SOC 25-1124 · May 2025 · United States
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
National figures, with pay broken out by state and metro area
The median wage for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary across the United States is $79,350 per year, measured over 19,830 jobs. The highest state median is in New Hampshire, at $101,750.
National wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -0.2%
- Openings per year
- 1,900
- Typical entry-level education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Where the pay is highest for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Pay for this occupation varies by 86.1% between the highest and lowest paying states with published data. New Hampshire pays $101,750 and Mississippi pays $54,670.
| # | State | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $101,750 | 150 | |
| 2 | Delaware | $101,100 | 70 | |
| 3 | California | $99,860 | 2,170 | |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $98,750 | 960 | |
| 5 | Maine | $96,970 | 70 | |
| 6 | New York | $95,120 | 1,520 | |
| 7 | Oregon | $91,670 | 510 | |
| 8 | Maryland | $87,280 | 280 | |
| 9 | Nevada | $84,980 | 90 | |
| 10 | Michigan | $83,190 | 500 |
States with the most Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary jobs
| # | State | Jobs | Median | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 2,170 | $99,860 | |
| 2 | New York | 1,520 | $95,120 | |
| 3 | Texas | 1,460 | $75,090 | |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 1,060 | $77,210 | |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 960 | $98,750 | |
| 6 | Ohio | 960 | $74,310 | |
| 7 | Virginia | 890 | $74,000 | |
| 8 | New Jersey | 850 | $79,060 | |
| 9 | Illinois | 690 | $81,530 | |
| 10 | North Carolina | 690 | $63,900 |
Top-paying metro areas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside | $171,660 | 130 |
| 2 | Fresno | $167,160 | 70 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $125,980 | 130 |
| 4 | San Francisco | $115,040 | 240 |
| 5 | San Diego | $106,050 | 200 |
| 6 | Santa Maria | $103,190 | 50 |
| 7 | Amherst Town | $99,410 | — |
| 8 | Boston | $99,100 | 630 |
| 9 | New York | $98,600 | 1,460 |
| 10 | Allentown | $97,520 | 60 |
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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