Career and Technical Education Teacher

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

• Median pay
  $66,270
  Annual salary · May 2025
• Job growth
  -0.4%
  2025–35, little or no change
• Openings per year
  6,400
  Average, 2025–35
• Typical entry education
  Bachelor's degree
  BLS classification
• Time to train
  Industry experience plus licensing
  Typical program length
• U.S. jobs
  110,500
  Employment, 2025

What career and technical education teachers do

CTE teachers prepare students for careers. They teach in shops, labs and kitchens, covering skills in fields such as welding, carpentry, automotive, health science, culinary, IT and business. They help students earn industry certifications, run student organizations such as SkillsUSA, and build partnerships with local employers.

Many states let experienced tradespeople and professionals earn CTE teaching licenses based on work experience, sometimes without a bachelor’s degree, while completing teaching coursework. It is a great second career for skilled workers who want to teach.

Typical duties

• Teach hands-on career skills
• Plan lessons aligned to industry standards
• Prepare students for industry certifications
• Maintain shop and lab safety
• Manage equipment and supplies
• Advise career student organizations
• Partner with local employers

Work environment and schedule

CTE teachers work in shops, labs and classrooms that may include heavy equipment, tools and hazards.

Schedule: Teachers work school-year schedules with planning time and after-school competitions.

A day in the life

1. 7:00 AMInspect shop equipment and set up welding booths.
2. 7:45 AMTeach safety and set up stations for first period.
3. 9:00 AMSupervise students practicing welds.
4. 11:00 AMGrade practical tests and update certification records.

See a full day in the life of a career and technical education teacher →

Career and Technical Education Teacher salary

Half of career and technical education teachers earned more than $66,270 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $50,040 for the lowest 10% to $101,340 for the top 10%.

Full career and technical education teacher pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become a career and technical education teacher

1. Build industry experience
2. Earn industry certifications
3. Apply for a CTE license
4. Complete teaching coursework
5. Advance

Requirements vary. Many states require a bachelor’s degree; others grant CTE licenses based on several years of industry experience plus teaching coursework.

Step-by-step guide to becoming a career and technical education teacher →

Skills and tools

All career and technical education teacher skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Certifications and licenses

• State CTE teaching license: Required for public schools; often based on experience.
• Industry certifications: Such as ASE, AWS, NCCER or CNA credentials.
• OSHA 10 or 30: Safety training for shop environments.
• Teaching methods coursework: Required for many CTE licenses.

Career path

1. Industry Professional: Build skills in your field.
2. CTE Teacher: Teach career skills.
3. Program Lead: Lead a CTE program.
4. CTE Director: Lead district CTE.

Learn the job before day one

Our Career and Technical Education Teacher training (12 hours, $109.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as teach a shop safety lesson and prepare students for an industry certification, safety and how to land your first job.

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More career and technical education teacher questions →