Education · SOC 25-1051
AI drives more satellite data analysis, but teaching, fieldwork, and research mentorship in earth and space sciences stay human.
Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
Timeline: AI will accelerate data analysis and modeling work within 3-5 years, but the interpretive, mentorship, and fieldwork dimensions of this faculty role remain durable through 2030.
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$79,350 median pay
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Industry pages show which sectors this occupation feeds and the AI companies driving the shift.
AI job-risk card
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary is watch on AIFear. Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary is 40/100 (Watch). Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
40 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Grading student assignments and papers, Drafting syllabi and course handouts, Advising on standard curricula and career paths, Planning and revising standard course content. Harder to automate: Conducting and supervising field or observational research, Teaching physical reasoning and scientific inquiry, Mentoring graduate research in earth or space systems, Serving on institutional and policy committees.
Lean into AI-assisted climate and geospatial modeling, Scientific computing (Python, MATLAB), Research grant writing, Science communication. Consider roles such as NOAA or NASA Research Scientist or Climate Science Policy Advisor or Geospatial Analytics Lead.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.