A career and technical education teacher in secondary school prepares students for skilled trades and technical careers. You'll teach hands-on skills, guide students through real-world projects, and help them build confidence in fields like construction, healthcare, and manufacturing.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
You teach career and technical subjects to high school students, combining classroom instruction with hands-on training. Your work involves planning lessons that connect theory to practice, coaching students through skill development, and making decisions about how to present complex material in accessible ways. You organize projects and labs, think creatively about how to engage learners, and stay current with industry standards. You also gather information about workplace trends to keep your curriculum relevant and solve problems when students struggle with concepts or equipment.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School earn a median of $66,270 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is softer here. Employment is projected to fall 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, though there are still about 6,200 openings a year from turnover.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a bachelor's degree, typically in your technical field or in education with a technical focus. Your preparation involves considerable study and skill development. Most programs combine subject matter expertise with coursework in teaching methods, curriculum design, and adolescent learning. Many teachers bring real-world experience from their trade before entering the classroom. You may also need to complete state-specific requirements for teaching certification or licensure in your subject area.
Most paths start with choosing your technical specialty and then adding teaching credentials. If you're exploring whether a career and technical teaching route fits your timeline and interests, Pathly can map the career/technical education teacher, secondary school path that fits you to map out your steps with your counselor.
You do not need a license to work as a career/technical education teacher, secondary school, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're drawn to this work if you enjoy helping others learn and develop skills. You like organizing information, solving problems, and building relationships with students who benefit from your guidance and expertise.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).