A business teacher at the postsecondary level instructs students in accounting, economics, management, and related subjects. You'll need a doctoral degree and extensive preparation. Here is what the work involves, what it takes to qualify, and how to get there.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Business teachers at colleges and universities design and deliver courses in accounting, economics, management, and business law. You'll spend time preparing lectures, grading assignments, and staying current with economic trends and business practices. Your days involve training and teaching others, interpreting complex information for students, and organizing course materials. You'll use computers to manage grades, create presentations, and research new developments in your field. You also advise students on career paths and may serve on departmental committees.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Business Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $99,080 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 8,100 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a doctoral degree in business, economics, accounting, or a related field. This typically requires four to six years of study beyond your bachelor's degree, including coursework in your specialty and original research. During your doctoral program, you may teach introductory courses or assist established professors. Many programs require you to pass comprehensive exams and defend a dissertation. After earning your doctorate, you'll apply for faculty positions at colleges and universities, where hiring committees review your academic credentials, research, and teaching experience.
The path to becoming a business teacher involves earning a doctoral degree and building teaching experience during graduate school. If you're considering this route, Pathly can map the business teacher, postsecondary path that fits you to map out the steps with your counselor and stay on track.
You do not need a license to work as a business teacher, postsecondary, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're drawn to teaching and helping others learn. You enjoy explaining complex ideas clearly and working with people to build their skills and knowledge.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).