Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1053) earn a median $94,980 a year in the United States, with 6,690 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Kentucky.
What environmental science teachers, postsecondary do
Environmental science teachers teach college courses in environmental science. They prepare course materials, deliver lectures, grade class and lab work, supervise laboratory and field work, and advise students on academic and vocational curricula and career issues. Faculty with research duties also conduct research, and those who mostly teach are counted in the same code. Forestry and conservation science teachers are counted in a separate category, because that code covers forestry and conservation science teaching specifically. Titles range from adjunct professor to full professor, and alternate titles include conservation educator and conservation science teacher. Faculty also plan and revise curricula and course materials, moderate classroom discussions, supervise undergraduate and graduate teaching, internship, and research work, and keep up with the field through current literature, colleagues, and professional organizations.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College Faculty Member, College Professor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,690 |
| Annual | $57,780 | $69,880 | $94,980 | $126,900 | $164,190 | $103,610 | ||
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 environmental 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 | ||||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.04 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $63,870 | $84,130 | $139,110 | $179,770 | $179,770 | $133,580 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.08 | 1.82 |
| Annual | $71,080 | $97,110 | $131,060 | $170,270 | $228,470 | $139,080 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $53,450 | $107,790 | $113,680 | $137,990 | $173,490 | $124,290 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 270 | 0.06 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $64,360 | $77,090 | $112,730 | $135,140 | $175,040 | $117,010 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.06 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $54,560 | $81,600 | $111,270 | $144,390 | $144,390 | $101,010 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 610 | 0.06 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $63,800 | $76,520 | $102,640 | $126,080 | $174,100 | $109,840 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 380 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $50,280 | $61,150 | $79,160 | $111,660 | $164,190 | $96,030 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 350 | 0.08 | 1.88 |
| Annual | $34,420 | $65,210 | $82,890 | $127,370 | $160,350 | $95,600 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 330 | 0.07 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $59,790 | $63,090 | $84,290 | $127,310 | $161,590 | $99,900 | ||||
| California | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $65,250 | $78,070 | $108,290 | $135,790 | $168,810 | $116,410 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 110 | 0.05 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $66,960 | $96,070 | $130,260 | $159,940 | $218,210 | $126,750 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.03 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $71,660 | $78,650 | $127,100 | $134,670 | $213,520 | $123,020 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 190 | 0.07 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $61,910 | $69,120 | $110,540 | $140,110 | $161,590 | $113,950 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.03 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $66,220 | $86,650 | $110,510 | $124,370 | $129,600 | $106,020 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.06 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $65,530 | $81,760 | $107,010 | $161,790 | $193,130 | $123,260 | ||||
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 | * | * | * | * | * | * | 530 | 0.06 | 1.30 |
| Annual | $62,080 | $78,210 | $103,460 | $130,330 | $194,740 | $112,250 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 200 | 0.07 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $64,990 | $76,620 | $104,810 | $153,020 | $199,940 | $119,560 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 190 | 0.07 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $61,910 | $69,120 | $110,540 | $140,110 | $161,590 | $113,950 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 170 | 0.06 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $65,530 | $81,760 | $107,010 | $161,790 | $193,130 | $123,260 | ||||
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.11 | 2.51 |
| Annual | $61,150 | $61,150 | $77,190 | $100,920 | $212,840 | $98,470 | ||||
Top industries employing environmental science teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 89.8% of environmental science teachers, postsecondary nationally (6,010 jobs) at a median $97,890 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (9.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 6,010 | 89.8% | $97,890 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 620 | 9.3% | $71,230 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (6,690). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $81,980 for environmental science teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $94,980 in May 2025, with employment of 5,440 and 6,690.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $81,980 | * | 5,440 |
| May 2022 | $83,040 | * | 6,240 |
| May 2023 | $88,410 | * | 7,120 |
| May 2024 | $87,710 | * | 7,130 |
| May 2025 | $94,980 | * | 6,690 |
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
39 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 | Kentucky profile | * | $139,110 | $63,870 | $179,770 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.83 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | * | $131,060 | $71,080 | $228,470 | 220 | 0.08 | 1.82 |
| 3 | Oklahoma profile | * | $113,680 | $53,450 | $173,490 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.45 |
| 4 | Michigan profile | * | $112,730 | $64,360 | $175,040 | 270 | 0.06 | 1.45 |
| 5 | New Mexico profile | * | $111,270 | $54,560 | $144,390 | 50 | 0.06 | 1.41 |
| 6 | California profile | * | $108,290 | $65,250 | $168,810 | 300 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | * | $106,110 | $64,730 | $170,270 | 280 | 0.08 | 1.76 |
| 8 | Virginia profile | * | $104,730 | $51,480 | $170,130 | 300 | 0.07 | 1.69 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | * | $104,440 | $62,680 | $139,060 | 170 | 0.03 | 0.67 |
| 10 | Utah profile | * | $103,510 | $61,570 | $160,280 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.58 |
| 11 | New Hampshire profile | * | $102,650 | $66,530 | $160,300 | 90 | 0.13 | 2.92 |
| 12 | New York profile | * | $102,640 | $63,800 | $174,100 | 610 | 0.06 | 1.47 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | * | $102,580 | $52,150 | $182,160 | 100 | 0.32 | 7.38 |
| 14 | Washington profile | * | $101,430 | $61,360 | $159,940 | 190 | 0.06 | 1.27 |
| 15 | South Carolina profile | * | $99,540 | $59,320 | $129,600 | 130 | 0.06 | 1.29 |
| 16 | District of Columbia profile | * | $99,300 | $65,480 | $203,530 | ** | ** | ** |
| 17 | Tennessee profile | * | $98,560 | $61,310 | $130,850 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.72 |
| 18 | Montana profile | * | $97,890 | $41,720 | $126,470 | 60 | 0.11 | 2.60 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | * | $94,820 | $53,920 | $188,700 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.68 |
| 20 | Minnesota profile | * | $93,640 | $66,910 | $187,050 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.95 |
| 21 | Maine profile | * | $92,120 | $60,040 | $140,860 | 30 | 0.05 | 1.15 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $91,640 | $60,660 | $127,910 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Oregon profile | * | $90,270 | $66,570 | $165,780 | 170 | 0.09 | 2.01 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | * | $84,290 | $59,790 | $161,590 | 330 | 0.07 | 1.56 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | * | $83,210 | $55,220 | $131,860 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.79 |
| 26 | Ohio profile | * | $82,920 | $36,700 | $176,530 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.87 |
| 27 | New Jersey profile | * | $82,890 | $34,420 | $160,350 | 350 | 0.08 | 1.88 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | * | $82,360 | $50,080 | $143,160 | 210 | 0.04 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Arizona profile | * | $81,730 | $65,480 | $135,160 | 190 | 0.06 | 1.39 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | * | $79,570 | $53,580 | $108,130 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.57 |
| 31 | Texas profile | * | $79,160 | $50,280 | $164,190 | 380 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | * | $79,120 | $59,390 | $128,260 | 160 | 0.06 | 1.29 |
| 33 | Colorado profile | * | $78,800 | $47,370 | $160,250 | 210 | 0.07 | 1.70 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | * | $78,400 | $59,540 | $132,210 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.48 |
| 35 | Florida profile | * | $77,830 | $62,140 | $100,900 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.19 |
| 36 | Mississippi profile | * | $76,210 | $49,210 | $161,480 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Alabama profile | * | $64,700 | $43,780 | $76,460 | 40 | 0.02 | 0.47 |
| 38 | Arkansas profile | * | $59,910 | $58,590 | $71,580 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.75 |
| – | Connecticut profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.07 | 1.66 |
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 25-1053 Environmental 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 25-1053, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1053.00, 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.