Preschool, Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Special Education Teachers

How to become a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher

Official title: Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

Also called: Agricultural Education Teacher, Auto Technology Instructor (Automotive Technology Instructor), Career and Technical Education Teacher (CTE Teacher), Cosmetology Teacher, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher (FACS Teacher), Instructor, Teacher, Technology Education Teacher, Vocational Teacher, Welding Instructor

Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Main tasks

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.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injury and damage.
Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.

How to become one

Career and technical education teachers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and work experience in the subject that they teach. Public school teachers may be required to have a state-issued teaching certification or license.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Agriculture Education Instructor.
College: Education & Teaching degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 46 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $66,270 a year The middle half earn $60,590 to $80,060.
About 110,500 people work in this job now, and about 110,100 are projected by 2035. (-0.4%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher?

How much does a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $66,270 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $60,590 to $80,060.

Is a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 110,500 people now and 110,100 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher?

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

Will AI change the work of a Secondary School Career or Technical Education Teacher?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.