Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for chemistry teachers, postsecondarys across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $105,210 ≈ $51/hr
National median salary $93,250
Total employment 19,980 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 25,400 → 26,000 (+600)
Typical entry education Doctoral or professional degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$154,490
- Massachusetts$130,570
- Delaware$123,060
- Minnesota$122,920
- New Hampshire$121,450
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$67,380
- Mississippi$74,580
- Oklahoma$76,110
- South Dakota$80,790
- Florida$82,330
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $154,490 | $132,960 | $74 | +46.8% | 1,650 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $130,570 | $108,270 | $63 | +24.1% | 820 |
| 3 | Delaware | $123,060 | $104,610 | $59 | +17% | 80 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $122,920 | $104,380 | $59 | +16.8% | 430 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $121,450 | $102,220 | $58 | +15.4% | 70 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $117,940 | $103,370 | $57 | +12.1% | 100 |
| 7 | Oregon | $115,700 | $101,350 | $56 | +10% | 460 |
| 8 | Utah | $114,960 | $102,110 | $55 | +9.3% | 200 |
| 9 | Kansas | $114,750 | $93,830 | $55 | +9.1% | 170 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $113,150 | $111,020 | $54 | +7.5% | 60 |
| 11 | Maryland | $112,680 | $101,530 | $54 | +7.1% | 310 |
| 12 | New York | $111,660 | $99,880 | $54 | +6.1% | 1,840 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $110,720 | $100,920 | $53 | +5.2% | 110 |
| 14 | Michigan | $108,740 | $101,030 | $52 | +3.4% | 560 |
| 15 | Nevada | $107,720 | $101,640 | $52 | +2.4% | 60 |
| 16 | Arizona | $107,300 | $103,790 | $52 | +2% | 210 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $107,080 | $83,480 | $51 | +1.8% | 450 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $101,510 | $78,820 | $49 | -3.5% | 350 |
| 19 | Missouri | $101,260 | $83,000 | $49 | -3.8% | 460 |
| 20 | Iowa | $101,070 | $82,050 | $49 | -3.9% | 230 |
| 21 | Louisiana | $100,930 | $83,680 | $49 | -4.1% | 140 |
| 22 | Illinois | $100,070 | $97,860 | $48 | -4.9% | 880 |
| 23 | Georgia | $99,740 | $85,300 | $48 | -5.2% | 500 |
| 24 | Colorado | $98,960 | $96,600 | $48 | -5.9% | 330 |
| 25 | Maine | $98,200 | $85,250 | $47 | -6.7% | 70 |
| 26 | Montana | $96,990 | $84,680 | $47 | -7.8% | 80 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $96,830 | $82,550 | $47 | -8% | 250 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $96,320 | $95,070 | $46 | -8.4% | 1,270 |
| 29 | Texas | $96,270 | $81,810 | $46 | -8.5% | 1,470 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $95,780 | $79,150 | $46 | -9% | 370 |
| 31 | Indiana | $95,440 | $81,530 | $46 | -9.3% | 530 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $94,230 | $85,050 | $45 | -10.4% | 150 |
| 33 | Washington | $93,990 | $85,970 | $45 | -10.7% | 390 |
| 34 | Virginia | $93,880 | $80,330 | $45 | -10.8% | 760 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $93,100 | $85,240 | $45 | -11.5% | 80 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $93,030 | $81,200 | $45 | -11.6% | 270 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $92,670 | $81,600 | $45 | -11.9% | 750 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $91,910 | $81,830 | $44 | -12.6% | 90 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $90,300 | $82,830 | $43 | -14.2% | 30 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $90,050 | $78,620 | $43 | -14.4% | 900 |
| 41 | Vermont | $89,250 | $78,560 | $43 | -15.2% | 90 |
| 42 | Alabama | $88,450 | $76,430 | $43 | -15.9% | 310 |
| 43 | Ohio | $85,450 | $77,910 | $41 | -18.8% | 700 |
| 44 | Florida | $82,330 | $77,630 | $40 | -21.7% | 340 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $80,790 | $75,810 | $39 | -23.2% | 70 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $76,110 | $64,450 | $37 | -27.7% | 220 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $74,580 | $66,420 | $36 | -29.1% | 130 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $67,380 | $64,720 | $32 | -36% | 110 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 106 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $156,430 | $153,440 | 110 |
| 2 | Wilmington, NC | $144,160 | $121,720 | 40 |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $141,370 | $159,710 | 560 |
| 4 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $138,890 | $132,960 | 80 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $138,330 | $139,320 | 80 |
| 6 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $138,300 | $167,730 | 250 |
| 7 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,440 | $169,190 | 150 |
| 8 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $132,590 | $139,840 | 290 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $131,080 | $167,430 | 160 |
| 10 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,340 | $146,150 | 120 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing chemistry teachers, postsecondarys (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Local Government Owned | $101,340 | $119,440 | 720 |
| 2 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $101,270 | $110,330 | 3,310 |
| 3 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $101,270 | $110,330 | 3,310 |
| 4 | Junior Colleges, Local Government Owned | $100,640 | $107,810 | 2,580 |
| 5 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $99,840 | $110,590 | 8,610 |
| 6 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $97,590 | $107,380 | 13,060 |
| 7 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $95,260 | $106,380 | 9,760 |
| 8 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $95,260 | $106,380 | 9,760 |
| 9 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $95,060 | $106,850 | 16,200 |
| 10 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $93,250 | $105,210 | 19,980 |
| 11 | Educational Services | $93,150 | $105,110 | 19,950 |
| 12 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $93,150 | $105,110 | 19,950 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do chemistry teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median chemistry teachers, postsecondary salary in the United States is $93,250 per year (mean $105,210), and about 80% earn between $57,870 and $172,110.
How much do chemistry teachers, postsecondary make per hour?
Roughly $51 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $105,210 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays chemistry teachers, postsecondary the most?
California has the highest average pay for chemistry teachers, postsecondary at $154,490 per year (median $132,960).
What is the job outlook for chemistry teachers, postsecondary?
Employment is projected to change +2.2% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,900 openings per year.
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