Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary
Machines can already do 56% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 71%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 56% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 24% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 71% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 19,830 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $79,350 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 57% for contact with people.
- Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Foreign Languages Professor, French Professor.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as how to speak and write a foreign language and the cultural aspects of areas where a particular language is used | 16% | 72% to 82% | |
| Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers | 12% | 74% to 82% | |
| Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts | 11% | 63% to 81% | |
| Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions | 8% | 22% to 47% | |
| Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in scholarly journals, books, or electronic media | 8% | 76% to 82% | |
| Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students | 6% | 32% to 55% | |
| Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records | 4% | 63% to 81% | |
| Keep abreast of developments in their field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional organizations and activities | 4% | 64% to 78% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary69% of tasks by 2035 · US median $80,260
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors55% of tasks by 2035 · US median $61,540
- Self-Enrichment Teachers43% of tasks by 2035 · US median $46,800
- Anthropologists and Archeologists65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $70,770
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary?
Machines can do 56% of the tasks of foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary today and 71% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-1124.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/foreign-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary/