Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School (SOC 25-2032) earn a median $66,270 a year in the United States, with 111,420 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What career/technical education teachers, secondary school do
Career and technical education teachers in secondary schools teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to secondary school students. Alternate titles show the range, including agricultural education, allied health, auto body repair, and auto mechanics. They teach the knowledge and skills of a particular occupation or group of occupations to individuals and groups, using lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. They teach and watch students as they use and care for equipment and materials so that injury and damage are prevented, use computers, audio-visual aids, and other tools to supplement presentations, and track students' performance, behavior, social growth, and health. They also prepare materials and classrooms, set lesson, unit, and project objectives, and enforce rules for behavior. Substitutes who fill in briefly and special education teachers are counted in other categories.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Agricultural Education Instructor, Agricultural Education Teacher, Agriculture Education Instructor, Agriculture Teacher, Agriscience Instructor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 111,420 |
| Annual | $50,040 | $60,590 | $66,270 | $80,060 | $101,340 | $72,680 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where career/technical education teachers, secondary school earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,460 | 0.98 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $69,270 | $79,880 | $101,180 | $115,570 | $127,890 | $98,310 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,910 | 1.12 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $77,410 | $83,730 | $100,810 | $103,000 | $115,980 | $96,750 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 3,130 | 0.86 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $77,530 | $80,930 | $98,020 | $103,310 | $111,560 | $93,230 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,320 | 0.54 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $62,210 | $75,630 | $83,770 | $100,830 | $106,540 | $86,430 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Annual | $65,280 | $78,810 | $81,820 | $95,000 | $95,000 | $82,630 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 32,250 | 2.29 | 3.20 |
| Annual | $53,150 | $61,360 | $64,610 | $73,430 | $77,070 | $66,370 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 7,610 | 0.79 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $59,490 | $63,600 | $79,820 | $103,800 | $130,160 | $87,100 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,820 | 0.69 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $49,540 | $53,180 | $62,140 | $74,150 | $78,860 | $64,760 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,130 | 0.92 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $56,030 | $62,990 | $79,230 | $94,680 | $101,300 | $79,000 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 4,840 | 0.80 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $50,040 | $59,840 | $75,760 | $84,300 | $103,430 | $74,810 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $81,180 | $102,200 | $126,160 | $126,170 | $126,170 | $111,070 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.56 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $62,110 | $76,710 | $105,570 | $141,140 | $162,120 | $106,750 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 130 | 1.00 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $74,710 | $85,320 | $103,580 | $121,890 | $125,480 | $101,170 | ||||
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 120 | 1.31 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $75,350 | $85,670 | $103,240 | $126,920 | $134,940 | $105,290 | ||||
| New Haven, CT | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 300 | 1.08 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $79,230 | $83,730 | $102,990 | $103,000 | $118,140 | $97,800 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 8,750 | 2.16 | 3.02 |
| Annual | $62,620 | $65,000 | $66,450 | $74,880 | $76,160 | $70,020 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 6,070 | 1.85 | 2.58 |
| Annual | $60,860 | $62,500 | $67,200 | $76,190 | $79,470 | $69,630 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 5,030 | 0.53 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $63,600 | $77,120 | $99,830 | $108,200 | $133,160 | $96,960 | ||||
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,140 | 1.90 | 2.65 |
| Annual | $58,720 | $61,110 | $62,390 | $72,530 | $75,660 | $65,250 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 2,070 | 0.72 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $61,220 | $63,790 | $80,070 | $96,620 | $107,540 | $82,430 | ||||
Top industries employing career/technical education teachers, secondary school
Elementary and Secondary Schools employ 98.5% of career/technical education teachers, secondary school nationally (109,790 jobs) at a median $66,340 a year, followed by Technical and Trade Schools (0.6%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (0.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 109,790 | 98.5% | $66,340 | * |
| Technical and Trade Schools NAICS 611500 | 680 | 0.6% | $61,620 | * |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 340 | 0.3% | $68,780 | * |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 150 | 0.1% | $82,960 | * |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 90 | 0.1% | $55,700 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (111,420). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,820 for career/technical education teachers, secondary school in May 2021 and $66,270 in May 2025, with employment of 84,360 and 111,420.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,820 | * | 84,360 |
| May 2022 | $62,500 | * | 88,280 |
| May 2023 | $65,130 | * | 90,070 |
| May 2024 | $63,910 | * | 104,450 |
| May 2025 | $66,270 | * | 111,420 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | * | $101,180 | $69,270 | $127,890 | 3,460 | 0.98 | 1.36 |
| 2 | Connecticut profile | * | $100,810 | $77,410 | $115,980 | 1,910 | 1.12 | 1.57 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | * | $98,020 | $77,530 | $111,560 | 3,130 | 0.86 | 1.20 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | * | $83,770 | $62,210 | $106,540 | 2,320 | 0.54 | 0.76 |
| 5 | Rhode Island profile | * | $81,820 | $65,280 | $95,000 | 90 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| 6 | California profile | * | $80,620 | $60,590 | $126,170 | 3,260 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| 7 | New York profile | * | $79,820 | $59,490 | $130,160 | 7,610 | 0.79 | 1.10 |
| 8 | Delaware profile | * | $79,230 | $62,010 | $95,920 | 560 | 1.15 | 1.61 |
| 9 | Ohio profile | * | $79,230 | $56,030 | $101,300 | 5,130 | 0.92 | 1.29 |
| 10 | Vermont profile | * | $79,220 | $62,090 | $99,730 | 220 | 0.72 | 1.01 |
| 11 | Georgia profile | * | $78,760 | $58,570 | $98,450 | 1,680 | 0.34 | 0.48 |
| 12 | Oregon profile | * | $78,380 | $49,720 | $96,870 | 750 | 0.38 | 0.53 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | * | $78,320 | $62,040 | $109,770 | 690 | 0.25 | 0.35 |
| 14 | Alaska profile | * | $78,130 | $59,190 | $99,690 | 170 | 0.51 | 0.71 |
| 15 | Maine profile | * | $78,050 | $51,290 | $88,330 | 170 | 0.27 | 0.37 |
| 16 | Illinois profile | * | $77,950 | $48,540 | $132,830 | 2,780 | 0.46 | 0.64 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | * | $77,400 | $48,370 | $96,040 | 1,800 | 0.41 | 0.57 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | * | $76,320 | $51,960 | $90,960 | 450 | 0.66 | 0.92 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $75,760 | $50,040 | $103,430 | 4,840 | 0.80 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | * | $75,580 | $52,710 | $101,750 | 3,500 | 0.85 | 1.19 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | * | $74,310 | $50,610 | $93,790 | 1,420 | 0.48 | 0.67 |
| 22 | Colorado profile | * | $72,750 | $48,120 | $100,830 | 1,250 | 0.44 | 0.61 |
| 23 | Utah profile | * | $72,380 | $48,650 | $93,850 | 730 | 0.42 | 0.59 |
| 24 | South Carolina profile | * | $72,120 | $50,620 | $98,060 | 1,150 | 0.50 | 0.70 |
| 25 | Minnesota profile | * | $71,650 | $48,210 | $100,440 | 880 | 0.30 | 0.42 |
| 26 | New Mexico profile | * | $66,750 | $51,830 | $78,790 | 100 | 0.12 | 0.17 |
| 27 | Texas profile | * | $64,610 | $53,150 | $77,070 | 32,250 | 2.29 | 3.20 |
| 28 | Nevada profile | * | $64,510 | $55,010 | $83,410 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.13 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | * | $63,180 | $46,160 | $79,280 | 1,310 | 1.28 | 1.78 |
| 30 | Arizona profile | * | $62,980 | $46,480 | $100,480 | 660 | 0.21 | 0.29 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | * | $62,570 | $50,420 | $79,450 | 210 | 0.73 | 1.02 |
| 32 | Florida profile | * | $62,140 | $49,540 | $78,860 | 6,820 | 0.69 | 0.96 |
| 33 | Arkansas profile | * | $61,780 | $51,130 | $76,620 | 1,000 | 0.77 | 1.08 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | * | $61,700 | $49,480 | $77,450 | 2,940 | 0.90 | 1.25 |
| 35 | North Dakota profile | * | $61,500 | $48,520 | $79,870 | 640 | 1.49 | 2.08 |
| 36 | Louisiana profile | * | $61,300 | $47,660 | $79,960 | 1,530 | 0.79 | 1.10 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | * | $61,130 | $48,760 | $83,320 | 330 | 0.16 | 0.23 |
| 38 | Idaho profile | * | $60,510 | $50,660 | $77,080 | 1,140 | 1.33 | 1.85 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | * | $59,470 | $53,230 | $62,290 | ** | ** | ** |
| 40 | Missouri profile | * | $59,300 | $45,890 | $81,130 | 2,000 | 0.68 | 0.95 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | * | $58,800 | $46,290 | $83,650 | 1,170 | 0.69 | 0.96 |
| 42 | North Carolina profile | * | $58,600 | $46,850 | $69,590 | 2,650 | 0.54 | 0.75 |
| 43 | Kansas profile | * | $58,300 | $46,240 | $73,300 | 1,050 | 0.73 | 1.02 |
| 44 | Mississippi profile | * | $57,910 | $47,300 | $70,400 | 1,770 | 1.52 | 2.12 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | * | $57,760 | $50,490 | $69,390 | 1,000 | 1.43 | 1.99 |
| 46 | Iowa profile | * | $57,660 | $43,650 | $75,930 | 640 | 0.41 | 0.57 |
| 47 | Indiana profile | * | $56,390 | $44,020 | $77,880 | 1,310 | 0.41 | 0.57 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | * | $56,070 | $46,990 | $61,500 | 360 | 0.79 | 1.10 |
| 49 | Montana profile | * | $55,190 | $45,690 | $85,290 | 260 | 0.52 | 0.72 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-2030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 25-2032 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-2032, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-2032.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.