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Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Typical education: Master's degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Teach courses in childcare, family relations, finance, nutrition, and related subjects pertaining to home management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $75,870 Median per year Most earn $47,830–$130,790

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as food science, nutrition, and child care.
  • Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  • Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools79.7%
  • Junior colleges19.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not an entry-level job. Most people need a master's degree and about 2 to 4 years of related work experience before they teach at the college level, so the full path usually takes roughly 7 to 10 years after high school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences, human development, nutrition, or a related field

    4 years

    You learn the core subjects like childcare, family relations, finance, and nutrition, and you build the base knowledge that graduate programs expect.

  2. Secondary School Teacher (high school family and consumer sciences or a related subject)

    2-4 years

    Working with students in a classroom builds the teaching experience and subject expertise that colleges look for when they hire instructors.

  3. Master's degree in family and consumer sciences, human sciences, or a related field

    1-2 years

    A master's is the usual education requirement for this job, and it often includes research or teaching work that prepares you for college classrooms.

  4. Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Postsecondary

    Ongoing once hired

    You teach college or university courses in your subject area and may also do research, depending on the school.

Where it can lead

  1. Department Chair

    Several years of teaching experience of experience first

    You take on leadership of a department, helping plan courses, hire and mentor instructors, and manage budgets while teaching less.

  2. Instructional Coordinator

    2-4 years of experience first

    You shift from teaching to designing curriculum, training teachers, and improving courses across a school or district, which usually calls for a master's degree and experience in education.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take family and consumer sciences, child development, or nutrition classesThese courses give you a direct look at the subjects you would later teach and help you see whether you enjoy them.
  • Take a speech, debate, or public speaking classTeaching requires clear explaining and comfort speaking to groups, and these classes build both skills.
  • Volunteer at a daycare, after-school program, or community centerWorking with children or families shows you how the topics you'd teach apply to real life.
  • Get a part-time job that involves food, money, or customer serviceJobs like cashier, food service, or childcare aide build practical skills and show you how home management works in practice.
  • Join a club like FCCLA (if your school has one) or a leadership clubLeadership roles in clubs develop teamwork, planning, and presenting skills that carry into teaching.

In college

  • Major in family and consumer sciences, human development, nutrition, or a related fieldYour major gives you the core knowledge and the coursework that graduate programs in this area look for.
  • Tutor or be a teaching assistantHelping classmates or leading a lab or discussion section gives you direct teaching experience and a reference for graduate school.
  • Do undergraduate research with a professorResearch experience is often part of master's programs and helps you decide whether you want to teach at the college level.
  • Look for internships in childcare centers, nutrition programs, financial counseling, or Extension officesHands-on work in these settings builds the 2 to 4 years of related experience that colleges often expect.
  • Start building your professional network by attending conferences or joining a professional association in your fieldMeeting instructors and professionals can lead to mentors, references, and job leads later on.

Tips for getting started

  • Gain teaching or public speaking experience early, such as tutoring, leading workshops, or teaching younger students, because colleges value real classroom experience.
  • Pay attention to the requirements of master's programs you're interested in, and ask professors or advisors which experiences help applicants most.
  • Build a portfolio of projects, presentations, or community programs in nutrition, childcare, or personal finance to show your expertise.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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