Somewhat Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Engineering Teachers:
46.6%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
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Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Med
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
This result is backed by strong agreement across multiple data sources.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary
$106,120 median salary•4,100 annual openings•SOC Code: 25-1032.00
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary are somewhat less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 7 sources.
Engineering professors are "Somewhat Resilient" because AI is already handling a real chunk of their behind-the-scenes work, like drafting grant proposals, writing test questions, and answering routine student questions, which means the job is genuinely changing even if it is not disappearing. The parts of the role that AI cannot easily touch, including mentoring students through tough moments, leading hands-on labs, and sparking real discussions about engineering ethics and problem-solving, are still very human and very hard to automate.
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Engineering professors are "Somewhat Resilient" because AI is already handling a real chunk of their behind-the-scenes work, like drafting grant proposals, writing test questions, and answering routine student questions, which means the job is genuinely changing even if it is not disappearing. The parts of the role that AI cannot easily touch, including mentoring students through tough moments, leading hands-on labs, and sparking real discussions about engineering ethics and problem-solving, are still very human and very hard to automate.
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Engineering Teachers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Engineering Teachers jobs?
Right now, AI is mostly augmenting engineering professors rather than replacing them. The work happening behind the scenes — drafting tests, writing grant applications, answering routine student questions — is where AI tools are showing up first. For example, a new study covered in Nature found that NIH grant proposals drafted or edited with AI chatbots were more likely to win funding [1], though they also tended to look more similar to past winners.
On the teaching side, ASEE researchers published in March 2026 are testing custom AI chatbots that answer undergraduate engineering students' questions outside class hours [2], letting professors focus on harder concepts and mentoring. Big systems are also moving fast: the California State University system spent $17 million giving all 460,000 students, faculty, and staff access to ChatGPT Edu [3]. But the high-touch parts of the job — supervising research, leading discussions, and mentoring — are still very human.
As one professor told NPR, AI-written essays are like "bringing a forklift to the gym" — the work gets done, but the learning muscles never develop [4].
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Engineering Teachers?
Adoption is moving quickly in some areas and slowly in others. On the "fast" side, Deloitte's 2026 Higher Education Trends report notes universities are betting on AI tools to handle grant reporting so researchers can spend more time on actual research [5], and budget pressure is pushing schools toward automation. On the "slow" side, faculty are pushing back hard on ethical grounds — thousands of CSU faculty signed a petition asking the chancellor not to renew the OpenAI contract and instead "use the savings to protect jobs" [3].
Accreditation rules, academic freedom, and worries about student learning are real brakes on full automation. The good news for anyone thinking about this career: the skills that AI can't easily copy — mentoring young engineers, designing meaningful labs, and leading honest classroom discussions — are exactly the skills Deloitte highlights as the "human" capabilities (communication, teamwork, and critical thinking) that will be more valued, not less, as AI spreads [5].
Sources
Will AI replace Engineering Teachers?
Not entirely. We think AI will take over some tasks, but not the whole job.
Engineering professors already have AI showing up in their workflows, and the pace is picking up. Universities are deploying AI chatbots to handle routine student questions outside class hours [2], and tools are being used to streamline grant writing and reporting so researchers can focus on actual research [5]. With systems like California State University spending $17 million to give hundreds of thousands of students and faculty access to AI tools [3], the administrative and repetitive parts of this job are clearly in AI's crosshairs.
But a 46.6% AI Resilience Score tells a more complicated story than "replaced." The work that defines a great engineering professor, supervising research, designing hands-on labs, mentoring students through hard problems, and leading honest classroom discussions, is still deeply human. As one professor put it, AI-written work is like "bringing a forklift to the gym": the task gets done, but the learning never happens [4]. Accreditation standards and faculty pushback are also real brakes on full automation.
We believe the role will change more than it will disappear. Professors who lean into AI for the routine stuff and double down on mentoring and critical thinking will be in the strongest position.
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Latest AI news for Engineering Teachers
These articles highlight the evolving role of AI in engineering education, emphasizing the need for postsecondary engineering teachers to adapt their teaching methods. For example, the article on AI-based educational tools demonstrates how such tools can enhance scientific writing skills, crucial for engineering students. Additionally, the piece on transforming computer science education illustrates the importance of collaboration among educators to integrate AI effectively. By embracing these advancements, future engineering teachers can foster resilience in their careers, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful in an AI-driven landscape.
Empowering Engineers for a Future Shaped with AI and Design
www.highereducationdigest.com • 5/30/2026
Professor Suan Hui Pu is currently Head of School of Engineering at the University of Southampton Malaysia (UoSM).
Transforming Computer Science Education in the Age of AI
today.ucsd.edu • 10/28/2025
UC San Diego educators, education researchers and computer scientists have teamed up to launch a global consortium, with support from...
Microsoft researchers have revealed the 40 jobs most exposed to AI—and even teachers make the list
fortune.com • 7/31/2025
Sorry, Gen Z: AI is expected to soon reshape dozens of popular professions—and possibly make some tasks obsolete.
Education faculty explore AI in the classroom
www.psu.edu • 12/3/2024
Penn State College of Education faculty members are working to help students harness the powers of generative artificial intelligence by...
Teacher’s Perceptions of Using an Artificial Intelligence-Based Educational Tool for Scientific Writing
www.frontiersin.org • 3/28/2022
Efforts have constantly been made to incorporate AI into teaching and learning; however, the successful implementation of new instructional...
More Career Info
Career: Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary
They teach college students about engineering, helping them understand concepts and solve problems to prepare for engineering careers.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$106,120
Jobs (2024)
50,300
Growth (2024-34)
+8.1%
Annual Openings
4,100
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
2
Perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.
3
Participate in campus and community events.
4
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate class discussions.
5
Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
6
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
7
Select and obtain materials and supplies such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
