Science teachers train students to experiment, observe and report their findings.
Teachers are influential individuals who impart knowledge and skills to students in a wide variety of subjects. Science teachers focus on those subjects that can be empirically tested through the scientific method of repeatable experimentation, observation and conclusion. Science teachers may focus on the natural sciences such as physics, physical science, geology, astronomy, biology and chemistry. And they may teach in the social sciences such as sociology or psychology. They also teach in applied sciences, like medicine or engineering. A science teacher's income may be impacted by the type of science and grade level she teaches, as well as geographic location.
Type of Scientific Discipline
Annual salaries for U.S.-based science teachers can vary widely based on the scientific discipline the teachers work in. The median annual income for U.S.-based post-secondary agricultural science teachers was $78,370 as of May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S.-based post-secondary engineering teachers earned median annual wages of $89,670. Post-secondary biological science teachers earned median annual wages of $72,700 and chemistry teachers earned median annual wages of $70,520.
Geographic Location
Wages for science teachers can vary based on where the science teacher is employed. Post-secondary physics teachers who worked in Arkansas earned earned median annual wages of $50,030 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Physics teachers who worked in California earned median wages of $101,240 per year. Post-secondary forestry and conservation science teachers who worked in California earned median annual wages of $53,910 while those who taught in Pennsylvania earned median wage of $87,900 per year.
Grade Level
The grade level that a science teacher is involved with can have a significant impact on income. Teachers in elementary grade levels frequently teach a variety of subjects, including science. Science teachers at the middle school, high school and post-secondary level typically specialize in a particular course of instruction such as atmospheric, earth, marine or space science. The median national wage for elementary grade level teachers was $51,660 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S.-based middle school teachers earned a median annual income of $51,960 while those who taught at the high school level earned median wages of $53,230 per year. Post-secondary atmospheric, earth, marine or space science teachers earned median annual wages of $82,840.
Considerations
Science teachers in public schools typically must hold at least a bachelor's degree and a state-issued teacher's certificate. Private schools may have their own requirements for science teachers, which may be more or less stringent than that required for public school teachers. Post-secondary institutions usually require science teachers to hold at least a master's degree in their field of specialization, and tenured professors may need a doctorate.
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