All careers › Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
Geography teacher (college level): pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $52,550lowest 10% earn less
- $74,69025th percentile
- $97,590median
- $123,90075th percentile
- $165,460top 10% earn more
College geography teachers earned a median of $97,590 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects job growth slightly below the average for all occupations[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +2.7%[2]
- Openings per year
- 300[6]
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree[7]
How much do geography teachers make?
This page covers the BLS category Geography Teachers, Postsecondary, which means teaching geography at colleges and universities. In May 2025, the median pay was $97,590 a year[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $102,350[8]. For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[5].
The range was wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $52,550[4]. The 90th percentile was $165,460[4].
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th[4] | $52,550 |
| 25th[4] | $74,690 |
| Median[1] | $97,590 |
| 75th[4] | $123,900 |
| 90th[4] | $165,460 |
These percentiles are pay boundaries. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9]. It also publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[10]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. About 3,330 people held these jobs in May 2025[12].
Pay by state and city
Among the states with published data, California was listed first at a median of $146,040, followed by Oregon at $113,500 and Vermont at $107,790[13]. Nebraska was listed last at $72,300[13]. Several states have only a few dozen jobs, so their medians rest on small counts[13].
California also had the most jobs at 280[14]. Pennsylvania had 220 and New York had 200[14]. Oregon and Texas had 180 each[14].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had the highest median at $146,040, followed by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro at $103,470[15]. Portland had the most jobs among metro areas at 130[16]. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria followed with 120 jobs and a median of $99,560[16].
Show median pay in 28 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California[13] | $146,040 | 280 |
| Oregon | $113,500 | 180 |
| Vermont | $107,790 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $105,470 | 40 |
| Maryland | $103,430 | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $101,870 | 60 |
| Illinois | $100,790 | 140 |
| New York | $100,420 | 200 |
| Texas | $99,510 | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,120 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $95,890 | 120 |
| Washington | $90,550 | 100 |
| New Mexico | $89,060 | 30 |
| Kentucky | $86,790 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $85,810 | 80 |
| Georgia | $85,420 | 60 |
| North Carolina | $84,630 | 160 |
| Oklahoma | $84,170 | 50 |
| Missouri | $83,530 | 40 |
| Indiana | $82,830 | 70 |
| Arizona | $82,510 | 110 |
| Michigan | $81,380 | 80 |
| Ohio | $81,290 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $81,220 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $78,710 | 70 |
| New Jersey | $78,540 | 50 |
| Mississippi | $75,130 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $72,300 | 40 |
How to become a geography teacher at a college
BLS says the typical education for entry is a doctoral or professional degree. It lists no typical work experience and no typical on-the-job training[7]. In an O*NET survey of 34 workers, 80% said a doctoral degree is required, 10% said a master's degree and 10% said a post-master's certificate[17].
- First: earn a bachelor's or master's degree. Students typically need one of these to enroll in a doctoral program[18].
- Next: complete the doctoral program. These programs usually take several years, and most ask for a dissertation based on original research[18].
- Then: build teaching experience. Some teachers gain it as graduate teaching assistants while still enrolled[19]. Some schools prefer to hire people with teaching experience[20].
- Later: many people with a doctorate seek tenure, which protects a professor from being fired without just cause. Reaching it may take up to 7 years across the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[21].
A master's degree may be enough at some community colleges, though some of them prefer a Ph.D.[22].
These training details come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group of postsecondary teachers, not only geography[23].
What geography teachers do
O*NET describes the job as teaching geography. Some teachers mainly teach and others combine teaching with research[24]. Typical tasks include:
- Writing syllabi, homework and handouts[25].
- Giving lectures on topics such as urbanization, environmental systems and cultural geography[25].
- Doing research and publishing the findings[25].
- Grading class work, assignments and papers[25].
- Writing, giving and grading exams, or passing that work to others[25].
- Leading classroom discussions[25].
- Keeping attendance and grade records[25].
- Reviewing and updating courses, materials and teaching methods[25].
Workers in the survey reported job titles such as geography instructor, human geography professor and lecturer[26].
Where they work
For the wider group of postsecondary teachers, BLS lists colleges, universities and professional schools under state ownership as the largest employer group, at 41%[27].
Most postsecondary teachers work full time, but part-time work is common. Some part-timers teach at several schools, and some hold another job in their field[28]. Classes are generally held during the day, with some evening or weekend courses[29]. Academic calendars include breaks between terms. Some teachers use the summer to teach and others use it for research[30]. Schedules are generally flexible, though full-time teachers need to be on campus for classes and office hours[31].
BLS also notes that balancing teaching with research and publishing may be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement[32].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,100 to 4,200 jobs, a gain of about 100[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[3]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2]. The May 2025 pay survey counts only wage and salary jobs[12].
BLS expects about 300 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or move to other work, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.5% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 3% to move to a different occupation[33].
Is it a good fit?
The median pay is above the all-occupations median, and the range from the 10th to the 90th percentile is wide[1][4][5]. The typical route runs through a doctoral degree, which usually takes several years[7][18]. The field is small, with about 3,330 wage and salary jobs[12]. Projected growth is a little below the all-occupations rate[2][3]. The facts here do not say how hard it is to win a position, so that is worth asking about before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a college geography teacher make?
- The median was $97,590 a year in May 2025 and the average was $102,350[1][8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $52,550[4].
- How much does a geography professor make an hour?
- BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[10].
- What degree do you need to teach geography at a college?
- BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[7]. Some community colleges may hire people with a master's degree[22].
- Are geography teachers in demand?
- BLS projects 2.7% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 300 openings a year[2][3][6].
- What is the highest paying state for geography teachers?
- California was listed first, with a median of $146,040, followed by Oregon at $113,500[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $97,590 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Geography Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 4,100 to 4,200 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $52,550, 25th percentile $74,690, 75th percentile $123,900, 90th percentile $165,460. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Geography 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
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Geography 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary was $102,350 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS publishes only annual wages for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,330 people were employed as Geography Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Geography Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: California 280; Pennsylvania 220; New York 200; Oregon 180; Texas 180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $146,040; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $103,470; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $99,560. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Geography Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 130 (median $103,470); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 120 (median $99,560); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 100 (median $146,040); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 90 (median $103,280); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 60 (median $85,420); College Station-Bryan, TX 60 (median $88,300). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 25-1064.00 survey of workers (34 respondents), education level they say is required: Doctoral Degree 80%, Post-Master's Certificate 10%, Master's Degree 10% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Geography Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Geography Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 25-1064.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Geography Instructor, Geography Professor, Human Geography Instructor, Human Geography Professor, Instructor, Lecturer. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.