A computer science teacher at the postsecondary level designs courses, delivers lectures, and guides students through complex programming and computing concepts. You'll need a master's degree and deep expertise in your field. It's intellectually demanding work that shapes the next generation of tech professionals.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Computer science teachers at colleges and universities plan and deliver instruction in programming, algorithms, data structures, and other computing topics. You spend time updating your knowledge to keep pace with rapid technological change, working with computers to demonstrate concepts, and solving problems that arise in curriculum design. You make decisions about course content and assessment methods, think creatively about how to explain difficult ideas, and gather information from industry trends to keep your teaching current and relevant.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $96,980 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 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 3,500 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a master's degree in computer science or a closely related field. This typically requires four to six years of education beyond high school: a bachelor's degree followed by graduate study. During your master's program, you'll deepen your technical knowledge while developing teaching skills. Many programs include opportunities to assist with instruction or lead discussion sections. Building expertise in a specialized area of computer science strengthens your candidacy for teaching positions.
Most paths to this role start with a bachelor's degree in computer science, then continue into graduate study. The transition from student to educator involves both technical mastery and teaching preparation, so Pathly can map the computer science teacher, postsecondary path that fits you with your counselor to map out the timeline and coursework that fits your goals.
You do not need a license to work as a computer science teacher, postsecondary, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're drawn to working with people, explaining ideas clearly, and helping others learn. Teaching computer science suits people who enjoy speaking and writing about technical topics, who listen actively to student questions, and who find meaning in guiding others' growth.
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.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
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).