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Community Colleges
Miami Dade College, Houston Community College, Ivy Tech Community College
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
These teachers prepare students and working adults for specific jobs by combining classroom lessons with labs, demonstrations, and supervised practice. The work is distinct because it has to stay close to real industry tools and methods, so the job is partly teaching and partly keeping up with workplace standards and equipment. The main tradeoff is that the work is hands-on and practical, but it also brings uneven pay, lab upkeep, and constant pressure to keep training aligned with changing employers' needs.
Also known as Career and Technical Education InstructorCTE InstructorTechnical Education InstructorPostsecondary Vocational TeacherVocational Instructor
Median Salary
$61,490
Mean $68,710
U.S. Workforce
~111K
8.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+0.7%
122.2K to 123K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary sits in the Education category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~111K workers, with a median annual pay of $61,490 and roughly 8.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 122.2 K in 2024 to 123K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Associate's degree in a technical field, and employers typically expect less than 5 years of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Trade Technician / Program Assistant and can progress toward Program Director / Department Chair. High-value skills usually include Curriculum Design & Lesson Planning, Workplace Training Methods, and Assessment Design & Rubrics, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Instructing, and Learning Strategies.
Core Responsibilities
- Figure out what students or workers already know and what training they still need.
- Build lessons for a specific trade or career area and bring in guest experts when outside experience would help.
- Teach through demonstrations, discussions, charts, videos, and other visuals so people can see how a skill is done.
- Oversee lab projects, field placements, and on-the-job practice while students work on real tasks.
Keep exploring: more Education careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Figure out what students or workers already know and what training they still need.
02 Build lessons for a specific trade or career area and bring in guest experts when outside experience would help.
03 Teach through demonstrations, discussions, charts, videos, and other visuals so people can see how a skill is done.
04 Oversee lab projects, field placements, and on-the-job practice while students work on real tasks.
05 Keep tools and lab equipment in working order, which can mean buying parts, fixing gear, or replacing worn-out items.
06 Check progress with quizzes, oral tests, and hands-on demonstrations, then adjust the training to match workplace standards.
Industries That Hire
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Technical and Vocational Schools
Lincoln Tech, Universal Technical Institute, WyoTech
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Corporate Training and Apprenticeships
Boeing, Amazon, Toyota
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Healthcare and Allied Health Schools
Chamberlain University, Pima Medical Institute, Rasmussen University
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Online and Adult Education Providers
Southern New Hampshire University, Purdue Global, Western Governors University
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for an education role, with a $68,710 mean annual wage and a $61,490 median.
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Job turnover creates steady hiring, with about 8.8K annual openings projected.
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The work is practical and visible: you teach skills people can use immediately in a job setting.
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The day rarely looks the same twice because the job mixes teaching, coaching, lab work, and guest speakers.
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BLS says no formal on-the-job training is required, so experienced workers in a trade can move into teaching without starting from scratch.
Challenges
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Growth is almost flat, at just 0.7% from 2024 to 2034, so the field is not expanding much.
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The median pay of $61,490 is decent but not especially high for a job that often requires a bachelor's degree or substantial field experience.
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Hiring standards can feel inconsistent: BLS says a bachelor's degree is typical, but 42.29% of workers have an associate's degree, which makes the path less straightforward than it looks.
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The role depends heavily on local enrollment and employer demand, so a program can shrink or disappear if student interest drops or a trade loses momentum.
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You are responsible for tools, lab equipment, and safety as well as teaching, which adds maintenance and troubleshooting work on top of instruction.
Career Progression
Trade Technician / Program Assistant
0-3 years
$40K-$50K
Supports labs, prepares materials, and learns how training programs run before taking full responsibility for instruction.
Assistant Instructor / Training Specialist
2-5 years
$51K-$60K
Helps lead classes, runs demonstrations, and coaches learners through basic skills and practice exercises.
Career/Technical Education Teacher, Postsecondary THIS ROLE
3-8 years
$61K-$73K
Designs and teaches full courses, manages labs or workshops, and evaluates whether students can apply skills on their own.
Senior Instructor / Lead Faculty
8-15 years
$74K-$88K
Leads bigger programs, mentors newer teachers, and helps keep curricula aligned with employer expectations and industry standards.
Program Director / Department Chair
12+ years
$89K-$105K
Oversees budgets, staffing, partnerships, and program quality across one or more technical education tracks.
Education Paths
Associate's degree in a technical field
The most common path, held by 42.29% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree
A common route and the BLS typical entry point, held by 20.21% of workers in this role.
Postsecondary certificate or trade credential
A practical alternative for people with strong field experience, held by 16.22% of workers in this role.
Industry certification plus several years of trade experience
Some employers will hire candidates with a recognized credential and real-world experience even if they do not have a traditional education degree.
Key Skills
Technical
Curriculum Design & Lesson Planning 80%
Workplace Training Methods 80%
Assessment Design & Rubrics 78%
Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Blackboard & Moodle) 77%
Microsoft Office, Google Workspace & Presentation Software 76%
Lab Equipment, Tools & Safety Procedures 74%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningInstructingLearning StrategiesSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoring Job Outlook and Trends
+0.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
8.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 122.2K to 123 K over the next decade, representing 0.7% growth. Around 8.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.