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CIP 13.1322 Education

Biology Teacher Education

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

Total graduates

669

2025 · 141 schools

International share

4.8%

32 international students

Bachelor's degrees

291

1.0% international

Master's degrees

377

7.7% international

Overview

Biology Teacher Education is a specialized program designed to prepare future educators to teach biology at various educational levels, primarily in middle and high schools. This program combines a solid foundation in biological sciences with pedagogical training, equipping students with both content knowledge and teaching skills essential for effective science education.

Students in Biology Teacher Education typically study a range of biological topics, including cellular biology, genetics, ecology, and evolution, alongside courses in chemistry and earth sciences to provide a well-rounded science background. In addition to biological sciences, students engage in educational psychology, curriculum development, and instructional methods tailored for science education. This dual focus ensures that graduates are not only knowledgeable in biological concepts but also adept at teaching methodologies that foster student engagement and understanding.

Field experience is a crucial component of the program, with students often participating in internships or student-teaching assignments in local schools. This hands-on training allows future educators to apply their knowledge in real classroom settings, develop classroom management skills, and learn how to create inclusive and stimulating learning environments.

Graduates of Biology Teacher Education are well-prepared to enter the teaching workforce, where they can inspire the next generation of scientists and promote a deeper understanding of biological principles. Ultimately, this program plays a vital role in enhancing science education and fostering a scientifically literate society, addressing the growing need for qualified science educators in an ever-evolving educational landscape.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 27% and the international share went from 2.7% to 4.8%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
66.2%
Asian
4.5%
Hispanic
11.8%
Black
4.8%
Other
7.9%
Intl.
4.8%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 141 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
#31 Boston College Massachusetts 3 0
#34 University of California-Irvine California 7 0
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 1 0
#49 University of Rochester New York 1 0
#59 Stony Brook University New York 19 0
#72 Syracuse University New York 5 0
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 1 0
#73 Binghamton University New York 5 0
#85 University of Delaware Delaware 1 0
#85 University at Buffalo New York 5 0
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 8 0
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 34 0
#137 St John's University (NY) New York 5 0
#137 Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia Pennsylvania 1 0
#156 CUNY--City College New York 1 0
#156 Duquesne University Pennsylvania 2 0
#169 Bradley University Illinois 2 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 7 1
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 3 0
#179 CUNY Hunter College New York 4 0
#191 Hofstra University New York 1 0
#219 Illinois State University Illinois 8 0
#219 University of Nevada-Reno Nevada 2 0
#227 Ball State University Indiana 2 0
#227 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 4 0
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 4 0
#250 Nova Southeastern University Florida 1 0
#250 University of Wyoming Wyoming 2 0
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 1 0
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 4 0
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 1 0
#288 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Illinois 2 0
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 2 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 4 0
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 3 0
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 4 0
#332 Mercy University New York 1 0
#332 University of Findlay Ohio 1 0
#342 Daemen University New York 1 0
#353 Arkansas State University Arkansas 1 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 1 0
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 1 0
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 98 0
#382 Southeastern University Florida 1 0
#382 Dallas Baptist University Texas 2 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 1 0
LAC #91 Augustana College Illinois 1 0
LAC #91 Juniata College Pennsylvania 2 0
LAC #97 Lewis & Clark College Oregon 3 0
LAC #100 SUNY College at Geneseo New York 5 0
LAC #146 Gordon College Massachusetts 1 0
LAC #154 SUNY Old Westbury New York 5 0
LAC #172 Brigham Young University-Idaho Idaho 6 0
LAC #184 Utah Tech University Utah 3 0
— Western Governors University Utah 128 0
— American College of Education Indiana 40 3
— Niagara University New York 26 23
— SUNY College at Potsdam New York 14 1
— State University of New York at New Paltz New York 10 0
— Bridgewater State University Massachusetts 6 0
— Roberts Wesleyan University New York 5 0
— St. Joseph's University-New York New York 5 0
— Teachers College at Columbia University New York 5 0
— College of Staten Island CUNY New York 4 0
— CUNY Queens College New York 4 0
— Turtle Mountain College North Dakota 4 0
— Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo Puerto Rico 4 0
— Miami Dade College Florida 3 1
— Campbellsville University Kentucky 3 0
— Lesley University Massachusetts 3 0
— Salem State University Massachusetts 3 0
— Northwest Missouri State University Missouri 3 0
— Manhattanville University New York 3 0
— State University of New York at Oswego New York 3 0
— Geneva College Pennsylvania 3 0
— Francis Marion University South Carolina 3 0
— Bryan College-Dayton Tennessee 3 0
— Weber State University Utah 3 0
— Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global Indiana 3 0
— Arkansas Tech University Arkansas 2 0
— Broward College Florida 2 0
— Savannah State University Georgia 2 0
— Northwest Nazarene University Idaho 2 0
— Millikin University Illinois 2 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

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.