Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Education and TrainingO*NET 25-1052.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$84,440

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+9.1%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
Doctoral degree or more

56.6% of the workforce

Employment
1.78M jobs

Growing to 1.94M by 2035

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Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

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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.

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The work

What chemistry teachers, postsecondary do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • 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.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
  • 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.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  • Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  • Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  • Select, order, and maintain materials and supplies for teaching and research, such as textbooks, chemicals, and laboratory equipment.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  • Write letters of recommendation for students.
  • Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  • Prepare and submit required reports related to instruction.
  • Clean laboratory facilities.
  • Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  • Serve on committees or in professional societies.

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

+9.1%faster than average
20251,782,325 jobs
2035 projected1,944,527 jobs

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
56.6%
Master's or Professional degree
35.3%
Bachelor's degree
7.9%
Some college
0.3%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Curriculum Development
  • Physics
  • Lecturing
  • Learning Management Systems
  • Student Engagement
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pedagogy
  • Syllabus Development
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Educational Technologies
  • Physical Science
  • Student-Centred Learning
  • Educational Assessment
  • Health Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Student Learning Outcomes

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
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.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Adjunct Chemistry Faculties412 postings
  2. 02Chemistry Faculties202 postings
  3. 03Chemistry Lecturers164 postings
  4. 04Biochemists66 postings
  5. 05Adjunct Professors of Chemistry62 postings
  6. 06Adjunct Chemistry Instructors57 postings
  7. 07Professors of Chemistry41 postings
  8. 08Assistant Professors of Biochemistry38 postings
  9. 09Chemistry Instructors34 postings
  10. 10Adjunct Faculties17 postings
  11. 11Associate Professors of Chemistry17 postings
  12. 12Lecturers16 postings
  13. 13Chemistry Scientists14 postings
  14. 14Non-Tenure Track Faculties14 postings
  15. 15Open Rank Faculties14 postings
  16. 16Adjunct Lecturers13 postings
  17. 17Biology Adjunct Faculties13 postings
  18. 18Organic Chemists13 postings
  19. 19Molecular Biologists12 postings
  20. 20Chemistry Managers10 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Herc42 postings
  2. 02Lone Star College System22 postings
  3. 03The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley20 postings
  4. 04Tennessee Board of Regents18 postings
  5. 05Alamo Colleges District16 postings
  6. 06Roger Williams University School of Law14 postings
  7. 07University of Miami14 postings
  8. 08Fairleigh Dickinson University12 postings
  9. 09Grand Canyon University12 postings
  10. 10Brigham Young University11 postings
  11. 11California State University-Chancellors Office10 postings
  12. 12Massachusetts College Of Pharmacy And Health Sciences10 postings
  13. 13Northeastern University10 postings
  14. 14Pennsylvania State University10 postings
  15. 15The University of Texas at Dallas10 postings
  16. 16Bard College9 postings
  17. 17Florida Gulf Coast University9 postings
  18. 18Macomb Community College9 postings
  19. 19Bellarmine University8 postings
  20. 20Prince George's Community College8 postings

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