English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

Education and TrainingO*NET 25-1123.00United States

Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $84,440
Projected change: +9.1%
Typical education: Doctoral degree or more
Employment: 1.78M jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What english language and literature teachers, postsecondary do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Teach writing or communication classes.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as poetry, novel structure, and translation and adaptation.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Teach classes using online technology.
Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
Schedule courses.
Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
Write letters of recommendation for students.
Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
Participate in campus and community events.
Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
Participate in cultural and literary activities, such as traveling abroad and attending performing arts events.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $49,147
25th percentile: $62,814
50th percentile: $84,440
75th percentile: $118,952
90th percentile: $175,749

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $84,440 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+9.1%faster than average

20251,782,325 jobs

2035 projected1,944,527 jobs

162,202 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Doctoral degree or more: 58.7%
Master's or Professional degree: 31.7%
High school diploma or less: 9.6%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Learning Management Systems
Rhetoric
Syllabus Development
Pedagogy
Creative Writing
Online Teaching
Curriculum Development
Student Engagement
Linguistics
Educational Technologies
Written Composition
Student Learning Outcomes
Talent Management
Teaching English As A Second Language
Educational Assessment
Student Services
Lesson Planning
Distance Learning
Student-Centred Learning
Lecturing

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Adjunct Faculties517 postings
02Adjunct English Faculties466 postings
03Adjunct English Instructors231 postings
04English Faculties189 postings
05Adjunct Instructors185 postings
06English Adjuncts139 postings
07Adjuncts138 postings
08Lecturers in English127 postings
09English as a Second Language Instructors58 postings
10American Sign Language Teachers53 postings
11English Composition Instructors53 postings
12Faculties48 postings
13Interns44 postings
14Adjunct Business Instructors43 postings
15Adjunct College Instructors41 postings
16First Year Advisors41 postings
17Adjunct Composition Instructors36 postings
18Adjunct Lecturers35 postings
19Professors of English31 postings
20Adjunct Accounting Instructors30 postings

Top employers

01Lee College93 postings
02Herc83 postings
03Del Mar College57 postings
04Lone Star College System57 postings
05Mount Wachusett Community College54 postings
06Tennessee Board of Regents50 postings
07Community College of Allegheny County42 postings
08Syracuse University40 postings
09Portland State University36 postings
10Edjoin.Org33 postings
11Alamo Colleges District32 postings
12Northeastern University31 postings
13Frederick Community College30 postings
14California Lutheran University27 postings
15Commonwealth Of Virginia27 postings
16Community College of Baltimore County27 postings
17DePaul University27 postings
18Bristol Community College26 postings
19City Colleges of Chicago-District Office26 postings
20Everglades University25 postings

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