Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
Educational Instruction and Library
Students hear lectures on organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and chemical separation, then work in the lab under close supervision. A large part of the job is setting safety rules for chemicals, equipment, and hazardous materials, teaching those rules, and watching that students follow them. Class work, laboratory performance, papers, and exams are evaluated and graded; attendance and other required records are maintained. Some of the role includes supervising undergraduate or graduate teaching, internships, and research, along with writing syllabi and assignments. Suits people who like precise lab instruction, careful safety oversight, and explaining how substances change.
Typical education: Master’s Degree
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$93'250
Median Wage Market Position
$93'250
What you might do
- Give talks on organic chemistry and chemical analysis
- Set safety rules for chemicals and hazardous materials
- Grade lab skill, homework, and written papers
- Stay with students while they work at the bench
- Write and grade exams or assign that work
- Guide chemistry interns and graduate research work
Skills that matter
- Explaining organic and analytical chemistry
- Teaching safe handling of hazardous chemicals
- Supervising students' chemistry laboratory work
- Grading lab results and chemistry papers
- Overseeing graduate teaching and internships
- Preparing chemistry syllabi and homework
AI & the future of this role
Routine explanations and homework help might shift toward automated tutors, but wet-lab safety, experimental design, and research mentoring still rely on in-person judgment. Hands-on instruction and liability around lab work tend to buffer employment somewhat.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details