25 Series · SOC 25-1112

Law Teachers, Postsecondary Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$128,500
Median / year
$287,900
Top 10% earn
+2.2%
Growth '23–'33
20,060
US workers

Law Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $128,500 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $128,500, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $64,250 (10th percentile) to $287,900 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 20,060 US workers. Minnesota pays the most ($171,790), since pay varies by state and metro area.

25 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Law Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $128,500, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 92% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Educational Instruction and Library, it ranks #1 of 64 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.2% by 2033.

$128,500
Median annual wage
Top 8%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#1 of 64
in Educational Instruction and Library
4.5×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Minnesota at $171,790. Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.

Law Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1112) pays a national median of $128,500 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $64,250 at the 10th percentile to $287,900 at the 90th, with a mean of $144,770 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 20,060 Americans work in this occupation across 33 reporting states and 31 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Doctoral or professional degree, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Minnesota pays the highest state median at $171,790, which is +34% above the national figure. The top metro is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI at $218,970 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 20,060 jobs Median $128,500/yr

Median Salary

$128,500

per year

Median Hourly

N/A

per hour

Mean Salary

$144,770

average

Employment

20,060

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Law Teachers, Postsecondary pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$128,500 Top 8% higher than 92% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 25-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Law Teachers, Postsecondary; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Law Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $128,500 median pay.

Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Law Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $128,500 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000 -5%0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 25-series occupations with growth data, Law Teachers, Postsecondary sits on the slower-growing side at +2.2% growth and $128,500 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+2.2%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

2,200

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Doctoral or professional degree

Work Experience

Less than 5 years

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.8/100

Danger Index

3.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Law Teachers, Postsecondary roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Speaking 4.6
Reading Comprehension 4.3
Active Listening 4.3
Learning Strategies 4.3
Instructing 4.1
Writing 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Active Learning 4.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.5

Knowledge Areas

Law and Government 4.9
English Language 4.7
Education and Training 4.4
Computers and Electronics 3.3
Communications and Media 3.3
Customer and Personal Service 3.0
Administration and Management 2.9
Sociology and Anthropology 2.8
Philosophy and Theology 2.6
Psychology 2.6

Key Tasks

  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, papers, and oral presentations.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • 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 civil procedure, contracts, and torts.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  • Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$64,250$88,700$128,500$176,490$287,900
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th Percentile

$64,250

25th Percentile

$88,700

Median

$128,500

75th Percentile

$176,490

90th Percentile

$287,900

Salary by State

View all 33 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Minnesota $171,790 +34% above national
2 Oregon $167,010 +30% above national
3 South Carolina $162,400 +26% above national
4 Iowa $160,700 +25% above national
5 New Hampshire $157,800 +23% above national
6 Michigan $141,680 +10% above national
7 Wisconsin $140,940 +10% above national
8 Kentucky $140,820 +10% above national
9 Maryland $139,980 +9% above national
10 Indiana $139,400 +8% above national
11 Kansas $138,670 +8% above national
12 Texas $138,160 +8% above national
13 Maine $136,400 +6% above national
14 Virginia $136,270 +6% above national
15 New Jersey $135,760 +6% above national
16 Alabama $135,340 +5% above national
17 District of Columbia $134,090 +4% above national
18 New York $132,180 +3% above national
19 Massachusetts $132,010 +3% above national
20 Arizona $131,950 +3% above national
21 Rhode Island $128,490 same as national
22 Nebraska $127,690 1% below national
23 Washington $125,210 3% below national
24 Pennsylvania $121,310 6% below national
25 California $119,540 7% below national
26 Illinois $107,700 16% below national
27 Idaho $106,810 17% below national
28 Florida $102,720 20% below national
29 North Carolina $97,090 24% below national
30 Arkansas $95,630 26% below national
31 Ohio $75,930 41% below national
32 Mississippi $74,440 42% below national
33 Utah $68,270 47% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 31 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $218,970 +70% above national
2 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $170,310 +33% above national
3 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $144,130 +12% above national
4 Oklahoma City, OK $142,720 +11% above national
5 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $141,220 +10% above national
6 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $139,980 +9% above national
7 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $139,710 +9% above national
8 Eugene-Springfield, OR $139,160 +8% above national
9 Portland-South Portland, ME $138,870 +8% above national
10 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $136,570 +6% above national
11 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $134,090 +4% above national
12 Richmond, VA $131,340 +2% above national
13 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $131,190 +2% above national
14 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $130,330 +1% above national
15 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $130,010 +1% above national
16 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $129,180 +1% above national
17 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $128,560 same as national
18 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $128,460 same as national
19 Kansas City, MO-KS $127,980 same as national
20 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $125,440 2% below national
21 Springfield, MA $125,310 2% below national
22 Pittsburgh, PA $121,310 6% below national
23 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $114,330 11% below national
24 Fresno, CA $107,840 16% below national
25 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $103,790 19% below national
26 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $101,810 21% below national
27 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $101,680 21% below national
28 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $97,550 24% below national
29 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $82,390 36% below national
30 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $80,950 37% below national
31 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $80,360 37% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 25 (education) with comparable pay and career paths.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Law Teachers, Postsecondary make?
The median annual salary for Law Teachers, Postsecondary is $128,500 ($N/A/hour). The salary range spans from $64,250 at the 10th percentile to $287,900 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Law Teachers, Postsecondary the most?
Minnesota pays the highest median salary for Law Teachers, Postsecondary at $171,790/year, which is +34% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Law Teachers, Postsecondary?
The typical entry-level education for Law Teachers, Postsecondary is Doctoral or professional degree. Less than 5 years of related work experience is also typically required.
How dangerous is being a Law Teachers, Postsecondary?
Law Teachers, Postsecondary has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.3 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 0.8 per 100 workers.
Is Law Teachers, Postsecondary a good career?
Employment for Law Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.2% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 2,200 openings are projected each year.
How does Law Teachers, Postsecondary pay vary by state?
Law Teachers, Postsecondary salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Minnesota at $171,790/year, while North Carolina pays the least at $97,090/year. BLS data covers 33 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Law Teachers, Postsecondary?
The highest-paying metro area for Law Teachers, Postsecondary is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI at $218,970/year. BLS reports wage data for 31 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Law Teachers, Postsecondary pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $176,490/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Minnesota leads at $171,790/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.