Mostly Resilient

Last Update: 8/30/2026

AI Resilience Score for Postsecondary Teachers:

52.4%

Median Score

Meaningful human contribution

Med

Long-term employer demand

Med

Sustained economic opportunity

Med

Our confidence in this score:

Medium

Contributing sources

AI Resilience Report forPostsecondary Teachers, All Other

$77,640 median salary•12,500 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 are labeled "Mostly Resilient" because the heart of their work, inspiring students, mentoring learners with unique needs, and bringing deep expertise to specialized subjects, simply cannot be handed off to an algorithm. AI is genuinely helping with time-consuming tasks like drafting lesson plans, generating practice questions, and summarizing readings, but it is acting as a helper rather than a replacement for the actual teaching.

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How is AI changing Postsecondary Teachers jobs?

Right now, AI is mostly augmenting (helping) postsecondary teachers rather than replacing them. In the largest study of AI in higher ed to date, more than half of faculty said they use AI to develop course materials, even as many expressed skepticism about AI's role in students' work, according to a Chronicle of Higher Education report on Cal State's 94,000-person survey ^[1]. A 2026 EDUCAUSE study found that nearly all respondents (94%) said they have used AI tools for work within the past six months, with the most promising uses being automating repetitive processes, offloading administrative burdens, and analyzing large datasets ^[2].

For instructors of specialized subjects, that means AI is helping draft lesson plans, generate practice questions, summarize dense readings, and translate complex topics into simpler explanations — not delivering the actual teaching. Human judgment, mentorship, and expertise in niche fields still drive the classroom.

Sources

[1]chronicle.com

[2]educause.edu

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How fast is AI adoption growing for Postsecondary Teachers?

Adoption is happening fast but unevenly. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are cheap and already built into platforms professors use daily — Canvas announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate native AI tools, and Ohio State launched a campuswide AI fluency initiative that requires every student to learn how to use AI tools, per Inside Higher Ed ^[3]. But real barriers slow full automation.

The AAUP's national report on AI and academic professions ^[4] warns that 82 percent of students, 78 percent of faculty, and 74 percent of staff said they are concerned about AI's impact on job security, and faculty unions are pushing for shared governance over AI decisions. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects ^[5] that overall postsecondary teacher employment will grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average. The takeaway: AI can handle prep and paperwork, but the human abilities to inspire curious students, adapt to unique learners, and vouch for accuracy in specialized fields remain deeply valued — good news if teaching is your dream.

Sources

[3]insidehighered.com

[4]aaup.org

[5]bls.gov

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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 52.4% AI Resilience Score reflects a career that is holding up well, but not standing still. Right now, AI is mostly a helper in the classroom. Nearly all faculty surveyed reported using AI tools for work in the past six months, with the most promising uses being automating repetitive tasks and reducing administrative burdens ^[2]. More than half of faculty already use AI to develop course materials ^[1]. That is augmentation, not replacement.

What stays human is the core of the job: inspiring students, adapting to unique learners, and bringing deep expertise to niche subjects. Those are hard to automate, and employers still want them. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects postsecondary teacher employment will grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than average ^[5]. That said, faculty have real concerns. Surveys show 78% of faculty worry about AI's impact on job security, and unions are pushing for a voice in how AI gets adopted ^[4].

The honest picture: AI will handle more prep and paperwork over time, but the human ability to teach, mentor, and vouch for accuracy in specialized fields is not going away.

Sources

[1]chronicle.com

[2]educause.edu

[4]aaup.org

[5]bls.gov

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How can Postsecondary Teachers prepare for AI?

Get hands-on with the exact AI tools already reshaping college classrooms.

ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are mentioned in the analysis as tools professors are already using daily, and Canvas has even partnered with OpenAI to bring AI natively into course management. Start experimenting with these tools now by using them to summarize a dense textbook chapter, generate practice quiz questions on a topic you love, or simplify a complex concept for a younger sibling. This gives you a real feel for what AI can and cannot do in a teaching context, so you will know how to use it as a helper rather than a crutch when you enter the field.

Build the human skills that AI simply cannot replace, starting with mentorship and subject expertise.

The analysis points out that inspiring curious students, adapting to unique learners, and vouching for accuracy in specialized fields are the core reasons postsecondary teaching is growing 7% from 2025 to 2035. You can start developing these skills right now by tutoring classmates, volunteering to help younger students, or going deep on a subject you are passionate about. The more genuine expertise and people skills you build, the more irreplaceable you become even as AI handles the prep work and paperwork.

Learn about AI governance and the debates happening inside universities right now.

The AAUP's national report found that 82% of students, 78% of faculty, and 74% of staff are concerned about AI's impact on job security, and faculty unions are actively pushing for shared governance over AI decisions. Follow the AAUP website (aaup.org) and read Inside Higher Ed to stay current on how institutions are negotiating AI policies. Understanding these conversations early means you will be prepared to participate in them as a future educator, not just be surprised by them.

Develop AI fluency the same way top universities are now requiring it.

Ohio State launched a campuswide AI fluency initiative requiring every student to learn how to use AI tools, and EDUCAUSE found that 94% of higher ed professionals used AI for work in the past six months. Seek out free AI literacy courses on platforms like Coursera or Khan Academy, and pay special attention to using AI for analyzing large datasets and automating repetitive tasks, since those are the specific use cases the EDUCAUSE study highlighted as most promising. Arriving in your career already fluent in these skills will set you apart from peers who are just catching up.

Practice critically evaluating AI-generated content in your own subject area.

The analysis notes that faculty are already using AI to draft lesson plans, generate practice questions, and summarize readings, but human judgment is still needed to catch errors and ensure accuracy in specialized fields. Pick a topic you know well and run it through a tool like ChatGPT or Claude, then fact-check every claim it makes. This habit of critical evaluation is exactly the skill that makes a postsecondary teacher valuable in an AI-assisted world, and you can start building it today with zero cost.

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Latest AI news for Postsecondary Teachers

These articles highlight the significant impact of AI on postsecondary teaching careers, emphasizing the need for adaptability. For instance, many professors are integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into their teaching methods, demonstrating early adoption and innovation in the classroom. However, concerns about cheating using generative AI also underscore the challenges educators face. The call for a National Center for AI in Education suggests a future where educators will be equipped to navigate these changes, fostering resilience in this evolving landscape.

A U.S. prof suspects most of his students used AI to cheat. It's a growing concern here, too

www.cbc.ca • 7/20/2026

A Brown University professor has gone public about what appears to be a large-scale case of cheating using generative AI. The case isn't...

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

Congress should establish a National Center for AI in Education to build the capacity of education agencies to undertake evidence-based...

Why some college professors are adopting ChatGPT AI as quickly as students

www.cnbc.com • 4/2/2023

AI researchers see teaching jobs most at risk from generative AI. Maybe it's no surprise then that college professors are early adopters of...

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.

SOC Code:

25-1199.00•Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics