How much does a trade school teacher make?
a year · about $31 an hour
A typical trade school teacher in the United States makes $63,820 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, explain a trade skill, and demonstrate it in a workshop or lab while students practice with tools. They watch for safety, give tips, grade work, and record each student’s progress.
Did you know? A welding teacher may have students repeat a procedure until their work meets trade standards—not just until they pass a test.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $41,960 and $108,620How do you become one?
In the US, build strong skills and real work experience in a trade, then earn the related certificate or college degree your specialty and employer require. Check the school and state for any teaching or trade-license rules, because requirements vary.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can differ with a teacher’s years of trade experience, industry certificates, and how in-demand their skills are. The type of school, location, and full-time versus part-time or evening work also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Wisconsin ($82,620), lowest in Kansas ($48,790).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $41,960 | $63,820 | $108,620 | about 114,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $82,620 | about 2,000 |
| South Carolina | $79,610 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $78,780 | about 2,000 |
| Washington | $77,530 | about 4,000 |
| Alaska | $77,310 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education. Excludes “Training and Development Specialists” (13-1151), “Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors” (25-3011), and postsecondary teachers classified elsewhere in the 25-1000 minor group. Flight instructors are included with “Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers” (53-2010).
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/25-1194.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251194.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY