🏛️
Public Universities
University of California, University of Texas, Ohio State University
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
Psychology teachers at the postsecondary level teach college classes on topics like behavior, cognition, and research methods, while also grading work, advising students, and keeping up with new findings in the field. The job stands out because it sits right between teaching and scholarship: you have to make complex psychological research understandable to students, but you also have to stay current enough to teach it accurately. The tradeoff is a meaningful academic role with solid pay, but a long training path and only modest growth.
Also known as Psychology InstructorAssistant Professor of PsychologyAdjunct Psychology InstructorLecturer in PsychologyPsychology Faculty
Median Salary
$80,330
Mean $93,530
U.S. Workforce
~42K
4K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3.6%
52.5K to 54.4K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Psychology 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 ~42K workers, with a median annual pay of $80,330 and roughly 4K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 52.5 K in 2024 to 54.4K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral degree in psychology or a related field, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Graduate Teaching Assistant and can progress toward Senior Faculty Member. High-value skills usually include Canvas, Blackboard & LMS Platforms, PowerPoint, Google Slides & Lecture Design, and APA Style, PsycINFO & Academic Research Databases, paired with soft skills such as Learning Strategies, Instructing, and Reading Comprehension.
Core Responsibilities
- Teach psychology classes, lead discussions, and explain difficult ideas in a way students can follow.
- Create and update lectures, slides, online lessons, and other course materials.
- Write quizzes and exams, then grade papers, assignments, and lab-style work.
- Meet with students during office hours to answer questions, give feedback, and help them stay on track.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Teach psychology classes, lead discussions, and explain difficult ideas in a way students can follow.
02 Create and update lectures, slides, online lessons, and other course materials.
03 Write quizzes and exams, then grade papers, assignments, and lab-style work.
04 Meet with students during office hours to answer questions, give feedback, and help them stay on track.
05 Read recent psychology research and talk with colleagues to keep course content current.
06 Keep attendance, grades, and other class records organized and up to date.
Industries That Hire
🎓
Private Universities
Harvard University, Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University
📚
Community Colleges
Miami Dade College, Houston Community College, Santa Monica College
💻
Online Colleges & Universities
Southern New Hampshire University, Western Governors University, University of Phoenix
🌳
Liberal Arts Colleges
Amherst College, Williams College, Wesleyan University
Pros and Cons
Advantages
+
Pay is solid for education work, with a mean annual wage of $93,530 and a median of $80,330.
+
No work experience or on-the-job training is required beyond the degree, so the path into the role is straightforward once you finish school.
+
The work is varied: you teach, mentor students, and keep learning new psychology research instead of doing the same task all day.
+
Online courses and multimedia tools make it possible to reach more students and teach in flexible formats.
+
There are about 4.0 thousand annual openings, so people do leave and move around often enough to create openings.
Challenges
-
The education barrier is high: 54.58% of workers have a doctorate and another 30.67% have post-doctoral training, so getting qualified can take many years.
-
Growth is only 3.6% through 2034, which is slow and points to limited expansion in the field.
-
With only about 4.0 thousand annual openings, competition for stable full-time positions can still be intense.
-
A lot of roles are stuck in a structural divide between tenure-track jobs and lower-paid adjunct work, so many instructors have uneven schedules and weak job security.
-
The pay can lag behind the amount of schooling and the workload, especially when grading, office hours, and committee work pile up outside of class time.
Career Progression
Graduate Teaching Assistant
0-3 years
$32K-$45K
Usually a doctoral student or early trainee who helps teach sections, grade work, and learn how college classes are run.
Adjunct Psychology Instructor
1-5 years
$46K-$68K
Teaches one or more courses on a part-time or contract basis, often across multiple campuses or online sections.
Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary THIS ROLE
5-10 years
$72K-$95K
Designs and teaches full college courses, advises students, and may also contribute to departmental service or research.
Senior Faculty Member
10+ years
$96K-$135K
Takes on heavier teaching, mentoring, committee work, and sometimes research leadership or curriculum planning.
Education Paths
Doctoral degree in psychology or a related field
The main entry path, held by 54.58% of workers in this role, usually a PhD or similar doctorate focused on psychology.
Post-doctoral training
A major follow-up pathway, reported by 30.67% of workers, often used to strengthen research credentials and compete for full-time faculty jobs.
Master's degree in psychology or a related field
A smaller alternative, held by 14.76% of workers, can support teaching at some community colleges or in part-time instructor roles.
Key Skills
Technical
Canvas, Blackboard & LMS Platforms 85%
PowerPoint, Google Slides & Lecture Design 82%
APA Style, PsycINFO & Academic Research Databases 78%
SPSS, R & Statistical Analysis Software 76%
Zoom, Microsoft Teams & Lecture Capture Tools 74%
Soft Skills
Learning StrategiesInstructingReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningWriting Job Outlook and Trends
+3.6%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
4K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 52.5K to 54.4 K over the next decade, representing 3.6% growth. Around 4 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.