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Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Professor, Professor

Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$107,310
Openings a year BLS, 2025–3524,900
Typical education to start BLSDoctoral or professional degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +17.9%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 13 of its 22 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 17.9% 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 94% 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

$60k$168knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$92,310$61,270 to $128,7203,360
Alaska$73,890$60,700 to $93,890not published
Arizona$99,000$71,230 to $163,4703,620
Arkansas$124,890$77,130 to $394,8802,080
California$165,110$99,960 to $357,22017,350
Colorado$136,930$103,260 to $218,2307,800
Connecticutnot publishednot published7,370
Delaware$105,780$79,720 to $126,480260
District of Columbia$167,520$101,730 to $217,7501,460
Florida$88,710$63,670 to $201,2808,500
Georgia$106,960$68,330 to $222,0604,860
Hawaii$81,480$60,020 to $177,820290
Idaho$101,910$66,560 to $163,880not published
Illinois$92,860$63,170 to $132,9507,740
Indiana$98,170$66,620 to $152,9704,880
Iowa$128,490$85,520 to $214,5603,230
Kansas$86,700$60,490 to $140,7401,060
Kentucky$83,680$65,110 to $137,7701,380
Louisiana$125,130$78,980 to $178,5002,250
Maine$103,090$67,340 to $215,250730
Maryland$108,160$67,350 to $183,2507,460
Massachusetts$134,520$96,890 to $216,59010,250
Michigan$108,970$71,300 to $175,3703,430
Minnesota$103,510$59,320 to $168,5703,050
Mississippi$137,220$80,440 to $273,4101,890
Missouri$130,490$80,930 to $212,8805,700
Montana$101,220$68,450 to $165,220370
Nebraska$80,960$65,990 to $138,7002,760
Nevada$77,160$62,330 to $104,8101,230
New Hampshire$85,250$74,310 to $166,170430
New Jersey$96,630$64,140 to $152,6202,960
New Mexico$134,600$81,590 to $355,5601,430
New York$131,220$87,090 to $215,62021,410
North Carolina$103,220$76,110 to $181,2909,240
North Dakota$100,760$76,380 to $132,950510
Ohio$74,720$49,020 to $116,8005,670
Oklahoma$76,450$61,780 to $114,740950
Oregon$103,180$71,980 to $163,1902,170
Pennsylvania$107,920$71,070 to $212,62014,890
Puerto Rico$85,320$57,800 to $101,7801,480
Rhode Island$103,780$78,640 to $169,590480
South Carolina$82,480$63,830 to $103,2601,030
South Dakota$78,720$64,110 to $104,950270
Tennessee$98,870$68,720 to $131,4904,400
Texas$108,150$78,410 to $213,27018,960
Utah$168,060$80,870 to $214,3503,520
Vermont$107,500$65,770 to $175,3301,170
Virginia$106,880$69,580 to $178,5305,040
Washington$137,520$99,620 to $216,1204,510
West Virginia$60,300$46,960 to $97,5302,400
Wisconsin$81,500$63,130 to $107,5404,410
Wyoming$93,480$52,150 to $105,250230

Nationally: $107,310. 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 13 of its 22 tasks

4 · 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, assignments, and papers. Not published
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. Not published
AI + software Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Not published
AI + software Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction. Not published
See all 22 tasks
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Not published
AI + software Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Not published
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment. Not published
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. Not published
Not much Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Not published
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. Not published
Not much Supervise laboratory sessions. Not published
Not much Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. Not published
Not much Participate in campus and community events. Not published
Not much Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Not published
Not much Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public health, stress management, and work site health promotion. Not published
AI alone Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. 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
AI alone Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. 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. 0 of the 22 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 22 tasks fall under 19 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 up13 of 22 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most7 of 19 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #10 Write material for artistic or commercial purposes
  • #23 Prepare informational or instructional materials
  • and 4 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
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Advise others on educational or vocational matters 14#74 34#36
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
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Show all 19 activities
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
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 answer24%
  • Teaching material18%
  • A document or report14%
  • Advice or a recommendation10%
  • An analysis or summary9%

How they worked with Claude

29% handed the task off71% worked on it together

19% 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 health specialties 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.Health specialties teachers, postsecondary: +17.9%Health Specialties 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.Health specialties teachers, postsecondary: +17.9%Health Specialties 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 35,766 moves out

  1. 1 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 13%
  2. 2 Registered Nurses High +5.6% 13%
  3. 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 8%
  4. 4 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  5. 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 3%

Where people moved in from

of 52,167 moves in

  1. 1 Registered Nurses High +5.6% 14%
  2. 2 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 12%
  3. 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
  4. 4 Physicians and Surgeons, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
  5. 5 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%

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

  • 3% postsecondary certificate
  • 5% associate's
  • 12% bachelor's
  • 36% master's
  • 25% research doctorate
  • 19% post-doctoral training

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 20 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)
146 programs, such as Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General and Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine.
See all
  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General
  • Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine
  • Large Animal/Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine
  • Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine
  • Veterinary Anatomy
  • Veterinary Infectious Diseases
  • Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology
  • Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
  • Veterinary Physiology
  • Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health
  • Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology
  • Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Other
  • Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant
  • Health Occupations Teacher Education
  • Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
  • Anatomy
  • Developmental Biology and Embryology
  • Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
  • Biomechanics
  • Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other
  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Pharmacology
  • Neuropharmacology
  • Toxicology
  • Molecular Toxicology
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other
  • Biostatistics
  • Epidemiology
  • Epidemiology and Biostatistics
  • Gerontology
  • Nutrition Sciences
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Health Policy Analysis
  • Chiropractic
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
  • Audiology/Audiologist
  • Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
  • Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
  • Communication Disorders Sciences and Services, Other
  • Dentistry
  • Dental Clinical Sciences, General
  • Advanced General Dentistry
  • Dental Public Health and Education
  • Dental Materials
  • Endodontics/Endodontology
  • Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Orthodontics/Orthodontology
  • Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics
  • Periodontics/Periodontology
  • Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology
  • Digital Dentistry
  • Geriatric Dentistry
  • Implantology/Implant Dentistry
  • Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other
  • Dental Assisting/Assistant
  • Dental Hygiene/Hygienist
  • Dental Laboratory Technology/Technician
  • Medical/Clinical Assistant
  • Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant
  • Occupational Therapist Assistant
  • Pharmacy Technician/Assistant
  • Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist
  • Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician
  • Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist
  • Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)
  • Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist
  • Perfusion Technology/Perfusionist
  • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
  • Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist
  • Surgical Technology/Technologist
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician
  • Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
  • Physician Assistant
  • Athletic Training/Trainer
  • Gene/Genetic Therapy
  • Cardiopulmonary Technology/Technologist
  • Radiation Protection/Health Physics Technician
  • Polysomnography
  • Mammography Technology/Technician
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology/Technician
  • Hyperbaric Medicine Technology/Technician
  • Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Technology/Technician
  • Orthopedic Technology/Technician
  • Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other
  • Blood Bank Technology Specialist
  • Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist
  • Hematology Technology/Technician
  • Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
  • Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician
  • Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist
  • Histologic Technician
  • Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist
  • Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist
  • Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician
  • Sterile Processing Technology/Technician
  • Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other
  • Tropical Medicine
  • Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling
  • Pharmacy
  • Pharmacy Administration and Pharmacy Policy and Regulatory Affairs
  • Pharmaceutics and Drug Design
  • Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
  • Clinical and Industrial Drug Development
  • Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics
  • Clinical, Hospital, and Managed Care Pharmacy
  • Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Pharmaceutical Marketing and Management
  • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other
  • Public Health, General
  • Environmental Health
  • Health/Medical Physics
  • Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
  • Public Health Education and Promotion
  • Community Health and Preventive Medicine
  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Behavioral Aspects of Health
  • Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
  • Public Health Genetics
  • Public Health, Other
  • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, General
  • Art Therapy/Therapist
  • Dance Therapy/Therapist
  • Music Therapy/Therapist
  • Occupational Therapy/Therapist
  • Orthotist/Prosthetist
  • Physical Therapy/Therapist
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor
  • Animal-Assisted Therapy
  • Rehabilitation Science
  • Drama Therapy/Therapist
  • Horticulture Therapy/Therapist
  • Play Therapy/Therapist
  • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other
  • Health Professions Education
  • Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage
  • Asian Bodywork Therapy
  • Somatic Bodywork
  • Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services, Other
  • Hypnotherapy/Hypnotherapist

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

65.6% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license62.7%19.1%
a certification8.9%5.8%
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)

See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/25-1071.00

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