Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level. May be designated according to subject matter specialty.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You arrive early to set up a hands-on lab for your chemistry class, then spend the morning moving between periods—leading a Socratic discussion in one class, introducing a new unit on the periodic table in another, and pulling a struggling student aside during passing period for a quick pep talk. Lunch might be spent supervising a club you sponsor or collaborating with fellow teachers on an interdisciplinary project. Afternoons after the final bell include grading essays, calling a parent about a student's progress, and tweaking tomorrow's lesson plan. The hours are long and the emotional investment is real, but the moment a student finally grasps a concept and their eyes light up is what keeps you coming back.
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