Career Explorer Education
Grows with AI
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 28% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is very high (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it very high), and US jobs are projected to change by +7.8% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on creative vision.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $109,270
- Job growth to 2035
- +7.8%
- Openings a year
- 3,900
- People doing it (2025)
- 50,900
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- Advise others on educational or vocational matters
- Teach academic or vocational subjects
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance
- Supervise personnel activities
- Prepare proposals or grant applications
What the work looks like
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as demand for engineering degrees is expected to increase.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- CuratorsGrows with AI, Index 36, +4.9%
- Biological science teachers, postsecondaryGrows with AI, Index 34, +7.3%
- Agricultural sciences teachers, postsecondaryChanging shape, Index 29, +2.9%
- EpidemiologistsGrows with AI, Index 65, +18.7%
Also known as: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Instructor, Professor, Chemical Engineering Professor, Electrical Engineering Professor, Engineering Instructor, Engineering Professor.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.