Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
- Median annual earnings
- $84,440
- Projected change
- +9.1%
- Typical education
- Doctoral degree or more
- Employment
- 1.78M jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
86.8% of the workforce
Growing to 1.94M by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What biological science teachers, postsecondary do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
- Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
- Provide students course-related experiences, such as field trips, outside the classroom.
- Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
- Review papers for publication in journals.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
- Maintain or repair lab equipment.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $49,147
- 25th percentile
- $62,814
- 50th percentile
- $84,440
- 75th percentile
- $118,952
- 90th percentile
- $175,749
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $84,440 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
162,202 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Doctoral degree or more
- 86.8%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 11.7%
- Associate degree
- 1.3%
- Bachelor's degree
- 0.2%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Biology Adjunct Faculties682 postings
- 02Biology Faculties350 postings
- 03Adjunct Faculties201 postings
- 04Biology Lecturers190 postings
- 05Adjunct Biology Instructors135 postings
- 06Biological Science Aides81 postings
- 07Professors of Biological Sciences73 postings
- 08Faculties56 postings
- 09Non-Tenure Track Faculties56 postings
- 10Professors of Biology56 postings
- 11Lecturers49 postings
- 12Adjunct Professors of Biology47 postings
- 13Faculty Instructors47 postings
- 14Associate Professors of Biology42 postings
- 15Science Faculties35 postings
- 16Open Rank Faculties34 postings
- 17Leo Lecturers33 postings
- 18Microbiology Managers33 postings
- 19Molecular Biologists32 postings
- 20Professors of Microbiology27 postings
Top employers
- 01Herc81 postings
- 02Dallas College50 postings
- 03Lone Star College System36 postings
- 04University of Chicago34 postings
- 05Northeastern University32 postings
- 06Alamo Colleges District31 postings
- 07Tennessee Board of Regents31 postings
- 08College of DuPage27 postings
- 09University of Pennsylvania24 postings
- 10Ohio State University23 postings
- 11California State University-Chancellors Office22 postings
- 12Ivy Tech Community College21 postings
- 13Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana20 postings
- 14The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley20 postings
- 15Oakton College19 postings
- 16Dallas County Community College18 postings
- 17Science Careers18 postings
- 18South University18 postings
- 19Mount Wachusett Community College17 postings
- 20University of Maryland Faculty Physicians Inc.17 postings
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