Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1042) earn a median $84,620 a year in the United States, with 50,190 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What biological science teachers, postsecondary do
Biological science teachers instruct college students in the biological sciences, with lectures on subjects such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany. They give lectures, prepare materials for laboratory sections, grade lab reports, papers, and exams, and revise course content as the science changes. Some also run research programs with graduate students and publish results. Agricultural and forestry subjects have separate categories. Alternate titles show specialties such as anatomy, algology, and apiculture, and a few point to arboriculture and adjunct biology instruction. Maintaining attendance and grade records, moderating discussions, and supervising students' laboratory work fill out the routine, along with keeping up with the field through current literature, colleagues, and professional organizations. Graduate and undergraduate courses are both part of the assignment.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Biology Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Algology Teacher, Anatomy Instructor, Anatomy Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50,190 |
| Annual | $52,150 | $64,350 | $84,620 | $126,770 | $169,900 | $102,840 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where biological science teachers, postsecondary earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,610 | 0.20 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $75,280 | $99,550 | $129,150 | $177,180 | $250,700 | $146,810 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,060 | 0.57 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $64,180 | $78,980 | $105,050 | $163,500 | $296,440 | $134,120 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,460 | 0.33 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $61,290 | $78,380 | $103,620 | $133,070 | $173,750 | $109,950 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.25 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $65,910 | $78,100 | $102,410 | $160,070 | $205,070 | $126,680 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 250 | 0.50 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $60,950 | $61,990 | $102,300 | $131,270 | $166,050 | $105,470 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,870 | 0.40 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $56,520 | $75,500 | $98,180 | $132,570 | $205,870 | $114,100 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,840 | 0.27 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $50,320 | $62,210 | $82,470 | $105,370 | $159,210 | $95,570 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,610 | 0.20 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $75,280 | $99,550 | $129,150 | $177,180 | $250,700 | $146,810 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,410 | 0.40 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $57,810 | $68,320 | $85,970 | $116,500 | $130,330 | $95,300 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,340 | 0.38 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $47,340 | $62,740 | $99,060 | $132,780 | $207,930 | $108,130 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 570 | 0.37 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $82,490 | $126,530 | $166,850 | $223,730 | $350,710 | $182,570 | ||||
| Madison, WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 210 | 0.52 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $74,510 | $106,100 | $142,490 | $179,700 | $218,860 | $142,780 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 230 | 0.14 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $77,310 | $104,650 | $138,120 | $190,630 | $250,700 | $156,420 | ||||
| Charlottesville, VA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 1.15 | 3.57 |
| Annual | $77,130 | $109,780 | $135,930 | $177,750 | $219,130 | $139,410 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 390 | 0.17 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $64,140 | $100,900 | $133,540 | $215,110 | $278,260 | $155,150 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,070 | 0.32 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $42,640 | $66,130 | $98,250 | $132,570 | $207,460 | $112,240 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,760 | 0.39 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $47,340 | $62,740 | $101,960 | $140,010 | $208,960 | $112,080 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,380 | 0.51 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $64,710 | $82,870 | $128,070 | $201,610 | $296,690 | $149,570 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,250 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $68,040 | $84,500 | $127,800 | $172,290 | $220,430 | $138,770 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,070 | 0.37 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $56,760 | $75,220 | $95,260 | $126,230 | $174,130 | $105,910 | ||||
Top industries employing biological science teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 74.9% of biological science teachers, postsecondary nationally (37,590 jobs) at a median $94,040 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (23.7%) and Scientific Research and Development Services (1.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 37,590 | 74.9% | $94,040 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 11,870 | 23.7% | $77,340 | * |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 490 | 1.0% | $174,540 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 80 | 0.2% | $59,520 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (50,190). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $81,440 for biological science teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $84,620 in May 2025, with employment of 47,690 and 50,190.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $81,440 | * | 47,690 |
| May 2022 | $81,650 | * | 49,920 |
| May 2023 | $83,920 | * | 52,050 |
| May 2024 | $83,460 | * | 53,250 |
| May 2025 | $84,620 | * | 50,190 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | * | $129,150 | $75,280 | $250,700 | 3,610 | 0.20 | 0.61 |
| 2 | Massachusetts profile | * | $105,050 | $64,180 | $296,440 | 2,060 | 0.57 | 1.75 |
| 3 | Michigan profile | * | $103,620 | $61,290 | $173,750 | 1,460 | 0.33 | 1.03 |
| 4 | New Hampshire profile | * | $102,410 | $65,910 | $205,070 | 170 | 0.25 | 0.79 |
| 5 | Rhode Island profile | * | $102,300 | $60,950 | $166,050 | 250 | 0.50 | 1.55 |
| 6 | Delaware profile | * | $101,380 | $63,780 | $161,320 | 130 | 0.27 | 0.84 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | * | $100,820 | $61,270 | $165,440 | 800 | 0.40 | 1.25 |
| 8 | Montana profile | * | $100,480 | $64,120 | $158,670 | 110 | 0.22 | 0.69 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | * | $99,060 | $47,340 | $207,930 | 2,340 | 0.38 | 1.19 |
| 10 | New Mexico profile | * | $98,820 | $62,510 | $147,510 | 150 | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | * | $98,680 | $47,720 | $157,300 | 810 | 0.28 | 0.87 |
| 12 | New York profile | * | $98,180 | $56,520 | $205,870 | 3,870 | 0.40 | 1.24 |
| 13 | Washington profile | * | $97,280 | $59,690 | $212,090 | 960 | 0.27 | 0.84 |
| 14 | Minnesota profile | * | $96,880 | $65,360 | $163,920 | 780 | 0.27 | 0.82 |
| 15 | District of Columbia profile | * | $96,830 | $61,920 | $206,510 | 350 | 0.49 | 1.53 |
| 16 | Connecticut profile | * | $96,470 | $61,330 | $200,720 | 870 | 0.51 | 1.59 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | * | $90,740 | $49,020 | $135,380 | 170 | 0.39 | 1.21 |
| 18 | Georgia profile | * | $88,020 | $55,840 | $170,430 | 980 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $85,970 | $57,810 | $130,330 | 2,410 | 0.40 | 1.23 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | * | $85,040 | $64,630 | $123,880 | 350 | 0.23 | 0.70 |
| 21 | Maine profile | * | $84,080 | $58,610 | $159,880 | 270 | 0.42 | 1.30 |
| 22 | Maryland profile | * | $83,500 | $48,530 | $165,040 | 970 | 0.35 | 1.09 |
| 23 | Indiana profile | * | $83,130 | $56,070 | $163,900 | 1,100 | 0.34 | 1.07 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | * | $83,030 | $62,760 | $169,900 | ** | ** | ** |
| 25 | Wyoming profile | * | $82,930 | $48,500 | $129,430 | 160 | 0.55 | 1.71 |
| 26 | Texas profile | * | $82,470 | $50,320 | $159,210 | 3,840 | 0.27 | 0.85 |
| 27 | South Carolina profile | * | $82,300 | $53,360 | $150,920 | 750 | 0.32 | 1.00 |
| 28 | Vermont profile | * | $82,230 | $61,730 | $129,810 | 170 | 0.58 | 1.78 |
| 29 | Idaho profile | * | $81,620 | $50,670 | $136,380 | 220 | 0.26 | 0.79 |
| 30 | Utah profile | * | $81,580 | $39,320 | $138,950 | 300 | 0.17 | 0.54 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | * | $81,300 | $54,220 | $135,550 | 430 | 0.30 | 0.92 |
| 32 | Nebraska profile | * | $81,190 | $58,680 | $167,530 | 500 | 0.49 | 1.51 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | * | $80,970 | $52,700 | $174,850 | 1,060 | 0.36 | 1.12 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | * | $79,600 | $46,940 | $126,400 | 1,350 | 0.24 | 0.75 |
| 35 | New Jersey profile | * | $79,540 | $32,220 | $165,620 | 1,570 | 0.37 | 1.14 |
| 36 | Virginia profile | * | $79,190 | $46,210 | $154,320 | 1,760 | 0.43 | 1.33 |
| 37 | Louisiana profile | * | $79,010 | $55,710 | $167,040 | 390 | 0.20 | 0.63 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | * | $78,940 | $53,170 | $135,990 | 830 | 0.25 | 0.79 |
| 39 | Wisconsin profile | * | $78,920 | $60,550 | $177,920 | 950 | 0.32 | 1.00 |
| 40 | Iowa profile | * | $78,060 | $59,130 | $167,300 | 540 | 0.35 | 1.08 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | * | $77,700 | $51,490 | $136,020 | 1,960 | 0.40 | 1.23 |
| 42 | Arkansas profile | * | $77,670 | $34,860 | $129,250 | 430 | 0.33 | 1.03 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | * | $77,540 | $49,800 | $161,460 | 1,160 | 0.55 | 1.70 |
| 44 | South Dakota profile | * | $76,570 | $58,490 | $126,370 | 160 | 0.35 | 1.10 |
| 45 | Kentucky profile | * | $70,630 | $46,330 | $132,940 | 470 | 0.23 | 0.72 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | * | $67,190 | $47,950 | $123,830 | 220 | 0.31 | 0.97 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | * | $66,830 | $46,250 | $129,060 | 580 | 0.50 | 1.54 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | * | $65,960 | $38,170 | $106,110 | 470 | 0.28 | 0.85 |
| 49 | Florida profile | * | $57,140 | $51,670 | $92,580 | 2,020 | 0.20 | 0.63 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1040), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-1042 Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1042, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1042.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.