Subject specialist
High School Teacher
Teaching one subject to a hundred and fifty teenagers.
Typical pay
$45k-$90k
How you get in
Bachelor's plus state licensure in your subject
Outlook
Shortages in math, science and special education
Very few openings
82/100Very few openings relative to the size of this field, and the field is flat.
JobPOVs index, calculated from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025-2035 for Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education. It measures how many openings arise each year relative to the size of the field — not how many people apply. BLS does not publish a saturation figure.
High school teachers deliver instruction in a specific subject across multiple class periods. Compared to elementary, you go deeper in content and shallower with each student, and classroom management is a different sport.
A day in the life
7:00a – 4:00p · 9 hours
- 7:00aPrep the room, copy materials, answer emails
- 7:45aFirst period, then three more before lunch
- 11:30aLunch duty or a working lunch
- 12:15pPlanning period — grading and parent calls
- 1:00pTwo more periods, plus a study hall
- 4:00pCoach, club advising, or grading at home
How to get in
Education degree with a subject major
Duration
4-5 years
Cost
$40,000-$150,000
Credential
State teaching license in your subject
- Major in your subject with an education minor, or a combined program
- Complete student teaching — a full unpaid semester
- Pass the subject-area and pedagogy licensure exams
- Apply during the spring hiring cycle
Alternative certification
Duration
1-2 years
Cost
$4,000-$15,000
Credential
State teaching license
- Hold a bachelor's in the subject you want to teach
- Enter an alternative route program — many place you in a paid classroom immediately
- Pass the licensure exams
- Complete a mentored first year while earning a full salary
Master's in teaching
Duration
1-2 years
Cost
$20,000-$70,000
Credential
MAT plus state license
- Hold a bachelor's in any field
- Complete an MAT with a student teaching placement
- Pass licensure exams
- Start on a higher salary step than a bachelor's-only hire
What people love
- · Deep engagement with your subject
- · Summers and school holidays
- · Pension and benefits in most districts
- · Real relationships with students
What wears people down
- · Pay lags the education required
- · Grading never actually ends
- · Behavior and phone battles
- · Underfunded classrooms mean your own money