United States · Pay by job · Education and Library
English Professor salary and take-home pay
The typical US English professor earns $78,760 a year (BLS, May 2025); BLS gives yearly pay only for this job. In Texas, where the median for this job is $78,900, a single filer keeps about $64,336 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1123). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does an English professor earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,270 | |
| 25th | $60,900 | |
| Median | $78,760 | |
| 75th | $103,130 | |
| 90th | $137,250 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $60,900 to $103,130 a year, and about 57,720 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025). BLS gives yearly pay only: people in this job are usually paid by the year and often work fewer than 2,080 hours.
Take-home pay tool
English Professor · Texas · single · median
$64,336.15 a year after tax
$5,361.35 a month · $2,474.47 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $78,900.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$8,528.00 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$6,035.85 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $64,336.15 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $78,900 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does an English professor take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,270 | $40,965 | $39,458 | $38,716 |
| 25th | $60,900 | $51,113 | $48,694 | $48,127 |
| Median | $78,760 | $64,238 | $60,248 | $60,210 |
| 75th | $103,130 | $81,382 | $74,839 | $75,894 |
| 90th | $137,250 | $105,076 | $94,917 | $97,239 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does an English professor keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $130,490 | $91,013 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $98,650 | $78,230 |
| 3 | Nevada | $85,830 | $69,211 |
| 4 | Michigan | $90,240 | $68,729 |
| 5 | Alaska | $82,770 | $66,788 |
| 6 | Texas | $78,900 | $64,336 |
| 7 | New York | $84,850 | $64,139 |
| 8 | Washington | $79,840 | $63,890 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $80,670 | $63,048 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $78,760 | $60,889 |
| 11 | Illinois | $77,570 | $59,706 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $64,220 | $53,781 |
| 13 | Ohio | $65,140 | $53,172 |
| 14 | Virginia | $67,330 | $53,139 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $62,960 | $52,768 |
| 16 | Georgia | $65,530 | $52,312 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $62,030 | $52,021 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $63,370 | $51,078 |
| 19 | Florida | $59,740 | $50,181 |
How much does an English professor earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,910 | 1,040 | not yet |
| Alaska | $82,770 | 90 | $66,788 (#5) |
| Arizona | $76,990 | 870 | not yet |
| Arkansas | $56,520 | 320 | not yet |
| California | $130,490 | 5,460 | $91,013 (#1) |
| Colorado | $72,910 | 1,220 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $97,310 | 940 | not yet |
| Delaware | $97,100 | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $82,300 | 410 | not yet |
| Florida | $59,740 | 2,480 | $50,181 (#19) |
| Georgia | $65,530 | 1,140 | $52,312 (#16) |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $77,570 | 2,570 | $59,706 (#11) |
| Indiana | $69,180 | 1,000 | not yet |
| Iowa | $79,720 | 510 | not yet |
| Kansas | $62,340 | 460 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $65,090 | 540 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $60,350 | 430 | not yet |
| Maine | $84,290 | 230 | not yet |
| Maryland | $83,760 | 830 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $83,980 | 2,900 | not yet |
| Michigan | $90,240 | 1,730 | $68,729 (#4) |
| Minnesota | $84,200 | 920 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $60,680 | 530 | not yet |
| Missouri | $73,070 | 1,040 | not yet |
| Montana | $73,160 | 130 | not yet |
| Nebraska | $78,450 | 500 | not yet |
| Nevada | $85,830 | 280 | $69,211 (#3) |
| New Hampshire | $98,650 | 230 | $78,230 (#2) |
| New Jersey | $78,760 | 1,950 | $60,889 (#10) |
| New Mexico | $66,450 | 230 | not yet |
| New York | $84,850 | 6,110 | $64,139 (#7) |
| North Carolina | $63,370 | 2,140 | $51,078 (#18) |
| North Dakota | $63,690 | 120 | not yet |
| Ohio | $65,140 | 2,240 | $53,172 (#13) |
| Oklahoma | $53,200 | 500 | not yet |
| Oregon | $91,870 | 960 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $80,670 | 2,530 | $63,048 (#9) |
| Rhode Island | $79,190 | 540 | not yet |
| South Carolina | $64,470 | 840 | not yet |
| South Dakota | $62,960 | 110 | $52,768 (#15) |
| Tennessee | $64,220 | 1,150 | $53,781 (#12) |
| Texas | $78,900 | 4,310 | $64,336 (#6) |
| Utah | $73,280 | 420 | not yet |
| Vermont | $86,870 | 170 | not yet |
| Virginia | $67,330 | 1,810 | $53,139 (#14) |
| Washington | $79,840 | 1,000 | $63,890 (#8) |
| West Virginia | $63,280 | 250 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $80,800 | 840 | not yet |
| Wyoming | $62,030 | 140 | $52,021 (#17) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for an English professor?
BLS expects jobs as an English professor to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- 0%
- Openings a year
- about 4,500
- Usual education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 education and library jobs closest in pay to an English professor:
- Philosophy and Religion Professor median $80,260
- Nursing Professor median $80,250
- Mathematical Science Professor median $79,940
- Foreign Language Professor median $79,350
- Art, Drama, and Music Professor median $78,620
- Communications Professor median $78,580
- Other Professor median $77,640
- Social Work Professor median $77,570
- Instructional Coordinator median $77,440
- Recreation and Fitness Studies Professor median $77,270
Every job in the group: Education and Library jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $78,760, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $78,760, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about English professor pay
How much does an English professor make an hour?
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because people in it are usually paid by the year and often work fewer than 2,080 hours: the median is $78,760 a year, and the middle half earn $60,900 to $103,130.
Which state pays an English professor the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, California has the highest median for this job: $130,490 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, California leaves the most: $91,013 a year for a single filer on its median of $130,490.
What is an English professor’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $78,760, a single filer keeps about $64,238 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $60,248 in California and $60,210 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be an English professor?
BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of English professor jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as an English professor to stay about the same from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,500 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).