How to Become a Biology Teacher
Becoming a biology teacher typically means earning a bachelor's degree, completing an approved teacher preparation program, and meeting your state's specific licensing requirements for a biology or science credential. Most biology teachers work at the middle or high school level, and some states offer alternative or provisional pathways if you already hold a biology degree.
Biology teachers spend as much time managing a lab as they do managing a lesson plan. If dissections, blood typing demos, and questions about anatomy don't faze you, and you can hold a classroom's attention while explaining why a frog's heart has three chambers, this is a subject-specific path within the wider career paths in education, and it rewards people who actually enjoy the material.
What Does a Biology Teacher Do?
A biology teacher builds lesson plans and labs, grades assignments, and prepares students for standardized tests and, at the high school level, exams like AP Biology. Because biology covers so much ground, a single unit might move from genetics to ecology to human anatomy in the same month, and the teacher has to keep all of it connected to state science standards.
The classroom itself usually splits into two halves: a working lab with sinks and equipment storage, and a standard seating area for lecture and discussion. Curriculum is typically set at the county or district level in public schools, which leaves the teacher responsible for choosing supplemental labs and materials. Outside the classroom, biology teachers cover the same duties as any other teacher: hallway and lunch monitoring, parent meetings, staff development days, and often sponsoring a science fair or science club.
Education and Certification Requirements
The traditional public-school route is a bachelor's degree paired with a state-approved educator preparation program (EPP). Many programs let you earn the degree and the teaching certificate together. Others require a separate post-baccalaureate certification program if you already hold a biology degree in something other than education. Alternative, provisional, and residency pathways can structure this differently, letting some candidates begin teaching before finishing the full preparation program, so the traditional EPP-first sequence isn't the only route everywhere.
Complete any assessments required by your state for the applicable biology or science credential or endorsement. Requirements vary by state, credential, and pathway: some states use Praxis subject-area tests, others use their own content assessments, and some offer exemptions or alternative ways to demonstrate competency. Your state's educator-licensing or credentialing agency, which may be a department of education, a licensing commission, a professional standards board, or another state authority, sets the specific tests and passing scores. Check your state's page for what actually applies to you before you register for anything.
Find Information About Becoming a Teacher In Your State
Each state has different requirements for becoming a certified teacher. To find out specific requirements, click on your state.
Who You'll Teach
Most biology teachers work with students in grades 6 through 12. Middle school biology is usually folded into a general science curriculum, while high school offers a dedicated biology course and, in many schools, an AP Biology track for advanced students. It's uncommon to find a biology teacher at the elementary level unless they also hold an elementary certification and teach across subjects.
Where Biology Teachers Work
Biology teachers work in public, private, and charter schools. Public school teachers typically follow state-set curriculum standards and may qualify for alternative certification routes. Charter schools often set their own curriculum but still have to meet state testing requirements. Some private and religious schools have more flexibility in how they present certain biology topics, and credential requirements for the teacher can differ from the public-school pathway. Private- and charter-school teacher credential requirements vary by state and by school type, so check with the specific school or your state's licensing agency rather than assuming public-school rules apply.
Biology Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to BLS Educational Services industry data, secondary (high) school teachers earned a median annual salary of $72,170 as of May 2025, while middle school teachers earned a median of $64,390. Projections Central estimates employment of secondary school teachers will decline about 1.6% between 2024 and 2034, with roughly 66,200 openings each year as teachers retire or move on. Middle school teaching is projected to decline about 2%, with around 40,500 openings annually. That's the honest shape of the job market right now: the number of positions isn't growing, but turnover keeps thousands of openings coming every year.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Job Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Middle School Teachers | $64,390 | -2.0% |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | $72,170 | -1.6% |
Figures above are BLS Educational Services industry medians, not the broader national all-industries OEWS median.
Biology Teaching Organizations and Associations
A few groups are worth joining once you're in the classroom. The National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) focuses specifically on biology and life science instruction. The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) covers science teaching more broadly and runs professional development for educators at every grade band. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) publishes research across the sciences, and the Human Biology Association supports research and teaching specifically on human biological variation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a biology degree to teach biology?
Not necessarily. Degree, coursework, and content-competency requirements vary by state and credential: some states specify a degree major, others accept a related science background plus specific coursework or a passing content-exam score, and endorsement rules differ from state to state. Check your state's licensing agency for what applies to the credential you're pursuing.
Can I become a biology teacher without a traditional education degree?
In many states, yes. Alternative or post-baccalaureate certification programs let you teach on a provisional license while you complete required coursework, usually if you already hold a bachelor's degree in biology or a related science. Check your state's page for which pathways it recognizes.
What tests do biology teachers have to pass?
Complete any assessments required by your state for the applicable biology or science credential or endorsement. Some states use Praxis subject-area tests, others use their own state-developed content assessments, and requirements can include a teaching performance assessment, exemptions, or alternative ways to demonstrate competency. No single exam is standard nationally, so confirm current requirements with your state's educator-licensing or credentialing agency before you register for anything.
Do biology teachers make more than other teachers?
Biology is taught almost exclusively at the middle and high school level. According to BLS Educational Services industry data, secondary teachers earned a median annual salary of $72,170 as of May 2025, and middle school teachers earned $64,390.
Is there demand for biology teachers?
Overall employment for secondary and middle school teachers is projected to decline slightly through 2034, but Projections Central still estimates well over 100,000 combined openings a year across both levels as teachers retire or leave the classroom.
- Degree and prep program, for the traditional route - A bachelor's degree plus a state-approved educator preparation program is the standard public-school path, though alternative and provisional pathways can structure this differently.
- Assessments vary by state and pathway - Complete whatever assessments your state requires for the biology or science credential. There's no single exam that's standard nationally, and your state's educator-licensing or credentialing agency sets the specifics.
- Mostly a secondary-level role - Biology teachers work almost entirely in grades 6-12, with the deepest content taught at the high school level.
- Alternative certification exists, but varies - Career-changers with a biology degree may be able to teach on a provisional license in some states while finishing coursework.
- Openings outpace growth - Employment is flat to declining, but Projections Central still counts over 100,000 combined annual openings for middle and secondary teachers from retirements and turnover.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.
Choosing a biology-specific teaching path usually comes down to which preparation route fits your background: a traditional bachelor's program if you're starting from scratch, or an alternative certification route if you already have a science degree. The sponsored programs listed here include both kinds, so you can compare formats before committing to one.