Librarian
Median wage · national
$68,270
Range: $56K – $84K
Employed
134K
Openings/yr
13K
Typically: master's degree
HUMANITIES
Secondary School Teacher
Secondary School Teacher earn $72,040 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $59,980 and $92,570. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Secondary School Teacher
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a secondary school teacher: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Teacher Education (K-12) and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
- Median Wage
- $72,040
- Employed Nationally
- 1.1M
- Openings / Year
- 63,500
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Accounting Teacher
After School Teacher
Algebra Teacher
Art Educator
Art Instructor
How Much Do Secondary School Teachers Make?
Most secondary school teachers take home around $72,040 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $59,980 and $92,570, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$72,040
National Median (Annual)
Above the national median for college graduates.
$60K–$93K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$59,980
Entry-level
$72,040
Median
$92,570
Experienced
What Do Secondary School Teachers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Instructing
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Learning Strategies
Speaking
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
Where Do Secondary School Teachers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Low
Low time pressure. Work pace is typically steady and self-directed.
What Is the Job Outlook for Secondary School Teachers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by -0.2%, meaning it is shrinking, so expect more competition for fewer roles. Around 63,500 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↘ -0.2%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Declining employment projected.
63,500
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
1.1M
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Secondary School Teacher professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $72,040 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 111,660 | $63,590 | -11.7% |
| 2 | California | 99,230 | $101,370 | +40.7% |
| 3 | New York | 70,660 | $97,070 | +34.7% |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 52,240 | $78,800 | +9.4% |
| 5 | Florida | 49,810 | $60,410 | -16.1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 10 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Biology program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher Education (K-12) | 106,652 | $47,382 | 1,894 |
| 2 | Biology | 103,883 | $57,214 | 1,774 |
| 3 | Teaching Specific Subjects | 40,101 | $51,389 | 1,276 |
| 4 | English | 35,472 | $48,590 | 1,524 |
| 5 | Biological and Physical Sciences | 28,469 | $58,891 | 371 |
| 6 | Mathematics | 27,179 | $69,562 | 1,491 |
| 7 | Romance Languages | 13,043 | $55,000 | 1,009 |
| 8 | Linguistics | 7,681 | $49,984 | 526 |
| 9 | Teaching ESL | 5,030 | $42,259 | 446 |
| 10 | Family & Consumer Sciences | 2,454 | $48,460 | 119 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Secondary School Teachers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | 97 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 4 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 5 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Secondary School Teacher, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Secondary School Teacher pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Secondary School Teacher Pros & Cons
Secondary School Teacher has real financial strengths, but declining employment projections deserve careful consideration. The 3 upsides and 2 concerns below are all data-sourced.
PROS
- Above-average pay At $72,040 median annually, this career pays meaningfully more than most college-graduate roles. Financial return on education is typically strong.
- Large, established field 1.1M people work in this occupation nationally, creating a broad job market with openings spread across every region and industry.
- Strong annual demand 63,500 job openings per year creates consistent hiring volume even in slower economic cycles. Entry-level candidates have real options throughout the year.
CONS
- Declining employment The BLS projects -0.2% employment change through 2035. This field is expected to shrink. Automation, offshoring, or structural industry change are likely factors.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $72,040 median while building the experience employers require.
Secondary School Teacher Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Secondary School Teacher professionals earn?
Around $72,040 a year for the typical worker, near the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $59,980 and $92,570. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Secondary School Teacher a good career?
With realistic expectations. The BLS projects -0.2% employment change through 2035. This field is shrinking, not expanding. The $72,040 median wage is competitive, but most openings come from retirements and exits rather than new positions. If you're drawn to this work, differentiate through a specialized niche or adjacent certification that keeps you relevant as the broader field contracts.
How long does it take to work as Secondary School Teachers?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Teacher Education (K-12) are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $72,040 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Why are Secondary School Teacher jobs declining?
The BLS projects -0.2% employment change for Secondary School Teacher through 2035. Declining occupations typically face some combination of automation, industry consolidation, offshoring, or reduced consumer demand, rarely a single cause. Despite the overall decline, about 63,500 openings per year are still projected, mostly replacements for workers who retire or leave, not new positions. 1.1M people currently work in this field, so while it's contracting, active hiring still occurs. Specialization in high-value segments of the role gives the strongest protection.
What skills do Secondary School Teacher professionals need?
Mainly Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, and Speaking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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