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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.
Other titles employers use
Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Biochemistry Professor · Chemistry Faculty Member · Chemistry Instructor · Chemistry Professor · Instructor · Lecturer
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to analytical, helping and practical work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Science
- Critical Thinking
Subjects to know
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Biology
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.5 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.4 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.0 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a doctorate or a professional degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A doctorate or professional degree 57%
- A master's degree 41%
- A four-year degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Computer based training software
- Information retrieval or search software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,490
- Job openings each year
- 40
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 21.5%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 2,490 | 40 | 21.5% |
| California | 2,400 | 200 | 4.3% |
| Texas | 1,770 | 150 | 9.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,690 | 130 | 1.8% |
| Florida | 1,040 | 90 | 13.0% |
| New Jersey | 1,020 | 80 | 9.7% |
| Illinois | 980 | 80 | 1.0% |
| North Carolina | 940 | 80 | 11.9% |
| Virginia | 840 | 70 | 3.7% |
| Michigan | 780 | 60 | 2.6% |
| Ohio | 690 | 50 | 1.5% |
| Tennessee | 680 | 60 | 19.3% |
| Wisconsin | 640 | 50 | 8.5% |
| Washington | 590 | 60 | 15.7% |
| Alabama | 530 | 40 | 6.0% |
| Arizona | 530 | 40 | 6.0% |
| Colorado | 450 | 40 | 18.4% |
| Maryland | 450 | 40 | 15.4% |
| Missouri | 450 | 40 | 2.3% |
| Georgia | 370 | 30 | 5.7% |
| Indiana | 360 | 30 | 5.9% |
| Connecticut | 350 | 30 | 9.4% |
| Utah | 340 | 30 | 25.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 310 | 30 | 14.8% |
| Oklahoma | 300 | 20 | −3.2% |
| Iowa | 280 | 20 | 12.0% |
| Minnesota | 270 | 20 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | 260 | 20 | 13.0% |
| Arkansas | 240 | 20 | — |
| South Carolina | 240 | 20 | 14.3% |
| Oregon | 230 | 20 | 4.5% |
| Nebraska | 210 | 20 | 5.0% |
| Kentucky | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Mississippi | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Kansas | 150 | 10 | — |
| Idaho | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Louisiana | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Maine | 120 | 10 | — |
| District of Columbia | 110 | 10 | — |
| Montana | 90 | 10 | — |
| West Virginia | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| New Mexico | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Nevada | 70 | 10 | — |
| New Hampshire | 70 | 10 | — |
| North Dakota | 70 | 10 | — |
| Rhode Island | 70 | 10 | — |
| South Dakota | 60 | 10 | — |
| Vermont | 60 | 0 | — |
| Wyoming | 40 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of California-San Diego
- Degrees each year
- 250
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Florida
- Degrees each year
- 266
- Admit rate
- 24%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
Virginia Commonwealth University
- Degrees each year
- 437
- Admit rate
- 93%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
University of California-Berkeley
- Degrees each year
- 188
- Admit rate
- 12%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of California-Irvine
- Degrees each year
- 273
- Admit rate
- 26%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Degrees each year
- 178
- Admit rate
- 44%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
CUNY Hunter College
- Degrees each year
- 149
- Admit rate
- 54%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
University of California-Santa Barbara
- Degrees each year
- 168
- Admit rate
- 28%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000