Business Teachers
O*NET title: Business Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in business administration and management, such as accounting, finance, human resources, labor and industrial relations, marketing, and operations research. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Accountancy Professor, Accounting Instructor, Accounting Professor, Accounting Teacher, Adjunct Business Professor, Adjunct Instructor
Median pay
$99,080
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$47,180 – $209,470
People employed
82,150
Holland code
SIE
Social · Investigative · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Business Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What business teachers do
- 01Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as financial accounting, principles of marketing, and operations management.
- 02Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 03Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 04Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 05Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and conferences.
- 06Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- Economics and Accounting
- Mathematics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A certification can help.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from business teachers
- Instructional Coordinators85% · −22%
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary82% · +6%
- Management Analysts81% · +3%
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists77% · +96%
- Sociologists76% · +7%
Change into business teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Education Administrators, Postsecondary82% · $104,590
- Instructional Coordinators82% · $77,440
- Training and Development Specialists78% · $69,280
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School77% · $66,270
- Economists77% · $124,720
Majors that lead here
- Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education
- Sales and Marketing Operations/Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education
- Accounting and Computer Science
- Dispute Resolution
- Financial Analytics
- Hospital and Health Care Facilities Administration/Management
- Business/Commerce, General
- Business Administration and Management, General
- Purchasing, Procurement/Acquisitions and Contracts Management
- Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management
- Operations Management and Supervision
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.