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High School Teacher

$72,040
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Teach a subject to teenagers, plan lessons, grade work, and prepare students for what comes next.

Where you work

High school classrooms; on your feet, active, with older students.

The hours

School hours plus grading, prep, and activities; summers often off.

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$72,040
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~66,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-2%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
coming soon

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Degree + state credential.

License or certification

Public school teaching requires a state license or certification.

What it takes

Subject expertiseCommunicationPatienceOrganization

The honest take

Math and science credentials jump the hiring line.

Standard Occupational Classification 25-2031. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.