Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education: Job Description
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
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What Do Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Perform?
The core tasks performed by secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education cover:
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
What Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Need to Know
Top secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Accounting Teacher
- After School Teacher
- Algebra Teacher
- Art Educator
- Art Instructor
- Art Teacher
- Arts and Crafts Teacher
- Athletic Instructor
How Many Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Are There?
There are about 561,804 secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +1.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $77,927 |
| Hourly median | $37.47 |
| 10th percentile | $54,684 |
| 25th percentile | $66,306 |
| 75th percentile | $89,549 |
| 90th percentile | $101,171 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $99,640 |
| California | $98,710 |
| New York | $98,370 |
| Rhode Island | $89,040 |
| Massachusetts | $88,990 |
| New Jersey | $80,440 |
| Oregon | $79,600 |
| District of Columbia | $78,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,990 |
| Alaska | $77,730 |
| Connecticut | $77,270 |
| Maryland | $77,030 |
| Illinois | $77,020 |
| Ohio | $76,740 |
| Delaware | $75,420 |
| Utah | $74,280 |
| Georgia | $73,340 |
| New Hampshire | $69,340 |
| New Mexico | $66,960 |
| Michigan | $64,000 |
| Minnesota | $63,950 |
| Virginia | $63,760 |
| Vermont | $63,740 |
| Colorado | $63,660 |
| Wyoming | $63,390 |
| Nevada | $62,870 |
| Maine | $62,230 |
| Texas | $61,980 |
| Nebraska | $61,900 |
| Hawaii | $61,830 |
| Wisconsin | $61,620 |
| South Carolina | $61,300 |
| Idaho | $60,960 |
| Alabama | $60,530 |
| Indiana | $60,430 |
| Kentucky | $60,420 |
| Tennessee | $60,330 |
| Arizona | $59,900 |
| Florida | $59,400 |
| North Dakota | $59,380 |
| Louisiana | $59,340 |
| Iowa | $58,910 |
| Kansas | $58,770 |
| Montana | $58,730 |
| Arkansas | $56,890 |
| West Virginia | $56,480 |
| North Carolina | $54,890 |
| Missouri | $50,780 |
| Virgin Islands | $50,730 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,920 |
| South Dakota | $49,530 |
| Mississippi | $49,340 |
| Oklahoma | $49,170 |
| Guam | $36,830 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $92,877 | 13.0% | 0.80 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,494 | 17.6% | 1.17 |
| New England | $81,043 | 5.9% | 1.23 |
| Great Lakes | $71,096 | 15.1% | 1.10 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,740 | 3.8% | 0.95 |
| Southwest | $60,614 | 14.7% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $60,348 | 22.2% | 0.95 |
| Plains States | $57,720 | 7.0% | 1.02 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $106,970 | 510 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | WA | $105,630 | 720 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | WA | $105,400 | 280 |
| Kingston, NY | NY | $104,720 | 600 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $103,640 | 6,180 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $103,640 | 4,470 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $102,810 | 420 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $100,720 | 240 |
Which Industries Hire Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Most secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 1,067,580 | n/a |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,180 | n/a |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,120 | n/a |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 520 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Document management software: Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Public Speaking
Education and Training
Typical secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Primary-Short)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Primary-Long)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Future secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education often complete programs in:
Education
42 programs across 4 majors
- Teacher Education Subject Specific
- Teacher Education Grade Specific
- Teaching English or French
- Multilingual Education
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
27 programs across 11 majors
- Romance Languages
- Linguistics & Literature
- East Asian Languages
- Classical Languages & Literature
- American Sign Language
- Germanic Languages
- Other Foreign Language & Literature
- Middle Eastern Semitic Languages
- Slavic, Baltic & Albanian Languages
- Native American Languages
- Southeast Asian & Pacific Languages
Social Sciences
7 programs across 3 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
5 programs across 5 majors
- Biological & Physical Science
- History and Language/Literature
- Environmental Geosciences
- Earth Systems Science
- Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature
Physical Sciences
3 programs across 3 majors
Visual and Performing Arts
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-2031.00 (Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education).
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