How to become a Secondary School Teacher

Teaches one or more subjects within a prescribed curriculum to secondary school students, and promotes students' social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.

Main tasks

• Delivers differentiated learning programs in one or more subjects to secondary school students
• Employs effective classroom management skills to maintain a safe, supportive and positive learning environment
• Develops students' interests, abilities and coordination by way of creative activities
• Guides discussions and supervises work in class
• Prepares, administers and marks tests, projects and assignments to evaluate students' progress, and records the results
• Discusses individuals' progress with students and parents, and prepares written reports on a regular basis
• Seeks advice from School Counsellors and senior teachers
• Participates in staff meetings, educational conferences and workshops
• Liaises with parents, the community and business groups
• Participates in extra-curricular activities such as sport, school concerts, excursions and special interest programs

Ways in

• University: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 37 universities in Australia
• TAFE and VET: Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice (TAE80113)
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $126,048 a year
• About 1,200 people work in this job group now, and about 1,300 are projected by 2035. (+11.9%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Specialist Teacher (Vision Impairment)
• Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) Teacher
• Primary School Teacher
• Special Education Teacher
• Teacher of the Deaf
• Teacher Librarian

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Secondary School Teacher?

Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees; Graduate Diploma of Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Practice.

How much does a Secondary School Teacher earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $126,048 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Secondary School Teacher a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 1,200 to about 1,300 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Secondary School Teacher?

Usually. 96% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Secondary School Teacher?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04