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Consumer sciences teacher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$75,870median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,830lowest 10% earn less
  2. $57,41025th percentile
  3. $75,870median
  4. $99,32075th percentile
  5. $130,790top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

A postsecondary consumer sciences teacher earned a median of $75,870 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.4%[2]
Openings per year
200[5]
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree[6]

How much do consumer sciences teachers make?

BLS calls this job Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. The median wage was $75,870 a year, so half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $81,940[7]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[8].

Here is the spread across the job[3]:

Point in the range Annual wage
10th percentile[3] $47,830
25th percentile[3] $57,410
Median[1] $75,870
75th percentile[3] $99,320
90th percentile[3] $130,790

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $47,830[3][9]. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9].

The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The median for this job was higher.

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Among the 21 states with published data, California had the highest median at $97,620 a year[11]. Michigan was next at $83,500, then Ohio at $83,400[11]. New Jersey was last at $53,250[11]. Some state figures rest on small job counts. Michigan's is based on 50 jobs[11].

California also had the most jobs, at 380[12]. North Carolina followed with 290, then Utah with 190[12].

For metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the highest median at $97,020[13]. It also had the most jobs of any metro, at 100[14]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had 70 jobs and a median of $53,460[14].

Show median pay in 21 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[11]$97,620380
Michigan$83,50050
Ohio$83,40090
Oklahoma$83,20060
Illinois$80,220140
Rhode Island$80,20040
Iowa$79,31040
North Carolina$78,770290
Pennsylvania$78,220100
Utah$76,790190
Missouri$76,320110
Oregon$75,87060
South Carolina$74,01060
Kentucky$73,46080
Indiana$65,74070
Washington$63,84080
Florida$63,77040
Virginia$63,58080
Alabama$63,42030
Mississippi$60,650150
New Jersey$53,25080

How to become a consumer sciences teacher

BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no related work experience and no on-the-job training[6]. The details below come from a BLS profile on postsecondary teachers that covers a wider group of occupations, so they are general[15].

Schools may prefer teaching or other work experience[19]. Some teachers gain teaching experience as graduate teaching assistants[20].

On the job ladder, teachers with a doctorate often seek tenure, which protects them from being fired without just cause. It may take up to 7 years to move through the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[21].

In an ONET survey of 39 workers, 48% said a doctoral degree is required, 36% said a master's degree and 8% said a post-baccalaureate certificate[22]. ONET places the job in Job Zone Five, which means extensive preparation is needed[23].

What consumer sciences teachers do

O*NET describes the job as teaching courses on subjects such as childcare, family relations, finance and nutrition. Some teachers also do research[24]. Typical tasks include[25]:

Where they work

The BLS profile for the wider group of postsecondary teachers lists colleges, universities and professional schools (state) as the largest employer, at 41%[26][15].

Full-time work is typical for postsecondary teachers, though part-time work is common[27]. Courses are generally held during the day, with some in the evening or on weekends[28]. Full-time teachers usually need to be on campus to teach and hold office hours. Otherwise they can generally set their own schedules[29]. Academic calendars include breaks between terms[30].

Balancing teaching with research and publishing can be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,400 to 3,500 jobs[2]. That is slower than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[32]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS expects about 200 openings a year[5]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.5% of workers leave the labor force and 3% move to a different occupation[33].

The OEWS count of about 2,770 wage and salary jobs[34] and the projection count of about 3,400[2] measure different things, so they do not match.

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and the top of the range is high[1][3][4]. The cost is a long path, since the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree[6]. The job is small, growth is projected below the all-occupations rate, and about 200 openings are expected a year[2][32][5]. This fits people who are ready for years of study and who can handle a small field.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[35].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a consumer sciences teacher make?
The median was $75,870 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job[8].
What degree do you need to be a consumer sciences teacher?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical education for entry[6]. A master's degree may be enough at some community colleges[18].
Is consumer sciences teaching in demand?
BLS projects 2.4% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][32]. About 200 openings are expected each year[5].
What state pays consumer sciences teachers the most?
California had the highest median, at $97,620 a year[11]. It also had the most jobs, at 380[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $75,870 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,400 to 3,500 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $47,830, 25th percentile $57,410, 75th percentile $99,320, 90th percentile $130,790. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 200 openings for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary was $81,940 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS publishes only annual wages for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: California 380; North Carolina 290; Utah 190; Mississippi 150; Illinois 140. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $97,020. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 100 (median $97,020); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 70 (median $53,460); Greensboro-High Point, NC 60 (median $82,420); Raleigh-Cary, NC 60 (median $82,430); San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 50 (median $97,860); Greenville, NC 40 (median $84,300). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET 25-1192.00 survey of workers (39 respondents), education level they say is required: Doctoral Degree 48%, Master's Degree 36%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET 25-1192.00: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,770 people were employed as Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  35. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.