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Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in the U.S.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the U.S. earn a median of $72,040 a year, based on BLS data for 1,065,210 workers.

Median salary
$72,040
Average
$76,320
Top 10% earn
$107,600
Workers
1,065,210

Pay ranges from $48,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $107,600 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $76,320, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S.

$0$120,000
Pay levelYearly
10th percentile (entry level)$48,780
25th percentile$59,980
Median$72,040
75th percentile$92,570
90th percentile (top earners)$107,600
Average (mean)$76,320

Half of secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$6,003.33
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$3,001.67
Biweekly (26 a year)$2,770.77
Weekly$1,385.38

BLS publishes only yearly pay for this job, because secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education are usually paid a salary and may not work a full 2,080-hour year. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

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Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Washington$102,67014,880
California$101,37099,230
New York$97,07070,660
Massachusetts$95,26028,460
Rhode Island$92,6104,910
District of Columbia$82,7502,800
New Jersey$82,20038,140
Connecticut$80,97014,800
Illinois$79,99044,670
Alaska$79,6502,790
Oregon$79,57011,730
Ohio$78,80049,540
Pennsylvania$78,80052,240
Maryland$78,67016,640
Delaware$77,9605,360
New Hampshire$77,0605,860
Minnesota$76,46016,020
Utah$76,33011,030
Vermont$76,2202,450
New Mexico$75,9008,120
Georgia$75,48025,730
Hawaii$74,3105,590
Colorado$72,90018,310
Virginia$72,17031,100
Michigan$66,03025,540
Nevada$65,5208,920
Maine$64,8805,540
Texas$63,590111,660
Nebraska$63,4507,170
Wisconsin$62,87015,910
Guam$62,860680
Wyoming$62,6901,600
South Carolina$62,58016,080
Alabama$61,99015,880
Indiana$61,88020,430
Tennessee$61,86021,230
Idaho$61,6906,570
Kentucky$61,56012,780
North Dakota$61,2103,070
Iowa$61,20012,310
Montana$60,9903,670
Florida$60,41049,810
Kansas$59,92010,860
Louisiana$59,85015,210
Arkansas$59,66012,890
Virgin Islands$59,520380
Missouri$59,24024,380
Puerto Rico$59,1005,640
Arizona$58,36021,190
North Carolina$57,65028,620
West Virginia$56,6103,590
South Dakota$51,0503,360
Mississippi$50,98010,400
Oklahoma$48,71015,480

Best-paying metro areas for secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$121,190240
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$108,8502,210
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$108,2304,130
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$105,200490
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$105,0606,040
Walla Walla, WA$104,940120
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$104,180420
Longview-Kelso, WA$104,110200
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$102,88011,520
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$102,8401,060
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$102,8106,690
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$102,6707,720
Kennewick-Richland, WA$102,600720
Vallejo, CA$102,590800
Napa, CA$102,510300

Metro areas with the most secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ75,780$100,800
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN32,790$98,970
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA32,250$100,960
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX28,000$65,890
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX26,260$65,540
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD25,460$80,560
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH20,600$98,850
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV20,400$80,300
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA14,830$77,210
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ14,730$59,570
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA12,450$100,130
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL12,010$60,410
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA11,520$102,880
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX10,130$61,840
St. Louis, MO-IL9,870$62,130

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$63,970—
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$64,370—
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$38,140$18.34
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$65,120—
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School$74,260—
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$66,270—
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$62,680—
Special Education Teachers, Middle School$66,810—
Special Education Teachers, All Other$76,580—
Special Education Teachers, Preschool$64,830—
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School$65,030—
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780—
Substitute Teachers, Short-Term$41,670$20.03
Self-Enrichment Teacher$46,800$22.50

More: Educational Instruction and Library Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 25-2031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education make in the U.S.?

The median salary for secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S. is $72,040 a year. Pay ranges from $48,780 for the lowest-paid 10% to $107,600 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S. earn at least $107,600 a year. The top 25% earn $92,570 or more.

What is the starting pay for secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $48,780 a year, and a quarter of secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education earn $59,980 or less.

How many secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education work in the U.S.?

About 1,065,210 secondary school teachers, except special and Career/Technical education are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.