880 | 290 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing english language and literature teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $137,450 | $119,660 | 30 |
| 2 | Educational Support Services | $127,120 | $116,640 | 40 |
| 3 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $97,480 | $115,400 | 2,000 |
| 4 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $94,790 | $104,040 | 16,230 |
| 5 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $94,790 | $104,040 | 16,230 |
| 6 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $94,420 | $102,470 | 14,210 |
| 7 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Privately Owned | $79,370 | $92,360 | 14,810 |
| 8 | Educational Services, Privately Owned | $79,230 | $92,010 | 15,090 |
| 9 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $79,230 | $92,000 | 15,100 |
| 10 | Junior Colleges | $78,990 | $91,650 | 21,320 |
| 11 | Educational Services | $78,760 | $89,580 | 57,710 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $78,760 | $89,580 | 57,720 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do english language and literature teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median english language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $78,760 per year (mean $89,580), and about 80% earn between $48,270 and $137,250.
How much do english language and literature teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $43 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $89,580 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays english language and literature teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary at $134,950 per year (median $130,490).
What is the job outlook for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change 0% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 5,100 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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