Entry-level Foreign Language Professor salary in New York, NY
Based on 16 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bronx, Stony Brook, Purchase, New Brunswick, Brooklyn.
Also listed as: Foreign Language Instructor, Assistant Professor of Spanish
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $73,590 |
| 25th | $80,000 |
| 50th (median) | $83,400 |
| 75th | $86,852 |
| 90th | $90,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $68,647 | $63,000 | $68,650 | 15 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2022 | $70,000 | $64,000 | $85,000 | 13 |
| FY2023 | $70,000 | $69,722 | $72,563 | 16 |
| FY2024 | $70,000 | $70,000 | $75,000 | 13 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 8 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 8 |
Cost of living
New York's median entry-level Foreign Language Professor salary of $83,400 is worth about $74,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary in the New York, NY area earned a median of $98,600 in May 2025 (1,460 employed). The H-1B median here is $83,400, 15% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia University | too few | 7 |
| New York University | too few | 6 |
| Fordham University | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $83,400 | 16 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 2 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $58,980 | $83,400 | 16 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.