Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education Salary (2024) — Pay by Metro Area
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education earn a national median of $64,580 per year. Because pay tracks local labour markets, the same job ranges from $51,670 in the cheapest metro covered to $99,840 in the most expensive — a 93% gap for identical work. This page ranks 25 metro areas with released data.
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education pay by metro area
Ranked by median annual wage among the metro areas with published estimates for this occupation. Local cost of living is not applied — a lower median in a cheaper metro can still leave more in your pocket.
| Metro area | Hourly | Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY — NY | $47.72 | $99,260 | 77,530 |
| Chicago, IL — IL | $38.67 | $80,440 | 34,720 |
| Dallas, TX — TX | $30.86 | $64,180 | 28,280 |
| Los Angeles, CA — CA | $47.10 | $97,970 | 27,900 |
| Houston, TX — TX | $30.88 | $64,230 | 26,840 |
| Philadelphia, PA — PA | $37.71 | $78,440 | 25,520 |
| Boston, MA — MA | $45.78 | $95,220 | 20,760 |
| Washington, DC — DC | $37.44 | $77,880 | 20,140 |
| Phoenix, AZ — AZ | $29.94 | $62,270 | 17,090 |
| Riverside, CA — CA | $47.07 | $97,910 | 12,780 |
| San Francisco, CA — CA | $48.00 | $99,840 | 12,240 |
| Atlanta, GA — GA | $36.58 | $76,080 | 12,100 |
| Miami, FL — FL | $28.23 | $58,720 | 11,650 |
| Minneapolis, MN — MN | $31.58 | $65,680 | 11,530 |
| Detroit, MI — MI | $36.46 | $75,830 | 9,810 |
| Charlotte, NC — NC | $27.91 | $58,050 | 9,210 |
| Denver, CO — CO | $36.66 | $76,260 | 8,970 |
| St. Louis, MO — MO | $29.61 | $61,580 | 8,920 |
| Baltimore, MD — MD | $36.77 | $76,490 | 8,770 |
| Tampa, FL — FL | $29.34 | $61,030 | 8,390 |
| Austin, TX — TX | $29.72 | $61,820 | 8,020 |
| Seattle, WA — WA | $47.85 | $99,530 | 7,450 |
| San Diego, CA — CA | $47.95 | $99,740 | 6,440 |
| Orlando, FL — FL | $24.84 | $51,670 | 6,020 |
| Portland, OR — OR | $41.72 | $86,770 | 5,940 |
The gap between New York, NY ($99,260) and Portland, OR ($86,770) is 14% . For secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education this mainly reflects industry mix and regional price levels rather than a difference in the work itself. The middle metro sits at $76,260, which is the better single number for a "typical" market than either extreme.
Frequently asked questions
How much do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education make in the United States?
The national median for this occupation is $64,580 per year, across all areas including non-metropolitan ones. Metro-level medians for this occupation range from $51,670 to $99,840, with a middle value of $76,260.
Which metro area pays secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education the most?
New York, NY pays the most among the metros covered, at a median of $99,260, with about 77,530 people employed in the occupation.
Which metro area pays secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education the least?
Portland, OR sits at the bottom of the range, with a median of $86,770.
Do secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education earn more in large cities?
Usually, but not always. Large metros tend to show higher nominal pay because they concentrate high-wage industries and a higher cost of living. The spread above is nominal — it is not adjusted for local prices, so a lower median in a cheaper metro can still buy more.
About these figures
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024. The US figure on this page is an employment-weighted benchmark computed across the metro areas covered by this site, not the official national OEWS median, which BLS publishes separately. OEWS excludes self-employed workers and reports wages only, not benefits or total compensation.
See the methodology for how the benchmark and the metro ranking are derived.