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Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Profile

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.

What Do Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Take On?

The day-to-day responsibilities of atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary span:

  • 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 combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.

Most Important Skills

The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.8 / 5
0
5
Science  4.0 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.0 / 5
0
5
Instructing  4.0 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.0 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5

Top Knowledge Areas

Education and Training  4.7 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.5 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  4.3 / 5
0
5
Physics  3.9 / 5
0
5
Chemistry  3.8 / 5
0
5
Computers and Electronics  3.6 / 5
0
5

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

Employment and Demand

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.

Forecasted number of jobs for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

How Much Do Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Make?

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

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

Salary ranges for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Salary 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

Where Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most

Earnings for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:

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

Top Industries Employing Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

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

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field 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)

The Day-to-Day Environment

The work environment for atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary reflects the following characteristics:

  • E-Mail
  • 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 occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.

Similar Occupations

Similar Occupations

Where to Study

Aspiring atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary typically earn programs in:

Physical Sciences

18 programs across 4 majors

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

4 programs across 4 majors

Education

2 programs across 1 majors

References

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).

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