Photo: Michael Surran (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Job description
Beyond lecturing on topics like programming and software design, teachers select course materials and textbooks, prepare syllabi and assignments, and compile and grade exams, or delegate that grading to teaching assistants. They also maintain attendance and grade records and stay current in the field by reading new research, talking with colleagues, and attending conferences. Some split their time between teaching and active research rather than teaching full time. The work runs on a fast-paced academic calendar with real deadlines around each term, and a PhD in the relevant field is the standard credential to teach at this level.
Pros
- High upside earning potential, up to $170k
- Faster than average projected growth (5.3%)
- Substantial independent judgment over curriculum, research, and course design
Cons
- Requires a PhD, a lengthy and competitive credentialing path
- Above-average hours, often exceeding a standard 40-hour work week
- Relatively few positions nationwide (3,500), making tenure-track jobs competitive
A typical day
The 10am data structures lecture is the performance part of the day: teaching 120 students why hash collisions matter, live-coding an example that (deliberately) breaks, and fielding the sharp question from the back row. Office hours bring a parade of debugging sessions and one student who might be research material. The professor's other life resumes after lunch: advising two graduate students on their thesis experiments, revising a grant proposal, reviewing a conference paper due Friday. A faculty meeting about curriculum eats an hour. Grading automation helps, but designing an exam that tests understanding rather than memorization is its own craft, done late, with coffee.
Tasks at the job
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent sitting at a desk.
The pace is often fast, with real time pressure to meet deadlines, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures.
Education necessary or common
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the relevant field
Common college majors
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- AP Computer Science A — the subject itself
- AP Calculus BC — the math backbone of a CS PhD path
- AP Statistics — research methods live here
- Math team-level extras: discrete math, linear algebra if available
- English — teaching and publishing are writing jobs too
Clubs, activities & competitions
- USACO and math olympiad competitions
- Tutor younger students in math or coding — teaching is the job
- Science fair CS research projects
- Coding club leadership
First steps you can take now
- Teach one friend to code and notice what's hard to explain
- Work through a free university CS course and note how it's structured
- Email a CS professor about their research — many respond to curious students
- Enter USACO Bronze this season
