SOC 25-1194.00

    Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary

    Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school.

    Median pay
    $63,820
    Growth
    -0.3%
    Little or no change
    Openings a year
    8,000
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $41,960
    Median
    $63,820
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $108,620
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    114,110 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Postsecondary career and technical education teachers instruct students in practical vocational subjects like mechanics, construction, or cosmetology. In 2025, these educators earned a median annual pay of $63,820.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What career/technical education teachers, postsecondary do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    These educators teach vocational courses to students who have completed or left high school, preparing them for specific careers in fields like manufacturing, transportation, and cosmetology. On a daily basis, teachers focus on training and instructing others, coaching students, and updating their own knowledge to keep up with industry standards. They organize and plan lessons, evaluate student work for compliance with standards, and explain complex technical information.

    To succeed in this role, instructors need strong skills in active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and learning strategies. They must possess deep knowledge of education and training methods, the English language, and customer service, alongside technical knowledge in areas like mechanics, mathematics, and computers. The work heavily appeals to individuals with social interests who enjoy helping others learn. Instructors rely on work styles such as dependability, cooperation, empathy, and high stress tolerance to manage classrooms and support diverse student needs.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, the typical education level needed is a bachelor's degree, though the job preparation level is classified as medium, often requiring vocational training, an associate degree, or related work experience. Relevant college majors include teacher education and professional development in specific subject areas, computer software and media applications, fire protection, ground transportation, agricultural mechanization, and domestic animal services.

    Some states require a license for this teaching role. Instructors can also earn professional certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Certified Drafter or Digital Design Instructor, Certified Driver Trainer, Flagger Instructor Training, IPC J-STD-001 Requirements for Soldered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies, and Professional Skills Training for Career-Technical Education.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these teachers was $63,820 in 2025. The lowest 10 percent of earners made less than $41,960, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $108,620.

    There were 114,110 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to experience little or no change, with a projected decline of -0.3 percent. Despite this flat growth, about 8,000 job openings are still expected to become available each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    46 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    53 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    36 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    94 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    18 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    38 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SIR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Training and Teaching Others
    92
    Getting Information
    86
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    82
    Coaching and Developing Others
    81
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    79
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    76
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    76
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    72
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    71
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    69
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Instructing
    • Learning Strategies
    • Active Learning
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Writing
    • Complex Problem Solving

    Knowledge

    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Mechanical
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mathematics
    • Administrative
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Administration and Management
    • Public Safety and Security

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Speech Clarity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Speech Recognition
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Social Orientation
    • Empathy
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Adaptability
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance

    Also called

    Accounting Teacher · Adjunct Instructor · Adult Education Instructor · Adult Education Teacher · After School Instructor · Apparel Machinery Instructor · Apparel Manufacture Instructor · Architectural Drafting Instructor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor

    Career pathway

    From your interests to career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary$63,820 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1DigiPen Institute of Technology logo
      DigiPen Institute of Technology

      Redmond, WA · Computer Software and Media Applications · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $66,593
      4 yrs after
      $122,375
      Median debt
      $27,000
    2. 2University of Southern California USC logo
      University of Southern California USC

      Los Angeles, CA · Computer Software and Media Applications · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $95,396
      4 yrs after
      $115,839
      Median debt
      $19,968
    3. 3Anna Maria College logo
      Anna Maria College

      Paxton, MA · Fire Protection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $104,738
      4 yrs after
      $110,044
      Median debt
      $25,000
    4. 4
      Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

      Carbondale, IL · Fire Protection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $104,092
      4 yrs after
      $108,135
      Median debt
      Not reported
    5. 5Waldorf University logo
      Waldorf University

      Forest City, IA · Fire Protection · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $104,691
      4 yrs after
      $100,060
      Median debt
      $20,251
    6. 6Wellesley College logo
      Wellesley College

      Wellesley, MA · Computer Software and Media Applications · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $67,236
      4 yrs after
      $98,816
      Median debt
      $11,875
    7. 7DePaul University-Illinois logo
      DePaul University-Illinois

      Chicago, IL · Computer Software and Media Applications · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $68,868
      4 yrs after
      $96,616
      Median debt
      $22,500
    8. 8Worcester Polytechnic Institute logo
      Worcester Polytechnic Institute

      Worcester, MA · Computer Software and Media Applications · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $95,430
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What career/technical education teachers, postsecondary may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work. Showing 12 of 15.

    • Agricultural Teacher Education
    • Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education
    • Computer Graphics
    • Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
    • Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming
    • Farrier Science
    • Fire Services Administration
    • Health Occupations Teacher Education
    • Irrigation Management Technology/Technician
    • Sales and Marketing Operations/Marketing and Distribution Teacher Education
    • Technical Teacher Education
    • Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    45 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about career/technical education teachers, postsecondary

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    People in this profession are also called adult education instructors, adjunct instructors, accounting teachers, apparel machinery instructors, or assistant professors.

    What subjects do these instructors typically teach?

    They teach vocational and occupational courses below the baccalaureate level, covering practical subjects such as construction, mechanics and repair, manufacturing, transportation, and cosmetology.

    Is a license required to work in this field?

    Licensing requirements vary by location, as some states list a license for postsecondary career and technical education teachers.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.