Law Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Also called: Adjunct Professor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Business Law Professor · Clinical Law Professor · Instructor
Median pay (national)
$126,650
$58,330–$239,200+ (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
22,800
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.2%
~2,200 openings/yr
Typical entry
Doctoral or professional degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for law teachers, postsecondary shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $239,200+ versus $58,330 at the bottom 10% — 4.1x. The median of $126,650 leaves roughly 89% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.2% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 2,200 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 35 states with released data, Tennessee pays the most for this role (median $171,280, +35% vs the national median), while Mississippi sits lowest at $65,880 — a 160% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Learning management system LMS as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, papers, and oral presentations.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
- Assign cases for students to hear and try.
- Act as advisers to student organizations.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts.
Tools & technology
- Learning management system LMS
- AbacusNext HotDocs
- ACD Systems Canvas
- Blackboard Learn
- Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction CALI Author
- Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction CALI Classcaster
- Collaborative editing software
- Collateral Consequences Calculator
- Course management system software
- CT Summation iBlaze
- Desire2Learn LMS software
- DOC Cop
- ExamSoft Exam Intelligence
- Image scanning software
- iParadigms Turnitin
- LexisNexis
Knowledge areas
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Sociology and Anthropology