Skip to content
CIP 13.1316 Education

Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

990

2025 · 149 schools

International share

1.7%

17 international students

Bachelor's degrees

301

0.3% international

Master's degrees

656

1.8% international

Overview

Science Teacher Education, also known as General Science Teacher Education, is a specialized program designed to prepare individuals for teaching science at various educational levels, primarily in middle and high schools. This program combines a solid foundation in scientific knowledge with pedagogical strategies to effectively educate students in various scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, and earth sciences.

Students enrolled in this program typically engage in both theoretical coursework and practical experiences. Theoretical coursework covers essential topics such as curriculum development, assessment techniques, educational psychology, and classroom management. Practical experiences often include student-teaching opportunities, where candidates gain hands-on experience in real classroom settings under the supervision of experienced educators.

One of the key components of Science Teacher Education is the emphasis on inquiry-based learning and the development of critical thinking skills. Future educators are trained to create engaging and interactive lesson plans that encourage students to explore scientific concepts actively. Furthermore, the program often addresses the integration of technology in the classroom, preparing future teachers to leverage digital tools and resources effectively.

Graduates of Science Teacher Education programs are equipped to inspire the next generation of scientists by fostering a deep understanding of scientific principles and nurturing a passion for discovery. With the growing demand for qualified science teachers, this field offers promising career opportunities in various educational institutions, as well as roles in educational policy, curriculum design, and science outreach programs. Overall, it plays a crucial role in promoting scientific literacy and fostering interest in STEM fields among students.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates fell 51% and the international share went from 0.7% to 1.7%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
72.5%
Asian
3.8%
Hispanic
10.5%
Black
4.2%
Other
7.2%
Intl.
1.7%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 149 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 2 0
#12 Columbia University in the City of New York New York 4 0
#16 Brown University Rhode Island 5 1
#34 University of Florida Florida 4 0
#34 Boston University Massachusetts 2 0
#44 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Jersey 12 0
#49 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Washington 6 0
#52 University of Georgia Georgia 18 2
#59 Stony Brook University New York 1 0
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 5 0
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 6 0
#72 Syracuse University New York 1 0
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 1 0
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 16 0
#80 Colorado School of Mines Colorado 9 0
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 9 0
#95 University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois 13 0
#100 Auburn University Alabama 5 0
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 13 3
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 14 0
#116 Iowa State University Iowa 5 0
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 3 0
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 2 0
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 6 0
#133 University of Vermont Vermont 3 0
#137 California State University--Long Beach California 8 0
#137 San Diego State University California 2 0
#137 San Jose State University California 11 0
#156 CUNY--City College New York 4 0
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 2 0
#179 University of Mississippi Mississippi 2 0
#179 CUNY Hunter College New York 5 0
#191 Florida Atlantic University Florida 1 0
#191 Georgia State University Georgia 29 0
#191 Drake University Iowa 2 0
#191 Adelphi University New York 1 0
#191 Hofstra University New York 1 0
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 9 0
#208 Xavier University Ohio 1 0
#227 University of Michigan-Dearborn Michigan 5 0
#227 University of North Dakota North Dakota 2 0
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 3 0
#236 Kent State University at Kent Ohio 7 0
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 7 0
#250 Nova Southeastern University Florida 4 0
#262 University of Maine Maine 2 0
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 7 0
#262 Seattle Pacific University Washington 9 0
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 5 0
#276 University of St. Francis Illinois 3 0
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 3 1
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 1 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 1 0
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 2 0
#308 University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi 8 0
#308 Montana State University Montana 52 1
#308 Wilkes University Pennsylvania 7 0
#332 Mercy University New York 4 0
#332 University of Findlay Ohio 4 0
#332 University of Lynchburg Virginia 4 0
#342 University of Northern Colorado Colorado 6 0
#342 University of Akron Ohio 5 0
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 2 0
#353 University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Puerto Rico 3 0
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 3 0
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 1 0
#382 Wilmington University Delaware 2 0
#382 Concordia University-Chicago Illinois 1 0
#382 Northeastern State University Oklahoma 4 0
#382 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Oklahoma 1 0
#382 Dallas Baptist University Texas 1 0
#382 Houston Christian University Texas 1 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 1 0
#382 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Puerto Rico 1 0
LAC #62 Gustavus Adolphus College Minnesota 2 0
LAC #78 Hope College Michigan 1 0
LAC #91 Augustana College Illinois 2 0
LAC #116 Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio 2 0
LAC #138 Truman State University Missouri 4 0
LAC #146 Gordon College Massachusetts 1 0
LAC #160 University of Puerto Rico at Cayey Puerto Rico 6 0
LAC #172 Brigham Young University-Idaho Idaho 3 0
— Western Governors University Utah 267 0
— American College of Education Indiana 30 1
— New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology New Mexico 23 2
— Hamline University Minnesota 17 0
— SUNY Buffalo State University New York 14 1
— Teachers College at Columbia University New York 12 4
— Lesley University Massachusetts 9 0
— Eastern Michigan University Michigan 8 0
— CUNY Brooklyn College New York 8 0
— Cornerstone University Michigan 7 0
— Western Washington University Washington 7 0
— University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Wisconsin 6 0
— Fitchburg State University Massachusetts 5 0
— University of Nebraska at Kearney Nebraska 5 0
— Wayne State College Nebraska 5 0
— CUNY Lehman College New York 5 0
— Rhode Island College Rhode Island 5 0
— Eastern Illinois University Illinois 4 0
— Vincennes University Indiana 4 0
— Cambridge College Massachusetts 4 0
— University of Minnesota-Duluth Minnesota 4 0
— Southwest Baptist University Missouri 4 0
— Western Carolina University North Carolina 4 1
— University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh Wisconsin 4 0
— Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German Puerto Rico 4 0
— Merrimack College Massachusetts 3 0
— Northern Michigan University Michigan 3 0
— Bemidji State University Minnesota 3 0
— CUNY Queens College New York 3 0
— Baldwin Wallace University Ohio 3 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 1,065,210 — $76,320
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education 620,090 — $72,030
Education Teachers, Postsecondary 60,830 — $79,350
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary 50,190 — $102,840
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary 19,980 — $105,210
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary 13,090 — $111,460
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 9,900 — $116,020
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary 8,920 — $102,050
Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary 6,690 — $103,610
Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary 1,520 — $102,450

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.