Career Research Smore
Bulletin 1
Teacher
What they do: Help prepare students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.
Work Environment: Work in either public or private schools. Generally, they work school hours, which vary somewhat, but most also work evenings and weekends to prepare lessons and grade papers. However, most do not teach during the summer.
How to become one: High school teachers must have a bachelor’s degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license, which may require an academic background in the subject(s) they will be certified to teach.
Pay: The median annual wage for high school teachers was $55,050 in May 2012.
Job outlook: Employment of high school teachers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2012 to 2022, slower than the average for all occupations. Overall growth is expected due to declines in student-to-teacher ratios and increases in enrollment. However, employment growth will vary by region.
Similar occupations: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of high school teachers with similar occupations.