Latin Teacher: Degree Requirements, Job and Salary Information

• What high school Latin teachers do
• Educational and certification requirements
• Income projections
• Pros and cons of being a high school Latin teacher

What high school Latin teachers do

High school Latin teachers introduce their students to the language of ancient Rome and its empire, widely used in the past for scholarship, administration, and religious ceremonies.

Latin teachers help their students to understand, speak, read, and write Latin. In an introductory course, teachers work with students to reach a rudimentary level of Latin comprehension. In more advanced courses, teachers help their students achieve a measure of fluency.

Most of a Latin teacher’s duties are similar to those of other foreign language teachers at the high school level. However, due to the language’s overwhelming ties to the past, Latin teachers usually cover more historical material than other foreign language teachers.

High school Latin teachers’ responsibilities include:

• Leading students through lessons in Latin vocabulary and grammar
• Working with students on in-class Latin reading, writing, and speaking practice
• Assigning Latin reading and writing practice homework
• Testing students on their ability to speak, write, and read Latin
• Introducing students to classic texts from ancient Rome
• Teaching students important aspects of Latin as a language in the history of ancient Rome and evolving European civilization.
• Authoring a syllabus and creating lesson plans
• Assigning homework and projects
• Grading assignment, research projects, quizzes and exams, and giving final grades

High school Latin teachers hold classes daily for nine or 10 months of the year. They may also work with students one-on-one or in smaller groups outside of class. Latin teachers must also set aside time outside of the daily class schedule to prepare for each day’s lesson and to grade student work and tests.

At the high school level, Latin teachers frequently teach other subjects, including history, English or another foreign language. Many high school teachers also coach sports or advise clubs and other after-school activities.

Education and certification requirements

Latin teachers typically have at least an undergraduate degree in classics or Latin. Most importantly, they must be fluent in Latin. Usually, employers will look for a set amount of upper-level Latin courses that fulfill the minimum language educational requirements for the specific teaching assignment.

If you want to work for a public high school, most states require you to pass a general teaching certification exam to acquire your credential. You may also be required to pass an exam to prove your language fluency. Public school teachers must pass a background check, and some states also require fingerprint clearance cards before they will allow you to teach.

Many Latin teachers work in private schools, which have less restrictive hiring requirements. However, they will still look for teachers with an undergraduate degree in a relevant field and Latin fluency.

Income projections

The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the average annual salary for all high school teachers, and career-related websites offer salary averages and ranges for high school Latin teachers:

• BLS: $57,200
• Glassdoor.com: $40,157 to $65,143
• SalaryExpert.com: $52,710
• Salary.com: $57,832

Pros and cons of being a high school Latin teacher

It will help to think through the positive and negative aspects of becoming a high school Latin teacher.

Pros

• Inspire the curiosity of students on a subject they may not otherwise learn
• Full-time jobs usually come with good benefits
• Potential to earn job security via tenure
• You may need only a bachelor’s degree
• Many professional organizations exist to support your work
• Latin is usually an elective class, so students may be more enthusiastic since they have freely chosen to learn the subject

Cons

• Frustrating when dealing with teenagers who can be moody or temperamental
• Lower pay than other jobs that require a college education
• Challenging to motivate students to care about a subject without direct, practical relevance
• Latin is a niche subject without much growth opportunity

• What community college Latin instructors do
• Educational and certification requirements
• Income projections
• Pros and cons of being a community college Latin instructor

What community college Latin instructors do

At the community college level, Latin instructors teach a mix of introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses. Introductory courses focus mainly on the fundamentals of learning Latin as a foreign language, while advanced courses focus on the literature, history, philosophy, languages, and archaeology of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.

Here are some of the main responsibilities of community college Latin instructors:

• Lecturing students on topics such as ancient Roman poetry and philosophy
• Giving lessons in Latin vocabulary and grammar
• Guiding students through Latin reading, writing, and speaking practice
• Teaching students to read classic texts from ancient Rome
• Developing course materials such a syllabus, tests, homework, handouts, and essay prompts
• Grading students’ essays, exams, quizzes, and homework
• Testing students on their ability to speak, write, and read Latin
• Holding regular office hours to answer questions and provide guidance
• Advising students on scholarship and career development

Educational and certification requirements

At minimum, you will be required to demonstrate Latin fluency. In addition to Latin fluency, most community colleges look for Latin instructors who have a master’s degree in classics or a related field. Getting hired as full-time faculty at a community college can be very competitive, so you may need a PhD in classics.

Income projections

Here are a couple of estimates of what you might earn as a full-time Latin instructor at a community college:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: $70,670
• CareerTrends: $69,520

Full-time faculty at community colleges generally command higher salaries than adjunct instructors. Adjunct instructors are paid by the course and don’t always receive benefits. For more about the difference between full-time faculty and adjunct instructors, check out our article on community college instructors.

Low demand for Latin education means you may have to work at both the community college and the high school level to earn a living as a Latin educator.

Pros and cons of being a community college Latin instructor

These are the key advantages and disadvantages of becoming a community college Latin instructor:

Pros

• Rewarding to educate many first-generation college students
• Focus on teaching exclusively
• Flexible hours and opportunities to take time off

Cons

• Little opportunity for scholarship or publication
• Lower pay than professors at four-year colleges and universities
• Many teaching positions at community colleges are adjunct, meaning lower pay, few benefits, and little job security

• What classics professors do
• Educational and certification requirements
• Income projections
• Pros and cons of being a classics professor

What classics professors do

Classics professors teach college-level courses at universities and other four-year institutions of higher education. They are experts on the literature, history, philosophy, languages, and archaeology of ancient Greece and Rome. They teach Latin and Greek at all levels, including advanced courses that focus on Ancient Greek or Roman literature, philosophy, and history.

Classics professors also do scholarly work in a specialized area of classical studies such as archaeology, epigraphy, ancient medicine, religion, topography, paleography or infrastructure. Successful professors publish their findings in academic papers and books.

A deep scholarly interest in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds is a prerequisite for becoming a successful classics professor. But classics professors should also be prepared to serve as a pillar in the academic community beyond their scholarship and teaching. Great professors are committed to serving the larger mission of their department and academic program.

Here’s a closer look at their three main responsibilities: scholarship, teaching, and faculty service and management.

Scholarship

A classics professor’s scholarly duties usually include:

• Reading extensively — including original ancient and Greek and Roman texts as well as secondary literature in classical studies
• Analyzing texts and archaeological evidence and developing theories based on it
• Doing field work at ancient Greek or Roman historical/archaeological sites
• Establishing and leading a team of research/teaching assistants
• Writing articles, books or other original materials based on scholarly findings
• Supervising graduate students’ research
• Contributing to academic knowledge of classical studies and enhancing the university’s reputation through publications
• Applying for grants to gain external funding from foundations, governments, and businesses

Teaching

Classics professors’ teaching duties frequently include:

• Teaching introductory and intermediate Latin or ancient Greek language courses
• Teaching advanced Latin and ancient Greek literature courses
• Setting overall instructional objectives for each course
• Creating and updating the curriculum and each course’s syllabus, content, and instructional methods
• Delivering lectures on classics to undergraduate students
• Maintaining regular office hours to answer questions and provide guidance
• Advising students on appropriate coursework
• Moderating classroom discussions
• Acquiring materials and supplies such as textbooks
• Assembling course materials such as homework assignments and handouts
• Grading students’ exams, quizzes, homework, and papers

Classics professors may lead teams of teaching assistants who help with many key teaching tasks. It’s important to use discretion in managing teaching assistants as they carry out their duties.

Faculty service and management

Helping out the larger academic community may include:

• Participating in faculty evaluations, including providing input on the admission of new classics professors
• Mentoring newly hired faculty members
• Serving on advisory boards and hiring committees
• Participating in the Faculty Senate
• Taking part in commencement or other ceremonies
• Advising your department on the designation of learning outcomes, administrative measurements, and student evaluation standards
• Collaborating with faculty colleagues and administrators in developing program standards, policies, and textbook selection

Check out this video of a Latin classroom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWaLyoYqYj0

Educational and certification requirements

Gaining a professorship at a university or four-year college can be an enormous undertaking, as classics professors must demonstrate a broad competence in Greek and Latin language, literature, and culture. This means completing a PhD demonstrating a commitment to scholarship and inquiry in classical studies. Getting a full-time faculty position at a college or university also requires that you publish original scholarship and earn the respect and admiration of your colleagues.

Salary projections

Classics professors usually earn significantly more than their counterparts at high schools and community colleges. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for a classics professor is $79,230. Here are two more annual salary estimates for classics professors:

• PayScale.com: $84,056
• CareerTrends: $69,520

Pros and cons of being a classics professor

Consider both the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a classics professor at a four-year college or university.

Pros

• Full benefits for health insurance and retirement security
• Higher pay than most other teaching jobs
• Tenure-track position, with an opportunity for long-term job security
• Ample opportunities for scholarly work
• Publish your findings in prestigious journals and books
• Get to teach students with a passion for learning and achievement
• May be able to take on a leadership role at a college or university

Cons

• Job market for classics professors is very tight
• Probably responsible for joining a committee and attending many extra meetings and professional events
• Can be frustrating to work within bureaucratic institutions like universities
• Academia can be highly competitive and exhausting, with a “publish-or-perish” norm
• Many years of advanced education are required