Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
Teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
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What Do Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Take On?
The core tasks performed by atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary cover:
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as structural geology, micrometeorology, and atmospheric thermodynamics.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Supervise laboratory work and field work.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
What Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Need to Know
Effective atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary draw 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:
Core Knowledge
Types of Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- Astronomy Professor
- Atmospheric Sciences Professor
- Climatology Professor
- Climatology Teacher
How Many Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?
The U.S. employs around 557,381 atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.3% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $72,801 |
| Hourly median | $35.00 |
| 10th percentile | $46,943 |
| 25th percentile | $59,872 |
| 75th percentile | $85,730 |
| 90th percentile | $98,659 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $129,000 |
| Maryland | $121,420 |
| Georgia | $114,290 |
| Kansas | $113,830 |
| Arizona | $113,790 |
| Alaska | $113,530 |
| Montana | $110,200 |
| Virginia | $108,260 |
| Oregon | $107,840 |
| Connecticut | $105,640 |
| North Dakota | $105,610 |
| Texas | $105,130 |
| Wisconsin | $103,030 |
| New Mexico | $102,670 |
| Missouri | $102,370 |
| Massachusetts | $102,340 |
| New Jersey | $102,300 |
| North Carolina | $101,960 |
| New York | $101,480 |
| Nevada | $101,450 |
| Michigan | $100,550 |
| Minnesota | $99,040 |
| Idaho | $98,850 |
| Washington | $97,910 |
| Wyoming | $96,470 |
| Ohio | $96,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $94,950 |
| Kentucky | $92,270 |
| Maine | $89,780 |
| Indiana | $82,480 |
| West Virginia | $80,420 |
| Colorado | $80,010 |
| Tennessee | $79,800 |
| Alabama | $79,540 |
| Illinois | $78,860 |
| Utah | $77,900 |
| Iowa | $77,680 |
| South Carolina | $77,110 |
| Arkansas | $72,090 |
| Mississippi | $64,850 |
| South Dakota | $61,540 |
| Florida | $56,290 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $123,192 | 19.8% | 1.24 |
| Southwest | $107,521 | 10.6% | 0.96 |
| New England | $101,592 | 7.7% | 2.04 |
| Middle Atlantic | $101,428 | 26.4% | 2.32 |
| Plains States | $95,365 | 3.9% | 0.93 |
| Great Lakes | $92,016 | 7.0% | 0.53 |
| Rocky Mountains | $84,034 | 6.4% | 1.61 |
| Southeast | $78,611 | 18.2% | 0.96 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | CT | $217,960 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $162,980 | 670 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | TX | $156,860 | 110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $136,050 | 110 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $135,450 | 50 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | CO | $134,560 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $130,960 | 1,270 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $130,810 | 240 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 11,380 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary work:
Software Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- 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)
- Analytical or scientific software: The MathWorks MATLAB (hot technology)
- Computer based training software: Learning management system LMS (in demand)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Most atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences 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), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Natural Sciences Managers (Supplemental)
- Computer Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary commonly pursue programs in:
Education
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
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: 25-1051.00 (Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary).