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Career

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeModerate pressure

What they do

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $72,040 Median per year Most earn $48,780–$107,600

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.
  • Assign and grade class work and homework.
  • Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
  • Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 63,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Elementary and secondary schools98.4%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: None

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Secondary school teaching is usually entered straight out of training, with no required work experience beforehand. Most people finish a bachelor's degree plus a teaching license, which typically takes about 5 years in total.

  1. Bachelor's degree in education or in the subject you want to teach

    4 years

    You learn your subject in depth and the basics of how students learn, which is the foundation every secondary teacher needs.

  2. Teacher licensure with student teaching

    about 1 year

    You complete a supervised classroom placement and the certification requirements for your state, which is what qualifies you to be hired as a teacher.

  3. Secondary School Teacher

    Ongoing

    You teach one or more subjects to students in grades 6 to 12 and grow your skills over time through experience and training.

Where it can lead

  1. Department Chair

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on leadership of a subject department, helping plan curriculum, support other teachers, and set goals, which usually needs strong teaching results and good working relationships.

  2. Instructional Coordinator

    5 years or more of experience first

    You focus on designing lessons, choosing materials, and training teachers across a school or district, which often requires a master's degree in education or curriculum.

  3. Assistant Principal

    3-5 years of experience first

    You help run a school with duties like discipline, scheduling, and staff supervision, which usually requires an administrator license.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take the courses you want to teachStrong grades in the subject you might teach show you know the material and help you choose a college major.
  • Tutor classmates or younger studentsExplaining ideas to others builds the patience and clarity that good teachers need.
  • Join a club or activity that involves leading groupsRoles like club officer or team captain give you practice speaking to groups and organizing people.
  • Volunteer with kidsHelping at a library, youth program, or summer camp shows you how you respond to working with students every day.

In college

  • Choose a major in education or a subject you want to teachEither path gives you the content knowledge and training that teacher preparation programs expect.
  • Get classroom experience earlyLook for observation hours, field experiences, or tutoring work so you see real classrooms before you commit.
  • Work a campus job as a tutor or teaching assistantPaid tutoring builds skills in explaining material and managing a room, and it looks good on applications.
  • Join an education student organizationGroups for future teachers connect you with mentors and often share job and certification information.
  • Look into your state's teacher licensing requirementsKnowing the tests and steps early helps you plan courses so you can finish on time.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a teacher or school counselor what certification your state requires, since licensing rules differ from place to place.
  • Get experience working with kids early, such as tutoring, coaching, or volunteering, so you can test whether teaching fits you.
  • Pick a subject you enjoy and are good at, because deep knowledge of that subject will make your lessons stronger.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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