Education · Career brief

Law Teachers, Postsecondary

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Law Teachers, Postsecondary at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$128,500

Very high national median pay

2025 national median. Top 10% for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

2.6%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

1,800

Relatively fewer openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Professional degree

Long formal preparation is part of the path

Doctoral or professional degree + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a professional-degree path. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Law Teachers, Postsecondary with another field Explore rankings in Education Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$128,500

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

2.6%employment growth1,800openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Doctoral or professional degree; Prior related experience: less than 5 years

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

25,800

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Law teachers, postsecondary (25-1112).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

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.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Training and Teaching Others4.8
Getting Information4.6
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.5
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.4
Coaching and Developing Others4.3

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social6.5
Investigative5.4
Conventional3.7
Enterprising3.5
Artistic3.4
Realistic2.4

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Law and Government Computers and Electronics Communications and Media Sociology and Anthropology

Software and tools named in job postings

Learning management system LMS

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Tutor the same learner more than once, check what they actually understood, and change the explanation when the first approach fails.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Law teachers, postsecondary nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Learning Strategies among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions. Examples of tools used in the occupation include Learning management system LMS; check which ones employers near you actually require.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options