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Job outlook for high school biology teachers in the United States
High school biology teacher job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected high school biology teacher job growth rate is 5% from 2018-2028.
About 48,700 new jobs for high school biology teachers are projected over the next decade.
High school biology teacher salaries have increased 8% for high school biology teachers in the last 5 years.
There are over 169,526 high school biology teachers currently employed in the United States.
There are 82,473 active high school biology teacher job openings in the US.
The average high school biology teacher salary is $52,657.
Are high school biology teacher jobs in demand?
High school biology teacher job and salary trends over time
High school biology teacher jobs over time
High school biology teacher job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 169,526 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 165,941 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 173,226 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 174,721 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 172,054 | 0.05% |
Average high school biology teacher salary over time
High school biology teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,657 | $25.32 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $51,644 | $24.83 | +2.2% |
| 2023 | $50,522 | $24.29 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $49,558 | $23.83 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $48,604 | $23.37 | +1.5% |
High school biology teacher jobs by state
Most common states for high school biology teachers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 149 | 21% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 274 | 20% |
| 3 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,084 | 16% |
| 4 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 165 | 16% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,229 | 14% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 874 | 14% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 797 | 14% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 790 | 14% |
| 9 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 900 | 13% |
| 10 | Delaware | 961,939 | 127 | 13% |
| 11 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 244 | 12% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 316 | 11% |
| 13 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 655 | 10% |
| 14 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 618 | 10% |
| 15 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 424 | 10% |
| 16 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 374 | 10% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 197 | 10% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 110 | 10% |
| 19 | Vermont | 623,657 | 61 | 10% |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,124 | 9% |
High School Biology Teacher job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of high school biology teacher experts
Emory University
La Salle University
University of Rhode Island
Colby-Sawyer College
San Diego State University
The University of North Carolina Greensboro
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Robert Morris University
Horacio Ferriz Ph.D.
Professor of Applied Geology and HydrogeologyWhat will help High School Biology Teachers increase their earning potential?
Horacio Ferriz Ph.D.: Take some of your basic requirements for a Teaching Credential in your junior and senior years at college (Adolescent Psychology, Foundations of Secondary Education), and make sure to log some hours helping a local STEM teacher in the classroom.
What general advice would you give to a High School Biology Teacher?
Horacio Ferriz Ph.D.: We have a critical lack of good teachers in the STEM disciplines, so pursuing this path will practically guarantee you a teaching position anywhere you care to live. We also need good journalism in the STEM disciplines, because there is so much misinformation out there.
What High School Biology Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Horacio Ferriz Ph.D.: Hopefully you have it real clear in your mind that you want to pursue a career in Science Education, at the Elementary or Middle School level. If you have your sights on becoming a High School teacher you would be much better off pursuing a traditional major in Geology, Physics, Chemistry, or Biology. Physical Science would also be a good platform to pursue a career as a Science Journalist.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Biology Teachers?
Anita Corbett Ph.D.: Yes--we all agree that there will be a back log of eligible applicants due to hiring freezes and lack of ability to gain relevant experience due to limited access to research experiences during the pandemic.
What's a day at work look like for a High School Biology Teacher?
Anita Corbett Ph.D.: It depends on what job they have- also are we talking graduates from undergraduate education or from graduate training?
What will help High School Biology Teachers increase their earning potential?
Anita Corbett Ph.D.: They should appropriately market their skills--and seek additional training to enhance their core skills--certificates that demonstrate this additional training has been obtained can be valuable.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the High School Biology Teacher job market given the pandemic?
Kimberly Lewinski Ph.D.: I do believe that education as we know it has changed forever. I predict that snow days will be a thing of the past as we have rapidly learned how to adjust instruction in a virtual way. We also know that children learn better in person, so certainly their job is safe. Teachers entering the work force will need to be more tech savvy than ever. The online platforms and new organizational trends for education will continue to be a part of daily education systems. Programs to help ensure all children have access to technology will be ever more important as this will be a very important part of the curriculum.
What type of skills will young High School Biology Teachers need?
Kimberly Lewinski Ph.D.: My hope is that so many people have gotten a glimpse into the life of a teacher this past year and all the hard work that goes into educating children of all levels. It would be wonderful if teachers begin to gain the respect they deserve now that others could see firsthand it's not as easy as it looks. I always said the problem with recognizing the hard work that goes into teaching is that good teachers make it look undemanding and flawless, straight up easy. People can't see the hours of planning and preparation that are required to make those lessons look so effortless.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Biology Teachers?
Edward Bozzi: I think the pandemic has emphasized the value of Biotechnology. Right now, eight recent graduates of URI's Biotechnology Program are working on the vaccine at Moderna. Local companies like EpiVax, a vaccine design company, are collaborating with a number of vaccine producing companies. Our Biotechnology students routinely intern there, and some are hired permanently. I see even more opportunities for Biotechnology graduates post COVID-19.
What experience really stands out on High School Biology Teacher resumes?
Edward Bozzi: Having had one or more successful internships with a biotechnology company or organization is most important on a resume. I also think listing practiced lab skills is important.
What type of skills will young High School Biology Teachers need?
Edward Bozzi: If graduates have very good wet lab skills, i.e., cell culturing, and that need will continue. Bioinformatics will be of increasing importance in the future. And graduates will have to be more knowledgeable in that area.
What general advice would you give to a High School Biology Teacher?
R. Todd Coy Ph.D.: Our world today is technologically driven, so it's essential to stay up with that. However, one shouldn't forget the importance of making personal connections with people. "Old fashioned" courtesies, like phone calls or thank you notes to follow up on interviews, etc., can go a long way in helping you stand out from the crowd of form-like emails.
Also, don't think that there is only one path to professional success. Be open to new experiences and flexible in exploring various ways to blend your individual interests and passions into what you want to do and then forge a path that allows you to do pursue those dreams.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for High School Biology Teachers in the next 3-5 years?
R. Todd Coy Ph.D.: Even before the onset of COVID-19, the increasing importance of technology in areas like education and business communications was apparent. I believe Covid only served to speed up the oncoming changes. Using online formats to deliver professional services like mental health or education will continue to become even more mainstream. Therefore, staying current with the various applications and features found online will allow you to be more effective and marketable.
How would you rate the starting salaries for High School Biology Teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
R. Todd Coy Ph.D.: In many professional fields, seeking an advanced degree or training can change the trajectory of one's salary in a positive way. But I think to maximize one's earning potential, they should be flexible and willing to learn specific technologies that will increase their real-world value to prospective employers and, therefore, maximize their earning potential.
What High School Biology Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kevin Hovel Ph.D.: This is pretty much the same answer to question 1. Look for opportunities to volunteer in research programs. Helping graduate students with their projects is very common. One thing that is sometimes overlooked when students are getting research experience is experience handling data. This involves organizing data, doing quality checks, and visually assessing the data (graphically) and statistically. Statistical analysis is another area in which students also tend to have less experience entering graduate school. A student will have a leg up on others if they have at least the basic understanding of standard analyses used in their field of study.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for High School Biology Teachers in the next 3-5 years?
Kevin Hovel Ph.D.: This is a hard question because Biology is extremely broad as a discipline. I am an ecologist, and my research is mostly outdoors and underwater. My research is pretty "low tech." For cell and molecular biologists, or evolutionary biologists, the technology applied is vastly different. I think many of those folks would answer with things like genomics (in particular, CRISPR), metagenomics, and bioinformatics. But your best bet is to ask some of them. I suggest Ricardo Zayas (rzayas@sdsu.edu) and Lluvia Flores-Renteria (lfloresrenteria@sdsu.edu).
What experience really stands out on High School Biology Teacher resumes?
Kevin Hovel Ph.D.: What stands out is research experience in which a student has completed an independent project. Being involved in an ongoing research program in a university lab is excellent and very valuable. Still, the extra value is placed on the completion of an independent research project by the student. This demonstrates self-motivation and follow-through. Typically an independent project culminates in a presentation or report, or both. These also are precious experiences to list on a resume. Limited ability to communicate the results of research projects is a common weakness for students, in written form or orally.
Julie Irene Bost
Assistant ProfessorThe University of North Carolina Greensboro
School of Education, Library and Information Science
What experience really stands out on High School Biology Teacher resumes?
Julie Irene Bost: A range of experiences in various settings, content areas, and age groups. The more experiences a teacher candidate has, the more skills they have to transfer into new settings. A resume really stands out when it includes teaching experiences with students of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds along with multiple content areas (e.g., reading, math, science, etc.).
What High School Biology Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Julie Irene Bost: Students should seek out experiences in educational settings as much as possible. This might be a K-12 school, preschool, or community center. Any opportunity where they can practice teaching and behavior management skills is ideal.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for High School Biology Teachers in the next 3-5 years?
Julie Irene Bost: Virtual learning experiences will continue way beyond remote learning. Teachers need to continue to develop skills for teaching in remote, virtual, and hybrid learning environments. This does not mean being able to use a magnitude of web-based tools, but having a few that they use effectively. It is also important for teachers to think beyond the basic delivery of content and develop strategies to engage the learner and incorporate social-emotional learning.
Maggie Beeber
Undergraduate Advising Coordinator & Teacher Certification OfficerUniversity of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
School of Education
What general advice would you give to a High School Biology Teacher?
Maggie Beeber: Be flexible when searching for that first job. Spread your wings and be willing to live in a new community. You may find that it changes your whole life and is the perfect fit. Remember how hard you have worked to earn this degree. You are strong and can succeed in anything you put work into. We also want you to remember we are here if you need us.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for High School Biology Teachers in the next 3-5 years?
Maggie Beeber: Technology in teaching is so quickly evolving, especially in the midst of what we are going through. Take those opportunities given to you by your school district, your teacher's association, and the Department of Public Instruction.
How would you rate the starting salaries for High School Biology Teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Maggie Beeber: As much as we would like to see an increase in teacher salaries, we seldom speak of the other financial benefits most districts offer: one of the best pension plans in the country, health, sometimes vision and dental. Many districts will give raises for years of experience and higher-level degrees like a master's degree, EdD or Ph.D. Some may assist in paying for these.
What experience really stands out on High School Biology Teacher resumes?
Maria Kalevitch Ph.D.: Well-rounded experience, along with technical skills, soft skills should be included like customer service/sales, ability to present and communicate with the customer, innovative approach to tasks, thinking about systems not just a part of the project, teamwork but also ability to think independently, life-long learning and passion to the profession, to name a few.
How do you envision technology impacting High School Biology Teachers in the next 5 years?
Maria Kalevitch Ph.D.: Technology will be disruptive in the best sense possible; as an example, it will combine the tools like AI with humans/human factor to strengthen the educational field, and as an ROI-better prepared college graduates with industry input and collaboration.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Biology Teachers?
Maria Kalevitch Ph.D.: In each obstacle, we should see an opportunity; this opportunity can be used to better the future of higher education; it is an evolutionary process that helps to use what we learn and bring it to the next level. To add - being adaptive, flexible, and agile