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Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeLower pressure

What they do

Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. 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.

Lower 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 $80,340 Median per year Most earn $49,050–$153,600

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 3,700 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 schools85.3%
  • Junior colleges14.2%

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: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not an entry-level job. Most people need a doctoral degree and some experience teaching or researching first, so the path usually takes about a decade or more after high school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in psychology

    4 years

    You build a foundation in child, clinical, and developmental psychology and learn how research works, which you need before graduate study.

  2. Teaching Assistant, Postsecondary

    1-3 years

    Working as a teaching assistant, often during graduate school, gives you classroom experience and shows you what teaching college courses involves.

  3. Doctoral degree in psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.)

    4-6 years

    Doctoral study gives you deep expertise in a psychology specialty and the research and teaching background colleges look for.

  4. Adjunct Instructor or Postdoctoral Researcher in Psychology

    2-4 years

    Teaching part-time courses or doing postdoctoral research builds the experience most colleges expect before they hire you full-time.

  5. Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary

    Ongoing

    You teach psychology courses at a college or university, and some teachers also do research alongside teaching.

Where it can lead

  1. Associate Professor of Psychology

    Several years as an assistant professor, often around 5-7 of experience first

    You earn tenure, usually by showing strong teaching, research, and service, and you take on more responsibility for courses and students.

  2. Psychology Department Chair

    Several years as a senior faculty member of experience first

    You manage the department's budget, hiring, and curriculum, which means more administrative work and less time in the classroom.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take psychology, statistics, or a social science course if your school offers oneEarly exposure to psychology and data helps you see whether you enjoy the subject enough to study it for many years.
  • Join a debate, speech, or mock trial clubThese clubs build public speaking and explaining ideas clearly, which are key skills for teaching.
  • Volunteer with children, students, or people who need supportTutoring, helping at a library, or volunteering at a community center shows you how people learn and think, which connects to psychology.
  • Get a starter job that involves helping or teaching othersWorking as a camp counselor or tutor builds communication skills and shows you what it's like to explain things to others.
  • Read introductory psychology books or articlesReading beyond class helps you find which parts of psychology interest you most, such as child development or clinical work.

In college

  • Major in psychology and take statistics and research methodsA psychology major with strong statistics and research methods courses prepares you for graduate study, which this career requires.
  • Work as an undergraduate research assistantHelping a professor with a study teaches you how research is done and gives you experience that graduate programs look for.
  • Become a peer tutor or teaching assistant for an intro courseHelping classmates learn gives you real teaching practice and shows whether you enjoy explaining psychology to others.
  • Join the psychology club or Psi Chi if your school has oneStudent organizations help you meet professors, learn about graduate programs, and attend talks on psychology careers.
  • Present at a student research symposium or conferencePresenting your work builds confidence and gives you a line on graduate school applications that shows you can do research.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask your psychology teachers or a local college professor whether you can shadow a class or talk with them about what their job is like day to day.
  • Get comfortable with research early. Ask a professor if you can help with a research project, since research experience is important for graduate school and for teaching at many colleges.
  • Plan your schoolwork toward a strong GPA and good grades in psychology and statistics, because doctoral programs look closely at both.

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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