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Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Also called: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Environmental Sciences Professor, Professor

Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$94,980
Openings a year BLS, 2025–35600
Typical education to start BLSDoctoral or professional degree
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Very high
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +2.7%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 16 of its 25 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 2.7% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 2.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.8 hires for every 10 job openings in private educational services, which employs about 100% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 80% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$60k$139knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$64,700$45,980 to $76,46040
Arizona$81,730$71,230 to $105,340190
Arkansas$59,910$58,630 to $61,56040
California$108,290$78,070 to $135,790300
Colorado$78,800$61,030 to $112,660210
Connecticutnot publishednot published120
District of Columbia$99,300$73,830 to $126,110not published
Florida$77,830$71,980 to $82,19080
Georgia$84,290$63,090 to $127,310330
Illinois$104,440$75,020 to $126,880170
Indiana$78,400$62,810 to $102,93070
Iowa$79,570$64,980 to $97,63040
Kentucky$139,110$84,130 to $179,77070
Maine$92,120$68,780 to $98,28030
Maryland$131,060$97,110 to $170,270220
Massachusetts$106,110$80,460 to $139,510280
Michigan$112,730$77,090 to $135,140270
Minnesota$93,640$72,740 to $127,100120
Mississippi$76,210$60,310 to $99,120not published
Missouri$83,210$62,200 to $101,150100
Montana$97,890$77,950 to $126,47060
Nevada$94,820$66,850 to $139,99050
New Hampshire$102,650$80,740 to $119,00090
New Jersey$82,890$65,210 to $127,370350
New Mexico$111,270$81,600 to $144,39050
New York$102,640$76,520 to $126,080610
North Carolina$82,360$68,730 to $110,070210
Ohio$82,920$58,910 to $129,210210
Oklahoma$113,680$107,790 to $137,99030
Oregon$90,270$76,850 to $126,640170
Pennsylvania$91,640$76,810 to $105,540240
South Carolina$99,540$76,840 to $110,510130
Tennessee$98,560$76,010 to $118,200100
Texas$79,160$61,150 to $111,660380
Utah$103,510$80,840 to $120,65040
Vermont$102,580$67,710 to $128,770100
Virginia$104,730$63,990 to $135,350300
Washington$101,430$74,510 to $132,360190
Wisconsin$79,120$67,270 to $104,730160

Nationally: $94,980. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 16 of its 25 tasks

5 · AI alone could halve the time 11 · AI + software built on it could 9 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
AI + software Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers. Not published
AI alone Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts. Not published
Not much Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences. Not published
AI + software Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues. Not published
Not much Supervise students' laboratory and field work. Not published
AI + software Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction. Not published
See all 25 tasks
Not much Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions. Not published
AI + software Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records. Not published
AI + software Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others. Not published
Not much Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work. Not published
AI + software Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students. Not published
AI + software Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues. Not published
AI + software Write letters of recommendation for students. Not published
AI alone Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media. Not published
AI + software Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment. Not published
Not much Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities. Not published
Not much Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues. Not published
AI alone Write grant proposals to procure external research funding. Not published
AI alone Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. Not published
Not much Participate in campus and community events. Not published
AI + software Review papers or serve on editorial boards for scientific journals, and review grant proposals for various agencies. under 0.01%
Not much Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as hazardous waste management, industrial safety, and environmental toxicology. Not published
Not much Act as advisers to student organizations. Not published
AI + software Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head. Not published
AI alone Provide professional consulting services to government or industry. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 1 of the 25 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 25 tasks fall under 21 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up16 of 25 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most8 of 21 activities
  • #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
  • #10 Write material for artistic or commercial purposes
  • #20 Present research or technical information
  • and 5 more, in the table below
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Advise others on educational or vocational matters 14#74 34#36
Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise 408#4 247#8
Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance 2.31#189 0.62#188
Teach academic or vocational subjects 22#54 143#14
Supervise personnel activities 0.56#266 0.05#283
Write material for artistic or commercial purposes 149#10 105#18
Present research or technical information 100#20 339#6
Prepare informational or instructional materials 73#23 195#11
Show all 21 activities
Perform administrative or clerical activities 58#30 25#44
Compile records, documentation, or other data 52#33 33#37
Purchase goods or services 47#36 0.39#220
Select materials or equipment for operations or projects 45#38 19#49
Evaluate programs, practices, or processes 15#67 5.67#80
Promote products, services, or programs 14#72 85#20
Plan events or programs 5.26#123 1.90#133
Evaluate scholarly work 4.55#134 1.06#165
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Develop educational programs, plans, or procedures 2.52#181 2.47#121
Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures 1.85#204 0.36#225
Prepare proposals or grant applications 1.47#214 0.60#190
Serve on organizational committees 0.21#294 0.04#288
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Assess student capabilities, needs, or performance” holds 3 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 2.31 of every 10,000 conversations, #189 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • An explanation or answer27%
  • Teaching material17%
  • A document or report12%
  • Advice or a recommendation12%
  • A plan or strategy8%

How they worked with Claude

29% handed the task off71% worked on it together

16% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for environmental science teachers, postsecondary specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.Environmental science teachers, postsecondary: +2.7%Environmental Science Teachers, PostsecondaryAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.Environmental science teachers, postsecondary: +2.7%Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 904 moves out

  1. 1 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 30%
  2. 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  3. 3 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  4. 4 Teacher Assistants (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
  5. 5 Surveying and Mapping Technicians High +5.8% 3%

Where people moved in from

of 694 moves in

  1. 1 Teacher Assistants (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 13%
  2. 2 Operations Research Analysts Very high +11.9% 9%
  3. 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  4. 4 Teachers and Instructors, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
  5. 5 Surveying and Mapping Technicians High +5.8% 5%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 18% master's
  • 52% research doctorate
  • 30% post-doctoral training

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 50 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 1% less than high school
  • 3% high school
  • 4% some college
  • 2% associate's
  • 16% bachelor's
  • 28% master's
  • 5% professional degree
  • 42% doctorate

Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers” · 15,280 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Postsecondary teachers”

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
11 programs, such as Environmental Studies, Environmental Science and Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education.
See all
  • Environmental Studies
  • Environmental Science
  • Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education
  • Conservation Biology
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other
  • Sustainability Studies
  • Environmental Geosciences
  • Geobiology
  • Geography and Environmental Studies
  • Environmental Chemistry

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)

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