Work Environment

Career and technical education teachers held about 198,100 jobs in 2020. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up career and technical education teachers was distributed as follows:

• Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary - 114,200
• Career/technical education teachers, secondary school - 72,300
• Career/technical education teachers, middle school - 11,500

The largest employers of career and technical education teachers were as follows:

• Junior colleges; state, local, and private - 22%
• Technical and trade schools; state, local, and private - 21%
• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private - 6%

Career and technical education teachers typically work in middle, high, and postsecondary schools, such as 2-year colleges. Others work in technical, trade, and business schools.

Work Schedules

Career and technical education teachers in middle and high schools generally work during school hours. They may meet with parents, students, and school staff before and after classes.

Some career and technical education teachers, especially those in postsecondary schools, teach courses and develop lesson plans during evening hours and on weekends.

Teachers usually work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Some teachers work for summer programs.

Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of career and technical education teachers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations.

Despite limited employment growth, about 17,500 openings for career and technical education teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Some employment growth across all types of institutions is expected over the next 10 years due to continued demand for career and technical education programs in middle schools, high schools, and postsecondary institutions. However, this growth is expected to be reduced somewhat as schools continue to require students to take more academic classes.

In addition, public schools often depend on government funding for career and technical education programs. When budgets for these programs are reduced, employment growth for career and technical education teachers may be limited.

Earnings

The median annual wage for career and technical education teachers was $61,160 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,250, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $98,890.

Median annual wages for career and technical education teachers in May 2021 were as follows:

• Career/technical education teachers, middle school - $61,820
• Career/technical education teachers, secondary school - $61,820
• Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary - $59,840

In May 2021, the median annual wages for career and technical education teachers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

• Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private $61,760
• Junior colleges; state, local, and private - $61,370
• Technical and trade schools; state, local, and private - $50,870

Career and technical education teachers in middle and high schools generally work during school hours. They may meet with parents, students, and school staff before and after classes.

Some career and technical education teachers, especially those in postsecondary schools, teach courses and develop lesson plans during evening hours and on weekends.

Teachers usually work the traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Some teachers work for summer programs.

Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.