Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondaries in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD make a median of $82,890 a year. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $80,829 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 33.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $83K actually covers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $79K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,810/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $76K | $80K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $98K | $98K |
| Syracuse | $80K | $83K |
| Trenton-Princeton | $79K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $102K | +28% | 150 |
| Delaware | $101K | +27% | 70 |
| California | $100K | +26% | 2,170 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +24% | 960 |
| Maine | $97K | +22% | 70 |
| New York | $95K | +20% | 1,520 |
| Oregon | $92K | +16% | 510 |
| Maryland | $87K | +10% | 280 |
| Nevada | $85K | +7% | 90 |
| Michigan | $83K | +5% | 500 |
| Illinois | $82K | +3% | 690 |
| South Dakota | $81K | +2% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +2% | 410 |
| Connecticut | $81K | +2% | 340 |
| Montana | $80K | +1% | 80 |
| Iowa | $80K | +1% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $79K | -0% | 850 |
| District of Columbia | $79K | -1% | 360 |
| Utah | $79K | -1% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -1% | 450 |
| Washington | $78K | -1% | 370 |
| Colorado | $78K | -2% | 410 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -2% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -3% | 1,060 |
| Alaska | $76K | -4% | 80 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -4% | 310 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -4% | 40 |
| Florida | $76K | -4% | 430 |
| Missouri | $76K | -4% | 330 |
| Louisiana | $75K | -5% | 130 |
| Texas | $75K | -5% | 1,460 |
| Indiana | $75K | -6% | 660 |
| Ohio | $74K | -6% | 960 |
| Virginia | $74K | -7% | 890 |
| Georgia | $73K | -8% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $72K | -10% | 60 |
| Arizona | $71K | -10% | 360 |
| Alabama | $71K | -11% | 110 |
| Kansas | $66K | -17% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $66K | -17% | 180 |
| North Dakota | $65K | -19% | 30 |
| North Carolina | $64K | -19% | 690 |
| Arkansas | $63K | -21% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -22% | 80 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -31% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,519/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $79K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $79K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $82,890 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,000, and experienced foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries can clear $130,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,346/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 33.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary go in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $80,829 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondaries get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.