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

> Teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/atmospheric-earth-marine-and-space-sciences-teachers-postsecondary
- SOC code: 25-1051.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $103,170 (10th percentile $59,700, 90th percentile $203,190)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.4%
- Openings a year: 800
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 50 |
| Investigative (I) | 77 |
| Artistic (A) | 36 |
| Social (S) | 92 |
| Enterprising (E) | 23 |
| Conventional (C) | 43 |

## What you'd do

- Training and Teaching Others (importance 88/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 84/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 81/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 80/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 78/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 77/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 75/100)
- Processing Information (importance 72/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 71/100)

## Skills

Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Science, Writing, Active Learning, Learning Strategies, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Education and Training, English Language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computers and Electronics, Biology, Geography, Customer and Personal Service, Communications and Media

## Also called

Adjunct Instructor, Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Astronomy Professor, Atmospheric Sciences Professor, Climatology Professor, Climatology Teacher, College Faculty Member, College Professor

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1313) (CIP 1313, 1,257 colleges)
- [Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4006) (CIP 4006, 593 colleges)
- [Astronomy and Astrophysics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4002) (CIP 4002, 164 colleges)
- [Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4004) (CIP 4004, 114 colleges)
- Environmental Geosciences (CIP 3041, 17 colleges)
- Climate Science (CIP 3035, 13 colleges)
- Earth Systems Science (CIP 3038, 9 colleges)
- Physics and Astronomy (CIP 4011, 5 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Astronomy and Astrophysics | $43,091 | $90,943 | $18,600 |
| [University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-oklahoma-norman-campus-main-campus-3007) | Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | not reported | $85,207 | $25,142 |
| [The University of Texas at Austin Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/the-university-of-texas-at-austin-main-campus-2764) | Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $46,634 | $83,481 | $13,000 |
| [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-sacramento-375) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $69,280 | $82,062 | $23,000 |
| [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-brooklyn-college-735) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $54,793 | $80,207 | $12,875 |
| [University of California-Los Angeles UCLA](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-los-angeles-ucla-2884) | Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | not reported | $79,143 | not reported |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | not reported | $78,215 | $25,500 |
| [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-queens-college-746) | Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $58,736 | $76,925 | $12,500 |

## Related careers

- [Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biological-science-teachers-postsecondary): $84,620 median pay
- [Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/environmental-science-teachers-postsecondary): $94,980 median pay
- [Physics Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physics-teachers-postsecondary): $100,310 median pay
- [Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chemistry-teachers-postsecondary): $93,250 median pay
- [Geography Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/geography-teachers-postsecondary): $97,590 median pay
- [Mathematical Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/mathematical-science-teachers-postsecondary): $79,940 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.