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Public Universities
University of Michigan, Georgia Tech, Purdue University
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
Engineering teachers at the college level split their time between explaining difficult technical material and, at many schools, doing research that keeps their engineering knowledge current. The work is distinct because it has to serve two masters at once: helping students understand abstract ideas while also meeting academic expectations for publication, advising, and committee work. The tradeoff is clear—pay can be strong, but the path usually demands years of graduate training and a steady balance between teaching and scholarship.
Also known as Engineering ProfessorProfessor of EngineeringAssistant Professor of EngineeringAssociate Professor of EngineeringLecturer in Engineering
Median Salary
$106,120
Mean $119,340
U.S. Workforce
~40K
4.1K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+8.1%
50.3K to 54.4K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~40K workers, with a median annual pay of $106,120 and roughly 4.1K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 50.3 K in 2024 to 54.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral or professional degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Doctoral Student / Graduate Teaching Assistant and can progress toward Full Professor / Department Chair. High-value skills usually include Instructing, Learning Strategies, and Speaking, paired with soft skills such as Explaining complex ideas clearly, Mentoring students, and Patience.
Core Responsibilities
- Meet with students to help them choose classes, map out degree requirements, and think through career plans.
- Work with other faculty on course planning, lab setup, and research projects.
- Create, give, and grade exams, lab reports, homework, and design projects.
- Lead lectures, class discussions, and lab sessions that break down engineering concepts into clear steps.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Meet with students to help them choose classes, map out degree requirements, and think through career plans.
02 Work with other faculty on course planning, lab setup, and research projects.
03 Create, give, and grade exams, lab reports, homework, and design projects.
04 Lead lectures, class discussions, and lab sessions that break down engineering concepts into clear steps.
05 Stay current in the field by reading research, attending conferences, and publishing findings.
06 Hold office hours so students can ask questions and get feedback on their work.
Industries That Hire
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Private Research Universities
MIT, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University
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Community Colleges
Miami Dade College, Houston Community College, Santa Monica College
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Online and Hybrid Higher Education
Arizona State University, Southern New Hampshire University, Western Governors University
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for an education job, with a mean annual wage of $119,340 and a median of $106,120.
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BLS shows no required work experience and no on-the-job training, so once you are hired you can focus on teaching and research instead of serving a long apprenticeship.
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The field is projected to grow 8.1% from 2024 to 2034, with about 4.1K annual openings, which suggests steady demand.
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The work is varied: you teach classes, advise students, and often do research, so the job is rarely repetitive.
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You stay close to new engineering ideas and help shape the next generation of engineers, which can be rewarding if you like both technical work and teaching.
Challenges
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The credential bar is high: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement, so getting into the field can take many years.
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A lot of the market is built around adjunct and temporary roles before a person reaches a stable faculty job, so early-career pay and security can be uneven.
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Not every school pays near the median of $106,120, and adjunct work can pay far less than full-time faculty positions.
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The job often comes with a publish-or-teach tension, because you may be expected to keep up research output while also planning classes, grading, and advising students.
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Growth of 8.1% is healthy but not explosive, and tenure-track openings are still limited, so competition for the best positions can remain intense.
Career Progression
Doctoral Student / Graduate Teaching Assistant
0-4 years
$30K-$44K
This early stage usually involves helping with labs, grading, discussion sections, and learning how college teaching works while finishing graduate school.
Adjunct Instructor / Visiting Lecturer
1-6 years
$45K-$70K
These roles focus on teaching assigned courses with limited job security, often across more than one class or institution.
Assistant Professor, Engineering THIS ROLE
3-8 years
$95K-$125K
At this level, you typically teach, advise students, build a research record, and start taking on committee and service work.
Associate Professor, Engineering
8-15 years
$126K-$155K
This stage usually means heavier responsibility for research leadership, mentoring junior faculty, and shaping courses or program priorities.
Full Professor / Department Chair
12+ years
$156K-$210K
Senior faculty often split time between advanced teaching, high-level research, administration, and departmental leadership.
Education Paths
Doctoral or professional degree
BLS lists this as the typical entry path, and the O*NET education data still points to graduate-level preparation, with master's degrees showing 5.09%.
Master's degree
The most common level in the O*NET distribution is a master's degree at 5.09%, especially for instructors who bring strong engineering expertise and some teaching experience.
Bachelor's degree plus graduate coursework
Bachelor's degrees appear at 0.82% in the O*NET table, but most people using this route need further graduate study or deep industry experience to be competitive.
Post-baccalaureate certificate
Post-baccalaureate certificates also show 0.82% and are usually an add-on for candidates who already have a degree and want more teaching preparation.
Key Skills
Technical
Instructing 82%
Learning Strategies 82%
Speaking 82%
Active Listening 80%
Reading Comprehension 80%
Mathematics 78%
Writing 78%
Canvas, Blackboard & Moodle 78%
MATLAB, SolidWorks & Engineering Simulation Software 78%
ABET Accreditation, Curriculum Mapping & Course Outcomes 78%
Soft Skills
Explaining complex ideas clearlyMentoring studentsPatienceCollaboration with colleaguesOrganization and follow-throughGiving useful feedback Job Outlook and Trends
+8.1%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
4.1K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 50.3K to 54.4 K over the next decade, representing 8.1% growth. Around 4.1 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.