# Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary

> Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/computer-science-teachers-postsecondary
- SOC code: 25-1021.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $96,980 (10th percentile $49,460, 90th percentile $170,200)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +4.9%
- Openings a year: 3,200
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 35 |
| Investigative (I) | 78 |
| Artistic (A) | 39 |
| Social (S) | 81 |
| Enterprising (E) | 21 |
| Conventional (C) | 50 |

## What you'd do

- Training and Teaching Others (importance 94/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 91/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 91/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 85/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 84/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 81/100)
- Processing Information (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 77/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 74/100)

## Skills

Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Active Learning, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Learning Strategies, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Computers and Electronics, Education and Training, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology, Administration and Management, Administrative, Design, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Adjunct Computer Science Professor, Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, C++ Professor, College Faculty Member, College Professor, Computer Applications Instructor, Computer Engineering Professor, Computer Information Systems Instructor (CIS Instructor)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Computer and Information Sciences, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1101) (CIP 1101, 1,547 colleges)
- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1313) (CIP 1313, 1,257 colleges)
- [Computer Science](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1107) (CIP 1107, 1,070 colleges)
- [Computer Software and Media Applications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1108) (CIP 1108, 701 colleges)
- [Computer Programming](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1102) (CIP 1102, 608 colleges)
- [Management Information Systems and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5212) (CIP 5212, 550 colleges)
- [Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1109) (CIP 1109, 546 colleges)
- [Information Science/Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1104) (CIP 1104, 446 colleges)
- [Computer Systems Analysis](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1105) (CIP 1105, 124 colleges)
- [Mathematics and Computer Science](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3008) (CIP 3008, 113 colleges)
- [Computational Science](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3030) (CIP 3030, 109 colleges)
- [Human Computer Interaction](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3031) (CIP 3031, 60 colleges)
- Accounting and Computer Science (CIP 3016, 17 colleges)
- Economics and Computer Science (CIP 3039, 11 colleges)
- Linguistics and Computer Science (CIP 3048, 4 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Computer Science | $173,492 | $268,121 | $19,000 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Computer and Information Sciences, General | $143,850 | $241,380 | $11,000 |
| [Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT](https://www.collegesref.com/college/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-mit-1615) | Computer Science | $171,815 | $225,141 | $10,000 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Computer Science | $151,551 | $223,309 | $12,500 |
| [Princeton University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/princeton-university-2154) | Computer Science | $155,162 | $217,973 | not reported |
| [Pomona College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pomona-college-2139) | Computer Science | $100,072 | $217,051 | not reported |
| [Stanford University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/stanford-university-2589) | Computer Science | $157,763 | $214,907 | $12,000 |
| [Brown University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/brown-university-314) | Computer Science | $141,816 | $214,479 | $15,000 |

## Related careers

- [Computer and Information Systems Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/computer-and-information-systems-managers): $175,140 median pay
- [Business Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-teachers-postsecondary): $99,080 median pay
- [Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mathematical-science-teachers-postsecondary): $79,940 median pay
- [Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/library-science-teachers-postsecondary): $80,340 median pay
- [Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/engineering-teachers-postsecondary): $109,270 median pay
- [Software Developers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/software-developers): $135,980 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.