Law teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Law teachers, postsecondary teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. The role reports a median annual salary of $126,650 in the US and is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a Doctoral or professional degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Instructing.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £52,835 a year for Higher education teaching professionals (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £42,062 to £66,191 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2311). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Law teachers, postsecondary, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Master's degree in law (at least 55%; 50% for reserved categories)[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam UGC-NET in Law[2][1]
- 3 · First role Assistant Professor in a college or university (subject to its recruitment rules)[2]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- UGC-NET June 2025 Information Bulletin — NTA (read on 2026-09-27)
- UGC-NET — National Testing Agency (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Communications and Media
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- Sociology and Anthropology
A day in the life
You start the morning rereading the cases you will discuss in class, including a recent judgment that changes how contract law applies to online deals. Late morning you lead a lively seminar, putting a problem to the room and pressing students to argue both sides using the law rather than opinion. After class a student stays back to ask about a moot court competition, and you agree to coach the team. Over lunch you work on a journal article about a gap in consumer protection law. In the afternoon you mark written answers and listen to oral presentations, judging how clearly students reason and cite authority. You also meet colleagues to update the syllabus with new legislation. Before leaving you prepare notes and reading lists for next week. The marking load is heavy, and keeping up with new judgments never stops, but watching a quiet student grow into a confident advocate is a real joy.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as civil procedure, contracts, and torts.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Law teachers, postsecondary do?
Teach courses in law. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What does a typical day look like in Law teachers, postsecondary?
You start the morning rereading the cases you will discuss in class, including a recent judgment that changes how contract law applies to online deals. Late morning you lead a lively seminar, putting a problem to the room and pressing students to argue both sides using the law rather than opinion. After class a student stays back to ask about a moot court competition, and you agree to coach the team. Over lunch you work on a journal article about a gap in consumer protection law.
How much does Law teachers, postsecondary earn?
The median annual salary for Law teachers, postsecondary in the US is $126,650.
What is the job outlook for Law teachers, postsecondary?
The role is showing modest growth of 2% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 29,500 workers.
How do I become law teachers, postsecondary?
The typical entry education is a Doctoral or professional degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Law teachers, postsecondary need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Instructing, Writing. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Law teachers, postsecondary?
Our AI-durability model gives Law teachers, postsecondary a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Law teachers, postsecondary has very high barrier to entry — very highly gated — extended graduate education, licensure, or years of specialised training are required.