Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,960 | $20.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $63,820 | $30.68 |
| Mean (average) | $72,060 | $34.64 |
| 90th percentile | $108,620 | $52.22 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Career/technical education teachers, postsecondary pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,580 | $44,800 | $122,750 | 2,350 | 1.51 |
| Alaska | $77,310 | $64,040 | $106,680 | 1,120 | 4.7 |
| Arizona | $64,930 | $47,780 | $131,020 | 2,190 | 0.92 |
| Arkansas | $50,120 | $35,290 | $79,910 | 1,550 | 1.62 |
| California | $76,630 | $45,800 | $168,680 | 11,040 | 0.83 |
| Colorado | $70,130 | $37,840 | $97,850 | 2,060 | 0.98 |
| Connecticut | $59,420 | $46,090 | $105,190 | 1,130 | 0.9 |
| Delaware | $62,400 | $50,950 | $99,140 | 190 | 0.53 |
| District of Columbia | $59,220 | $47,460 | $95,120 | ||
| Florida | $59,990 | $38,780 | $126,090 | 7,600 | 1.04 |
| Georgia | $60,320 | $40,110 | $76,630 | 3,920 | 1.09 |
| Hawaii | $51,990 | $39,860 | $64,210 | 70 | 0.15 |
| Idaho | $59,730 | $37,080 | $96,940 | 570 | 0.91 |
| Illinois | $62,480 | $37,810 | $121,630 | 4,420 | 0.99 |
| Indiana | $57,820 | $39,210 | $95,170 | 2,250 | 0.96 |
| Iowa | $62,270 | $45,080 | $96,210 | 1,170 | 1.02 |
| Kansas | $48,790 | $34,850 | $82,520 | 1,160 | 1.1 |
| Kentucky | $61,080 | $44,630 | $73,270 | 1,560 | 1.07 |
| Louisiana | $56,480 | $41,460 | $75,190 | 780 | 0.55 |
| Maine | $61,740 | $49,080 | $139,640 | 510 | 1.08 |
| Maryland | $62,060 | $32,370 | $109,300 | 780 | 0.38 |
| Massachusetts | $78,780 | $49,150 | $122,830 | 1,660 | 0.62 |
| Michigan | $63,440 | $46,350 | $121,690 | 3,480 | 1.08 |
| Minnesota | $76,920 | $47,330 | $123,770 | 1,510 | 0.7 |
| Mississippi | $50,670 | $33,010 | $76,920 | 1,030 | 1.21 |
| Missouri | $59,640 | $37,950 | $95,970 | 1,630 | 0.75 |
| Montana | $57,270 | $37,870 | $88,120 | 430 | 1.14 |
| Nebraska | $60,490 | $49,280 | $100,080 | 470 | 0.62 |
| Nevada | $61,740 | $32,430 | $99,230 | 950 | 0.83 |
| New Hampshire | $65,040 | $49,040 | $128,800 | 220 | 0.44 |
| New Jersey | $72,440 | $49,390 | $101,060 | 2,590 | 0.82 |
| New Mexico | $60,490 | $43,490 | $177,330 | 1,070 | 1.68 |
| New York | $75,170 | $50,410 | $123,700 | 5,250 | 0.74 |
| North Carolina | $62,390 | $44,680 | $82,010 | 6,510 | 1.8 |
| North Dakota | $73,570 | $43,680 | $104,290 | 430 | 1.36 |
| Ohio | $60,600 | $40,520 | $98,990 | 3,440 | 0.84 |
| Oklahoma | $67,060 | $47,990 | $104,170 | 3,040 | 2.43 |
| Oregon | $65,430 | $45,260 | $132,100 | 1,140 | 0.79 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,160 | $44,390 | $103,010 | 4,780 | 1.07 |
| Puerto Rico | $42,470 | $28,600 | $101,740 | 1,530 | 2.21 |
| Rhode Island | $65,210 | $49,510 | $97,680 | 310 | 0.85 |
| South Carolina | $79,610 | $37,860 | $103,660 | 1,980 | 1.17 |
| South Dakota | $72,940 | $45,840 | $85,100 | 350 | 1.04 |
| Tennessee | $62,310 | $38,640 | $91,170 | 2,140 | 0.89 |
| Texas | $65,180 | $38,360 | $106,820 | 12,620 | 1.22 |
| Utah | $50,740 | $22,520 | $76,670 | 2,280 | 1.79 |
| Vermont | $62,450 | $47,510 | $98,530 | 210 | 0.94 |
| Virginia | $57,820 | $41,600 | $83,110 | 1,860 | 0.62 |
| Washington | $77,530 | $50,960 | $129,790 | 3,610 | 1.39 |
| West Virginia | $65,200 | $37,140 | $89,110 | 300 | 0.59 |
| Wisconsin | $82,620 | $49,470 | $123,850 | 2,000 | 0.93 |
| Wyoming | $74,210 | $46,710 | $119,310 | 360 | 1.74 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 8,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Irrigation Management Technology/Technician CIP 01.0207
- Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming CIP 01.0504
- Farrier Science CIP 01.0509
- Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design CIP 11.0801
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration CIP 11.0802
- Computer Graphics CIP 11.0803
- Agricultural Teacher Education CIP 13.1301
- Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education CIP 13.1303
- Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education CIP 13.1309
- Sales and Marketing Operations/Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education CIP 13.1310
- Technical Teacher Education CIP 13.1319
- Trade and Industrial Teacher Education CIP 13.1320
- Health Occupations Teacher Education CIP 13.1327
- Fire Services Administration CIP 43.0202
- Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor CIP 49.0205
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement.
- Present lectures and conduct discussions to increase students' knowledge and competence using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, videotapes, and slides.
- Supervise and monitor students' use of tools and equipment.
- Administer oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and to evaluate training effectiveness.
- Provide individualized instruction and tutorial or remedial instruction.
- Prepare reports and maintain records, such as student grades, attendance rolls, and training activity details.
- Develop curricula and plan course content and methods of instruction.
- Determine training needs of students or workers.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Blackboard Learn
- Blackboard software
- Career management systems CMS
- Collaborative editing software
- Common Curriculum
- Course management system software
- DOC Cop
- Desire2Learn LMS software
- Edmodo
- Email software
Transferable skills for career changers: Instructing, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Automotive Instructor, Automotive Technology Instructor, Cosmetology Instructor, Flight Instructor, HVAC-R Instructor (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, And Refrigeration Instructor), Instructor, Professor, Teacher, Welding Instructor.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do career/technical education teachers, postsecondary make?
The national median annual wage for career/technical education teachers, postsecondary was $63,820 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $41,960 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $108,620. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do career/technical education teachers, postsecondary need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is career/technical education teachers, postsecondary a growing career?
BLS projects employment of career/technical education teachers, postsecondary to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 8,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay career/technical education teachers, postsecondary the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Wisconsin ($82,620), South Carolina ($79,610), Massachusetts ($78,780). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.