Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
Impact: Educational outcomes
Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What do Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary do?
What the work is really like
You teach engineering. That means standing in front of undergraduates explaining why a beam bends under load, or why a control system oscillates when its gain is too high. Your classroom might be a 200-seat lecture hall one hour and a small, fume-hood-lined laboratory the next, and the energy shifts completely between them. You prepare lectures, grade problem sets, hold office hours, and supervise lab sessions where students test circuits or measure fluid flow. The subject matter is technical, and you need to understand it well enough to explain it clearly to people who are encountering it for the first time.
Teaching is only part of it. Most postsecondary engineering roles expect you to conduct research. You write grant proposals, run experiments, publish papers, and supervise graduate students who are doing thesis work in your lab. The research feeds the teaching and the teaching informs the research, but both demand time and both come with deadlines. You also serve on department committees, advise students on course selection and career plans, and attend faculty meetings where curriculum decisions get made. The work is varied, and it is also constant.
Skills and strengths that matter
You need a solid command of engineering principles and the mathematics that underpin them. Whether you teach chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, or another branch, you have to know your field well enough to answer hard questions and design fair exams. Computer-aided design software matters if you teach anything that involves physical systems, and you will often need to model or simulate problems to make a concept visible. The technical knowledge is non-negotiable.
Teaching itself is a skill. You learn how to structure a lecture so that ideas build on each other, how to read a room when students are lost, and how to explain the same concept three different ways until someone grasps it. Speaking clearly under pressure helps, as does the ability to simplify without dumbing down. Learning strategies matter because you are constantly absorbing new research, new software tools, and new ways to present old material. Patience matters too, because not every student is ready for the abstraction you are asking them to handle.
Research demands persistence. Experiments fail, grant applications get rejected, and papers come back with revisions. You keep going anyway, because the work is cumulative and small gains matter. Collaboration is constant: you work with other faculty, with PhD students, and sometimes with industry partners who fund your lab. Most of your week involves people, either teaching them or working alongside them.
Who tends to thrive here
This role suits people who find satisfaction in explaining hard things and watching comprehension take hold. You like working with ideas and you like working with people, and you are comfortable switching between the two. Social interaction is high, and you spend most of your time either teaching, meeting with students, or collaborating with colleagues. If you need long stretches of uninterrupted solo work, you will have to carve them out deliberately.
People who thrive here tend to value intellectual challenge and the chance to shape how the next generation of engineers thinks. You care about the subject matter and you care about the students, even when they show up unprepared or ask the same question for the third time. You also tolerate ambiguity, because the job has no clear boundaries and no fixed point at which the day is done.
The work drains people who dislike repetition or who need immediate results. You teach the same course multiple times, and research moves slowly. The bureaucracy is real: you attend meetings, fill out forms, and comply with accreditation requirements. If you want to build things with your own hands rather than teach others how to build them, you will feel the gap. The academic calendar provides structure, and it also means your workload spikes during certain months and you are never fully off the clock.
How people get into the role and grow
A doctoral degree in engineering is the standard entry requirement. You spend four to six years after your bachelor's degree conducting original research, writing a dissertation, and teaching as a graduate assistant. Some people take a postdoctoral position after the PhD to build their publication record before applying for faculty roles. Others move directly into a tenure-track assistant professor position if their research is strong and their teaching evaluations are solid.
Your first few years as faculty are probationary. You teach assigned courses, establish a research programme, and apply for grants. Five to eight years in, if your work meets the department's standards, you apply for tenure and promotion to associate professor. Tenure provides job security, and it also comes with higher expectations for service and leadership. From there, some people move to full professor after another decade or more, while others shift into administrative roles such as department chair or dean.
The work is stable, and demand for engineering faculty is growing faster than the average for postsecondary teaching roles. Universities need people who can teach technical subjects and maintain active research programmes, and the supply of qualified candidates remains tight.
From people working as Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
As an engineering teacher, you're constantly balancing lecturing, grading, and mentoring students. It's to see students grasp complex concepts and apply them in projects. Research is a big part too, keeping you at the forefront of your field. The hours can be long, especially with grant writing and committee work, but shaping the next generation of engineers is very.
Drawn from National Society of Professional Engineers, American Society for Engineering Education, Academic experience
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from National Society of Professional Engineers, American Society for Engineering Education, Academic experience
A day in the life of Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 75% Team / 25% Solo
- Client facing
- Never
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Minimal
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- Moderate
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $159,150
- Entry-level
- $108,000
- Senior
- $215,000
- Growth by 2033
- +8.1%
- Demand
- Growing
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- 198%
- Typical student debt
- Very High
Skills you need as Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
Hard skills
- Engineering and Technology
- Mathematics
- Computer aided design CAD software
Soft skills
- Learning Strategies
- Instructing
- Speaking
Technical complexity: Moderate
Tools Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary use
Core tools
- CAD Software (Software): For designing and illustrating engineering concepts in coursework.
- 3DEXPERIENCE Platform (Platform): To provide a collaborative, immersive, and industry-relevant learning environment.
- Learning Management Systems (LMS) (Software): For delivering course content, managing assignments, and facilitating student interaction.
- MATLAB/Simulink (Software): For numerical computation, simulation, and algorithm development in engineering disciplines.
Commonly used
- Python (Language): For data analysis, scientific computing, and scripting in engineering research and teaching.
- Microsoft Office Suite (Software): For creating course materials, presentations, and managing administrative tasks.
- Zoom (Software): For conducting virtual lectures, meetings, and student consultations.
How to become Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
- Minimum education
- Doctoral or Professional Degree
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 5-9
- Years to senior
- 15-25
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary come from
- Practicing Engineer: Many engineering teachers transition from industry roles, bringing practical experience to academia.
- Research Engineer: Individuals with strong research backgrounds often move into teaching positions at universities.
- Postdoctoral Researcher: Postdocs often pursue academic careers, including teaching, after completing their research.
- Industry Consultant: Experienced consultants with deep domain knowledge may choose to share their expertise through teaching.
Where Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary go next
- Academic Administrator: Engineering teachers may advance into leadership roles such as department chairs, deans, or provosts.
- Educational Consultant: Professors can leverage their pedagogical expertise to consult on curriculum development or educational technology.
- Senior Research Scientist: Some engineering teachers may transition to full-time research roles in academia or industry.
- Curriculum Developer: With their teaching experience, they can move into roles focused on designing and improving educational programs.
- Policy Advisor (STEM Education): Engineering educators can influence educational policy at governmental or organizational levels.
Typical Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary progression
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
- Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
- or Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- 0.635
- AI disruption risk
- High
- Demand trend
- Growing
Job satisfaction as Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
- Overall satisfaction
- 7.2/10
- Meaning
- 8.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 7.5/10
- Prestige
- 7.5/10
- Social perception
- High
Where Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary find community
Professional organisations
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE): A professional organization providing tools and services for engineers to stay informed and connected.
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE): A global organization for the advancement of technology, relevant for electrical and computer engineering educators.
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE): Dedicated to promoting excellence in engineering and engineering technology education.
Podcasts and media
- Journal of Engineering Education: A peer-reviewed journal focused on improving engineering education worldwide.
Online communities
- ResearchGate: A social networking site for scientists and researchers to share papers, ask and answer questions, and find collaborators.
Questions people ask about Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
How much do Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary earn?
Pay for Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary starts around $108,000 at entry level, reaches $159,150 at the median and climbs to $215,000 for the most experienced.
What qualifications do Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary need?
Most employers look for a Doctoral or Professional Degree, no licensing is required and reaching mid-career takes about 5-9 years.
Can Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary work remotely?
The work happens on site.
What is the job outlook for Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary?
Projections put employment growth at +8.1% through 2033, with demand rated Growing.
How exposed are Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary to automation and AI?
This work carries a high risk of disruption from AI.
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