Compensation
Median Pay
$65,030
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Career/technical education teachers, middle school
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$65,030
Projected Growth
-2.0%
Annual Openings
900
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
14,000
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
-2.0%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
900
Estimated openings created each year.
Pathway
Preparation
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
STEP 1
Education
Bachelor's degree
STEP 2
Experience
Less than 5 years
STEP 3
Training
None
Top Skills for Success
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Creativity & innovation
90 / 100
90%
Speaking & listening
90 / 100
90%
Adaptability
89 / 100
89%
Leadership
88 / 100
88%
Interpersonal
82 / 100
82%
Project management
77 / 100
77%
Writing & reading
76 / 100
76%
Computers & information technology
75 / 100
75%
Critical & analytical thinking
73 / 100
73%
Problem solving & decision making
71 / 100
71%
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Location Intelligence
Best Places for This Career
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Best Metro Areas
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
- Top-paying cities
- Fast-growing markets
- Local opportunity rankings
CAREERGPS INSIGHTS
Career Analysis for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Career/technical education teachers, middle school a Good Career?
Career/technical education teachers in middle schools focus on helping students build practical skills at an early stage in their education. With national employment at 14,000 workers, this is a specialized teaching field with a defined presence across the country. The national median annual salary of $63,620 reflects a professional-level teaching role that can vary significantly by state and metro area. Typical roles require a bachelor’s degree, and success in the field draws on a combination of creativity and innovation, strong speaking and listening abilities, and solid leadership and interpersonal skills. Project management, problem solving, and comfort with computers and information technology also matter in this career. While projected national employment growth is -2.0%, there are still 1,000 annual openings, indicating ongoing turnover and hiring needs. Individuals considering this path may also look at related careers such as other career/technical education teaching roles or various special education and secondary school teaching positions.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
The national median annual salary for middle school career/technical education teachers is $63,620, but pay varies across regions. Several states stand out with higher median salaries, including Washington at $103,290, New York at $86,450, and Maryland at $84,160. Colorado and Virginia offer median salaries of $66,310 and $67,460, respectively. Differences are also clear at the metro level. The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, area reports a median salary of $103,490, and the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, area shows $98,950. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, metro, median pay is $77,320, while Boulder, CO, and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, list median salaries of $78,410 and $78,510. These figures suggest that salary prospects can change meaningfully depending on where you work, even within the same state.
Job Outlook for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Nationally, employment for middle school career/technical education teachers stands at 14,000, with a projected employment growth rate of -2.0%. Despite this negative growth projection, there are still 1,000 annual openings, indicating regular hiring needs. The consistent -2.0% projected growth rate appears across multiple highlighted states and metro areas, including New York, Colorado, Washington, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Boulder, and Denver-Aurora-Centennial. This combination of a small overall workforce, negative projected growth, and ongoing annual openings points to a career where opportunities may come more from replacement needs than from expansion. People considering this field can also explore similar roles, such as secondary career/technical education teachers or various special education and secondary school teaching positions, as related options.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School?
Location makes a noticeable difference for middle school career/technical education teachers. Among states, New York has an opportunity score of 65.78, with 1,930 employed and a median salary of $86,450. Washington offers the highest listed state median salary at $103,290 with 720 employed and an opportunity score of 56.29. Colorado and Virginia show moderate employment levels (470 and 640, respectively) with median salaries in the mid-$60,000s and opportunity scores around the mid-50s. Maryland combines a median salary of $84,160 with a smaller employment base of 210 and an opportunity score of 52.88. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, area stands out with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $98,950, and employment of 1,010. Other strong metros include Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, Boulder, CO, and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO, all with opportunity scores above 57 and varied salary and employment combinations.
Education for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
The typical education requirement for middle school career/technical education teachers is a bachelor’s degree. Within that educational pathway, several skill areas are especially important. Creativity and innovation help teachers develop engaging learning experiences. Strong speaking and listening skills support effective classroom communication, while leadership and interpersonal skills are central to guiding and motivating students. Project management abilities contribute to planning lessons and organizing longer-term learning activities. Writing and reading skills are necessary for preparing materials and evaluating student work. Comfort with computers and information technology is also highlighted, reflecting the importance of digital tools in this field. Critical and analytical thinking, along with problem solving and decision making, rounds out the core skill profile. Together, the bachelor’s-level education and this mix of skills form the foundation for success and advancement in middle school career/technical education teaching roles.
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