Occupations · Educational Instruction and Library

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 25-1052.00

$86,220median annual wage, May 2024

20,390people employed, United States

▲ 2.2%projected change, 2024→2034

1,900openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 56% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$105,440	1,640
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$96,860	770
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$94,200	690
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$98,050	500
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$130,750	480
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$81,480	390
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$96,780	350
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$98,290	300
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$127,620	290
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	$152,150	260
Pittsburgh, PA	$79,290	250
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$99,550	250

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Doctoral or professional degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

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.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Reading Comprehension4.1

Writing4.1

Speaking4.1

Monitoring4.0

Learning Strategies4.0

Active Learning4.0

Critical Thinking4.0

Science4.0

Active Listening4.0

Mathematics3.2

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Google Docs●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Word●Auto3DEMBlackboard LearnCCP4Collaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDesire2Learn LMS softwareEmail softwareIHRSR++Image scanning softwareLearning management system LMSMoodleMosflmOriginLab OriginPerkinElmer ChemOffice Chem3DPerkinElmer ChemOffice ChemDrawPerkinElmer ChemOffice SuiteSakai CLEWavefunction SpartanWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

5 / 5Extensive preparation — graduate school, and often a licence on top.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Public Speaking+2.2 above average

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.3 below average

Exposed to Hazardous Conditions+1.3 above average

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions−1.2 below average

Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures−1.2 below average

Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled−1.2 below average

Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions−1.1 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Master's Degree35%

Post-Doctoral Training31%

Doctoral Degree25%

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.6%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Investigative5.8

Social5.7

Realistic4.0

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

Tasks O*NET flags as emerging

Clean laboratory facilities.
Write letters of recommendation for students.

O*NET 23.3 emerging tasks

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Complex Problem Solving3.9

Instructing3.9

Judgment and Decision Making3.6

Social Perceptiveness3.2

Systems Analysis3.1

Service Orientation3.0

Persuasion3.0

Coordination3.0

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

ChemistryEnglish LanguageMathematicsEducation and TrainingBiologyPhysics

Abilities it leans on

Written ExpressionOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionSpeech Clarity

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

LecturerProfessorInstructorChemical EducatorCollege ProfessorAdjunct InstructorChemistry ProfessorAssociate ProfessorAssistant ProfessorChemistry InstructorPharmacognosy TeacherCollege Faculty MemberBiochemistry ProfessorChemistry Faculty Member

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 2

+Moodle+Desire2Learn LMS software

No longer listed 3

−Data entry software−Desire2Learn−Calendar and scheduling software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

LecturerProfessorInstructorSciences DeanScience ProfessorChemical EducatorCollege ProfessorAdjunct InstructorScience InstructorChemistry LecturerChemistry ProfessorAssistant Professor

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
chemistry lecturer	2310.1.8	exact
chemistry teacher secondary school	2330.1.4	close
pharmacy lecturer	2310.1.31	close
higher education lecturer	2310.1	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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