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Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview

Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

What Do Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Do?

The core tasks performed by biological science teachers, postsecondary cover:

  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
  • Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Supervise students' laboratory work.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

What Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Need to Know

Top biological science teachers, postsecondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.2 / 5
0
5
Instructing  4.1 / 5
0
5
Learning Strategies  4.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.0 / 5
0
5
Science  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5

Core Knowledge

Biology  5.0 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.4 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  4.2 / 5
0
5
Chemistry  4.1 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  4.1 / 5
0
5
Computers and Electronics  3.8 / 5
0
5

This career also goes by job titles like:

  • Adjunct Biology Instructor
  • Adjunct Biology Professor
  • Adjunct Instructor
  • Algology Teacher
  • Anatomy Instructor
  • Anatomy Professor
  • Apiculture Teacher
  • Arboriculture Teacher

Job Outlook

There are roughly 259,892 biological science teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.3% over the projection horizon.

Forecasted number of jobs for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

How Much Do Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Make?

Statistic Value
Annual median $41,048
Hourly median $19.73
10th percentile $28,328
25th percentile $34,688
75th percentile $47,408
90th percentile $53,768

Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.

Salary ranges for Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

How Much Do Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Make in Different U.S. States?

State Annual median salary
California $125,670
Alaska $107,230
Utah $103,830
Rhode Island $101,800
New Jersey $100,870
Michigan $100,110
New York $100,110
Montana $97,620
Oregon $97,520
New Hampshire $85,980
Connecticut $85,310
North Dakota $84,750
District of Columbia $84,560
Minnesota $84,310
Nebraska $84,110
Texas $83,760
Florida $83,740
Illinois $83,580
Massachusetts $83,560
Missouri $83,170
Indiana $82,220
Pennsylvania $81,760
Wisconsin $81,740
New Mexico $81,700
Maryland $81,630
Georgia $81,540
Maine $81,290
Idaho $81,180
Puerto Rico $81,130
Washington $81,050
Vermont $80,700
Louisiana $80,610
Tennessee $80,190
Kansas $80,120
Nevada $79,870
Delaware $79,850
Wyoming $79,820
Colorado $79,760
South Dakota $79,430
North Carolina $79,160
South Carolina $78,620
Iowa $78,400
Virginia $77,980
Alabama $77,940
Arizona $77,650
West Virginia $77,020
Hawaii $76,260
Ohio $75,320
Kentucky $67,110
Mississippi $66,960
Arkansas $64,610
Oklahoma $64,340

Top-Paying U.S. Regions

Earnings for biological science teachers, postsecondary shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:

Region Median annual wage Share of U.S. jobs Location quotient
Far Western US $112,404 11.3% 0.65
Middle Atlantic $92,281 18.8% 1.14
Rocky Mountains $88,749 4.0% 0.95
New England $86,421 3.4% 1.35
Great Lakes $85,274 13.1% 0.86
Plains States $82,368 7.5% 1.03
Other U.S. Territories $81,130 0.7% 1.14
Southwest $80,443 15.0% 1.35

Top Metro Areas

Metro area State Median annual wage Employment
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA CA $165,530 570
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA CA $139,280 750
Madison, WI WI $136,740 200
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA CA $131,540 250
Charlottesville, VA VA $130,450 130
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT UT $126,290 370
Fresno, CA CA $125,220 90
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA CA $123,280 250

Which Industries Hire Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Most biological science teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:

Industry Employment Median annual wage
Educational Services 52,270 n/a
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 820 n/a
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary sectors

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary industries

Software Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary Use

  • Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
  • Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
  • Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
  • Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
  • Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
  • Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
  • Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
  • Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
  • Analytical or scientific software: SAS (hot technology)
  • Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
  • Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)

The Day-to-Day Environment

The work environment for biological science teachers, postsecondary tends to involve the following characteristics:

  • E-Mail
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Public Speaking

How to Become Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Similar Occupations

Degree Programs

Students preparing for biological science teachers, postsecondary typically earn programs in:

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

77 programs across 15 majors

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

4 programs across 4 majors

Education

2 programs across 1 majors

References

Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
  • BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
  • O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.

SOC code: 25-1042.00 (Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary).

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