Education
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in social work. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median salary (BLS)
$77,570
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$48k – $127k
Job outlook
+2% (about average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Education
Typical entry: Master's degree
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateLicense requiredCost to qualify
$64,100–$230,700
Time to qualify
6.3 yr
Renewal
$20/yr
- 1
Bachelor's degree
DegreeFour years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.
$40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source
- 2
Master's degree
DegreeTypically two years; average graduate tuition ≈ $20,000/yr at public universities (NCES).
$24,000–$80,000 · 2 years source
- 3
State teaching certification
LicenseApproved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.
$100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Entry / Junior
$48,200
~2 yrs to advance
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Established
$77,570
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Senior
$102,180
Key skills
A typical day
- •Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- •Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, or handouts.
- •Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- •Supervise students' laboratory and field work.
- •Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as family behavior, child and adolescent mental health, or social intervention evaluation.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Education
Explore all- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
- University of Wisconsin–Madison49% admit · $72,000 grad pay
- Vanderbilt University7% admit · $88,000 grad pay
- University of Virginia19% admit · $85,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.