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Education

Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level.

Median salary (BLS)

$64,370

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$48k – $103k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $85,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$40,100–$150,700

Time to qualify

4.3 yr

Renewal

$20/yr

  1. 1

    Bachelor's degree

    Degree

    Four years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.

    $40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source

  2. 2

    State teaching certification

    License

    Approved educator-prep program, pedagogy & subject exams, background check, and a state application.

    $100–$700 · 3 months · varies by state · renews every 5 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    Entry / Junior

    $48,080

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    Established

    $64,370

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    Senior

    $83,455

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
  • •Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • •Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
  • •Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
  • •Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Education

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.