Career Explorer Education
Grows with AI
Psychology teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 23% 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 +4.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence and 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)
- $80,340
- Job growth to 2035
- +4.0%
- Openings a year
- 3,700
- People doing it (2025)
- 52,300
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- Teach academic or vocational subjects
- Prepare informational or instructional materials
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance
- Supervise personnel activities
- Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures
What the work looks like
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as demand for psychology degrees is expected to increase.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Social work teachers, postsecondaryChanging shape, Index 28, +2.6%
- Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondaryChanging shape, Index 26, +2.7%
- Architecture teachers, postsecondaryChanging shape, Index 34, +2.6%
- Mental health and substance abuse social workersGrows with AI, Index 90, +10.3%
Also known as: Instructor, Professor, Psychology Instructor, Psychology Professor, Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology Professor.
Is this career on your child's list?
Build a free Career Playbook matched to your child, or get a 90-day Action Plan with dated next steps, written for your child by name.
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.