Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary: $77,010 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 21,170 foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary work nationally, and $77,010 is the BLS national median annual wage. Employment in the series shown rose about 13% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 2.0% annual growth.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary: what the data shows
Common questions about foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary?
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 25-1124.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 21,170 workers.
What does a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively, Working with Computers, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information, Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary make?
BLS national median annual wage: $77,010 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $129,691 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,506 |
| 25th percentile | $69,078 |
| Median (50th) | $109,220 |
| 75th percentile | $172,073 |
| 90th percentile | $221,429 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Writing, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, and knowledge areas including Foreign Language, English Language, Education and Training, History and Archeology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.0% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 10.3%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 21.7%.
Current U.S. headcount: 21,170.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondarys work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 42,180 | 26.2% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 33,760 | 21.0% |
| Cross-industry | 21,170 | 13.2% |
| Educational Services | 21,090 | 13.1% |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | 13,030 | 8.1% |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | 9,850 | 6.1% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors | 36,260 | $59,950 |
| English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | 59,590 | $78,270 |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 178,790 | $95,410 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 11,430 | $84,290 |
| Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary | 12,680 | $75,890 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary workforce.
Employment Over Time
21,170 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary grew from 5,450 in 2009 to 7,460 in 2025 (36.9%).
Historical employment for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$77,010 Median pay (BLS national)
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn $77,010 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Salary distribution for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Employment Growth Projections
2.0% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
8,228 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 10.3%
9,077 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 21.7%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.0% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Wage Trends by Industry
-2.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 2,120 employees, $126,260 avg wage
- TX: 1,700 employees, $85,480 avg wage
- NY: 1,610 employees, $108,940 avg wage
- PA: 1,260 employees, $80,220 avg wage
- MA: 1,110 employees, $106,900 avg wage
- VA: 890 employees, $79,190 avg wage
- FL: 890 employees, $71,340 avg wage
- NJ: 840 employees, $89,140 avg wage
- OH: 780 employees, $62,430 avg wage
- IL: 740 employees, $82,090 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,580 employees, $112,230 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 770 employees, $112,940 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 750 employees, $122,370 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 720 employees, $83,710 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 650 employees, $86,980 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 540 employees, $82,100 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 540 employees, $80,400 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 300 employees, $134,970 avg wage
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 270 employees, $87,880 avg wage
- Pittsburgh, PA: 250 employees, $74,750 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Diversity
Demographic information on Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary is about 21,170 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in 2023 were Education, Subject Area, Psychology.
Common majors for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary workers.
Education level distribution for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Skills
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Writing, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening.
Required skills for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary include Foreign Language, English Language, Education and Training, History and Archeology, Philosophy and Theology.
Knowledge areas required for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary include Speech Clarity, Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Written Expression, Written Comprehension.
Required abilities for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
Daily Activities
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary spend their time on activities such as Training and Teaching Others, Thinking Creatively, Working with Computers, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Getting Information.
Most important work activities for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
About
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn $77,010 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
25-1124 - Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary reports an average salary of $129,691, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 21,170 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.0%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.