Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between physics teachers and high school science teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a physics teacher and a high school science teacher. Additionally, a physics teacher has an average salary of $54,119, which is higher than the $53,404 average annual salary of a high school science teacher.
The top three skills for a physics teacher include classroom management, student learning and instructional materials. The most important skills for a high school science teacher are professional development, classroom management, and instructional materials.
| Physics Teacher | High School Science Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $54,119 | $53,404 |
| Hourly rate | $26.02 | $25.68 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 68,098 | 84,939 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Physics Teacher prepares and delivers lectures to undergraduate and/or graduate students regarding the laws of matter and energy. They may work for schools, professional schools, colleges, or universities.
High school science teachers are teaching professionals who are responsible for teaching high school students about subjects related to science. These teachers may teach science subjects such as biology, physics, chemistry, or astronomy however they can teach a combination of these studies depending on the school budget and staffing concern. They are required to lesson plans that will cater according to the age group while conducting hands-on demonstrations for science subjects. High school science teachers must also enforce classroom rules and discipline to ensure a safe school environment for all students.
Physics teachers and high school science teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Physics Teacher | High School Science Teacher | |
| Average salary | $54,119 | $53,404 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $80,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Amherst, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Varian Medical Systems | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a physics teacher and a high school science teacher in terms of educational background:
| Physics Teacher | High School Science Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Physics | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between physics teachers' and high school science teachers' demographics:
| Physics Teacher | High School Science Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.3% Female, 31.7% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 3.6% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |