Health Specialties Teachers
O*NET title: Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine.
Also called: A&P Instructor (Anatomy and Physiology Instructor), Activity Therapy Teacher, Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Anatomy Teacher, Anesthesiology Teacher
Median pay
$107,310
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$59,270 – $322,020
People employed
221,270
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
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 want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Health Specialties Teachers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (49 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What health specialties teachers do
- 01Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- 02Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- 03Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- 04Supervise laboratory sessions.
- 05Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- 06Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public health, stress management, and work site health promotion.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
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 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
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 health specialties teachers
- Clinical Nurse Specialists89% · group pay
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses84% · group pay
- Speech-Language Pathologists79% · −9%
- Physical Therapists79% · −4%
- Occupational Therapists79% · −7%
Change into health specialties teachers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses80% · $97,550
- Preventive Medicine Physicians80% · $265,930
- Clinical Neuropsychologists79% · $110,840
- Clinical Nurse Specialists79% · $97,550
- Health Education Specialists79% · $64,070
Majors that lead here
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Sciences/Veterinary Clinical Sciences, General
- Comparative and Laboratory Animal Medicine
- Large Animal/Food Animal and Equine Surgery and Medicine
- Small/Companion Animal Surgery and Medicine
- Veterinary Anatomy
- Veterinary Infectious Diseases
- Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology
- Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
- Veterinary Physiology
- Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health
- Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.