Foreign Language and Literature Teachers
O*NET title: Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Also called: Foreign Language Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL). Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Spanish Instructor, Arabic Instructor, Arabic Language Instructor, Arabic Professor, Arabic Teacher
Median pay
$79,350
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$49,060 – $136,050
People employed
19,830
Holland code
SIA
Social · Investigative · Artistic
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 variety, with new tasks often?
- 2.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 5.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 6.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 7.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 8.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (44 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers salary in every state →
What foreign language and literature teachers do
- 01Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 02Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- 03Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 04Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 05Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used.
- 06Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Foreign Language
- English Language
- Education and Training
- History and Archeology
- Philosophy and Theology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- 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: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
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 foreign language and literature teachers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education84% · −9%
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors77% · −22%
- Instructional Coordinators75% · −2%
- Sociologists74% · +34%
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education74% · −19%
Change into foreign language and literature teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Anthropologists and Archeologists75% · $70,770
- Interpreters and Translators72% · $60,170
- Historians65% · $76,750
Majors that lead here
- Foreign Language Teacher Education
- French Language Teacher Education
- German Language Teacher Education
- Spanish Language Teacher Education
- Latin Teacher Education
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
- Linguistics
- Language Interpretation and Translation
- Applied Linguistics
- African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
- Chinese Language and Literature
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.