The United States employed 111,420 Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in May 2025, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Median annual pay was $66,270. BLS counts Career and Technical Education Teacher within that title. Texas employed 32,250, and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX employed 8,750.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National employment | 111,420 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| National median annual wage | $66,270 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest state employment | Texas, 32,250 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest state location quotient | Texas, 3.2 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Highest metro employment | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, 8,750 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
Where to find CTE teachers: the short answer
Look at employment first when you need a larger applicant pool. BLS reports 32,250 wage-and-salary jobs in Texas, 7,610 in New York, 6,820 in Florida, 5,130 in Ohio, and 4,840 in Pennsylvania.
Then check concentration. Texas has a location quotient of 3.2. Mississippi is at 2.12, North Dakota at 2.08, and West Virginia at 1.99. A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that area's employment than nationally.
Metro counts show where secondary CTE teachers work. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has 8,750 jobs. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX has 6,070. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has 5,030. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX has 1,300 jobs and a location quotient of 6.11.
Use a large employment count when you need volume. Use a high location quotient when you want a market already dense with pathway specialists, and expect nearby career centers to be hiring too. Read a practical how-to-hire guide for CTE teachers before you write the posting.
States with the most CTE teachers
The BLS state figures rank Texas first at 32,250 jobs. New York (7,610), Florida (6,820), Ohio (5,130), and Pennsylvania (4,840) follow. Virginia (3,500), Washington (3,460), and California (3,260) complete the top eight by employment.
| Rank | State | Employment | Annual median | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 32,250 | $64,610 | 3.2 |
| 2 | New York | 7,610 | $79,820 | 1.1 |
| 3 | Florida | 6,820 | $62,140 | 0.96 |
| 4 | Ohio | 5,130 | $79,230 | 1.29 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 4,840 | $75,760 | 1.11 |
| 6 | Virginia | 3,500 | $75,580 | 1.19 |
| 7 | Washington | 3,460 | $101,180 | 1.36 |
| 8 | California | 3,260 | $80,620 | 0.25 |
A large count supports a local search for a welding instructor, FACS teacher, or agriculture teacher, and it also means more nearby programs hiring. Rhode Island lists 90 jobs, New Mexico 100, and Nevada 150. In those states, widen the radius and recruit from the occupation you teach.
National median pay is $66,270. High-employment state medians include Texas at $64,610, New York at $79,820, Florida at $62,140, Ohio at $79,230, and Pennsylvania at $75,760. Set the offer against the BLS median where the lab sits.
Where the role is most concentrated
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that area's employment than nationally. High concentration can mean more people who have already run a program of study and a shop. It also means more neighboring districts competing for the same candidates.
| Rank | State | Location quotient | Employment | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3.2 | 32,250 | $64,610 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 2.12 | 1,770 | $57,910 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 2.08 | 640 | $61,500 |
| 4 | West Virginia | 1.99 | 1,000 | $57,760 |
| 5 | Idaho | 1.85 | 1,140 | $60,510 |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1.78 | 1,310 | $63,180 |
| 7 | Delaware | 1.61 | 560 | $79,230 |
| 8 | Connecticut | 1.57 | 1,910 | $100,810 |
Texas combines the largest employment count with the highest state location quotient, 3.2. Mississippi (2.12), North Dakota (2.08), West Virginia (1.99), Idaho (1.85), Nebraska (1.78), Delaware (1.61), and Connecticut (1.57) are more concentrated than the nation, with smaller headcounts than Texas.
If your career center sits in a high-quotient state, local advertising may reach teachers who already handle work-based learning and student organizations. If your location quotient is below 1, plan to recruit across state lines and from industry, not only from current secondary classrooms.
Metro areas with the most CTE teachers
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX leads with 8,750 jobs and a location quotient of 3.02. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX has 6,070 jobs and 2.58. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ has 5,030 jobs and 0.74. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX is smaller in count (1,300) with a location quotient of 6.11; El Paso, TX has 750 jobs and 3.07.
| Rank | Metro area | Employment | Annual median | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,750 | $66,450 | 3.02 |
| 2 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 6,070 | $67,200 | 2.58 |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 5,030 | $99,830 | 0.74 |
| 4 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 2,140 | $62,390 | 2.65 |
| 5 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,070 | $80,070 | 1 |
| 6 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,730 | $101,250 | 0.89 |
| 7 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 1,720 | $62,780 | 1.86 |
| 8 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,640 | $98,170 | 0.51 |
| 9 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,560 | $63,320 | 1.51 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,430 | $102,180 | 0.96 |
An employer outside these metros can still recruit from them. Name the pathway, the shop or lab, and the industry partners, and circulate the posting in the large Texas and New York metros. If you also staff college labs, compare where to find technical college instructors.
Adjacent talent pools
O*NET OnLine (accessed September 24, 2026) describes the occupation as teaching occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the secondary school level. Sample titles include Agricultural Education Teacher, Auto Technology Instructor, Cosmetology Teacher, Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher, Technology Education Teacher, Vocational Teacher, and Welding Instructor.
Core tasks include instructing in laboratory, shop, and field studies; monitoring students in the use and care of equipment; planning work-experience programs in businesses, industrial shops, and school laboratories; placing students in jobs; and sponsoring clubs and student organizations. Experienced practitioners in the field being taught are a primary pool for these openings.
O*NET education respondents reported 40% bachelor's degree required, 23% master's degree required, and 13% associate's degree or other 2-year degree required. Name the equipment and software in your lab—O*NET lists tools such as Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Blackboard Learn, and Microsoft Office—so industry candidates can see the match.
Turning supply data into a recruiting plan
Start with the state and metro that match your campus. If BLS employment is already large, advertise locally and still expect competition where the location quotient is above 1. If the local count is thin, extend the search to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Houston, and New York-Newark-Jersey City, and to neighboring high-count states.
Write the opening around the program of study: the shop or lab, work-based learning, the advisory committee, and student organizations. Use a CTE teacher job description template so those duties are explicit, and keep interview questions tied to instruction, equipment, and student supervision.
When you are ready to post, use the ACTE Job Bank so the opening sits where career and technical educators look.
Under the laws enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (accessed September 24, 2026), it is illegal to publish a job advertisement that shows a preference for or discourages someone from applying because of race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. Verify any license or credential the candidate lists with the body that issues it. Follow your district's or college's own clearance process. This guide is general information as of September 24, 2026, not legal advice.
FAQ
Which states have the most CTE teachers?
BLS OEWS, May 2025, reports the most Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in Texas (32,250), New York (7,610), Florida (6,820), Ohio (5,130), and Pennsylvania (4,840).
What is location quotient?
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that area's employment than nationally. Texas has a location quotient of 3.2 on this occupation.
Where should I advertise a CTE teacher opening?
Advertise in the states and metros with the largest BLS employment counts, name the career pathway and lab or shop in the posting, and post on the ACTE Job Bank. High location-quotient markets such as Texas already have a dense local pool and competing employers.
Can I recruit people from industry for this role?
Yes. O*NET OnLine describes teaching occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects, including laboratory, shop, and field studies and work-experience programs. Experienced practitioners in the field being taught are a core hiring pool.
How do I recruit outside the big metros?
Widen the search to high-employment metros such as Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (8,750 jobs), Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (6,070), and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (5,030), and recruit practitioners who already work with your industry partners and work-based learning sites.
