16 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You’ll usually split time between teaching, research, and service. Mornings often have classes or office hours where you lead lectures, run discussion sessions, and do classroom management (attendance, discipline, tech setup).
Afternoons go to grading papers and exams, preparing syllabi and course materials in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, meeting colleagues, and working on research to publish in journals. Evenings or blocks are for grading in Excel, writing grant proposals, or advising student organizations.
Expect Microsoft Word and Google Docs for syllabi, lecture notes, and papers; PowerPoint for slides; Excel for grades and data; and Outlook for email and scheduling. Linux is common for research computing and running math software; professors in graphics or visual math sometimes use Adobe Photoshop or SketchBook Pro for images.
You’ll also manage classroom machines and projectors, so basic admin tasks and maintaining computer equipment used in instruction are routine.
Research is a core task: you conduct research in a field, write papers, and submit to peer-reviewed journals or conferences. Use LaTeX (often on Linux), Word, or electronic media to prepare manuscripts, then follow journal submission guidelines.
You may direct graduate students’ research, co-author papers, and present at conferences. Regular publishing is necessary for tenure and promotion; counting papers and impact depends on your department and field.
In the U.S., the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 35,480 people employed as postsecondary mathematics teachers. The median annual wage is $96,980. The lowest 10% earn about $49,460, and the highest 10% about $170,200 (BLS).
Salaries vary by institution type (community college vs. research university), rank (assistant vs. full professor), grants, and location. Use BLS for national benchmarks.
A Ph.D. in mathematics or a closely related area is required for tenure-track professor jobs at universities. During a Ph.D., teach as a TA, prepare syllabi, lead discussions, and start publishing research.
Postdoc positions are common after the Ph.D. to build your publication record. Learn to use LaTeX, Linux for computation, Excel for grading, and get experience advising students and serving on departmental committees.
You must be able to communicate complex ideas clearly: prepare syllabi, lead review and feedback sessions, and initiate and moderate classroom discussions. That means turning proofs and abstract concepts into step-by-step explanations for students.
Also be organized—manage grading in Excel or other systems, meet deadlines for papers, and handle administrative duties. Strong written and verbal communication beats raw technical skill alone.