Compensation
Median Pay
$66,270
National median annual wage for this occupation.
National Career Overview
Career/technical education teachers, secondary school
Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
National Median Pay
$66,270
Projected Growth
-1.8%
Annual Openings
6,200
Career outlook
National Snapshot
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National
Employment
103,400
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Outlook
Projected Growth
-1.8%
Projected employment change through 2034.
Opportunity
Annual Openings
6,200
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.
Speaking & listening
97 / 100
97%
Adaptability
95 / 100
95%
Leadership
94 / 100
94%
Project management
90 / 100
90%
Creativity & innovation
88 / 100
88%
Interpersonal
86 / 100
86%
Problem solving & decision making
81 / 100
81%
Customer service
79 / 100
79%
Writing & reading
79 / 100
79%
Computers & information technology
73 / 100
73%
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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.
PRO
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, Secondary School
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Is Career/technical education teachers, secondary school a Good Career?
Career/technical education teachers in secondary schools focus on helping high school students build practical, career-oriented skills. With national employment of about 103,000 and an estimated 6,000 annual openings, this role represents a sizable professional field. The typical entry point is a bachelor’s degree, paired with strong capabilities in speaking and listening, leadership, adaptability, and project management. Successful teachers in this career also draw heavily on creativity and innovation, interpersonal skills, problem solving and decision making, customer service, writing and reading, and comfort with computers and information technology. Nationally, the median annual salary is $63,910, and pay can vary by state and metro area. Although projected employment growth is -1.8%, ongoing openings still arise from turnover and other workforce changes. For people who want to combine communication, planning, and people-focused work in a secondary school setting, this occupation offers a structured path with clear expectations around education and skills.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
The national median annual salary for career/technical education teachers in secondary schools is $63,910, but earnings vary significantly by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, Washington shows a median salary of $101,180 and Massachusetts $98,020, while California and New York offer $80,620 and $79,820, respectively. Colorado’s median salary stands at $72,750. At the metro level, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH reports a median salary of $101,250 and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ shows $99,830. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has a median salary of $96,250, and several other metros such as Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV are above the national median. These variations suggest that teachers exploring this field may want to consider both state and metro pay levels when evaluating long-term earning potential.
Job Outlook for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School
Career/technical education teachers in secondary schools currently account for about 103,000 jobs nationally. Projected employment growth is -1.8%, indicating that total positions are expected to decline modestly over the projection period. Even with this decline, there are an estimated 6,000 annual openings. These openings can reflect factors such as retirements, job changes, and other normal workforce turnover, even when the overall employment level is shrinking. Because the growth rate is negative across the highlighted states and metro areas, job seekers may face a more competitive environment for new or additional positions. At the same time, the combination of an established workforce size and a steady stream of annual openings means there is ongoing movement in the labor market. People considering this career should pay attention not only to growth rates but also to local hiring patterns and the total number of positions in their preferred regions.
Where Are the Best Opportunities for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School?
Location plays a major role in opportunities for secondary-school career/technical education teachers. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington all appear with relatively strong opportunity scores, ranging from 56.29 in Washington to 67.38 in California. Massachusetts and Washington stand out for higher median salaries ($98,020 and $101,180), while New York has the largest employment count among these states at 7,610. At the metro level, the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ areas show the highest opportunity scores, both above 77, along with median salaries of $96,250 and $99,830. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH also combines a high median salary of $101,250 with an opportunity score above 63. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV offer solid opportunity scores in the low to mid-60s. Across all listed states and metros, projected growth is -1.8%, so differences in salary, employment size, and opportunity score become key factors when comparing locations.
Education for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School
The typical education requirement for career/technical education teachers in secondary schools is a bachelor’s degree. Beyond formal education, the skill profile for this role is broad and people-focused. Core strengths include speaking and listening, which support clear communication with students and colleagues, and interpersonal skills that help build effective classroom relationships. Leadership and project management skills are important for organizing learning activities and guiding students through structured programs. Adaptability, creativity, and innovation support working with diverse learners and changing instructional needs. Problem solving and decision making are central to addressing classroom challenges and planning instruction. Customer service skills reflect the importance of responsiveness to students and other stakeholders, while writing and reading skills underpin lesson preparation and evaluation of student work. Comfort with computers and information technology is also emphasized, indicating that digital tools and systems are a regular part of the professional environment for these teachers.
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