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Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Business Instructor, Business Professor, Instructor, Professor

Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$99,080
Openings a year BLS, 2025–357,600
Typical education to start BLSDoctoral or professional degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +5.9%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 16 of its 25 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 5.9% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 2.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.8 hires for every 10 job openings in private educational services, which employs about 100% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 83% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$65k$169knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$82,170$62,710 to $128,8101,260
Alaska$168,930$94,560 to $331,040130
Arizona$81,600$71,230 to $127,6901,240
Arkansas$64,620$53,280 to $114,270450
California$128,470$80,600 to $176,5705,290
Colorado$78,210$55,620 to $126,1902,080
Connecticut$103,750$78,090 to $168,3501,310
Delaware$130,370$79,650 to $167,870280
District of Columbia$128,370$81,170 to $172,370630
Florida$78,870$61,630 to $103,2202,900
Georgia$82,820$56,880 to $127,9701,940
Hawaii$76,860$40,220 to $102,100390
Idaho$84,190$62,680 to $143,810240
Illinois$94,770$58,130 to $141,7103,580
Indiana$86,640$66,000 to $134,3202,030
Iowa$83,200$61,120 to $129,830890
Kansas$83,310$61,090 to $140,190660
Kentucky$80,140$59,180 to $127,800760
Louisiana$129,040$81,690 to $176,570640
Maine$83,250$61,300 to $114,710300
Maryland$126,560$86,220 to $165,0802,280
Massachusetts$103,110$80,430 to $169,0104,190
Michigan$111,190$64,730 to $163,3602,240
Minnesota$95,820$79,320 to $134,990980
Mississippi$75,680$56,330 to $107,940530
Missouri$100,310$64,380 to $167,3701,720
Montana$81,490$62,520 to $129,880170
Nebraska$88,690$65,480 to $136,480530
Nevada$98,920$66,500 to $142,920400
New Hampshire$83,070$63,250 to $142,010580
New Jersey$85,250$52,750 to $137,0703,190
New Mexico$83,980$51,030 to $135,750410
New York$104,490$77,230 to $162,8007,480
North Carolina$79,600$61,720 to $131,9802,960
North Dakota$110,050$71,780 to $161,610250
Ohio$79,770$58,280 to $132,9803,100
Oklahoma$82,060$52,500 to $107,470770
Oregon$100,180$78,190 to $129,620940
Pennsylvania$101,760$74,100 to $150,0804,630
Puerto Rico$66,340$59,270 to $82,030450
Rhode Island$103,820$83,350 to $162,750360
South Carolina$78,830$49,990 to $129,3801,500
South Dakota$72,650$62,150 to $101,240260
Tennessee$85,950$65,060 to $132,9801,260
Texas$101,210$61,280 to $159,4407,710
Utah$115,870$95,540 to $165,540460
Vermont$101,170$73,440 to $137,250110
Virginia$103,860$64,450 to $177,7702,450
Washington$100,390$67,150 to $154,3701,190
West Virginia$104,480$77,240 to $161,640420
Wisconsin$96,680$78,770 to $132,3401,940
Wyoming$69,550$47,380 to $119,520150

Nationally: $99,080. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 16 of its 25 tasks

5 · AI alone could halve the time 11 · AI + software built on it could 9 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
AI + software Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers. 0.05%
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. 0.07%
AI alone Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. 0.02%
Not much Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and conferences. Not published
AI + software Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Not published
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. 0.01%
See all 25 tasks
AI + software Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction. under 0.01%
Not much Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as financial accounting, principles of marketing, and operations management. 0.02%
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. Not published
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and career issues. 0.01%
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks. Not published
AI + software Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Not published
AI alone Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. under 0.01%
AI + software Collaborate with members of the business community to improve programs, to develop new programs, and to provide student access to learning opportunities, such as internships. Not published
Not much Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Not published
Not much Participate in campus and community events. Not published
AI alone Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. Not published
AI + software Develop and maintain course Web sites. Not published
Not much Mentor new faculty. Not published
Not much Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. Not published
Not much Act as advisers to student organizations. Not published
Not much Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Not published
AI alone Provide professional consulting services to government or industry. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. Not published
AI alone Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. under 0.01%

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 9 of the 25 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 25 tasks fall under 20 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up16 of 25 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most8 of 20 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #10 Write material for artistic or commercial purposes
  • #23 Prepare informational or instructional materials
  • and 5 more, in the table below
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Advise others on educational or vocational matters 14#74 34#36
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Teach academic or vocational subjects 22#54 143#14
Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance 2.31#189 0.62#188
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Show all 20 activities
Purchase goods or services 47#36 0.39#220
Select materials or equipment for operations or projects 45#38 19#49
Provide support or encouragement to others 34#46 162#12
Evaluate programs, practices, or processes 15#67 5.67#80
Promote products, services, or programs 14#72 85#20
Plan events or programs 5.26#123 1.90#133
Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures 2.52#181 2.47#121
Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures 1.85#204 0.36#225
Prepare proposals or grant applications 1.47#214 0.60#190
Collaborate in the development of educational programs 0.83#248 0.53#198
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Serve on organizational committees 0.21#294 0.04#288
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance” holds 2 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.31 of every 10,000 conversations, #189 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • An explanation or answer28%
  • Teaching material25%
  • A document or report15%
  • An analysis or summary10%
  • Advice or a recommendation3%

How they worked with Claude

30% handed the task off70% worked on it together

22% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for business teachers, postsecondary specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Business teachers, postsecondary: +5.9%Business Teachers, PostsecondaryAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Business teachers, postsecondary: +5.9%Business Teachers, Postsecondary

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 23,965 moves out

  1. 1 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 9%
  2. 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  3. 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
  5. 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%

Where people moved in from

of 38,770 moves in

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
  2. 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 5%
  3. 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 4%
  4. 4 Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Very high +7.0% 4%
  5. 5 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 5% bachelor's
  • 1% post-bachelor's certificate
  • 20% master's
  • 1% professional doctorate
  • 73% research doctorate

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 36 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 1% less than high school
  • 3% high school
  • 4% some college
  • 2% associate's
  • 16% bachelor's
  • 28% master's
  • 5% professional degree
  • 42% doctorate

Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers” · 15,280 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
49 programs, such as Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education, Sales and Marketing Operations/Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education and Accounting and Computer Science.
See all
  • Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education
  • Sales and Marketing Operations/Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education
  • Accounting and Computer Science
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Financial Analytics
  • Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management
  • Business/Commerce, General
  • Business Administration and Management, General
  • Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
  • Operations Management and Supervision
  • Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
  • Research and Development Management
  • Project Management
  • Retail Management
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Accounting
  • Auditing
  • Accounting and Finance
  • Accounting and Business/Management
  • Business/Corporate Communications, General
  • Business/Corporate Communications, Other
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies
  • Franchising and Franchise Operations
  • Finance, General
  • Financial Planning and Services
  • International Finance
  • Investments and Securities
  • Public Finance
  • Financial Risk Management
  • Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Management
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
  • Labor and Industrial Relations
  • Organizational Behavior Studies
  • Labor Studies
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce
  • Management Science
  • Business Statistics
  • Actuarial Science
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General
  • Marketing Research
  • International Marketing
  • Digital Marketing
  • Marketing, Other
  • Insurance
  • Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General
  • Construction Project Management
  • Construction Management, Other
  • Telecommunications Management

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

<5% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a licensenot published
a certificationnot published
an educational certificatenot published

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)

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