Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary vs Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary: $103K vs $93K Median Pay

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary vs Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary: what changes?

Consider Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary if you want to teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Consider Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary if you would rather teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary and Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

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

National median pay (2025): $103,170
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 800

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (12,000 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary brief

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

National median pay (2025): $93,250
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,700

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (24,900 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary brief

How the national numbers differ

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on annual openings

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary is at 1,700 annual openings, compared with 800 annual openings for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary.

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on median pay

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary is at $103,170, compared with $93,250 for Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary.

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on projected growth

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary is at 2.4% projected growth, compared with 2.3% projected growth for Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary.

42.3/ 100

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

44.4/ 100

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

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

Dimension	Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary	Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Median pay (2025)	$103,170	$93,250
Pay percentile	85 percentile	78.1 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	2.4%	2.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	800	1,700
2025 employment	12,000	24,900
How you qualify	Doctoral or professional degree	Doctoral or professional degree
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary brief Read Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary brief

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary vs Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

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

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

How the national numbers differ

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on annual openings

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on median pay

Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary has the edge on projected growth

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

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