Best Biological Science Teacher, Postsecondary programs in Illinois, ranked by enrollment
Teach courses in biological sciences.
53 schools in Illinois run programs that feed this job, graduating 4,624 people a year. The job pays a median of $99,060 in Illinois across about 2,340 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Illinois that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
47 programs in Illinois that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Illinois (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Illinois page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 26.0101In Illinois → | 2,284 | 49.4% | 48 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | CIP 26.1501In Illinois → | 421 | 9.1% | 16 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0406In Illinois → | 305 | 6.6% | 3 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0102In Illinois → | 285 | 6.2% | 14 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 5 | CIP 26.9999In Illinois → | 225 | 4.9% | 5 | $31,278 | $23,000 |
| 6 | CIP 26.0202In Illinois → | 219 | 4.7% | 22 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 7 | CIP 26.1201In Illinois → | 119 | 2.6% | 5 | $49,023 | $21,309 |
| 8 | CIP 26.0701In Illinois → | 81 | 1.8% | 2 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 9 | CIP 30.1901In Illinois → | 70 | 1.5% | 6 | $30,508 | $24,586 |
| 10 | CIP 26.0901In Illinois → | 55 | 1.2% | 4 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 11 | CIP 26.0499In Illinois → | 50 | 1.1% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 12 | CIP 26.1504In Illinois → | 50 | 1.1% | 1 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 13 | CIP 26.1599In Illinois → | 47 | 1.0% | 1 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 14 | CIP 26.0908In Illinois → | 40 | 0.9% | 2 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 15 | CIP 26.0210In Illinois → | 26 | 0.6% | 4 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 16 | CIP 13.1316In Illinois → | 25 | 0.5% | 7 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 17 | CIP 13.1322In Illinois → | 24 | 0.5% | 8 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 18 | CIP 26.0203In Illinois → | 22 | 0.5% | 4 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 19 | CIP 26.0502In Illinois → | 22 | 0.5% | 4 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 20 | CIP 26.1503In Illinois → | 20 | 0.4% | 2 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 21 | CIP 26.0205In Illinois → | 19 | 0.4% | 2 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 22 | CIP 26.0399In Illinois → | 18 | 0.4% | 1 | $33,009 | $21,975 |
| 23 | CIP 26.0508In Illinois → | 17 | 0.4% | 2 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 24 | CIP 26.1305In Illinois → | 17 | 0.4% | 3 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 25 | CIP 26.1307In Illinois → | 17 | 0.4% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 26 | CIP 26.0507In Illinois → | 14 | 0.3% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 27 | CIP 26.0301In Illinois → | 13 | 0.3% | 2 | $33,009 | $21,975 |
| 28 | CIP 26.0801In Illinois → | 13 | 0.3% | 1 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 29 | CIP 26.1310In Illinois → | 11 | 0.2% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 30 | CIP 26.0802In Illinois → | 10 | 0.2% | 1 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 31 | CIP 26.0702In Illinois → | 9 | 0.2% | 1 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 32 | CIP 26.0806In Illinois → | 9 | 0.2% | 2 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 33 | CIP 26.0911In Illinois → | 8 | 0.2% | 2 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 34 | CIP 26.1001In Illinois → | 8 | 0.2% | 3 | $39,202 | $18,000 |
| 35 | CIP 30.1001In Illinois → | 8 | 0.2% | 2 | $43,343 | $22,125 |
| 36 | CIP 26.1301In Illinois → | 7 | 0.2% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 37 | CIP 26.0299In Illinois → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 38 | CIP 26.0401In Illinois → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 39 | CIP 26.0403In Illinois → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 40 | CIP 26.0407In Illinois → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 41 | CIP 26.0599In Illinois → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 42 | CIP 26.1303In Illinois → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 43 | CIP 26.1199In Illinois → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 44 | CIP 26.0404In Illinois → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 45 | CIP 26.0902In Illinois → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 46 | CIP 26.0903In Illinois → | 2 | 0.0% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
| 47 | CIP 26.0905In Illinois → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $31,146 | $23,384 |
Top 25 schools in Illinois
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 26 of the 53 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 16 feeder programs | 649 | Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology | $29,777 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public · 10 feeder programs | 597 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $28,768 | 62% | — | 77% |
| 3 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 15 feeder programs | 465 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,964 | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 4 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 406 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 5 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 17 feeder programs | 339 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,275 | 96% | $13,333 | 4% |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · 12 feeder programs | 162 | Zoology/Animal Biology | $23,366 | 62% | — | 87% |
| 7 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 5 feeder programs | 137 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,337 | 65% | — | 88% |
| 8 | Augustana College Rock Island, IL Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 121 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,844 | 73% | $14,960 | 63% |
| 9 | Benedictine University Lisle, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 115 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $29,215 | 50% | $23,570 | 95% |
| 10 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 113 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,067 | 57% | — | 97% |
| 11 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 111 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,750 | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 12 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 107 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $27,462 | 35% | $21,085 | 97% |
| 13 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 103 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,278 | 47% | — | 65% |
| 14 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $38,137 | 49% | — | 70% |
| 15 | Lake Forest College Lake Forest, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 62 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,380 | 78% | $25,052 | 57% |
| 16 | Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 62 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,977 | 57% | $12,935 | 84% |
| 17 | Rush University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 58 | Biotechnology | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | Midwestern University - Downers Grove Downers Grove, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 53 | Biomedical Sciences, General | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 51 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 75% | $26,849 | 39% |
| 20 | Bradley University Peoria, IL Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 48 | Biomedical Sciences, General | — | 76% | $21,768 | 77% |
| 21 | Dominican University River Forest, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 48 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $26,015 | 55% | $16,176 | 90% |
| 22 | Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science North Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 48 | Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | — | — | — | — |
| 23 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 48 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,052 | 45% | — | 71% |
| 24 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 44 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $40,392 | 22% | — | 75% |
| 25 | Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 42 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 75% | $19,899 | 55% |
All 53 schools in Illinois
Every school in Illinois with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign | Champaign | Public | 649 | 16 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public | 597 | 10 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 465 | 15 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 406 | 8 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 339 | 17 |
| Southern Illinois University - Carbondale | Carbondale | Public | 162 | 12 |
| Illinois State University | Normal | Public | 137 | 5 |
| Augustana College | Rock Island | Private not-for-profit | 121 | 6 |
| Benedictine University | Lisle | Private not-for-profit | 115 | 3 |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public | 113 | 1 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 111 | 4 |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 107 | 4 |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston | Public | 103 | 3 |
| Northern Illinois University | Dekalb | Public | 81 | 1 |
| Lake Forest College | Lake Forest | Private not-for-profit | 62 | 3 |
What biological science teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $84,620. Illinois pays above the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Illinois
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a Biological Science Teacher, Postsecondary
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Illinois
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1316Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- 13.1322Biology Teacher Education
- 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- 26.0102Biomedical Sciences, General
- 26.0202Biochemistry
- 26.0203Biophysics
- 26.0204Molecular Biology
- 26.0205Molecular Biochemistry
- 26.0206Molecular Biophysics
- 26.0207Structural Biology
- 26.0208Photobiology(no graduates reported)
- 26.0209Radiation Biology/Radiobiology
- 26.0210Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- 26.0299Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other
- 26.0301Botany/Plant Biology
- 26.0305Plant Pathology/Phytopathology
- 26.0307Plant Physiology
- 26.0399Botany/Plant Biology, Other
- 26.0401Cell/Cellular Biology and Histology
- 26.0403Anatomy
- 26.0404Developmental Biology and Embryology
- 26.0406Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- 26.0407Cell Biology and Anatomy
- 26.0499Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Other
- 26.0502Microbiology, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing biological science teachers, postsecondary programs in Illinois.
What degree do you need to become a Biological Science Teacher, Postsecondary?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 2,284 degrees in Illinois in 2024-25, 49.4% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Biological Science Teacher, Postsecondary?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 47 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Biochemistry, plus 13 more. Together they graduate about 4,624 people a year in Illinois.
How much do biological science teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois?+
The median is $99,060 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 17.1% above the U.S. median of $84,620. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for biological science teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +7.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 5,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Illinois?+
53 institutions in Illinois reported graduates from at least one of the 47 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do biological science teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Biology Professor, Biology Instructor, Associate Professor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1042.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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