Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary: Job Description
Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?
Typical responsibilities of engineering teachers, postsecondary span:
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- 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 mechanics, hydraulics, and robotics.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate class discussions.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective engineering teachers, postsecondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Engineering Instructor
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Aeronautical Engineering Professor
- Aeronautical Engineering Teacher
- Aeronautics Teacher
- Agricultural Engineering Teacher
- Applied Mechanics Teacher
Employment and Demand
There are about 1,323,035 engineering teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -2.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $79,889 |
| Hourly median | $38.41 |
| 10th percentile | $49,031 |
| 25th percentile | $64,460 |
| 75th percentile | $95,318 |
| 90th percentile | $110,747 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Kansas | $129,700 |
| California | $129,140 |
| Illinois | $128,670 |
| Virginia | $126,940 |
| Montana | $126,670 |
| Georgia | $126,340 |
| Michigan | $126,050 |
| Texas | $125,340 |
| Louisiana | $124,280 |
| New York | $122,870 |
| Maryland | $120,640 |
| Iowa | $111,770 |
| Tennessee | $109,360 |
| Washington | $109,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,220 |
| Idaho | $107,710 |
| West Virginia | $107,100 |
| Alaska | $106,150 |
| Wisconsin | $105,710 |
| Arizona | $105,690 |
| Nebraska | $105,560 |
| North Dakota | $105,280 |
| Delaware | $104,830 |
| New Hampshire | $104,300 |
| Minnesota | $104,130 |
| New Jersey | $104,080 |
| Missouri | $104,030 |
| Ohio | $103,850 |
| Nevada | $103,530 |
| Indiana | $103,470 |
| Alabama | $103,210 |
| Arkansas | $103,190 |
| Kentucky | $103,030 |
| Massachusetts | $102,880 |
| Utah | $102,870 |
| Oregon | $102,840 |
| Oklahoma | $102,730 |
| New Mexico | $102,520 |
| Maine | $102,470 |
| Mississippi | $101,650 |
| South Dakota | $100,990 |
| Wyoming | $99,510 |
| Rhode Island | $99,430 |
| District of Columbia | $97,740 |
| Vermont | $97,690 |
| South Carolina | $96,720 |
| Connecticut | $87,950 |
| Colorado | $83,290 |
| Puerto Rico | $59,960 |
| Florida | $56,580 |
Where Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most
Pay for engineering teachers, postsecondary shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $120,869 | 15.2% | 1.23 |
| Far Western US | $119,872 | 8.9% | 0.59 |
| Great Lakes | $114,739 | 16.3% | 1.23 |
| Middle Atlantic | $114,556 | 23.2% | 1.59 |
| Plains States | $109,793 | 4.7% | 1.03 |
| New England | $99,143 | 6.1% | 1.52 |
| Rocky Mountains | $95,275 | 5.4% | 1.40 |
| Southeast | $85,985 | 19.0% | 0.92 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $152,600 | 440 |
| Lawrence, KS | KS | $140,470 | 90 |
| Knoxville, TN | TN | $136,550 | 250 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | IN | $136,330 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | IN | $136,140 | 610 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | CO | $136,020 | 150 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | FL | $135,860 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $134,780 | 710 |
Which Industries Hire Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
The bulk of engineering teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 39,890 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary Use
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk Revit (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of engineering teachers, postsecondary is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Education and Training
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (Primary-Short)
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineers (Supplemental)
- Materials Engineers (Supplemental)
- Mechatronics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future engineering teachers, postsecondary often complete programs in:
Engineering
58 programs across 41 majors
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- General Engineering
- Aeronautical Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Other Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Operations Research
- Construction Engineering
- Engineering Science
- Architectural Engineering
- Agricultural Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Nuclear Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Biological Engineering
- Marine Engineering
- Geoscience Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Ocean Engineering
- Textile Engineering
- Polymer & Plastics Engineering
- Engineering Mechanics
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Energy Systems Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Ceramic Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Forest Engineering
- Paper Science & Engineering
- Engineering Chemistry
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
2 programs across 1 majors
Physical Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1032.00 (Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary).