Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include providing instruction in the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
- Median pay
- $93,250
- Doing it now
- 24,900
- By 2035
- Up 2.3%
- Usually needs
- Doctoral or professional degree
a year
across the country
1,700 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation.
- Supervise students' laboratory work.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- ChemistrySee 1,170 colleges that teach it
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasSee 985 colleges that teach it
- Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesSee 465 colleges that teach it
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationSee 81 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Analytical and curious
Helping and teaching
Hands-on and practical
Careers like this one
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary$84,620
- Physics Teachers, Postsecondary$100,310
- Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary$103,170
- Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary$94,980
- Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary$101,420
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary$79,940
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $93,250 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.