Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations · 20K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$79,350
Median hourly
$38
Average annual
$89,990
Typical range
$49,060–$136,050
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary is $79,350 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $38 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Teach languages and literature courses in languages other than English. Includes teachers of American Sign Language (ASL).
Most earn between $49,060 and $136,050 a year. There are roughly 20K people employed as foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary.
- Hourly
- $38.15
- Daily
- $305
- Weekly
- $1,526
- Bi-weekly
- $3,052
- Monthly
- $6,613
- Annual
- $79,350
$79,350 a year is around the 50th percentile for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondarys. The median is $79,350.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Hampshire$101,750
- 2Delaware$101,100
- 3California$99,860
- 4Massachusetts$98,750
- 5Maine$96,970
- 6New York$95,120
- 7Oregon$91,670
- 8Maryland$87,280
- 9Nevada$84,980
- 10Michigan$83,190
- 11Illinois$81,530
- 12South Dakota$81,080
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$171,660
- 2Fresno, CA$167,160
- 3Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$125,980
- 4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$115,040
- 5San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$106,050
- 6Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$103,190
- 7Amherst Town-Northampton, MA$99,410
- 8Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$99,100
- 9New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$98,600
- 10Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$97,520
- 11Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$97,210
- 12San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$96,550
Related job titles
Employers advertise Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary roles under these titles.
- Adjunct Spanish Instructor
- Arabic Instructor
- Arabic Language Instructor
- Arabic Professor
- Arabic Teacher
- Biblical Languages Professor
- Chinese Instructor
- Chinese Language Professor
- Chinese Teacher
- Foreign Language Instructor
- Foreign Languages Professor
- French Instructor
- French Professor
- German Instructor
- German Professor
- German Teacher
Related occupations
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary$78,760
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary$85,020
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors$61,540
- History Teachers, Postsecondary$83,820
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370
- Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary$80,260
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary$99,650
What a Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary does
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
- Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
- Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
- Participate in campus and community events.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary make?
- The median annual wage for Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary is $79,350 ($38 per hour). Pay ranges from about $49,060 at the 10th percentile to $136,050 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $89,990, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondarys the most?
- New Hampshire has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $101,750.
- Is Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 20K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary do?
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.; Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.; Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media..