What They Do: High school teachers teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.
Work Environment: High school teachers work in schools. They work during school hours but may also work evenings and weekends to prepare lessons and grade papers. Most do not teach during the summer.
How to Become One: High school teachers typically have at least a bachelor’s degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license, which may require an academic background in the subject(s) they will be certified to teach.
Salary: The median annual wage for high school teachers is $61,820.
Job Outlook: Employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 5 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of high school teachers with similar occupations.
High school teachers help prepare students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college or to enter the job market.
High school teachers typically do the following:
High school teachers generally teach students from the 9th through 12th grades. They usually specialize in one subject area, such as math, science, or history. They may teach several different classes within that subject area. For example, a high school math teacher may teach courses in algebra, calculus, and/or geometry. Others may teach the same material—for example, world history—to more than one class if the school has many students taking that subject.
High school teachers may teach students from different grades throughout the day. For example, in one class they may have students from the 9th grade, and then in the next class they may have 12th-grade students. In many schools, students are divided into classes on the basis of their abilities, so teachers need to change their courses to match the students' abilities.
When they do not have classes, teachers plan lessons, grade assignments, and meet with other teachers and staff.
Some high school teachers instruct special classes, such as art, music, physical education or English as a second language (ESL). ESL or English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers work exclusively with students who are learning the English language. These students are often referred to as English language learners (ELLs). These teachers work with students individually or in groups to help them improve their English language skills and help them with assignments for other classes.
Students with learning disabilities and emotional or behavioral disorders are often taught in traditional classes. Therefore, high school teachers may work with special education teachers to adapt lessons to these students' needs and to monitor the students' progress.
Teachers must be comfortable with using and learning new technology. They may use websites to communicate with parents about students' assignments, upcoming events, and grades. For students, teachers may create websites or discussion boards to present information and to expand a lesson taught in class.
Some high school teachers coach sports and advise student clubs and other groups, activities that frequently take place before or after school.
High school teachers hold about 1.1 million jobs. The largest employers of high school teachers are as follows:
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 81% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; private | 16% |
Most states have tenure laws, which provide job security after a certain number of years of satisfactory classroom teaching.
Teachers may find it rewarding to watch students develop new skills and gain an appreciation for knowledge.
However, teaching may be stressful. Some schools have large classes and lack important teaching tools, such as current technology and up-to-date textbooks. Occasionally, teachers must cope with unmotivated or disrespectful students. Some states are developing teacher mentoring programs and teacher development courses to help with the challenges of being a teacher.
High school teachers generally work during school hours when students are present. They may meet with parents, students, and other teachers before and after school. They often spend time in the evenings and on weekends grading papers and preparing lessons. Teachers who coach sports or advise clubs generally do so before or after school.
Many teachers work a traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Some teachers work during the summer.
Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.
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High school teachers must have a bachelor's degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license.
All states require public high school teachers to have at least a bachelor's degree. Most states require public high school teachers to have majored in a subject area, such as science or history. Teachers typically enroll in their institution's teacher preparation program and take classes in education and child psychology as well.
In teacher education programs, prospective high school teachers learn how to present information to students and how to work with students of varying abilities and backgrounds. Programs typically include a student-teaching program, in which they work with a mentor teacher and get experience teaching students in a classroom setting. For information about teacher preparation programs in your state, visit Teach.org.
Some states require high school teachers to earn a master's degree after earning their teaching certification and obtaining a job.
Teachers in private schools do not need to meet state requirements. However, private schools typically seek high school teachers who have a bachelor's degree and a major in a subject area.
All states require teachers in public schools to be licensed or certified in the specific grade level they will teach. Those who teach in private schools typically are not required to be licensed.
High school teachers typically are awarded a secondary or high school certification, which allows them to teach the 7th through the 12th grades.
Requirements for certification or licensure vary by state but generally involve the following:
For information on certification requirements in your state, visit Teach.org.
Teachers are required to complete annual professional development classes to keep their license or certification. Some states require teachers to complete a master's degree after receiving their certification and obtaining a job.
All states offer an alternative route to certification or licensure for people who already have a bachelor's degree but lack the education courses required for certification. Some alternative certification programs allow candidates to begin teaching immediately under the supervision of an experienced teacher. These programs cover teaching methods and child development. After they complete the program, candidates are awarded full certification. Other programs require students to take classes in education before they can teach. Students may be awarded a master's degree after completing either type of program.
Communication skills. Teachers must collaborate with other teachers and special education teachers. In addition, teachers need to discuss students' needs with parents and administrators.
Patience. Working with students of different abilities and backgrounds can be difficult. High school teachers must be patient when students struggle with material.
Resourcefulness. High school teachers need to explain difficult concepts in terms students can understand. In addition, they must be able to engage students in learning and adapt lessons to each student's needs.
Experienced teachers can advance to be mentors or lead teachers. In these positions, they often work with less experienced teachers to help them improve their teaching skills.
With additional education or certification, teachers may become school counselors, school librarians, or instructional coordinators. Some become assistant principals or principals. Becoming a principal usually requires additional instruction in education administration or leadership. For more information, see the profiles on school and career counselors, librarians, instructional coordinators, and elementary, middle, and high school principals.
The median annual wage for high school teachers is $61,820. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $41,330, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $102,130.
The median annual wages for high school teachers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | $62,420 |
| Elementary and secondary schools; private | $56,510 |
High school teachers generally work during school hours when students are present. They may meet with parents, students, and other teachers before and after school. They often spend time in the evenings and on weekends grading papers and preparing lessons. Teachers who coach sports or advise clubs generally do so before or after school.
Many teachers work a traditional 10-month school year and have a 2-month break during the summer. They also have a short midwinter break. Although most do not teach during the summer, some teach in summer school programs for which they are paid.
Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 9 weeks in a row and then have a break for 3 weeks before starting a new school session.
Employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 5 percent over the next ten years, about as fast as average for all occupations.
About 77,900 openings for high school teachers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth for public high school teachers may depend on state and local government budgets. If state and local governments experience budget deficits, school boards may lay off employees, including teachers. As a result, these budget deficits may limit the employment growth projected for high school teachers. Conversely, budget surpluses at the state and local level could lead to additional employment growth for high school teachers.
Projected declines over the decade in both the school-aged demographic and student enrollment should constrain demand for high school teachers.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,058,300 | 1,107,000 | 5 | 48,700 |
For more information about teaching and becoming a teacher, visit
American Federation of Teachers
National Education Association
For more information about teacher preparation programs, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.