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Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Philosophy Professor, Professor, Religion Professor

Teach courses in philosophy, religion, and theology. 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$80,260
Openings a year BLS, 2025–351,800
Typical education to start BLSDoctoral or professional degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +2.0%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 18 of its 22 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 2.0% 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 74% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$58k$106knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$62,210$57,740 to $79,030280
Arizona$78,940$65,060 to $101,500350
Arkansas$74,100$68,920 to $75,57060
California$105,820$89,530 to $153,9401,850
Colorado$78,060$52,100 to $96,530390
Connecticut$100,360$75,480 to $134,310350
District of Columbia$79,310$63,620 to $102,810290
Florida$63,330$59,430 to $80,180460
Georgia$77,570$54,330 to $94,940280
Hawaii$101,010$79,680 to $128,170220
Idahonot publishednot published120
Illinois$77,720$58,680 to $98,0301,080
Indiana$79,740$62,910 to $101,900480
Iowa$77,180$61,010 to $95,810260
Kansas$65,410$48,670 to $81,960190
Kentucky$65,580$47,130 to $83,120320
Louisiana$76,310$63,500 to $105,48070
Maine$102,760$77,550 to $135,72060
Maryland$78,360$61,820 to $102,780480
Massachusetts$98,360$64,060 to $133,890890
Michigan$89,610$63,140 to $103,510620
Minnesota$79,720$62,330 to $98,270410
Mississippi$63,560$51,040 to $79,39090
Missouri$75,280$60,410 to $86,310320
Nebraska$75,280$61,390 to $80,45080
New Hampshire$82,820$60,770 to $104,990130
New Jersey$99,450$62,450 to $130,850900
New York$92,050$74,980 to $122,1501,700
North Carolina$76,340$60,890 to $99,750680
North Dakota$71,360$60,320 to $101,110not published
Ohio$77,010$60,180 to $98,710780
Oklahoma$64,840$50,770 to $81,280150
Oregon$85,300$67,390 to $100,280480
Pennsylvania$76,600$62,000 to $99,7601,280
Rhode Island$82,510$64,810 to $105,930150
South Carolina$77,230$61,980 to $84,290250
South Dakota$58,000$41,740 to $76,87040
Tennessee$74,090$61,950 to $94,350490
Texas$76,700$60,460 to $96,3401,760
Utah$95,410$73,990 to $123,47060
Vermont$102,600$76,790 to $131,58080
Virginia$85,310$62,130 to $105,800620
Washington$81,240$65,450 to $102,150330
Wisconsin$79,140$64,270 to $104,900420

Nationally: $80,260. 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 18 of its 22 tasks

8 · AI alone could halve the time 10 · AI + software built on it could 4 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
AI + software Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers. Not published
AI alone Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students and the community on topics such as ethics, logic, and contemporary religious thought. Not published
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. Not published
AI alone Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. Not published
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Not published
AI alone Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. Not published
See all 22 tasks
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
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. 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. Not published
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks. Not published
AI alone Write articles and books. 0.34%
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. Not published
Not much Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Not published
AI + software 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
AI alone 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

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. 1 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 up18 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
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Teach academic or vocational subjects 22#54 143#14
Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance 2.31#189 0.62#188
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Show all 19 activities
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
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

  • A document or report29%
  • An academic paper or thesis15%
  • A blog post or article12%
  • An explanation or answer10%
  • Teaching material7%

How they worked with Claude

40% handed the task off60% worked on it together

30% 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 philosophy and religion 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.Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary: +2.0%Philosophy and Religion 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.Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary: +2.0%Philosophy and Religion 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 1,151 moves out

  1. 1 Clergy High +2.4% 8%
  2. 2 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
  3. 3 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 7%
  4. 4 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Very high +2.9% 5%
  5. 5 Education Administrators, Postsecondary High +1.8% 5%

Where people moved in from

of 2,020 moves in

  1. 1 Social and Community Service Managers Very high +7.2% 11%
  2. 2 Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors Very high +2.9% 8%
  3. 3 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 7%
  4. 4 Clergy High +2.4% 6%
  5. 5 Education Administrators, Postsecondary High +1.8% 6%

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

  • 13% master's
  • 1% post-master's certificate
  • 74% research doctorate
  • 12% post-doctoral training

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 29 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)
27 programs, such as Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Philosophy and Religious Studies, General and Philosophy.
See all
  • Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies, General
  • Philosophy
  • Ethics
  • Applied and Professional Ethics
  • Philosophy, Other
  • Religion/Religious Studies
  • Buddhist Studies
  • Christian Studies
  • Hindu Studies
  • Talmudic Studies
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other
  • Bible/Biblical Studies
  • Missions/Missionary Studies
  • Religious Education
  • Religious/Sacred Music
  • Worship Ministry
  • Theology/Theological Studies
  • Divinity/Ministry
  • Pre-Theology/Pre-Ministerial Studies
  • Rabbinical Studies
  • Theological and Ministerial Studies, Other
  • Pastoral Studies/Counseling
  • Urban Ministry
  • Chaplain/Chaplaincy Studies
  • Religious/Canon Law
  • Bioethics/Medical Ethics

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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