Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Postsecondary Teachers:
57.5%
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%).
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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.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forPostsecondary Teachers, All Other
$78,490 median salary•13,500 annual openings•SOC Code: 25-1199.00
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 5 sources.
Postsecondary teachers in niche and interdisciplinary fields are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the heart of their work, mentoring students, leading meaningful discussions, and judging deep understanding, still requires a human presence that AI simply cannot replicate. Tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are being used to save time on tasks like drafting lesson plans, building quizzes, and explaining tough concepts, which means AI is helping teachers do their jobs better rather than pushing them out.
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Postsecondary teachers in niche and interdisciplinary fields are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the heart of their work, mentoring students, leading meaningful discussions, and judging deep understanding, still requires a human presence that AI simply cannot replicate. Tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are being used to save time on tasks like drafting lesson plans, building quizzes, and explaining tough concepts, which means AI is helping teachers do their jobs better rather than pushing them out.
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Postsecondary Teachers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Postsecondary Teachers jobs?
For "all other" postsecondary teachers — instructors who teach niche or interdisciplinary subjects — AI is mostly showing up as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement. The biggest survey of college AI use to date, conducted across the 23-campus California State University system, found that the vast majority of respondents (95 percent) have used at least one of the 21 AI tools listed in the survey, and over half (55 percent) of faculty are using AI to develop course materials, while 69 percent provide students with guidance for using it effectively and responsibly. Professors are leaning on tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Grammarly to draft lesson plans, build quizzes, give feedback on drafts, and explain tough concepts in plain language — work that lines up closely with what this career involves.
A nationwide AAC&U and Elon University survey [1] covered by Inside Higher Ed [2] found that most professors—86 percent—said that the impact of AI on teachers will be "significant and transformative or at least noticeable", but the core human work — mentoring students, leading discussions, and judging deep understanding — still belongs to people.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Postsecondary Teachers?
Adoption is moving fast in some places and slowly in others. Cheap, ready-made tools (a single $17 million CSU-OpenAI deal [2] covers 460,000 students) make AI far cheaper than hiring more staff, which pushes adoption forward. But several brakes exist.
According to a 2026 Inside Higher Ed/Hanover CTO survey [2], half of chief technology officers say the return on investment is either unclear or fell below their expectations. Faculty culture is cautious too: about 68 percent of faculty said their institutions have not prepared faculty to use AI in teaching, student mentorship and scholarship. Most of their recent graduates are underprepared, too.
The American Association of University Professors [3] is also pushing back, with a 2025 report finding (per coverage in Insight Into Academia [4]) that 71% of respondents said decisions about AI and educational technology were made solely by administrators, with little or no involvement from faculty, staff, or students. The Chronicle of Higher Education [5] likewise reports faculty feeling overwhelmed and conflicted. Finally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Monthly Labor Review [6] still projects steady demand for postsecondary teachers through 2034 — a hopeful sign that uniquely human skills like mentorship, ethics, and creative thinking remain irreplaceable.
Sources
Will AI replace Postsecondary Teachers?
No. We don't think AI will replace Postsecondary Teachers, All Other, though we do expect the job to change.
Our 57.5% AI Resilience Score reflects a role that is holding up well, even as AI tools become part of everyday teaching life. Most postsecondary instructors are already using AI to build course materials, write quizzes, and give students feedback, and 55 percent of faculty at one major university system are doing exactly that [2]. That is augmentation, not replacement. The core work of mentoring students, leading real discussions, and judging genuine understanding still requires a human in the room.
Adoption is moving unevenly, and that matters. About half of chief technology officers say the return on investment from AI tools is unclear or fell short of expectations [2]. Faculty culture is also pushing back: 71 percent of respondents in one study said AI decisions were made by administrators with little input from teachers themselves [4]. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects steady demand for postsecondary teachers through 2034 [6].
The honest picture is that this job will shift. Instructors who learn to use AI well will likely have an advantage. But the human parts of teaching, curiosity, trust, and real mentorship, are not going away anytime soon.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Postsecondary Teachers
These articles highlight the growing importance of AI in the field of education, particularly for postsecondary teachers. For instance, Penn State faculty are guiding students on effectively using generative AI, which can enhance teaching methods. Additionally, UC Irvine's course on AI literacy equips future instructors with essential skills in integrating AI into their classrooms. As AI reshapes educational roles, staying informed and adaptable will be key for aspiring educators to thrive in their careers and foster a resilient teaching environment.
UC Irvine introduces AI in Higher Education course for postsecondary instructors
www.edtechinnovationhub.com • 2/25/2026
Digital Learning Lab program targets AI literacy, instructional design, and scaffolded use of generative AI in the college classroom.
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...
Establishing a National Center for AI in Education
fas.org • 6/25/2024
There are immense opportunities associated with artificial intelligence (AI), yet it is important to vet the tools, establish threat...
College professors face the highest exposure to AI tools, study finds
universitybusiness.com • 3/24/2023
Of the 20 occupations most exposed to AI language modeling capabilities, 14 of them were postsecondary teachers.
More Career Info
Career: Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
They teach college students about specific subjects that aren't covered by regular departments, creating lessons and helping students understand complex topics.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$78,490
Jobs (2024)
183,400
Growth (2024-34)
+1.8%
Annual Openings
13,500
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
