Career profile · 25-1194
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.
What the work can involve
- Observe and evaluate students' work to determine progress, provide feedback, and make suggestions for improvement.
- Present lectures and conduct discussions to increase students' knowledge and competence using visual aids, such as graphs, charts, videotapes, and slides.
- Supervise and monitor students' use of tools and equipment.
- Administer oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and to evaluate training effectiveness.
- Provide individualized instruction and tutorial or remedial instruction.
- Prepare reports and maintain records, such as student grades, attendance rolls, and training activity details.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Training and Teaching Others
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Coaching and Developing Others
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
- Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming6 institutions →
- Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design417 institutions →
- Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration101 institutions →
- Computer Graphics110 institutions →
- Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor253 institutions →
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 67.9%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 39.4%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Never | 66.8%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 61.6%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Spend Time Sitting | About half the time | 35.9%08/2019 · sample 42 |
| Spend Time Standing | About half the time | 41.2%08/2019 · sample 42 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Less than half the time | 30.6%08/2019 · sample 41 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 42.3%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 45.8%08/2019 · sample 43 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 77.2%08/2019 · sample 43 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Computer based training software: Blackboard Learn, Common Curriculum, Course management system software, Desire2Learn LMS software
- Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software, Career management systems CMS
- Desktop communications software: Edmodo
- Electronic mail software: Email software, Microsoft Outlook
- Information retrieval or search software: DOC Cop, iParadigms Turnitin
- Instant messaging software: GroupMe
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Medical software: Medical condition coding software, Medical procedure coding software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software: Image scanning software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Project management software: Google Classroom
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for career/technical education teachers, postsecondary
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 51 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62,580 | $30.09 | 2,350 |
| Alaska | $77,310 | $37.17 | 1,120 |
| Arizona | $64,930 | $31.21 | 2,190 |
| Arkansas | $50,120 | $24.10 | 1,550 |
| California | $76,630 | $36.84 | 11,040 |
| Colorado | $70,130 | $33.72 | 2,060 |
| Connecticut | $59,420 | $28.57 | 1,130 |
| Delaware | $62,400 | $30.00 | 190 |
| District of Columbia | $59,220 | $28.47 | Not published |
| Florida | $59,990 | $28.84 | 7,600 |
| Georgia | $60,320 | $29.00 | 3,920 |
| Hawaii | $51,990 | $25.00 | 70 |
| Idaho | $59,730 | $28.72 | 570 |
| Illinois | $62,480 | $30.04 | 4,420 |
| Indiana | $57,820 | $27.80 | 2,250 |
| Iowa | $62,270 | $29.94 | 1,170 |
| Kansas | $48,790 | $23.46 | 1,160 |
| Kentucky | $61,080 | $29.37 | 1,560 |
| Louisiana | $56,480 | $27.16 | 780 |
| Maine | $61,740 | $29.68 | 510 |
| Maryland | $62,060 | $29.84 | 780 |
| Massachusetts | $78,780 | $37.88 | 1,660 |
| Michigan | $63,440 | $30.50 | 3,480 |
| Minnesota | $76,920 | $36.98 | 1,510 |
| Mississippi | $50,670 | $24.36 | 1,030 |
| Missouri | $59,640 | $28.67 | 1,630 |
| Montana | $57,270 | $27.54 | 430 |
| Nebraska | $60,490 | $29.08 | 470 |
| Nevada | $61,740 | $29.68 | 950 |
| New Hampshire | $65,040 | $31.27 | 220 |
| New Jersey | $72,440 | $34.83 | 2,590 |
| New Mexico | $60,490 | $29.08 | 1,070 |
| New York | $75,170 | $36.14 | 5,250 |
| North Carolina | $62,390 | $30.00 | 6,510 |
| North Dakota | $73,570 | $35.37 | 430 |
| Ohio | $60,600 | $29.14 | 3,440 |
| Oklahoma | $67,060 | $32.24 | 3,040 |
| Oregon | $65,430 | $31.46 | 1,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,160 | $30.37 | 4,780 |
| Rhode Island | $65,210 | $31.35 | 310 |
| South Carolina | $79,610 | $38.27 | 1,980 |
| South Dakota | $72,940 | $35.07 | 350 |
| Tennessee | $62,310 | $29.96 | 2,140 |
| Texas | $65,180 | $31.34 | 12,620 |
| Utah | $50,740 | $24.39 | 2,280 |
| Vermont | $62,450 | $30.02 | 210 |
| Virginia | $57,820 | $27.80 | 1,860 |
| Washington | $77,530 | $37.27 | 3,610 |
| West Virginia | $65,200 | $31.35 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $82,620 | $39.72 | 2,000 |
| Wyoming | $74,210 | $35.68 | 360 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 372 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
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Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 25-1194.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.