Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1052) earn a median $93,250 a year in the United States, with 19,980 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What chemistry teachers, postsecondary do
Chemistry teachers at colleges and universities teach organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry, including methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis. A distinctive part of the job is laboratory teaching: they set and enforce safety rules for handling chemicals and equipment, supervise student experiments, and grade lab performance as well as exams and papers. Some also direct research groups. Teachers of biological science who teach biochemistry are classified separately, in the biological science category. Lecture topics named for the occupation include organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation. Examinations, syllabi, and other course materials are theirs to prepare, and they supervise undergraduate and graduate teaching, internship, and research work. They also maintain student attendance and grade records, and plan and revise curricula and methods of instruction.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a master's degree.
Also called: Adjunct Chemistry Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, Analytical Chemistry Teacher, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 19,980 |
| Annual | $57,870 | $68,530 | $93,250 | $127,280 | $172,110 | $105,210 | ||
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 chemistry 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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,650 | 0.09 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $78,450 | $102,980 | $132,960 | $188,810 | $278,510 | $154,490 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.13 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $51,740 | $77,800 | $111,020 | $132,990 | $172,240 | $113,150 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 820 | 0.22 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $66,080 | $80,930 | $108,270 | $168,200 | $216,670 | $130,570 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.17 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $79,960 | $96,400 | $104,610 | $159,290 | $206,950 | $123,060 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 430 | 0.15 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $66,560 | $81,030 | $104,380 | $168,240 | $210,350 | $122,920 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,840 | 0.19 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $61,710 | $76,800 | $99,880 | $129,880 | $199,220 | $111,660 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,650 | 0.09 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $78,450 | $102,980 | $132,960 | $188,810 | $278,510 | $154,490 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,470 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $55,480 | $62,640 | $81,810 | $105,820 | $160,430 | $96,270 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,270 | 0.21 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $59,370 | $73,730 | $95,070 | $103,640 | $132,680 | $96,320 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 900 | 0.18 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $52,190 | $62,050 | $78,620 | $103,790 | $134,210 | $90,050 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.07 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $80,340 | $108,540 | $156,430 | $188,050 | $225,560 | $153,440 | ||||
| Wilmington, NC | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.21 | 1.62 |
| Annual | $73,200 | $106,660 | $144,160 | $144,160 | $171,170 | $121,720 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 560 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $78,410 | $102,820 | $141,370 | $206,090 | $283,420 | $159,710 | ||||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.29 | 2.29 |
| Annual | $61,880 | $77,250 | $138,890 | $138,890 | $228,750 | $132,960 | ||||
| Ann Arbor, MI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.36 | 2.79 |
| Annual | $82,060 | $102,440 | $138,330 | $181,960 | $226,860 | $139,320 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,580 | 0.17 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $50,560 | $76,200 | $99,980 | $130,100 | $205,770 | $110,490 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 620 | 0.14 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $49,440 | $63,490 | $100,560 | $128,420 | $165,850 | $101,850 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 560 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $78,410 | $102,820 | $141,370 | $206,090 | $283,420 | $159,710 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 530 | 0.20 | 1.54 |
| Annual | $66,080 | $86,390 | $123,250 | $177,480 | $284,230 | $142,840 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 500 | 0.17 | 1.35 |
| Annual | $54,900 | $76,170 | $99,230 | $113,170 | $165,380 | $103,050 | ||||
Top industries employing chemistry teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 81.1% of chemistry teachers, postsecondary nationally (16,200 jobs) at a median $95,060 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (18.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 16,200 | 81.1% | $95,060 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 3,750 | 18.8% | $83,760 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,980). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $79,410 for chemistry teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $93,250 in May 2025, with employment of 20,260 and 19,980.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $79,410 | * | 20,260 |
| May 2022 | $80,720 | * | 20,650 |
| May 2023 | $85,810 | * | 20,210 |
| May 2024 | $86,220 | * | 20,390 |
| May 2025 | $93,250 | * | 19,980 |
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 | * | $132,960 | $78,450 | $278,510 | 1,650 | 0.09 | 0.71 |
| 2 | North Dakota profile | * | $111,020 | $51,740 | $172,240 | 60 | 0.13 | 1.03 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | * | $108,270 | $66,080 | $216,670 | 820 | 0.22 | 1.74 |
| 4 | Delaware profile | * | $104,610 | $79,960 | $206,950 | 80 | 0.17 | 1.34 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | * | $104,380 | $66,560 | $210,350 | 430 | 0.15 | 1.14 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | * | $103,790 | $66,050 | $157,720 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
| 7 | District of Columbia profile | * | $103,370 | $64,710 | $208,260 | 100 | 0.14 | 1.12 |
| 8 | New Hampshire profile | * | $102,220 | $65,550 | $212,020 | 70 | 0.10 | 0.78 |
| 9 | Utah profile | * | $102,110 | $64,850 | $162,180 | 200 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 10 | Nevada profile | * | $101,640 | $65,720 | $173,850 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.32 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | * | $101,530 | $62,720 | $172,220 | 310 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | * | $101,350 | $65,690 | $182,260 | 460 | 0.23 | 1.82 |
| 13 | Michigan profile | * | $101,030 | $53,670 | $181,960 | 560 | 0.13 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | * | $100,920 | $59,670 | $183,750 | 110 | 0.22 | 1.70 |
| 15 | New York profile | * | $99,880 | $61,710 | $199,220 | 1,840 | 0.19 | 1.47 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | * | $97,860 | $50,240 | $160,620 | 880 | 0.14 | 1.12 |
| 17 | Colorado profile | * | $96,600 | $54,270 | $161,930 | 330 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $95,070 | $59,370 | $132,680 | 1,270 | 0.21 | 1.63 |
| 19 | Kansas profile | * | $93,830 | $58,020 | $178,690 | 170 | 0.12 | 0.91 |
| 20 | Washington profile | * | $85,970 | $58,540 | $127,710 | 390 | 0.11 | 0.85 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | * | $85,300 | $53,570 | $168,570 | 500 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| 22 | Maine profile | * | $85,250 | $58,810 | $160,030 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.83 |
| 23 | New Mexico profile | * | $85,240 | $63,380 | $140,810 | 80 | 0.09 | 0.69 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | * | $85,050 | $57,320 | $130,190 | 150 | 0.15 | 1.13 |
| 25 | Montana profile | * | $84,680 | $64,410 | $134,450 | 80 | 0.15 | 1.18 |
| 26 | Louisiana profile | * | $83,680 | $64,650 | $162,610 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.56 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | * | $83,480 | $62,730 | $181,370 | 450 | 0.15 | 1.20 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | * | $83,000 | $51,840 | $169,540 | 460 | 0.16 | 1.22 |
| 29 | Wyoming profile | * | $82,830 | $71,770 | $126,060 | 30 | 0.11 | 0.87 |
| 30 | Kentucky profile | * | $82,550 | $58,980 | $164,170 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.97 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | * | $82,050 | $61,090 | $154,290 | 230 | 0.14 | 1.12 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | * | $81,830 | $59,200 | $142,030 | 90 | 0.12 | 0.94 |
| 33 | Texas profile | * | $81,810 | $55,480 | $160,430 | 1,470 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| 34 | New Jersey profile | * | $81,600 | $32,220 | $158,820 | 750 | 0.18 | 1.36 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | * | $81,530 | $57,800 | $160,680 | 530 | 0.17 | 1.28 |
| 36 | South Carolina profile | * | $81,200 | $52,120 | $160,250 | 270 | 0.12 | 0.91 |
| 37 | Virginia profile | * | $80,330 | $52,540 | $139,460 | 760 | 0.19 | 1.44 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | * | $79,150 | $59,730 | $137,280 | 370 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 39 | Connecticut profile | * | $78,820 | $63,180 | $160,060 | 350 | 0.21 | 1.61 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | * | $78,620 | $52,190 | $134,210 | 900 | 0.18 | 1.42 |
| 41 | Vermont profile | * | $78,560 | $59,000 | $133,780 | 90 | 0.29 | 2.26 |
| 42 | Ohio profile | * | $77,910 | $49,200 | $128,310 | 700 | 0.13 | 0.98 |
| 43 | Florida profile | * | $77,630 | $58,070 | $103,680 | 340 | 0.04 | 0.27 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | * | $76,430 | $58,230 | $132,730 | 310 | 0.15 | 1.14 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | * | $75,810 | $58,020 | $123,190 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.15 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | * | $66,420 | $44,340 | $125,100 | 130 | 0.11 | 0.88 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | * | $64,720 | $45,110 | $87,200 | 110 | 0.08 | 0.64 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | * | $64,450 | $42,120 | $116,240 | 220 | 0.13 | 1.01 |
| – | Idaho profile | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.07 | 0.52 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1050), 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 25-1052 Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage 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 25-1052, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1052.00, 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.