Somewhat Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Postsecondary Biology Teacher:
45.6%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Low
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Med
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
This result is backed by strong agreement across multiple data sources.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forBiological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
$84,620 median salary•4,700 annual openings•SOC Code: 25-1042.00
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary are somewhat less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 8 sources.
Biological science teaching at the college level earns a "Somewhat Resilient" label because AI is genuinely changing parts of the job, like grading, feedback, and learning analytics, but the most important work still requires a human. The hands-on parts of biology, including supervising lab experiments, mentoring student researchers, and leading field trips, are very hard for AI to replicate, and those tasks make up a big chunk of what biology professors actually do.
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Biological science teaching at the college level earns a "Somewhat Resilient" label because AI is genuinely changing parts of the job, like grading, feedback, and learning analytics, but the most important work still requires a human. The hands-on parts of biology, including supervising lab experiments, mentoring student researchers, and leading field trips, are very hard for AI to replicate, and those tasks make up a big chunk of what biology professors actually do.
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Postsecondary Biology Teacher
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Postsecondary Biology Teacher jobs?
For college biology professors, AI is showing up as an augmentation tool — a helper — much more than as a replacement. Big surveys show fast uptake: the AI in Higher Education Global Survey 2026 finds 88 percent of students now use AI in their learning, and 77 percent of faculty use it in their teaching, up 16 percentage points on 2025, according to the Digital Education Council survey summarized by EdTech Innovation Hub [1]. Bio-teaching, though, moves more slowly: a February 2026 review in the Journal of Biological Education [2] notes that "Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly shaping biological research, yet its adoption within biological education has been much slower, partly due to concerns surrounding generative AI." The National Association of Biology Teachers made this the theme of its March 2026 issue of The American Biology Teacher [3], which focused on integrating AI into research and project-based learning.
Early experiments back the automation-percentage estimates for this role — a study in Research in Science Education [4] tested ChatGPT as a virtual lab teaching assistant in undergraduate biology, but found human TAs were more accurate and more effective at teaching. A June 2026 systematic review in Education Sciences [5] similarly concluded that today's AI mostly handles grading, feedback, and learning analytics, leaving teachers to act as interpreters or monitors of AI outputs — matching the high automation scores for records and grading and the low scores for supervision, lab equipment, and field trips.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Postsecondary Biology Teacher?
Adoption of routine tools is being pushed forward by student behavior. Cornell researchers reported in May 2026 [6] that about one-third of 95,000 surveyed students regularly use GenAI on assignments and 9% used it to cheat, forcing biology faculty to redesign syllabi, exams, and homework. But there is real friction slowing full adoption: Inside Higher Ed's January 2026 outlook [7] highlighted cost, security, privacy, and environmental concerns, plus fears of an "AI bubble." Sentiment is cooling among U.S. faculty specifically — faculty intent to use AI has declined by 9 percentage points, from 76% in 2025 to 67% in 2026 in the U.S. and Canada.
The hands-on, human parts of biology teaching — supervising lab work, mentoring undergrad researchers, repairing lab equipment, and leading field trips — remain very hard to automate, which is good news if you're considering this career. Learn to use AI for the routine stuff, and lean into the mentoring, lab, and fieldwork skills that make biology teaching human.
Sources
Will AI replace Postsecondary Biology Teacher?
Not entirely. We think AI will take over some tasks, but not the whole job.
Our 45.6% AI Resilience Score reflects real pressure on this role. AI is already handling a meaningful share of grading, feedback, and learning analytics [5], and 77% of faculty now use AI tools in their teaching [1]. For biology professors, that means more time saved on routine work, but also more pressure to rethink how they design exams and assignments as students lean heavily on AI tools of their own [6].
The parts of this job that stay human are genuinely hard to automate. Supervising lab work, mentoring undergraduate researchers, leading field trips, and guiding hands-on experiments require physical presence, judgment, and trust. A study testing ChatGPT as a virtual lab teaching assistant found human TAs were more accurate and more effective at actual teaching [4]. That gap matters.
The economic and demand picture is moderate, not alarming. Biology teaching is evolving, not disappearing. The practical advice: get comfortable using AI for the routine stuff, and invest deeply in the mentoring, lab, and fieldwork skills that no algorithm can replicate yet. That is where your long-term value lives.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Postsecondary Biology Teacher
These articles highlight key ways AI can enhance the careers of Biological Science Teachers. For instance, the first article showcases how AI helps reduce teacher burnout, allowing educators to focus more on student engagement and innovative teaching methods. The study on generative AI in science learning reveals how students can develop critical thinking skills by interacting with AI tools, which can be leveraged in biology classes. Embracing AI can foster resilience in this field, preparing future teachers to adapt and thrive in an evolving educational landscape.
From initial trust to critical reconstruction: upper secondary students’ engagement with generative AI in science learning
www.frontiersin.org • 5/13/2026
IntroductionThis study examines how upper secondary students engage with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in science learning, focusing on how...
Current status of responsible use of generative AI in senior high school science teaching in China
www.frontiersin.org • 4/13/2026
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) rapidly becomes as a powerful education tool globally despite varying opinions about it.
Exploring how AI can boost people-centered development
blogs.worldbank.org • 11/19/2025
AI for development: World Bank pilots people-centered AI in health, education, and jobs—testing prenatal ultrasounds in Ethiopia,...
‘I Don’t Get Burnt Out as Much:' How These Teachers Use AI in Their Daily Work
www.edweek.org • 2/14/2025
Artificial intelligence is changing the job of teaching. That's according to an overwhelming majority (90 percent) of educators surveyed by...
Establishing a National Center for AI in Education
fas.org • 6/25/2024
Congress should establish a National Center for AI in Education to build the capacity of education agencies to undertake evidence-based...
More Career Info
Career: Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
They teach college students about living things, like plants and animals, and conduct research to learn more about biology.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$84,620
Jobs (2025)
62,000
Growth (2025-35)
+7.3%
Annual Openings
4,700
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Provide students course-related experiences, such as field trips, outside the classroom.
2
Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
3
Maintain or repair lab equipment.
4
Act as advisers to student organizations.
5
Supervise students' laboratory work.
6
Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
7
Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
