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Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary: Job Description

Teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

What Do Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?

Typical responsibilities of philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary include:

  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Write articles and books.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Top philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension  4.2 / 5
0
5
Speaking  4.1 / 5
0
5
Instructing  4.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.1 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.0 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Philosophy and Theology  4.8 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.6 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  4.2 / 5
0
5
History and Archeology  3.5 / 5
0
5
Sociology and Anthropology  3.1 / 5
0
5
Law and Government  3.0 / 5
0
5

People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:

  • Adjunct Faculty Member
  • Adjunct Instructor
  • Adjunct Philosophy Professor
  • Adjunct Professor
  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Biblical Studies Professor
  • Church History Teacher

How Many Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?

There are about 994,910 philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.7% over the projection horizon.

Forecasted number of jobs for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

How Much Do Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary Make?

Statistic Value
Annual median $71,584
Hourly median $34.42
10th percentile $48,341
25th percentile $59,963
75th percentile $83,205
90th percentile $94,827

Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.

Salary ranges for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

Pay by State

State Annual median salary
California $103,210
New York $95,400
Maine $90,280
Utah $87,240
New Hampshire $86,520
Virginia $83,570
Massachusetts $82,880
Connecticut $81,700
Arizona $80,180
Rhode Island $79,810
Texas $79,790
Oregon $79,270
North Carolina $78,910
Vermont $78,490
Washington $78,200
New Jersey $77,600
District of Columbia $77,370
Illinois $77,290
Kentucky $77,120
Wisconsin $77,090
Indiana $77,030
Minnesota $77,030
Michigan $76,590
Pennsylvania $76,590
Iowa $75,550
South Carolina $75,540
Nebraska $75,450
Arkansas $73,940
Mississippi $73,720
Louisiana $73,020
Maryland $72,890
Missouri $72,740
Colorado $70,330
Georgia $68,050
Tennessee $67,050
Ohio $63,950
Oklahoma $62,440
Kansas $62,310
Idaho $61,760
Alabama $58,660
Florida $54,690
South Dakota $40,340

Top-Paying U.S. Regions

Pay for philosophy and religion 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 $86,807 12.2% 0.95
Middle Atlantic $83,531 23.7% 1.62
New England $82,789 8.4% 1.78
Southwest $78,693 10.6% 0.89
Great Lakes $74,206 16.6% 1.24
Plains States $72,030 7.1% 1.14
Southeast $71,377 18.3% 0.88
Rocky Mountains $71,108 3.1% 1.08

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

Metro area State Median annual wage Employment
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA CA $131,140 120
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA CA $122,730 150
Madison, WI WI $107,800
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA CA $107,530 130
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA CA $103,980 60
Lansing-East Lansing, MI MI $103,570 40
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA CA $103,210 290
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA CA $102,630 640

Top Industries Employing Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

The largest employers of philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:

Industry Employment Median annual wage
Educational Services 20,800 n/a

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

Software Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary Use

  • 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)

What the Workplace Is Like

Daily working conditions for philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:

  • E-Mail
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
  • Contact With Others

Education and Training

The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

Where to Study

Future philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary commonly pursue programs in:

Theology and Religious Vocations

14 programs across 7 majors

Philosophy and Religious Studies

11 programs across 4 majors

1 programs across 1 majors

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

1 programs across 1 majors

References

This profile draws on 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: 25-1126.00 (Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary).

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