How much does a career skills teacher make?
a year · about $31 an hour
A typical career skills teacher in the United States makes $65,030 a year, about $31 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They plan lessons, demonstrate safe tool use, and guide students through hands-on projects in a classroom, workshop, or lab. They check students’ work, give feedback, and may talk with families or local businesses.
Did you know? In a school workshop, students may practice real job tasks like replacing car brakes or taking blood pressure—not just read about them in a book.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $49,200 and $101,890How do you become one?
Earn a bachelor’s degree, gain work experience in the subject you want to teach, and complete student teaching. Public-school teachers may need a state license and tests; some subjects also require an industry credential.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like helping and teaching and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ with experience, education or job-related credentials, and the school or district and its location. Hours worked may matter too, since some CTE teachers teach evening or weekend classes.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($103,290), lowest in North Carolina ($52,270).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $49,200 | $65,030 | $101,890 | about 17,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103,290 | about 720 |
| Ohio | $86,560 | about 590 |
| New York | $86,450 | about 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,980 | about 690 |
| Wisconsin | $76,860 | about 570 |
Official definition: Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level. Excludes “Special Education Teachers” (25-2050) and “Substitute Teachers, Short-Term” (25-3031).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/career-and-technical-education-te
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-2023.00
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/middle-school-teachers.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY