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Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Profile

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.

The Daily Work of Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Do?

The day-to-day responsibilities of chemistry teachers, postsecondary span:

  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation.
  • Establish, teach, and monitor students' compliance with safety rules for handling chemicals, equipment, and other hazardous materials.
  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory performance, assignments, and papers.
  • Supervise students' laboratory work.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  • Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.

Key Skills and Knowledge

Top chemistry teachers, postsecondary draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Top Skills

These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Reading Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.1 / 5
0
5
Speaking  4.1 / 5
0
5
Learning Strategies  4.0 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  4.0 / 5
0
5
Science  4.0 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Chemistry  4.8 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.5 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  4.5 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  4.5 / 5
0
5
Biology  3.6 / 5
0
5
Physics  3.4 / 5
0
5

This career also goes by job titles like:

  • Adjunct Chemistry Instructor
  • Adjunct Chemistry Professor
  • Adjunct Instructor
  • Analytical Chemistry Teacher
  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Biochemistry Professor
  • Chemical Educator

Job Outlook

There are about 371,879 chemistry teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +7.1% over the projection horizon.

Forecasted number of jobs for Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Pay

Statistic Value
Annual median $69,509
Hourly median $33.42
10th percentile $45,418
25th percentile $57,464
75th percentile $81,555
90th percentile $93,601

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

Salary ranges for Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

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

State Annual median salary
California $132,250
Kansas $110,810
North Dakota $106,540
Arizona $106,430
Utah $105,090
Nevada $101,910
New Jersey $101,800
New York $101,610
Minnesota $100,000
District of Columbia $99,550
Michigan $98,910
Rhode Island $98,630
Massachusetts $98,050
Oregon $97,550
Illinois $95,270
Maryland $88,590
Pennsylvania $87,590
Connecticut $86,650
Montana $85,920
New Hampshire $85,860
Wisconsin $84,910
Delaware $84,170
North Carolina $83,390
Iowa $82,560
Kentucky $82,520
Missouri $82,390
Georgia $82,200
New Mexico $81,800
Washington $81,680
Puerto Rico $81,430
Indiana $81,010
Tennessee $80,650
West Virginia $80,560
Louisiana $80,540
South Carolina $80,310
Texas $79,830
Wyoming $79,720
Oklahoma $79,180
Nebraska $78,950
Virginia $78,780
Idaho $77,880
Alabama $77,200
Mississippi $77,100
South Dakota $76,770
Colorado $76,630
Ohio $75,920
Arkansas $67,450
Vermont $66,360
Florida $56,230

Where Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most

Pay for chemistry teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:

Region Median annual wage Share of U.S. jobs Location quotient
Far Western US $118,536 11.3% 0.74
Middle Atlantic $96,121 22.1% 1.51
Plains States $90,471 7.6% 1.12
Great Lakes $88,480 14.9% 1.07
Rocky Mountains $87,700 4.0% 1.04
New England $87,252 7.0% 1.59
Southwest $82,261 10.2% 0.84
Other U.S. Territories $81,430 1.0% 1.63

Top Metro Areas

Metro area State Median annual wage Employment
Madison, WI WI $174,050
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA CA $152,150 260
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA CA $136,670 230
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA CA $134,290 130
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT UT $132,790 180
Ann Arbor, MI MI $132,750 80
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA CA $131,800 110
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA CA $130,750 480

Which Industries Hire Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

The largest employers of chemistry teachers, postsecondary work in these industries:

Industry Employment Median annual wage
Educational Services 20,360 n/a

Below are examples of industries where chemistry teachers, postsecondary work:

Tech Stack

  • Word processing software: Google Docs (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)
  • Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
  • Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)

Work Environment

The work environment for chemistry teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:

  • E-Mail
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Freedom to Make Decisions
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How to Become Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Entry-level chemistry teachers, postsecondary positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.

Other Careers to Consider

Similar Occupations

Top Programs to Study For This Career

Future chemistry teachers, postsecondary commonly pursue programs in:

Physical Sciences

14 programs across 3 majors

Education

2 programs across 1 majors

1 programs across 1 majors

Sources

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: 25-1052.00 (Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary).

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