Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary salary in the U.S.
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary in the U.S. earn a median of $93,250 a year, based on BLS data for 19,980 workers.
Pay ranges from $57,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,110 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $105,210, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chemistry teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $57,870 |
| 25th percentile | $68,530 |
| Median | $93,250 |
| 75th percentile | $127,280 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $172,110 |
| Average (mean) | $105,210 |
Half of chemistry teachers, postsecondary earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,770.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,885.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,586.54 |
| Weekly | $1,793.27 |
BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because chemistry teachers, postsecondary are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $132,960 | 1,650 |
| North Dakota | $111,020 | 60 |
| Massachusetts | $108,270 | 820 |
| Delaware | $104,610 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $104,380 | 430 |
| Arizona | $103,790 | 210 |
| District of Columbia | $103,370 | 100 |
| New Hampshire | $102,220 | 70 |
| Utah | $102,110 | 200 |
| Nevada | $101,640 | 60 |
| Maryland | $101,530 | 310 |
| Oregon | $101,350 | 460 |
| Michigan | $101,030 | 560 |
| Rhode Island | $100,920 | 110 |
| New York | $99,880 | 1,840 |
| Illinois | $97,860 | 880 |
| Colorado | $96,600 | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,070 | 1,270 |
| Kansas | $93,830 | 170 |
| Washington | $85,970 | 390 |
| Georgia | $85,300 | 500 |
| Maine | $85,250 | 70 |
| New Mexico | $85,240 | 80 |
| Nebraska | $85,050 | 150 |
| Montana | $84,680 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $83,680 | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $83,480 | 450 |
| Missouri | $83,000 | 460 |
| Wyoming | $82,830 | 30 |
| Kentucky | $82,550 | 250 |
| Iowa | $82,050 | 230 |
| West Virginia | $81,830 | 90 |
| Texas | $81,810 | 1,470 |
| New Jersey | $81,600 | 750 |
| Indiana | $81,530 | 530 |
| South Carolina | $81,200 | 270 |
| Virginia | $80,330 | 760 |
| Tennessee | $79,150 | 370 |
| Connecticut | $78,820 | 350 |
| Puerto Rico | $78,640 | 210 |
| North Carolina | $78,620 | 900 |
| Vermont | $78,560 | 90 |
| Ohio | $77,910 | 700 |
| Florida | $77,630 | 340 |
| Alabama | $76,430 | 310 |
| South Dakota | $75,810 | 70 |
| Mississippi | $66,420 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $64,720 | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $64,450 | 220 |
Best-paying metro areas for chemistry teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $156,430 | 110 |
| Wilmington, NC | $144,160 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $141,370 | 560 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $138,890 | 80 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $138,330 | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $138,300 | 250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $137,440 | 150 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $132,590 | 290 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $131,080 | 160 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $130,340 | 120 |
| Fresno, CA | $128,550 | 50 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $123,250 | 530 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $116,670 | 70 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $116,090 | 90 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $110,100 | 130 |
Metro areas with the most chemistry teachers, postsecondary
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 1,580 | $99,980 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 620 | $100,560 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 560 | $141,370 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 530 | $123,250 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 500 | $99,230 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 360 | $99,650 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 340 | $83,150 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 310 | $98,170 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 300 | $102,620 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 300 | $101,270 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 290 | $132,590 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 250 | $82,490 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 250 | $138,300 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 220 | $87,660 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 210 | $76,250 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-1052. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chemistry teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The median salary for chemistry teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. is $93,250 a year. Pay ranges from $57,870 for the lowest-paid 10% to $172,110 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chemistry teachers, postsecondary make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of chemistry teachers, postsecondary in the U.S. earn at least $172,110 a year. The top 25% earn $127,280 or more.
What is the starting pay for chemistry teachers, postsecondary in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $57,870 a year, and a quarter of chemistry teachers, postsecondary earn $68,530 or less.
How many chemistry teachers, postsecondary work in the U.S.?
About 19,980 chemistry teachers, postsecondary are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.