Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$72,040
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$34.63
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$107,600
entry level starts ~$48,780
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 1,065,000 employed

How much do Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education make?

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn a median annual salary of $72,040 in the United States, which works out to roughly $34.63 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $48,780 at the entry level and $107,600 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $59,980 and $92,570 a year.

That is $10,650 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

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

Half of all Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn between $59,980 and $92,570 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$48,780$23.45
25th percentile (early career)$59,980$28.84
50th percentile (median)$72,040$34.63
75th percentile (experienced)$92,570$44.50
90th percentile (top earners)$107,600$51.73

Highest-paying states for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay at $102,670 a year, followed by California ($101,370) and New York ($97,070). At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest median at $48,710 — a gap of $53,960 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$102,670$49.36+43%
2California$101,370$48.74+41%
3New York$97,070$46.67+35%
4Massachusetts$95,260$45.80+32%
5Rhode Island$92,610$44.52+29%

Workforce and education

About 1,065,000 people work as Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $76,320 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education make in the United States?
The median Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education salary in the United States is $72,040 per year, or about $34.63 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $48,780, while the top 10% of earners make $107,600 or more.
How does Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education median of $72,040 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, with a median salary of $102,670 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education need?
For most positions, a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education work in the United States?
About 1,065,000 people were employed as Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other education roles with similar pay.

Special Education Teacher, Middle School

$66,810
median pay · 95,000 employed

Kindergarten Teacher, Except Special Education

$62,680
median pay · 109,000 employed

Museum Technicians and Conservators

$51,440
median pay · 12,000 employed

Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary

$99,650
median pay · 5,000 employed

Special Education Teacher, All Other

$76,580
median pay · 34,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.