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Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Instructor, Professor

Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. 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$109,270
Openings a year BLS, 2025–353,900
Typical education to start BLSDoctoral or professional degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +7.8%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 15 of its 24 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 7.8% 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 88% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$82k$137knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$103,580$78,650 to $129,480650
Alaska$109,600$71,640 to $154,89040
Arizona$108,540$81,280 to $136,500370
Arkansas$104,210$86,320 to $126,730120
California$137,280$104,920 to $189,6302,720
Colorado$104,070$80,370 to $136,0701,100
Connecticut$124,350$85,510 to $131,980640
Delaware$130,730$103,740 to $166,730210
District of Columbia$101,970$80,420 to $126,460140
Florida$97,340$67,760 to $156,220not published
Georgia$131,260$109,100 to $165,570700
Idaho$112,240$96,610 to $129,410180
Illinois$135,430$100,610 to $176,0201,040
Indiana$106,010$83,570 to $139,3801,500
Iowa$103,360$80,750 to $131,490430
Kansas$115,160$86,010 to $146,380280
Kentucky$110,810$85,290 to $146,300340
Louisiana$125,930$100,850 to $131,560300
Maine$88,750$76,860 to $139,790180
Maryland$117,200$84,490 to $140,390690
Massachusetts$134,850$100,880 to $177,7602,610
Michigan$127,230$95,170 to $168,0202,120
Minnesota$108,390$80,240 to $131,160560
Mississippi$100,440$61,590 to $124,020330
Missourinot publishednot published620
Montana$101,170$78,010 to $130,900280
Nebraska$95,860$76,160 to $119,520390
Nevada$107,890$83,490 to $132,620290
New Hampshire$127,070$100,010 to $160,190170
New Jersey$109,910$81,820 to $162,1701,270
New Mexico$105,410$81,160 to $130,220290
New York$106,240$80,970 to $152,2103,240
North Carolinanot publishednot published1,450
North Dakota$109,710$79,960 to $136,850220
Ohio$102,410$78,920 to $131,9201,260
Oklahoma$99,790$65,900 to $107,050470
Oregon$106,840$80,480 to $131,380610
Pennsylvania$82,070$41,620 to $119,0902,990
Puerto Rico$83,150$62,260 to $96,760430
Rhode Island$102,690$65,300 to $130,280not published
South Carolina$103,420$81,730 to $132,980490
South Dakota$97,700$86,630 to $105,240120
Tennessee$100,640$79,880 to $131,850790
Texas$123,280$75,490 to $167,3604,080
Utah$105,180$98,890 to $140,330320
Vermont$104,110$81,790 to $135,34090
Virginia$121,880$85,580 to $158,5401,070
Washington$119,960$83,730 to $162,230820
West Virginia$100,400$80,500 to $120,390240
Wisconsin$112,830$83,420 to $137,840720
Wyoming$103,380$80,070 to $129,410120

Nationally: $109,270. 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 15 of its 24 tasks

6 · AI alone could halve the time 9 · AI + software built on it could 9 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. Not published
AI alone Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. Not published
AI + software Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers. Not published
Not much Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as mechanics, hydraulics, and robotics. under 0.01%
AI alone Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. Not published
AI + software Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Not published
See all 24 tasks
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate class discussions. 0.06%
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Not published
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. Not published
Not much Supervise students' laboratory work. Not published
AI alone Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. Not published
Not much Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Not published
AI + software Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction. Not published
AI + software Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Not published
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. Not published
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment. Not published
Not much Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. 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 Review manuscripts for professional journals. under 0.01%
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
Not much Act as advisers to student organizations. Not published
AI alone Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. Not published

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. 3 of the 24 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 24 tasks fall under 21 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 up15 of 24 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most8 of 21 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #9 Edit written materials or documents
  • #10 Write material for artistic or commercial purposes
  • 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
Teach academic or vocational subjects 22#54 143#14
Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance 2.31#189 0.62#188
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Edit written materials or documents 164#9 62#25
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Show all 21 activities
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Purchase goods or services 47#36 0.39#220
Select materials or equipment for operations or projects 45#38 19#49
Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance 22#53 12#64
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
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
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
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 answer26%
  • Teaching material16%
  • Advice or a recommendation13%
  • A document or report13%
  • A plan or strategy9%

How they worked with Claude

28% handed the task off72% worked on it together

18% 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 engineering 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.Engineering teachers, postsecondary: +7.8%Engineering 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.Engineering teachers, postsecondary: +7.8%Engineering 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 2,297 moves out

  1. 1 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 8%
  2. 2 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 8%
  3. 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
  4. 4 Architectural and Engineering Managers High +5.5% 5%
  5. 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%

Where people moved in from

of 3,425 moves in

  1. 1 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 14%
  2. 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 5%
  3. 3 Computer Occupations, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  4. 4 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  5. 5 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 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

  • 1% bachelor's
  • 1% post-bachelor's certificate
  • 5% master's
  • 93% not published

O*NET marks 93% of the answers as too uncertain to publish, so the parts shown don't add up to 100%.

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 16 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)
61 programs, such as Engineering, General, Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General and Astronautical Engineering.
See all
  • Engineering, General
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General
  • Astronautical Engineering
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other
  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Architectural Engineering
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
  • Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
  • Chemical Engineering, Other
  • Civil Engineering, General
  • Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Transportation and Highway Engineering
  • Water Resources Engineering
  • Civil Engineering, Other
  • Computer Engineering, General
  • Computer Hardware Engineering
  • Computer Software Engineering
  • Computer Engineering, Other
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  • Laser and Optical Engineering
  • Telecommunications Engineering
  • Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering, Other
  • Engineering Mechanics
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics
  • Engineering Science
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
  • Materials Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Metallurgical Engineering
  • Mining and Mineral Engineering
  • Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Ocean Engineering
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Textile Sciences and Engineering
  • Polymer/Plastics Engineering
  • Construction Engineering
  • Forest Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Operations Research
  • Surveying Engineering
  • Geological/Geophysical Engineering
  • Paper Science and Engineering
  • Electromechanical Engineering
  • Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering
  • Biochemical Engineering
  • Engineering Chemistry
  • Biological/Biosystems Engineering
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Energy Systems Engineering, General
  • Power Plant Engineering
  • Energy Systems Engineering, Other
  • Engineering, Other
  • Engineering Design
  • Packaging Science
  • Materials Science

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.

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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