Education and libraries
Social work teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median pay
$77,570
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
1,100
Time to qualify*
5 years
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Social work teachers, postsecondary
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to social work teachers, postsecondary
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Social work teachers, postsecondary: 60% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, or handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Supervise students' laboratory and field work.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as family behavior, child and adolescent mental health, or social intervention evaluation.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
Also called: Adjunct Professor · Assistant Professor · Clinical Professor · Faculty Member · Field Education Coordinator · Professor · Social Work Associate Professor · Social Work Instructor
Outlook and AI
Social work teachers, postsecondary held 16,000 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 16,400 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Sociology teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Education teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Psychology teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Library science teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. School psychologist
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Communications teachers, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Teaching assistants, postsecondary
- Social work teachers, postsecondary vs. Sociologist