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History Teachers, Postsecondary

History Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Profile

Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

The Daily Work of History Teachers, Postsecondary Take On?

The day-to-day responsibilities of history teachers, postsecondary include:

  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as ancient history, postwar civilizations, and the history of third-world countries.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Successful history teachers, postsecondary draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.5 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.2 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.1 / 5
0
5
Learning Strategies  4.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.0 / 5
0
5
Instructing  4.0 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

History and Archeology  5.0 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.7 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  4.4 / 5
0
5
Law and Government  4.1 / 5
0
5
Geography  4.0 / 5
0
5
Sociology and Anthropology  3.6 / 5
0
5

Other History Teachers, Postsecondary Job Titles

Common job titles for this role include:

  • Adjunct Art History Professor
  • Adjunct History Instructor
  • Adjunct Instructor
  • African History Professor
  • American History Professor
  • Art History Adjunct Professor
  • Art History Instructor
  • Assistant Professor

Job Outlook

There are about 1,148,630 history teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +10.5% over the projection horizon.

Forecasted number of jobs for History Teachers, Postsecondary

History Teachers, Postsecondary Pay

Statistic Value
Annual median $38,484
Hourly median $18.50
10th percentile $27,060
25th percentile $32,772
75th percentile $44,196
90th percentile $49,908

Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.

Salary ranges for History Teachers, Postsecondary

History Teachers, Postsecondary Salary by State

State Annual median salary
California $121,020
New Hampshire $106,810
Rhode Island $106,240
Arizona $101,510
New York $101,180
Massachusetts $100,780
New Jersey $100,320
Connecticut $100,220
Oregon $97,680
Montana $92,550
Maryland $87,520
Michigan $86,230
Maine $85,950
Illinois $84,620
Virginia $82,930
Wisconsin $82,300
Minnesota $82,200
Texas $82,080
Pennsylvania $81,640
New Mexico $80,940
Missouri $80,430
Vermont $80,080
Ohio $79,870
Indiana $79,860
Washington $79,470
Kansas $79,380
District of Columbia $78,880
Nebraska $78,820
Nevada $78,620
Utah $78,110
Colorado $77,910
Georgia $77,500
Iowa $77,460
South Carolina $77,150
North Carolina $76,870
Puerto Rico $75,010
Kentucky $73,320
Louisiana $72,950
Wyoming $72,120
Tennessee $66,770
Idaho $66,240
Oklahoma $65,600
South Dakota $65,370
Alaska $65,060
West Virginia $64,710
Mississippi $64,660
Alabama $61,000
Hawaii $50,150
Florida $49,250
Arkansas $47,570

Top-Paying U.S. Regions

Pay for history teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:

Region Median annual wage Share of U.S. jobs Location quotient
Far Western US $107,335 12.3% 0.77
New England $99,404 8.3% 1.78
Middle Atlantic $94,351 19.1% 1.30
Great Lakes $82,623 11.1% 0.79
Southwest $82,209 13.4% 1.14
Plains States $79,711 5.6% 0.87
Rocky Mountains $78,135 3.4% 0.90
Other U.S. Territories $75,010 0.3% 0.49

Where the Jobs Cluster

Metro area State Median annual wage Employment
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA CA $162,950 120
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA CA $133,070 160
Ann Arbor, MI MI $131,090 80
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA CA $130,460 250
Fresno, CA CA $127,360 40
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA CA $122,400 100
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA CA $119,920 110
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA CA $108,480 580

Top Industries Employing History Teachers, Postsecondary

The bulk of history teachers, postsecondary are found across these industries:

Industry Employment Median annual wage
Educational Services 19,840 n/a

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Tech Stack

  • Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
  • Web platform development software: JavaScript (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)

What the Workplace Is Like

The on-the-job environment of history teachers, postsecondary tends to involve the following characteristics:

  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • E-Mail
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Getting Started in This Career

This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Top Programs to Study For This Career

Aspiring history teachers, postsecondary often complete programs in:

History

9 programs across 1 majors

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

7 programs across 5 majors

Education

1 programs across 1 majors

1 programs across 1 majors

References

Statistics shown above are sourced 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: 25-1125.00 (History Teachers, Postsecondary).

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