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Job outlook for high school vocational education teachers in the United States
Are high school vocational education teacher jobs in demand?
High school vocational education teacher job and salary trends over time
High school vocational education teacher jobs over time
High school vocational education teacher job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,434 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,121 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,150 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,235 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,275 | 0.00% |
Average high school vocational education teacher salary over time
High school vocational education teacher salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,509 | $22.84 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | $46,939 | $22.57 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $45,828 | $22.03 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $44,619 | $21.45 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $43,599 | $20.96 | +2.1% |
High school vocational education teacher jobs by state
Most common states for high school vocational education teachers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 210 | 30% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 306 | 23% |
| 3 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,292 | 18% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 953 | 17% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 181 | 17% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 159 | 17% |
| 7 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 968 | 16% |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 908 | 16% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,372 | 15% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 975 | 14% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 513 | 14% |
| 12 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 294 | 14% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 355 | 12% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 228 | 12% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 122 | 12% |
| 16 | Vermont | 623,657 | 76 | 12% |
| 17 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 68 | 12% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 772 | 11% |
| 19 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 701 | 11% |
| 20 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 471 | 11% |
High School Vocational Education Teacher job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of high school vocational education teacher experts
University of Puerto Rico - Humacao
Centenary University
Colby-Sawyer College
The University of North Carolina Greensboro
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Providence College
University of New Mexico
Western Kentucky University
University of Mary Washington
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Missouri State University
Tupelo High School
What will help High School Vocational Education Teachers increase their earning potential?
Maritere Cardona Matos Ed.D.: You maximize your salary potential by pursuing graduate and post-graduate degrees. Do not settle with a B.A. Go after that M.A., Ph. D., or Ed.D. A doctoral degree will give you opportunities to work different roles within the field of education.
Dr. Lisa Mastrangel Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English, Director of CompositionCentenary University
Department is Business, Media, and Writing
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Dr. Lisa Mastrangel Ph.D.: While there will likely be a more challenging job market for some time to come, even once coronavirus ends, degrees in Professional Writing remain highly marketable because of their "portability." Many work environments have discovered that employees work just as effectively when they are remote, and managing social media and marketing content can undoubtedly be done remotely. With strong writing skills and a facility with multiple technology platforms, students with Professional Writing backgrounds will continue to be strong contenders on the job market.
What general advice would you give to a High School Vocational Education Teacher?
R. Todd Coy Ph.D.: Our world today is technologically driven, so it's essential to stay up with that. However, one shouldn't forget the importance of making personal connections with people. "Old fashioned" courtesies, like phone calls or thank you notes to follow up on interviews, etc., can go a long way in helping you stand out from the crowd of form-like emails.
Also, don't think that there is only one path to professional success. Be open to new experiences and flexible in exploring various ways to blend your individual interests and passions into what you want to do and then forge a path that allows you to do pursue those dreams.
Julie Irene Bost
Assistant ProfessorThe University of North Carolina Greensboro
School of Education, Library and Information Science
What experience really stands out on High School Vocational Education Teacher resumes?
Julie Irene Bost: A range of experiences in various settings, content areas, and age groups. The more experiences a teacher candidate has, the more skills they have to transfer into new settings. A resume really stands out when it includes teaching experiences with students of varying ages, abilities, and backgrounds along with multiple content areas (e.g., reading, math, science, etc.).
What High School Vocational Education Teacher skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Julie Irene Bost: Students should seek out experiences in educational settings as much as possible. This might be a K-12 school, preschool, or community center. Any opportunity where they can practice teaching and behavior management skills is ideal.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for High School Vocational Education Teachers in the next 3-5 years?
Julie Irene Bost: Virtual learning experiences will continue way beyond remote learning. Teachers need to continue to develop skills for teaching in remote, virtual, and hybrid learning environments. This does not mean being able to use a magnitude of web-based tools, but having a few that they use effectively. It is also important for teachers to think beyond the basic delivery of content and develop strategies to engage the learner and incorporate social-emotional learning.
Maggie Beeber
Undergraduate Advising Coordinator & Teacher Certification OfficerUniversity of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
School of Education
How would you rate the starting salaries for High School Vocational Education Teachers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Maggie Beeber: As much as we would like to see an increase in teacher salaries, we seldom speak of the other financial benefits most districts offer: one of the best pension plans in the country, health, sometimes vision and dental. Many districts will give raises for years of experience and higher-level degrees like a master's degree, EdD or Ph.D. Some may assist in paying for these.
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Program Director, Second Language ProgramUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Tatiana Joseph Ph.D.: A two-faced one.
On the one hand, this time is absolutely terrifying for any teacher, new or senior. The amount of work and training needed to maneuver the current teaching space is astronomical.
On the other hand, this is a new challenge for teachers. And this is what teaching is all about. Embracing challenges and ensuring that children ARE receiving the best opportunities.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Bret Cormier: As we all know, that answer is fluid due to new information, every day, as well as multiple times a day sometimes. The best answer is yes, there will be an impact due to the new world that we are living, our student teachers as well our students in field placements, depending upon the parts of New England that they are working in, some are still working in person, some are working in a hybrid capacity, and others are completely working remotely. Now, due to the mini spike that we have had on campus now, all of our candidates are working remotely, until we get more information and further guidance from the College.
In terms of our students having job opportunities upon graduation, there should be numerous opportunities in both elementary and special education. Special education is always a critical shortage area in school districts, like bilingual, math, and science, so I'm sure our graduates will have multiple opportunities. Now, elementary education certifications are the most plentiful and certified teachers in the country, but I'm sure graduates from our program, with their double major and training in Special Education, will have many opportunities.
Dr. Ashley Phelps Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant ProfessorUniversity of New Mexico
Department of Physical Education Teacher Education
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for High School Vocational Education Teachers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Ashley Phelps Ph.D.: There are no particular places in which graduates will find work opportunities that are drastically different from pre-pandemic positions. If anything, the K-12 educational system may need teachers that are well-versed in technology now, more than ever. Additionally, it is important to remember that teaching environments and responsibilities vary by the school district. For example, some districts may vote to be completely online due to the pandemic. Others may require students to attend school while practicing social distancing protocols. Therefore, preservice physical education teachers are encouraged to do their research when applying for positions, during, and post-pandemic.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for High School Vocational Education Teachers to find work opportunities?
David Bell Ph.D.: Rural and underserved areas continue to be in short supply of physical therapists. Graduates seeking employment opportunities in these areas should be able to field competitive offers from multiple employers.
Janine Davis Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Mary Washington
College of Education
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Janine Davis Ph.D.: For our teacher education graduates, the impact of the pandemic will most likely work in their favor when it comes to finding jobs-the pandemic has led to many retirements, which will mean that we will need even more teachers to fill those empty positions. At the same time, the advent of increased virtual learning means that it will no longer be an option that teachers know and use technology, including teaching online and using learning management and data analysis systems-those skills will almost certainly be a non-negotiable for future teaching positions. Finally, I think that this event has highlighted the importance of working as part of a team of teachers and other school leaders.
Josh MacIvor-Andersen
Assistant Professor of EnglishSaint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Languages and Literature Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Josh MacIvor-Andersen: I doubt the world will ever feel exactly the same as it did pre-COVID. Global trauma, undoubtedly, leaves some scar tissue that never fully heals. But in terms of writing graduates, I think the massive shift to distance work has paved the way for more gainful employment, without geographic restrictions. In other words, young professionals will likely find more flexibility to work from wherever they are as they seek to join teams in communications, marketing, PR, content creation, and editing.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on High School Vocational Education Teachers?
Chris Craig: Yes, particularly in helping students with disabilities find their place in workforce development tied to essential jobs in the community. I also believe we need to focus on the unique challenges of navigating virtual learning opportunities to be used in job shadowing and other career planning approaches.
Art Dobbs
PrincipalTupelo High School
What general advice would you give to a High School Vocational Education Teacher?
Art Dobbs: With today's job market, to be competitive, students must possess a variety of hard and soft skills. At Tupelo High School, we offer our students every opportunity - from Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses to the best Career-Tech facility in the state - to succeed. When our students graduate, we know they are ready for the next step toward their future.