Currently, many school districts have difficulty hiring qualified science teachers, especially chemistry and physics. Before 2016, there will be more than a 12% increase in science teachers in public schools. Teachers with science credentials willing to work in less desirable urban or rural school districts are in even higher demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 133,000 new middle and high school teachers will need to be hired in the next 7 years.

Job Description:

Science teachers can be trained to teach different grade levels, such as elementary, middle or high school grades. In the elementary grades, science teachers lay the foundation for concepts by teaching the introduction to science. By middle and high school, leading experimentations plays a large role in science teaching. Different areas of science could include biology, chemistry, physics or even Earth science.

Median Salary:

Elementary School: $47,870

Middle/High School: $49,470

Job Requirements:

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is required to become a science teacher. Additional certification tests may be required to prove competency in the subject of science. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed through the state board of education, though specific requirements vary. Licensing is not required for private school teachers in most states. Different licenses cover the early childhood grades (usually preschool through grade 3); the elementary grades (grades 1 through 6 or 8); the middle grades (grades 5 through 8); a secondary-education subject area (usually grades 9 through 12.)

Job Outlook

Employment of schoolteachers is expected to grow by 26 percent before 2016.