Occupations · Educational Instruction and Library
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 25-2031.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 45% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $99,260 | 77,530 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $80,440 | 34,720 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $64,180 | 28,280 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $97,970 | 27,900 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $64,230 | 26,840 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $78,440 | 25,520 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $95,220 | 20,760 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $77,880 | 20,140 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $62,270 | 17,090 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $97,910 | 12,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $99,840 | 12,240 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $76,080 | 12,100 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
- 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.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
- Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 13
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| secondary school teacher | 2330.1 | exact |
| science teacher secondary school | 2330.1.18 | broader |
| art teacher secondary school | 2330.1.1 | broader |
| classical languages teacher secondary school | 2330.1.5 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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