Average Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education is $72,040 per year. The middle 50% earn between $59,980 and $92,570, with 1,065,210 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 375 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $48,780
- 25th
- $59,980
- Median
- $72,040
- 75th
- $92,570
- 90th
- $107,600
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -1.6%
- -17,800 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 66,200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education.
Where Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $102,670, about 42.5% above the national median. At the metro level, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA leads with a median of $121,190.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $102,670 | 14,880 |
| California | $101,370 | 99,230 |
| New York | $97,070 | 70,660 |
| Massachusetts | $95,260 | 28,460 |
| Rhode Island | $92,610 | 4,910 |
| District of Columbia | $82,750 | 2,800 |
| New Jersey | $82,200 | 38,140 |
| Connecticut | $80,970 | 14,800 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $121,190 | 240 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $108,850 | 2,210 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,230 | 4,130 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $105,200 | 490 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,060 | 6,040 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $104,940 | 120 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $104,180 | 420 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $104,110 | 200 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education rose from $61,660 to $72,040, a gain of +16.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $61,660 would need to be worth $77,647 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $72,040 is −$5,607 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -7.2% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 16.8% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +16.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -7.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $72,040
- 2024
- $64,580
- 2023
- $65,220
- 2022
- $62,360
- 2021
- $61,820
- 2020
- $62,870
- 2019
- $61,660
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
Common salary questions for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Secondary School Teachers, Except Special And Career/Technical Education workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.