大学教师（Postsecondary teachers）的授课范围较广，包括学术知识和假期课程以及研究、论文指导等。大学教师的职责要求包括：课程讲授、课程设计、学生评估、学生课程咨询及辅导、课程创新、指导研究与实验、出版著作及论文、管理服务等。针对不同院系的教师，职责要求也不一，还有部分大学教授大部分时间都用于钻研学术研究及论文写作，教学时间很少；基本上授课都是交由研究生助教等负责。大学教师的授课方式包括：大班、小班、讲座和实验室授课等。
大部分大学教师需在教学与学术研究之间做平衡。这样压力会非常大，尤其是针对寻求空间提升的4年研究型大学教授。相对而言，研究生助教的工作时间较灵活，但他们需要花大量的时间和精力在自己的课业上，压力会很大。通常都是白天授课，当然晚上和周末也会根据情况授课。大部分大学教授暑期放假或是做研究或是旅游。
通常而言，大学教师需具备博士文凭，从事于社区学院的教授而言，硕士学位足矣；针对职业技术学院而言，经验更重要。
就业展望与薪资
| 学科 | 平均年薪 | 薪水范围（25%-75%） | 从业人数 | 产业最集中 | 从业人口最多 |
| 商学 | $92,220 | $49,770- $116,740 | 84,890 | 纽约州*(1) | |
| $84,700 | $52,700- $105,020 | 33,760 | 加州*(2) | ||
| $77,290 | $49,000- $94,550 | 53,850 | 加州*(3) | ||
| $84,880 | $52,110- $100,680 | 7,340 | 罗德岛州 | 德州*(4) | |
| 工程学 | $104,220 | $68,170- $129,570 | 33,970 | 罗德岛州 | 德州*(5) |
| $95,280 | $66,930- $118,080 | 9,680 | 德州*(6) | ||
| 生物学 | $86,830 | $54,950- $106,700 | 51,640 | 德州*(7) | |
| 林业及保育科学 | $91,030 | $63,850- $115,310 | 10,930 | 纽约州*(8) | |
| 大气、地球、海洋及空间科学 | $92,540 | $59,280- $116,530 | 10,890 | 缅因州 | 加州*(9) |
| $86,070 | $55,250- $104,150 | 21,460 | 纽约州*(10) | ||
| $88,570 | $58,250- $109,870 | 5,540 | 纽约州*(11) | ||
| 物理学 | $93,950 | $59,700- $116,070 | 14,310 | 罗德岛州 | 纽约州*(12) |
| $85,440 | $57,040- $104,770 | 6,000 | 纽约州*(13) | ||
| 地区、种族与文化研究 | $81,700 | $51,920- $99,350 | 9,240 | 纽约州*(14) | |
| $106,980 | $65,170- $130,180 | 13,580 | 罗德岛州 | 纽约州*(15) | |
| $79,690 | $55,950- $98,900 | 4,350 | 西弗吉尼亚州 | 宾夕法尼亚州*(16) | |
| $88,680 | $55,280- $108,360 | 17,460 | 哥伦比亚特区 | 德州*(17) | |
| $79,370 | $51,210- $96,540 | 38,380 | 加州*(18) | ||
| $76,750 | $51,570- $93,240 | 16,160 | 罗德岛州 | 纽约州*(19) | |
| 医疗卫生 | $114,510 | $59,660- $149,570 | 178,900 | 德州*(20) | |
| $73,150 | $53,420- $87,080 | 57,390 | 德州 | 肯塔基州*(21) | |
| $68,200 | $44,640- $82,430 | 60,260 | 纽约*(22) | ||
| 图书馆科学 | $73,030 | $53,860- $88,120 | 4,910 | 堪萨斯州、阿拉巴马州 | 德州*(23) |
| 刑事司法及执法 | $64,460 | $45,520- $77,000 | 14,560 | 北卡罗来纳州 | 北卡罗来纳州*(24) |
| $126,230 | $62,880- $168,490 | 16,430 | 麻省 | 纽约州*(25) | |
| $69,030 | $46,190- $85,420 | 11,740 | 康涅狄格州 | 纽约州*(26) | |
| $76,710 | $47,120- $91,580 | 98,310 | 麻省 | 加州*(27) | |
| 通信 | $70,290 | $46,820- $87,460 | 29,050 | 哥伦比亚特区 | 加州*(28) |
| 英语语言与文学 | $71,210 | $45,650- $86,350 | 75,730 | 罗德岛州 | 加州*(29) |
| 外语及文学 | $69,520 | $45,630- $82,980 | 30,120 | 哥伦比亚特区 | 加州*(30) |
| 历史学 | $76,670 | $51,270- $93,450 | 23,680 | 罗德岛州 | 德州*(31) |
| $75,140 | $48,440- $91,550 | 23,820 | 哥伦比亚特区 | 纽约州*(32) | |
| 研究生助教 | $32,510 | $45,860- $42,280 | 125,100 | 德州*(33) | |
| 家庭经济学 | $69,090 | $45,810- $87,630 | 3,650 | 犹他州、堪萨斯州、阿拉巴马州 | 加州*(34) |
| 健身与康复学 | $66,090 | $42,140- $80,960 | 17,980 | 亚利桑那州 | 加州*(35) |
| 假期教学 | $54,260 | $37,010- $66,070 | 119,800 | 西弗吉尼亚州 | 德州*(36) |
注：薪水范围(25%-75%)表示:50%的从业人员的薪水位处该薪资水平段之间——25%低于该水平，25%高于该水平。
参考资料
(1) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1011 Business Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(2) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1021 Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(3) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1022 Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(4) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1031 Architecture Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(5) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1032 Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(6) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1041 Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(7) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1042 Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(8) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1043 Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(9) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25-1051 Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(10) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1052 Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(11) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1053 Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(12) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1054 Physics Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(13) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1061 Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(14) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1062 Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(15) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1063 Economics Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(16) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1064 Geography Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(17) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1065 Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(18) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1066 Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(19) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1067 Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(20) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1071 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(21) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1072 Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(22) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1081 Education Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(23) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1082 Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(24) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1111 Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(25) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1112 Law Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(26) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1113 Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(27) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1121 Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(28) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1122 Communications Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(29) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1123 English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(30) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1124 Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(31) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1125 History Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(32) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1126 Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(33) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1191 Graduate Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(34) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1192 Home Economics Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(35) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1193 Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(36) Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012 25 -1194 Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(37) Postsecondary teachers, Summary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics