Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Also called: Agriculture Teacher, Agriscience Technology Instructor (Agriculture Science Technology Instructor), Automotive Education Teacher, Business Education Teacher, Career and Technology Education Teacher (CTE Teacher), Career Discovery Teacher, Career Education Teacher, Career Technical Education Instructor
Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level.
What career/technical education teachers, middle school do
Typical tasks
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Assign and grade class work and homework.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.
- Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School salary
The median annual wage for career/technical education teachers, middle school is $65,030 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $49,200 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $101,890. The mean annual wage is $71,590.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $65,030 → in 3 years $70,600 → in 5 years $74,600 → in 10 years $85,700 (10-year range $73,700–$99,500). The model assumes pay growth of +2.8% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become career/technical education teachers, middle school
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as career/technical education teachers, middle school
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.