How to Become a Teacher (Secondary Education)
Teach academic, social, and life skills to students at the secondary school level. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $72,040 per year and declining projected job growth.
Median pay
$72,040/yr
Middle half
$59,980 to $92,570
Job growth
Declining
Openings / yr
66,200
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Instruction
- Classroom Management
- Curriculum Design
- Communication
- Assessment
Helpful certifications
- State Teaching License
- Praxis Exams
- National Board Certification
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
10/100
Work-life balance
48/100
Stress level
58/100
Satisfaction
70/100
Related careers
- School Principal (K-12 Administrator)$105,870 median
- College Administrator (Postsecondary)$104,590 median
- School Psychologist$95,990 median
- Instructional Coordinator$77,440 median
- Librarian$68,270 median
- Career and Technical Education Teacher$66,270 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Teacher (Secondary Education) make?
The median pay for a Teacher (Secondary Education) is $72,040 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $59,980 and $92,570 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Teacher (Secondary Education)?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Education, Secondary Education, Subject-Specific Education, English Education, Math Education, Physical Education and Coaching, Music Education, Dance, History, and Spanish.
Is Teacher (Secondary Education) a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is declining (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 66,200 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Teacher (Secondary Education) use most?
Common skills for this role are Instruction, Classroom Management, Curriculum Design, Communication, and Assessment.
Planning to become a Teacher (Secondary Education)?
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).