Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Most important skills
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
Key knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Administration and Management
- Administrative
What the work involves
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Social, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Master's Degree (47.4% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (32.5%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (29.4%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 5: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Moderate | Higher on contact with others than 56% of occupations compared | 76% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Moderate | Lower on dealing with the public than 50% of occupations compared | 40% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Higher on teamwork than 54% of occupations compared | 63% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very high | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 91% of occupations compared | 74% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | High | Higher on time pressure than 63% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Low | Lower on conflict situations than 78% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 67% of occupations compared | 34% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Very low | Lower on consequence of error than 98% of occupations compared | 51% of surveyed respondents chose “Not serious at all” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: high
- Conflict situations: low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: very low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 10.19%
- Contact with others about half the time: 10.08%
- Contact with others most of the time: 3.51%
- Constant contact with others: 76.22%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 11.51%
- Fairly important: 12.85%
- Important: 16.86%
- Very important: 40.34%
- Extremely important: 18.44%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0.72%
- Fairly important: 0.73%
- Important: 25.16%
- Very important: 10.44%
- Extremely important: 62.95%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 3.66%
- Some freedom: 22.46%
- A lot of freedom: 73.88%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 11.54%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 14.31%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 35.25%
- Every day: 38.9%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Conflict situations
- Never: 13.48%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 46.43%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 25.63%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 14.46%
- Every day: 0%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 19.21%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 34.16%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 24.04%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 22.58%
- Every day: 0%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 50.96%
- Fairly serious: 35.72%
- Serious: 12.74%
- Very serious: 0%
- Extremely serious: 0.59%
n = 32, Incumbent 08/2019
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O*NET-SOC 25-1021.00 · SOC 25-1021 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8