Best degree programs for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, ranked by enrollment
21 college programs and 602 schools train Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $103,170 median wage, 9,900 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
21 college programs at 602 schools train atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary, graduating 11,912 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Geology/Earth Science, General. The job pays a median of $103,170 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary
Teach courses in the physical sciences, except chemistry and physics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
21 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 40.0601 | 5,615 | 47.1% | 433 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 2 | CIP 13.1316 | 1,021 | 8.6% | 160 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 3 | CIP 40.0401 | 953 | 8.0% | 70 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 4 | CIP 40.0699 | 946 | 7.9% | 87 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 5 | CIP 40.0201 | 875 | 7.3% | 81 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 6 | CIP 40.0607 | 534 | 4.5% | 35 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 7 | CIP 40.0202 | 502 | 4.2% | 48 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 8 | CIP 40.0404 | 276 | 2.3% | 27 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 9 | CIP 40.0605 | 206 | 1.7% | 38 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 10 | CIP 40.0603 | 169 | 1.4% | 32 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 11 | CIP 13.1337 | 144 | 1.2% | 27 | $43,033 | $26,044 |
| 12 | CIP 40.0299 | 133 | 1.1% | 12 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 13 | CIP 30.3501 | 127 | 1.1% | 7 | — | — |
| 14 | CIP 40.0203 | 105 | 0.9% | 15 | $39,728 | $24,678 |
| 15 | CIP 30.4101 | 90 | 0.8% | 11 | — | — |
| 16 | CIP 30.3801 | 62 | 0.5% | 7 | — | — |
| 17 | CIP 40.1101 | 58 | 0.5% | 5 | — | — |
| 18 | CIP 40.0499 | 44 | 0.4% | 8 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
| 19 | CIP 40.0602 | 24 | 0.2% | 8 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 20 | CIP 40.0604 | 21 | 0.2% | 5 | $39,678 | $24,864 |
| 21 | CIP 40.0402 | 7 | 0.1% | 2 | $41,430 | $25,500 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $133,230 | 1,410 | 1.21× | 82 | 1,301 |
| Texas | $105,080 | 690 | 0.77× | 37 | 805 |
| New York | $87,350 | 1,730 | 2.81× | 45 | 800 |
| Pennsylvania | $105,650 | 220 | 0.58× | 32 | 665 |
| Washington | $103,070 | 210 | 0.91× | 9 | 512 |
| Utah | $97,240 | 180 | 1.61× | 11 | 502 |
| Florida | $81,980 | 350 | 0.55× | 14 | 474 |
| Ohio | $94,890 | 150 | 0.42× | 31 | 408 |
| Michigan | $104,780 | 180 | 0.66× | 18 | 392 |
| Colorado | $79,190 | 340 | 1.84× | 15 | 376 |
| Illinois | $87,150 | 150 | 0.40× | 18 | 337 |
| Massachusetts | $108,930 | 470 | 2.03× | 22 | 337 |
| Arizona | $110,600 | 240 | 1.17× | 12 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $102,980 | 360 | 1.13× | 11 | 320 |
| Virginia | $119,940 | 230 | 0.89× | 9 | 250 |
| Georgia | $94,790 | 50 | 0.18× | 12 | 241 |
| New Jersey | $131,930 | 270 | 0.98× | 11 | 227 |
| Indiana | $99,970 | 130 | 0.65× | 15 | 226 |
| Minnesota | $102,900 | 90 | 0.49× | 16 | 218 |
| New Hampshire | $130,230 | 50 | 1.12× | 5 | 212 |
| Mississippi | $77,670 | 120 | 1.63× | 6 | 209 |
| Wisconsin | $107,370 | 130 | 0.71× | 13 | 208 |
| Missouri | $102,200 | 130 | 0.68× | 11 | 179 |
| Oklahoma | $104,270 | 30 | 0.29× | 8 | 175 |
| Connecticut | $123,770 | 230 | 2.15× | 8 | 165 |
| Tennessee | $85,020 | 120 | 0.57× | 10 | 161 |
| Maryland | $107,700 | 180 | 1.03× | 7 | 143 |
| Oregon | $128,140 | 340 | 2.73× | 5 | 129 |
| Kentucky | $95,830 | 40 | 0.34× | 7 | 121 |
| New Mexico | $106,990 | 50 | 0.95× | 5 | 105 |
| Kansas | $101,750 | 80 | 0.91× | 7 | 95 |
| Iowa | $97,660 | 50 | 0.49× | 7 | 91 |
| South Carolina | $76,500 | 80 | 0.58× | 5 | 91 |
| Maine | $95,320 | 130 | 3.09× | 6 | 90 |
| Nevadalimited | $105,860 | 60 | 0.58× | 2 | 82 |
| Alabama | $81,940 | 90 | 0.67× | 5 | 64 |
| Wyominglimited | $100,240 | 50 | 2.68× | 2 | 54 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $98,000 | 60 | 2.05× | 3 | 37 |
| West Virginiamoderate | $81,850 | 40 | 0.90× | 3 | 34 |
| South Dakotalimited | $63,160 | 70 | 2.46× | 2 | 20 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as structural geology, micrometeorology, and atmospheric thermodynamics.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Supervise laboratory work and field work.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Skills
- Speaking4.8
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Learning Strategies3.9
Knowledge areas
- Education and Training4.7
- English Language4.5
- Mathematics4.3
- Physics3.9
- Chemistry3.8
- Computers and Electronics3.6
Abilities
- Oral Expression4.8
- Speech Clarity4.3
- Inductive Reasoning4.0
- Deductive Reasoning4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Written Comprehension4.0
Core activities
- Training and Teaching Others4.5
- Working with Computers4.4
- Getting Information4.3
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.2
- Analyzing Data or Information4.2
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.1
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Atmospheric
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.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 24 majors mapped to Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1316Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
- 13.1337Earth Science Teacher Education
- 30.3501Climate Science
- 30.3801Earth Systems Science
- 30.4101Environmental Geosciences
- 30.5001Mathematics and Atmospheric/Oceanic Science(no graduates reported)
- 40.0201Astronomy
- 40.0202Astrophysics
- 40.0203Planetary Astronomy and Science
- 40.0299Astronomy and Astrophysics, Other
- 40.0401Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General
- 40.0402Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology
- 40.0403Atmospheric Physics and Dynamics(no graduates reported)
- 40.0404Meteorology
- 40.0499Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Other
- 40.0601Geology/Earth Science, General
- 40.0602Geochemistry
- 40.0603Geophysics and Seismology
- 40.0604Paleontology
- 40.0605Hydrology and Water Resources Science
- 40.0606Geochemistry and Petrology(no graduates reported)
- 40.0607Oceanography, Chemical and Physical
- 40.0699Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
- 40.1101Physics and Astronomy
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become an Atmospheric?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Geology/Earth Science, General, which awarded 5,615 degrees in 2024-25, 47.1% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming an Atmospheric?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 21 programs to this occupation. The largest are Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Teacher Education and Professional Development, plus 4 more. Together they graduate about 11,912 people a year.
How much do atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary earn?+
The median is $103,170 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $59,700 at the 10th percentile to $203,190 at the 90th. 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 atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +2.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 1,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
602 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 21 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 atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Geology Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1051.
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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