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Technology education teacher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$66,270median pay per year, May 2025[1]
  1. $50,040lowest 10% earn less
  2. $60,59025th percentile
  3. $66,270median
  4. $80,06075th percentile
  5. $101,340top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

A technology education teacher in secondary school had a median pay of $66,270 a year, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Total jobs are projected to dip slightly over the next decade, but openings continue to appear each year[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
-0.4%[3]
Openings per year
6,400[4]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[6]

How much do technology education teachers make?

BLS files this job under Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School. In May 2025 the median wage was $66,270 a year[1]. Half of workers earned more than that, and half earned less[1]. The average was $72,680[7]. For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[2].

The range is wide:

These are boundary points in the pay scale, not a starting salary. BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].

BLS publishes only yearly wages for this job, not hourly pay[9]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10].

Pay by state and city

Washington had the highest median pay among states at $101,180, followed by Connecticut at $100,810 and Massachusetts at $98,020[11].

Texas had the most jobs at 32,250, followed by New York at 7,610 and Florida at 6,820[12]. Texas had a median of $64,610, lower than the national median[11][1].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Fresno, CA had the highest median at $105,570[13]. Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA followed at $103,580[13]. The metro area with the most jobs was Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX with 8,750 jobs and a median of $66,450[14].

Show median pay in 49 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Washington[11]$101,1803,460
Connecticut$100,8101,910
Massachusetts$98,0203,130
New Jersey$83,7702,320
Rhode Island$81,82090
California$80,6203,260
New York$79,8207,610
Delaware$79,230560
Ohio$79,2305,130
Vermont$79,220220
Georgia$78,7601,680
Oregon$78,380750
Maryland$78,320690
Alaska$78,130170
Maine$78,050170
Illinois$77,9502,780
Michigan$77,4001,800
New Hampshire$76,320450
Pennsylvania$75,7604,840
Virginia$75,5803,500
Wisconsin$74,3101,420
Colorado$72,7501,250
Utah$72,380730
South Carolina$72,1201,150
Minnesota$71,650880
New Mexico$66,750100
Texas$64,61032,250
Nevada$64,510150
Nebraska$63,1801,310
Arizona$62,980660
Wyoming$62,570210
Florida$62,1406,820
Arkansas$61,7801,000
Tennessee$61,7002,940
North Dakota$61,500640
Louisiana$61,3001,530
Kentucky$61,130330
Idaho$60,5101,140
Alabama$59,470n/a
Missouri$59,3002,000
Oklahoma$58,8001,170
North Carolina$58,6002,650
Kansas$58,3001,050
Mississippi$57,9101,770
West Virginia$57,7601,000
Iowa$57,660640
Indiana$56,3901,310
South Dakota$56,070360
Montana$55,190260

How to become a technology education teacher

The training details here come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group of related occupations[15].

BLS lists no typical on-the-job training for this job[6].

Public schools may require a state license or certification, and the rules vary by state[19][20]. They generally involve these pieces:

If you teach a trade that has its own credential, such as welding, you may need to hold that credential too. Some teachers must also take professional development courses each year to keep their license[25]. Some states offer an alternative route for people who have a degree or field experience but lack the education courses[26].

In an O*NET survey of 46 workers, 40% said a bachelor's degree was required and 23% said a master's degree[27].

What technology education teachers do

O*NET describes the job as teaching occupational, vocational, career or technical subjects to secondary school students[28]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

Career and technical education teachers work in middle schools, high schools and postsecondary schools such as 2-year colleges[30]. Others teach in technical, trade and business schools[30]. Local elementary and secondary schools employed 47% of them in 2025[31].

Teachers in middle and high schools generally work during school hours. They may meet with parents, students and staff before and after classes[32]. The usual school year is 10 months with a 2-month summer break, and some teachers work summer programs[33]. Teachers at year-round schools work 9 weeks, then take a 3-week break[34]. Some teachers, especially in postsecondary schools, teach in the evenings and on weekends[35].

Job outlook

BLS projects that employment for this job will fall 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 110,500 jobs to 110,100, a change of 400 jobs[3]. For all occupations, BLS projects growth of 3.5% over the same period[36].

Still, BLS projects about 6,400 openings a year on average[4]. Openings also count jobs that come open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[4]. Each year, 2.8% of workers leave the labor force and 3.1% move to a different occupation[37].

The OEWS wage data counted about 111,420 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[38]. The projection counts include self-employed workers[3]. The two numbers measure different things.

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and the entry level is a bachelor's degree[1][2][6]. The path also asks for experience in the subject you would teach and, in public schools, student teaching and, in some places, a state license[18][20]. Employment is projected to shrink slightly, while openings from turnover continue[3][4]. Related teaching jobs show a similar picture. Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education had a median of $72,040 and a projected change of -0.2%[39]. Check your state's rules and local pay before you plan, because pay and requirements vary by place[11][20].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[39].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a technology education teacher make?
The median pay was $66,270 a year in May 2025, and the average was $72,680[1][7]. BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly pay[9].
What degree do you need to be a technology education teacher?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the education needed for entry[6]. The degree is generally in the field you teach[16].
Is technology education teaching in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[3][36]. BLS still projects about 6,400 openings a year[4].
What is the highest paying state for technology education teachers?
Washington had the highest median pay at $101,180, followed by Connecticut at $100,810[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in the US was $66,270 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School is projected to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 110,500 to 110,100 jobs (a change of -400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: about 6,400 openings for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School: 10th percentile $50,040, 25th percentile $60,590, 75th percentile $80,060, 90th percentile $101,340. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School was $72,680 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS publishes only annual wages for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Median annual wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School jobs: Texas 32,250; New York 7,610; Florida 6,820; Ohio 5,130; Pennsylvania 4,840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School (areas with at least 100 jobs): Fresno, CA $105,570; Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $103,580; Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $103,240; New Haven, CT $102,990; Kennewick-Richland, WA $102,420; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $102,180; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $101,620; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $101,250. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,750 (median $66,450); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 6,070 (median $67,200); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,030 (median $99,830); San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 2,140 (median $62,390); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,070 (median $80,070); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 1,730 (median $101,250). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Career and Technical Education Teachers" covers Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. O*NET 25-2032.00 survey of workers (46 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 40%, Master's Degree 23%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 13%, Post-Secondary Certificate 8%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  28. O*NET description of Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET task list for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School. O*NET OnLine
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of career and technical education teachers in 2025: Elementary and secondary schools; local 47%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  34. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  35. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  36. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  37. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School: 2.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  38. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 111,420 people were employed as Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  39. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.