Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What it pays
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $37.02/hr — about $77,000 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $37.02/hr — about $77,000 a year. (Annual figure is approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0.3% of foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, analytical and creative.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Instructional Coordinators
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
- Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary
Quick questions
- How much does a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary make?
- The median pay is $37.02 per hour — roughly $77,000 a year. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary?
- The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary actually do all day?
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.