Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary

The median career/technical education teachers, secondary school salary in the United States is $66,270 per year. Salaries range from $50,040 at the entry level to $101,340+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 111,420 career/technical education teachers, secondary school jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to decline 1.8% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Salary
$66,270
per year
Employment
111,420
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$50,040
25th percentile
$60,590
Median
$66,270
75th percentile
$80,060
90th percentile
$101,340

Job Growth (2024-2034)

-1.8%
Decline

Annual Openings

6,200
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for career/technical education teachers, secondary schools.

Career/Technical Education (CTE) teachers at the high-school level run industry-aligned programs β€” welding, culinary, health science, IT / cybersecurity, automotive, construction, agriculture, business, HVAC, cosmetology, and early childhood education β€” that lead students to industry credentials and dual-enrollment college credit. Day-to-day: hands-on instruction against national curriculum frameworks (NCCER for construction, ASE for automotive, ProStart for culinary, HOSA for health science, CompTIA for IT), state CTE licensure administration, industry-credential exam prep, and running an active CTSO chapter (SkillsUSA, HOSA, FCCLA, DECA, FBLA, FFA). BLS pegs the occupation at 111,420 employed with median $66,270, p10 $42,320, p90 $105,100. First-year CTE teachers start $42-54k on the state salary schedule; established mid-career CTE teachers at 8-12 years reach $65-82k; senior CTE teachers with National Board certification, industry credentials, and department-lead responsibilities reach $80-105k+ in higher-paying states. Perkins V federal funding drives program budgets ($1.4B annual national allocation). California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Alaska pay the top of the band; deep-South and rural states pay the bottom.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Industry-credential curriculum alignment
Map course sequence to the credentialing body's exam blueprint β€” NCCER Core + Craft for construction, ASE Student Certification + Entry-Level for automotive, ProStart Level 1-2 for culinary, HOSA competitive events + AHA BLS for health science, CompTIA IT Fundamentals / A+ / Security+ for IT, AWS Educate for cloud, State Board of Cosmetology hour tracking for cosmetology, EPA 608 for HVAC, OSHA 10 / 30 across most CTE pathways. Every accepted student should leave with 1-3 stackable industry credentials.
Perkins V funding & CLNA (Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment)
Perkins V is the federal funding source ($1.4B annual, distributed to states then to LEAs). CLNA is required biennially β€” labor market alignment, credential attainment, special-population access, size-scope-quality metrics. Master these because your program budget depends on the CLNA priorities.
Dual enrollment / articulation with community colleges
State-specific articulation agreements β€” Texas CTE Articulation, Florida CAPE, Kentucky SREB Career Pathways, Ohio College Credit Plus. Students earn 3-9 college credits per year in your program, transferring to associate degree pathways at community colleges (Ivy Tech, Miami Dade, Lone Star, Pima). Coordinate with the CC dual-credit coordinator quarterly.
Work-based learning (WBL) & industry partnerships
Internships, cooperative education, mentorships, and industry-sponsored capstone projects. State CTE offices track WBL hours as a program-quality metric. Partner with local employers (health systems, hospitals, machine shops, IT firms, restaurants, home builders) for advisory committee, guest speakers, equipment donations, and student placements.
CTSO (Career Technical Student Organization) advising
Every CTE program has an aligned CTSO β€” SkillsUSA (trade/industrial), HOSA (health), FCCLA (family/consumer), DECA (marketing/business), FBLA (business), FFA (agriculture), TSA (STEM), CyberPatriot (cybersecurity). Advise a chapter β€” competition prep, state/national travel, fundraising. CTSO participation is a program-quality metric and a college-application differentiator for students.
Safety instruction & compliance (hands-on labs)
OSHA 10 / 30 delivery, PPE selection and enforcement, MSDS / SDS binder maintenance, tool-and-equipment lockout/tagout, hot-work permits (welding), sanitation (culinary ServSafe), infection control (health science), electrical safety (HVAC / IT). One serious lab injury tanks a program's ability to recruit, and the district's OSHA-compliance profile.
Industry credentials for the teacher (recency)
State CTE licensure requires industry experience (2-5 years typical) plus a career technical teaching credential. Maintain your own industry credentials β€” journeyman card, ASE certifications, Certified Executive Chef (CEC), RN license for health science, CompTIA for IT, Microsoft or AWS for computing β€” because they're what industry partners respect and what state re-licensure requires.
Differentiated instruction + IEP / 504 accommodations in hands-on labs
CTE programs serve special-population students (IEP, 504, ELL, economically disadvantaged, single parents) at rates higher than academic tracks. Modified rubrics, adaptive equipment where needed, WIDA-appropriate scaffolds for ELLs, safety-first accommodations. State CTE plans require special-population equity metrics.

How to Become a Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

  1. 1
    Get 3-5 years of industry experience in the trade or field
    State CTE licensure requires demonstrated industry experience β€” typically 2-5 years working as a welder, nurse, chef, electrician, IT technician, mechanic, etc. Journeyman card, RN license, Certified Executive Chef, or industry certifications matter more than a bachelor's degree at the entry to CTE teaching.
  2. 2
    Complete a state CTE teacher preparation program
    Every state has a CTE Alternative Pathway (Texas Career & Technical Education Certification, California Designated Subjects CTE Credential, Florida CTE Certificate, New York CTE OTI, Ohio Alternative Teaching License CTE). Programs are typically 6-18 months and combine coursework in pedagogy, adolescent development, classroom management, and CTE-specific practices. Cost $2,500-8,000; some states are employer-sponsored.
  3. 3
    Get hired as a first-year CTE teacher β€” often in a shortage-area pathway
    $42-54k first-year on state salary schedule. Hiring pipelines: school districts, county CTE centers, area vocational schools (Ohio Joint Vocational Districts, Pennsylvania Area Vocational-Technical Schools), and CTE regional centers. Shortage-area pathways (welding, HVAC, health science, cybersecurity, automotive) often carry state hiring incentives β€” signing bonuses, loan-forgiveness eligibility, expedited licensure.
  4. 4
    Earn advanced credentials β€” National Board Certification, additional industry certs, or M.Ed.
    $60-75k mid-career. National Board Certification in Career and Technical Education (NBPTS) is the gold-standard β€” 4 components, 2-3 years, $1,900 in fees, employer-typically-reimbursed; lifts state salary schedule $3-10k in most states with National Board stipends. M.Ed. in CTE or Curriculum & Instruction lifts salary schedule another $2-6k. Additional industry certifications (advanced ASE Master Tech, RN-BSN, ProStart Certified Educator, CompTIA Instructor+) keep you current and worth more.
  5. 5
    Move to Sr CTE Teacher / CTE Department Chair / Program Director
    $75-105k+. Department Chair or Program Director roles at large comprehensive high schools and area vocational schools. Duties: schedule development, advisory committee coordination, Perkins reporting, WBL coordination, budget management ($50k-500k). From here the ladder goes to Assistant Principal (CTE focus), CTE Director for a district, or Director of Career and Technical Education at the state level ($95-165k+).

Career Progression

First-Year / Early-Career CTE Teacher
0-3 yrs$42,000-$56,000 (10-month contract typical) + full district benefits + industry-credential premium
  • β€’Deliver hands-on lab instruction in the pathway (welding, culinary, health science, IT, automotive, etc.) to 100-160 students across 4-5 sections
  • β€’Advise 20-40 CTSO members through competitive-event preparation and state/regional conferences
  • β€’Prep students for industry-credential exams (NCCER, ASE, ProStart, HOSA, CompTIA, ServSafe)
  • β€’Manage lab equipment, supplies, and safety compliance
Next: Mid-career CTE Teacher at 3-6 years with National Board or advanced industry credential in progress.
Mid-Career CTE Teacher
4-10 yrs$55,000-$78,000
  • β€’Own the program's articulation with 1-2 partner community colleges and 2-4 industry advisory members
  • β€’Coordinate dual-enrollment or College Credit Plus offerings; monitor student credit attainment
  • β€’Serve as building-level CTE liaison or curriculum-team representative
  • β€’Lead 1-2 initiatives β€” new industry credential rollout, work-based-learning expansion, or CTSO state-competition prep
Next: Sr CTE Teacher / Dept Chair / Program Director at 8-14 years.
Sr CTE Teacher / Dept Chair / Program Director
8-15 yrs$75,000-$105,100 (BLS p90)
  • β€’Lead a CTE department (2-8 teachers) or a pathway program at a large comprehensive HS or area vocational school
  • β€’Own Perkins CLNA cycle for the program; report annually against state size-scope-quality metrics
  • β€’Manage program budget ($50k-500k), equipment procurement, and industry-partner MOUs
  • β€’Represent the program with local employers, community-college partners, and state CTE office
Next: Asst Principal / District CTE Director / Regional Career Center Director at 12-18 years.
District CTE Director / Assistant Principal (CTE) / Regional Career Center Director
12+ yrs$95,000-$155,000+ + admin benefits + LTIP-eligible in some states
  • β€’Own CTE programs district-wide (8-40 CTE pathways across 4-40 schools) or full career-center campus (400-2,000 students)
  • β€’Own the district or region's Perkins V allocation and CLNA process
  • β€’Manage principals or CTE department chairs (4-15 direct reports)
  • β€’Represent the district or region at state CTE Consortium and workforce-development boards
Next: State CTE Director, Deputy Superintendent for Career and College Readiness, or move to community-college workforce administration.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 17 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through how you'd structure a first-year CTE program from scratch.technical
Concrete year-1 plan: (1) Align curriculum to your state's CTE program-of-study framework β€” locate the pathway document (welding, culinary, health science, etc.) with course sequence, industry credentials, and dual-enrollment articulation. (2) Set up the lab per state safety codes β€” OSHA-compliant PPE stations, MSDS/SDS binder, lockout/tagout kit, first-aid station, eyewash if applicable. Photo-document setup for the state CTE monitoring visit. (3) Build the syllabus around the industry credential blueprint β€” every unit maps to an exam objective, with progress-monitoring toward the credential exam. (4) Recruit a 5-7 person advisory committee β€” 2-3 industry employers, 1 community-college faculty, 1 workforce-board rep, 1 parent, 1 alumni if available. Meet quarterly. (5) Sign up as a CTSO chapter advisor β€” SkillsUSA, HOSA, DECA, or the pathway-aligned org. (6) Register your students for the appropriate CTSO events and industry-credential exams. Interviewers screen for candidates who name the framework documents and know Perkins is the funding source.
Q2. Tell me about a time you handled a safety incident in a hands-on lab.behavioral
STAR. Situation: a Level-2 welding student in my program suffered a first-degree flash burn on his forearm when he pulled up his helmet before the arc fully extinguished. Task: get medical attention, document properly, and prevent recurrence. Action: (1) removed him from the booth, applied cool water for 20 minutes per burn protocol, called the school nurse; (2) parent notified within 30 minutes, incident report filed with the school administrator and district safety office within 24 hours; (3) OSHA 300 log updated per district recordkeeping process; (4) same-week safety re-training with all 4 sections on 'helmet down until arc fully out' with additional buddy-check step; (5) added a visual reminder decal above every welding booth. Result: student returned to lab the next week with no lasting injury; zero recurrences in 3 subsequent semesters. Interviewers reward candidates who follow the protocol, document, and re-train β€” not who improvise or minimize.
Q3. How do you prepare students for industry-credential exams?technical
Concrete for the specific credential: (1) map curriculum to exam blueprint β€” for NCCER Core, that's 9 modules with defined performance skills; for ASE Student Certification, 8 areas; for CompTIA A+, Core 1 + Core 2; for HOSA competitive events, event-specific frameworks. (2) build practice tests aligned to blueprint domains β€” CertMaster for CompTIA, NCCER online practice, ASE practice tests via ASE Education Foundation. (3) run weekly credential-focused sessions in the semester of the exam β€” 20-30 minute focused drills on weak-area domains. (4) offer after-school prep clinics for students who need it. (5) simulate the actual exam experience 2-3 weeks before test day (timing, environment, question format). (6) test-day logistics β€” Pearson VUE / PSI voucher orders through the district Perkins budget, testing location, allowed materials. Interviewers screen for candidates who know the specific exam and the vendor logistics β€” vague 'I help them study' fails.
Q4. Why teaching CTE rather than continuing in industry?culture
The honest answer that resonates: you saw students entering the trade without preparation, worked with too many under-trained new hires, and want to build the pipeline you wish you'd had. You're not escaping industry β€” you're multiplying your impact by preparing 100-160 students per year for entry into it, while maintaining your industry currency through the required experience-preservation activities (summer work, industry externships, credential renewal). Be specific: 'I saw 40% of new welders at my shop unable to pass the AWS D1.1 qualification test, and I want to fix the pipeline.' Or: 'I mentored 8 apprentices in my last 5 years and got more satisfaction from that than from the production work.' Vague 'love kids' answers fail; industry-driven purpose wins.
Q5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?closer
Ladder awareness. 'Mid-career CTE Teacher now, National Board Certification in progress (targeting completion year 3), M.Ed. in CTE or Curriculum & Instruction enrolled at [WGU / Boise State / state college], targeting a Dept Chair role in 3-4 years and a Program Director role at an area vocational school within 5-7.' Or for the administrator track: 'CTE teacher now, principal-track M.Ed. in Educational Leadership enrolled, targeting Asst Principal (CTE focus) role in 4-5 years and District CTE Director within 7-10.' Name the specific credentials, the pathway, and whether you're targeting classroom-lead or administrator paths.

Resume Template β€” Mid-Career CTE Teacher (4-10 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Mid-Career CTE Teacher (4-10 yrs)
  • β–ΈWelding pathway teacher at [comprehensive HS]; 142 students across 5 sections annually. 82% of graduating seniors earned NCCER Core + AWS D1.1 SMAW industry certifications (up from district-average 61%) driving 68% direct-to-workforce or apprenticeship placement.
  • β–ΈCoordinated dual-enrollment articulation with [community college] adding 6 college credits per year for advanced students; grew dual-enrollment participation from 12% to 47% of eligible juniors and seniors over 3 years.
  • β–ΈSkillsUSA chapter advisor; 4 state qualifiers and 1 national medalist over 3 competition seasons.
  • β–ΈAWS D1.1 SMAW / GMAW / GTAW journeyman credentials + state CTE Career and Technical Educator license + National Board Certification (in progress). $64k base + industry-credential stipend + full district benefits + PSLF-eligible.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—No maintained industry credential β€” state CTE re-licensure typically requires current industry certifications, and industry advisors won't take a program seriously without them.
  • βœ—Lab safety casual β€” no OSHA 10 completion, no SDS/MSDS binder maintenance, no documented safety-orientation curriculum.
  • βœ—Zero credential-exam pass-rate data β€” modern CTE programs are evaluated on credential attainment, and 'we teach the content' is not a competitive answer.
  • βœ—No CTSO involvement β€” every real CTE program advises an active chapter, and the state CTE office monitors participation as a program-quality metric.
  • βœ—No familiarity with Perkins V, CLNA, or the state's CTE program-of-study framework β€” these are the funding and curriculum backbones of every real CTE program.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Industry-credential premium β€” most state salary schedules add $2-8k for maintained journeyman card, RN license, ASE Master Tech, Certified Executive Chef, or advanced CompTIA certification. Ask specifically what stipend applies to your credentials.
  • βœ“National Board Certification β€” adds $3-12k to base at most states with National Board stipends (California, Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Washington, and 20+ others). Multi-year commitment worth pursuing early.
  • βœ“Shortage-area signing bonus β€” welding, HVAC, health science, cybersecurity, and automotive teaching are in acute shortage; many districts offer $2,000-10,000 signing bonuses plus expedited licensure. Ask HR at the offer stage.
  • βœ“Metro adjustment β€” California ($75-105k), New York / New Jersey ($68-102k), Massachusetts ($65-95k), Alaska ($68-98k), and Washington ($60-95k) pay 25-45% above BLS national median. Compare against your specific state salary schedule at NEA state affiliate.
  • βœ“Area vocational school premium β€” Ohio Joint Vocational Districts, Pennsylvania Area Vocational-Technical Schools, and county CTE centers often pay 5-15% above comprehensive high schools due to specialty programs and longer contract.
  • βœ“12-month vs 10-month contract β€” area vocational schools and career centers often offer 11 or 12-month contracts vs the 10-month comprehensive HS standard. A 12-month contract at same daily rate is $6-12k more per year.
  • βœ“PSLF eligibility β€” public school districts are 501(c)(3) or public agencies, so PSLF applies to federal loans. Get the employer-certification signed at hire.
  • βœ“Loan forgiveness through TEACH Grant or state CTE-specific loan-forgiveness programs β€” check your state (Texas has TEACH-CTE, California has State CTE Loan Forgiveness). Worth $4,000-17,500 in loan reduction over 4-5 year teaching commitment.

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Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$55K
$101Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Washington
$101K
+53%
Connecticut
$101K
+52%
Massachusetts
$98K
+48%
New Jersey
$84K
+26%
Rhode Island
$82K
+23%
California
$81K
+22%
New York
$80K
+20%
Delaware
$79K
+20%
Ohio
$79K
+20%
Vermont
$79K
+20%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Washington$101,180+52.7%
Connecticut$100,810+52.1%
Massachusetts$98,020+47.9%
New Jersey$83,770+26.4%
Rhode Island$81,820+23.5%
California$80,620+21.7%
New York$79,820+20.4%
Delaware$79,230+19.6%
Ohio$79,230+19.6%
Vermont$79,220+19.5%
1–10 of 49

Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$126,160+90.4%
Fresno, CA$105,570+59.3%
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$103,580+56.3%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$103,240+55.8%
New Haven, CT$102,990+55.4%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$102,420+54.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$102,180+54.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$101,800+53.6%
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$101,620+53.3%
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$101,250+52.8%
1–10 of 248
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A career/technical education teachers, secondary school earning $66,270/year would need 899 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 966 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
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πŸ“ˆ See how career/technical education teachers, secondary school salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary trend (2011–2024) β†’