Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 12,700 people employed as atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary in the United States. The median annual salary is $98,070. Entry level employees earn approximately $49,730 per year and senior employees earn approximately $165,240 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• 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.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• Participate in campus and community events.
• Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
• Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
• Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
• Purchase and maintain equipment to support research projects.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
• Answer questions from the public and media.
• Review papers or serve on editorial boards for scientific journals, and review grant proposals for federal agencies.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.

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