Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for philosophy and religion 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 $92,040 ≈ $44/hr
National median salary $80,260
Total employment 20,460 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +0.7%
Slower than average
Annual openings 2,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 27,300 → 27,500 (+200)
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$125,540
- Connecticut$119,490
- Massachusetts$109,400
- New Jersey$108,030
- Maine$105,470
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Dakota$59,260
- Mississippi$67,120
- Kentucky$68,830
- Alabama$69,850
- Oklahoma$72,190
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $125,540 | $105,820 | $60 | +36.4% | 1,850 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $119,490 | $100,360 | $57 | +29.8% | 350 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $109,400 | $98,360 | $53 | +18.9% | 890 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $108,030 | $99,450 | $52 | +17.4% | 900 |
| 5 | Maine | $105,470 | $102,760 | $51 | +14.6% | 60 |
| 6 | New York | $104,040 | $92,050 | $50 | +13% | 1,700 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $103,430 | $101,010 | $50 | +12.4% | 220 |
| 8 | Utah | $102,310 | $95,410 | $49 | +11.2% | 60 |
| 9 | Vermont | $101,590 | $102,600 | $49 | +10.4% | 80 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $92,570 | $82,820 | $45 | +0.6% | 130 |
| 11 | Michigan | $92,370 | $89,610 | $44 | +0.4% | 620 |
| 12 | Virginia | $92,250 | $85,310 | $44 | +0.2% | 620 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $91,090 | $82,510 | $44 | -1% | 150 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $90,180 | $79,140 | $43 | -2% | 420 |
| 15 | Indiana | $89,020 | $79,740 | $43 | -3.3% | 480 |
| 16 | Maryland | $88,450 | $78,360 | $43 | -3.9% | 480 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $87,060 | $79,310 | $42 | -5.4% | 290 |
| 18 | Oregon | $87,010 | $85,300 | $42 | -5.5% | 480 |
| 19 | Washington | $86,670 | $81,240 | $42 | -5.8% | 330 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $86,360 | $76,310 | $42 | -6.2% | 70 |
| 21 | Arizona | $86,170 | $78,940 | $41 | -6.4% | 350 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $85,690 | $76,340 | $41 | -6.9% | 680 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $84,670 | $79,720 | $41 | -8% | 410 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $84,230 | $71,360 | $41 | -8.5% | — |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | $83,590 | $76,600 | $40 | -9.2% | 1,280 |
| 26 | Iowa | $82,740 | $77,180 | $40 | -10.1% | 260 |
| 27 | Texas | $82,680 | $76,700 | $40 | -10.2% | 1,760 |
| 28 | Ohio | $81,450 | $77,010 | $39 | -11.5% | 780 |
| 29 | Illinois | $80,660 | $77,720 | $39 | -12.4% | 1,080 |
| 30 | Missouri | $80,470 | $75,280 | $39 | -12.6% | 320 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $80,400 | $74,090 | $39 | -12.6% | 490 |
| 32 | Georgia | $79,170 | $77,570 | $38 | -14% | 280 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $78,910 | $77,230 | $38 | -14.3% | 250 |
| 34 | Colorado | $76,880 | $78,060 | $37 | -16.5% | 390 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $76,190 | $75,280 | $37 | -17.2% | 80 |
| 36 | Kansas | $75,460 | $65,410 | $36 | -18% | 190 |
| 37 | Florida | $72,810 | $63,330 | $35 | -20.9% | 460 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $72,550 | $74,100 | $35 | -21.2% | 60 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $72,190 | $64,840 | $35 | -21.6% | 150 |
| 40 | Alabama | $69,850 | $62,210 | $34 | -24.1% | 280 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $68,830 | $65,580 | $33 | -25.2% | 320 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $67,120 | $63,560 | $32 | -27.1% | 90 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $59,260 | $58,000 | $28 | -35.6% | 40 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 103 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $123,650 | $139,950 | 120 |
| 2 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $122,700 | $117,740 | 90 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $119,530 | $133,360 | 130 |
| 4 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $116,720 | $121,780 | 80 |
| 5 | Lawrence, KS | $105,820 | $109,920 | 30 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor, MI | $105,520 | $125,400 | 70 |
| 7 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $103,440 | $119,910 | 70 |
| 8 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $103,320 | $123,320 | 670 |
| 9 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $103,140 | $125,460 | 130 |
| 10 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $102,700 | $129,990 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior Colleges, Privately Owned | $122,730 | $132,900 | 150 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $100,280 | $114,600 | 440 |
| 3 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $95,900 | $102,240 | 1,740 |
| 4 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $95,900 | $102,240 | 1,740 |
| 5 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $91,850 | $98,040 | 1,300 |
| 6 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $86,580 | $98,380 | 4,110 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $84,440 | $96,940 | 6,440 |
| 8 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $83,430 | $94,980 | 4,700 |
| 9 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $83,430 | $94,980 | 4,700 |
| 10 | Other Schools and Instruction | $81,410 | $82,510 | — |
| 11 | Other Schools and Instruction, Privately Owned | $81,410 | $82,410 | — |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $80,260 | $92,040 | 20,460 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $80,260 per year (mean $92,040), and about 80% earn between $49,140 and $139,580.
How much do philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $44 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $92,040 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary at $125,540 per year (median $105,820).
What is the job outlook for philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +0.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,000 openings per year.