Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Machines can already do 36% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 51%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 36% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 29% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2035, and 51% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 50,190 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $84,620 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 73% for contact with people.
- Also called: Anatomy Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences Professor.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany | 16% | 22% to 42% | |
| Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media | 13% | 3% to 25% | |
| Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers | 7% | 72% to 74% | |
| Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts | 7% | 63% to 81% | |
| Supervise students' laboratory work | 5% | 9% to 23% | |
| Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences | 5% | 54% to 68% | |
| Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work | 5% | 9% to 23% | |
| Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction | 4% | 67% to 72% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills biological science teachers, postsecondary use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- General Internal Medicine Physicians50% of tasks by 2035 · US median $256,560
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2035. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of biological science teachers, postsecondary?
Machines can do 36% of the tasks of biological science teachers, postsecondary today and 51% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 25-1042.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/biological-science-teachers-postsecondary/