Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary by state
Base salary plus target bonus using the Grahall equation. Bonus is a function of base; higher base means a higher target bonus.
Base salary
$75,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$8,000
11% of base
Total target cash
$83,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus range (25th to 75th percentile):$5,000 to $13,000
Long-term incentive (LTI) varies by industry and executive tier and is not included in this view.
About this role
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School is a professional role within the function in the Educational Instruction and Library job family.
What Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary Schools do
Typical education: Bachelor's Degree
Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
Prepare materials and classroom for class activities.
Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
Instruct students in the knowledge and skills required in a specific occupation or occupational field, using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop, and field studies.
Top skills:InstructingSpeakingReading ComprehensionLearning StrategiesActive ListeningWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School pay by experience level
Entry level$52,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$62,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$68,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$83,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$105,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-1.8%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
6,200
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary by industry
Educational Services
110,710 workers
$75,000
Elementary and Secondary Schools
109,790 workers
$75,500
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
105,360 workers
$75,000
Educational Services, Privately Owned
3,790 workers
$69,000
Educational Services, State Government Owned
1,550 workers
$103,000
Technical and Trade Schools
680 workers
$73,500
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
480 workers
$79,500
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
340 workers
$76,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
150 workers
$87,000
Educational Support Services
90 workers
$60,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School pays 15% below the average across 65 roles in the Educational Instruction and Library job family (family average $88,500).
Similar-paying roles in Educational Instruction and Library
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School make?
The average base salary for a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in the United States is $75,000 per year, or about $36.06 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $62,500 and $83,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Educational Instruction and Library roles?
The Educational Instruction and Library job family averages $88,500 across 65 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
