English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary: Job Description
Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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What Tasks Do English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Take On?
Typical responsibilities of english language and literature teachers, postsecondary include:
- Teach writing or communication classes.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation.
- Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective english language and literature teachers, postsecondary combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Adjunct English Instructor
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Lecturer
- Adjunct Professor
- Adjunct Writing Instructor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Children's Literature Professor
Job Outlook
There are about 1,114,182 english language and literature teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +14.3% over the projection horizon.
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $88,437 |
| Hourly median | $42.52 |
| 10th percentile | $58,180 |
| 25th percentile | $73,309 |
| 75th percentile | $103,565 |
| 90th percentile | $118,694 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $130,580 |
| New Jersey | $98,820 |
| New York | $96,940 |
| Connecticut | $87,570 |
| Michigan | $85,340 |
| Vermont | $83,350 |
| Oregon | $83,120 |
| Maine | $82,210 |
| Massachusetts | $82,030 |
| New Hampshire | $81,880 |
| Texas | $81,190 |
| Minnesota | $80,480 |
| Maryland | $80,060 |
| Alaska | $79,820 |
| District of Columbia | $79,360 |
| Nevada | $78,210 |
| Wisconsin | $77,480 |
| Washington | $77,010 |
| Rhode Island | $76,260 |
| Illinois | $76,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,960 |
| Virginia | $74,310 |
| Indiana | $73,630 |
| Iowa | $72,330 |
| Nebraska | $72,160 |
| Arizona | $68,370 |
| Missouri | $66,970 |
| New Mexico | $66,830 |
| Idaho | $65,840 |
| Puerto Rico | $65,710 |
| Colorado | $65,180 |
| Delaware | $64,690 |
| Florida | $64,580 |
| Ohio | $64,530 |
| Wyoming | $64,130 |
| South Carolina | $63,860 |
| West Virginia | $63,570 |
| Georgia | $63,200 |
| Montana | $63,000 |
| Utah | $62,780 |
| Kansas | $62,770 |
| Kentucky | $62,640 |
| North Carolina | $62,190 |
| South Dakota | $62,150 |
| Arkansas | $62,070 |
| Alabama | $61,990 |
| Mississippi | $61,920 |
| Tennessee | $61,820 |
| North Dakota | $61,820 |
| Louisiana | $57,850 |
| Oklahoma | $50,180 |
| Hawaii | $48,260 |
Where English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most
Pay for english language and literature teachers, postsecondary vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $112,257 | 12.5% | 0.76 |
| Middle Atlantic | $90,165 | 20.3% | 1.42 |
| New England | $82,334 | 8.9% | 2.06 |
| Southwest | $76,107 | 10.9% | 0.86 |
| Great Lakes | $75,590 | 12.7% | 0.91 |
| Plains States | $71,049 | 5.8% | 0.84 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $65,710 | 0.2% | 0.36 |
| Rocky Mountains | $64,485 | 3.4% | 0.86 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $168,240 | 450 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $142,150 | 730 |
| El Paso, TX | TX | $139,410 | 170 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $136,320 | 410 |
| Visalia, CA | CA | $133,660 | 40 |
| Fresno, CA | CA | $133,160 | 180 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $132,830 | 350 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $130,330 | 1,840 |
Which Industries Hire English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
The bulk of english language and literature teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 59,590 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Use
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Apple Safari (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (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)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of english language and literature teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Aspiring english language and literature teachers, postsecondary often complete programs in:
English Language and Literature/Letters
13 programs across 4 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
6 programs across 4 majors
- Digital Humanities and Textual Studies
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
- Linguistics and Anthropology
- Linguistics and Computer Science
Education
1 programs across 1 majors
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from 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: 25-1123.00 (English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary).