Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for psychology 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 $93,860 ≈ $45/hr
National median salary $80,340
Total employment 41,530 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 4,000 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 52,500 → 54,400 (+1,900)
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$126,620
- Maryland$121,600
- New Hampshire$117,160
- Delaware$114,090
- New York$110,220
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Oklahoma$69,860
- Mississippi$70,380
- Arkansas$72,630
- Wyoming$73,400
- Florida$74,740
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $126,620 | $107,340 | $61 | +34.9% | 4,410 |
| 2 | Maryland | $121,600 | $101,430 | $58 | +29.6% | 640 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $117,160 | $95,030 | $56 | +24.8% | 110 |
| 4 | Delaware | $114,090 | $102,340 | $55 | +21.6% | — |
| 5 | New York | $110,220 | $100,720 | $53 | +17.4% | 4,070 |
| 6 | Michigan | $103,940 | $99,900 | $50 | +10.7% | 920 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $103,860 | $101,250 | $50 | +10.7% | 340 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $102,870 | $97,110 | $49 | +9.6% | 60 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $98,170 | $83,600 | $47 | +4.6% | 100 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $97,770 | $84,500 | $47 | +4.2% | 920 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $97,470 | $82,640 | $47 | +3.8% | 760 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $97,280 | $94,360 | $47 | +3.6% | 180 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $96,600 | $82,930 | $46 | +2.9% | 2,640 |
| 14 | Oregon | $96,340 | $80,060 | $46 | +2.6% | 660 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $95,070 | $80,790 | $46 | +1.3% | 1,630 |
| 16 | Utah | $94,540 | $93,090 | $45 | +0.7% | 200 |
| 17 | Vermont | $93,850 | $81,100 | $45 | +0% | 100 |
| 18 | Alaska | $93,630 | $79,040 | $45 | -0.2% | 70 |
| 19 | Kansas | $92,990 | $79,730 | $45 | -0.9% | 230 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $92,100 | $91,340 | $44 | -1.9% | 140 |
| 21 | Iowa | $90,260 | $78,450 | $43 | -3.8% | 320 |
| 22 | Virginia | $90,010 | $77,950 | $43 | -4.1% | 1,050 |
| 23 | Maine | $89,640 | $81,660 | $43 | -4.5% | 110 |
| 24 | Missouri | $88,690 | $79,240 | $43 | -5.5% | 590 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $88,660 | $77,340 | $43 | -5.5% | 170 |
| 26 | Indiana | $88,350 | $77,820 | $42 | -5.9% | 760 |
| 27 | Georgia | $86,400 | $79,440 | $42 | -7.9% | 820 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $86,320 | $77,580 | $42 | -8% | 630 |
| 29 | Texas | $86,210 | $77,060 | $41 | -8.2% | 3,380 |
| 30 | Arizona | $85,540 | $78,610 | $41 | -8.9% | 940 |
| 31 | Idaho | $85,520 | $83,010 | $41 | -8.9% | 180 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $85,010 | $76,010 | $41 | -9.4% | 790 |
| 33 | Montana | $84,960 | $77,120 | $41 | -9.5% | 90 |
| 34 | Nevada | $83,500 | $81,300 | $40 | -11% | 140 |
| 35 | Colorado | $83,460 | $76,810 | $40 | -11.1% | 960 |
| 36 | Alabama | $83,370 | $75,340 | $40 | -11.2% | 610 |
| 37 | Illinois | $82,470 | $77,860 | $40 | -12.1% | 2,260 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $81,800 | $75,960 | $39 | -12.8% | 2,120 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $81,520 | $74,890 | $39 | -13.1% | 390 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $80,900 | $75,260 | $39 | -13.8% | 1,100 |
| 41 | Washington | $80,470 | $78,330 | $39 | -14.3% | 840 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $80,130 | $74,280 | $39 | -14.6% | 150 |
| 43 | Ohio | $80,080 | $78,530 | $39 | -14.7% | 1,500 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $78,020 | $74,520 | $38 | -16.9% | 590 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $75,780 | $65,020 | $36 | -19.3% | 70 |
| 46 | Florida | $74,740 | $69,050 | $36 | -20.4% | 1,120 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $73,400 | $65,050 | $35 | -21.8% | 80 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $72,630 | $60,730 | $35 | -22.6% | 190 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $70,380 | $62,590 | $34 | -25% | 260 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $69,860 | $61,720 | $34 | -25.6% | 410 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 170 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor, MI | $142,840 | $155,450 | 140 |
| 2 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $137,810 | $158,450 | 400 |
| 3 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $133,880 | $141,550 | 230 |
| 4 | Fresno, CA | $133,490 | $131,390 | 150 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,610 | $140,530 | 330 |
| 6 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $126,690 | $130,050 | 360 |
| 7 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $126,080 | $129,300 | 40 |
| 8 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $109,140 | $132,080 | 60 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $105,720 | $125,950 | 440 |
| 10 | Wilmington, NC | $105,420 | $102,170 | 80 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing psychology teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $101,670 | $126,540 | 1,290 |
| 2 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $101,610 | $114,210 | 6,150 |
| 3 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $101,610 | $110,960 | 4,860 |
| 4 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $101,610 | $114,210 | 6,150 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $84,250 | $99,350 | 22,730 |
| 6 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $83,770 | $96,770 | 14,540 |
| 7 | Junior Colleges | $81,370 | $99,550 | 7,050 |
| 8 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $81,310 | $93,770 | 16,570 |
| 9 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $81,310 | $93,840 | 16,580 |
| 10 | Educational Services | $80,340 | $93,820 | 41,500 |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $80,340 | $93,860 | 41,530 |
| 12 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $80,340 | $93,820 | 41,500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do psychology teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median psychology teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $80,340 per year (mean $93,860), and about 80% earn between $49,050 and $153,600.
How much do psychology teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $45 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $93,860 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays psychology teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for psychology teachers, postsecondary at $126,620 per year (median $107,340).
What is the job outlook for psychology teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +3.6% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 4,000 openings per year.
What People Search
Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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