Science teachers play a vital role in developing future leaders in science and technology by fueling their students’ curiosity and passion for exploration. They guide and instruct students to understand critical science concepts, including gathering evidence and supporting ideas. You might thrive in a career as a science teacher if you have an interest in science and enjoy working with young people. In this article, we explore how to advance your career as a science teacher and consider 9 jobs science teachers can apply for at different levels of education.
Tips for advancing your career as a science teacher
Here are some tips for advancing your career as a science teacher:
Pursue an advanced degree.
Enroll in continuing education courses.
Obtain advanced certification as an educator.
Look into other science-related careers.
Apply to join a professional teaching association.
3 entry-level jobs for science teachers
Here are 3 jobs for science teachers at the entry level:
1. Substitute teacher
National average salary: $31,069 per year
Primary duties: A substitute teacher is an educator who steps in to cover classrooms when a school’s regular teacher is absent. Substitute teachers can lead activities based on notes left by a class’s regular teacher, offer lessons based on a teacher’s lesson plan and monitor students during class. A substitute teacher who fills in for a science teacher might distribute science worksheets for students to complete during class, give out assignments at the direction of the class’s usual teacher or set up videos to watch about scientific subjects.
2. Kindergarten teacher
National average salary: $36,265 per year
Primary duties: A kindergarten teacher is an educator who instructs very young children in fundamental skills and prepares them for elementary school. Kindergarten teachers often cover a wide array of subjects in their classrooms, like reading, mathematics, social studies and science. A science teacher who works with kindergarten students might give lessons on basic science ideas like properties of different physical materials, the difference between living and non-living things and how the sun causes night and day.
3. Elementary school teacher
National average salary: $65,099 per year
Primary duties: An elementary school teacher is an educator who works with young students in grades one through five. Elementary school teachers inform their students about core subjects and do so through creating lesson plans, leading classroom activities and recording student progress. An elementary school science teacher might focus on basic science principles, like the scientific method, plant ecology and environmental science, like animal biology and weather patterns.
3 mid-level jobs for science teachers
Here are 3 jobs for science teachers at the mid-level:
1. High school teacher
National average salary: $48,179 per year
Primary duties: A high school teacher is an educator who works with teenage students in grades nine through 12. High school science teachers can design their own lesson plans, lead advanced science experiments during class and teach students about scientific processes. As high school science is more advanced than middle school or elementary school science, a high school science teacher might inform their students about more complex scientific subjects like physics, chemistry and advanced biology.
2. Test preparation tutor
National average salary: $62,212 per year
Primary duties: A test preparation tutor is an education professional who helps students prepare for AP tests and standardized testing. Test preparation tutors who assist with standardized testing might teach students methods for answering questions in different sections, including the science section. A test preparation tutor who focuses more on AP exams can work with students to help increase their understanding of advanced scientific concepts from courses like AP biology or AP physics to ensure they’re ready to pass the AP exam for their desired subject.
3. Science teacher
National average salary: $63,468 per year
Primary duties: A science teacher is an educator who specializes in teaching science to middle school and high school students. Science teachers can prepare lesson plans that involve science experiments and activities and instruct their students about advanced scientific ideas and processes. Many science teachers specialize in a certain area of science, such as biology, chemistry or physics and provide students with in-depth lessons that explore their subject more deeply than in a general science class.
3 advanced-level jobs for science teachers
Here are 3 jobs for science teachers at an advanced level:
1. Professor
National average salary: $63,836 per year
Primary duties: A professor is an advanced educator who teaches students at the college level. Science professors might specialize in a specific scientific subject, such as environmental science, public health, chemistry or biology and create lesson plans that explore their subject in great depth. Professors typically make their own lesson plans according to guidelines provided by their college or university and often teach in laboratory settings if their subject involves laboratory work or experimentation.
2. Department head
National average salary: $79,301 per year
Primary duties: A department head is a professional who leads a department within an organization. At the collegiate level, the head of the science department might help hire new professors, design new courses for their school’s science programs and create informational materials that promote their courses to students. A science department head might also communicate with other department heads at their college or university to organize recruitment activities or events that showcase their departments for new or prospective students, such as a science fair, interest fair or introductory seminar about a school’s departments.
3. Adjunct professor
National average salary: $115,584 per year
Primary duties: An adjunct professor is an educator who is an expert in their field and teaches postgraduate students. Many adjunct professors work on a part-time basis, as they often devote the rest of their time to professional work in their field. Adjunct professors in the sciences might be scientists or researchers in a specific area of science who use their professional expertise to inform how they teach students through experiments, coursework, research and classroom lessons.
