Quick answer: California employs about 3,260 career and technical education teachers (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through your state department of education. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Licensing and Credentials in California
Teacher certification is set by each state’s education agency. For career and technical education specifically, documented trade experience and an industry license or credential often carry much of the requirement, with pedagogy coursework completed through an alternative certification route. Educator preparation programs may be CAEP-accredited, and many states use Praxis examinations.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state department of education that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 208 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
What Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Earn in California
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School in California earn a median $80,620 per year, above the national median of $66,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
CTE Teaching Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$80,620
$66,270
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$60,590
$50,040
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$64,330
$60,590
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$102,510
$80,060
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$126,170
$101,340
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
3,260
111,420
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.25
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
-1.8%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $80,620 sits above the national median of $66,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.25 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro estimates cover the wider metropolitan statistical area, not the city limits.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), career/technical education teachers, secondary school wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
810
$81,950
$85,310
$60,590
$108,680
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
650
$75,030
$77,110
$62,860
$103,620
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
280
$80,210
$97,480
$72,750
$159,920
Fresno
260
$105,570
$106,750
$62,110
$162,120
Modesto
120
$96,940
$93,810
$75,420
$124,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
110
$80,060
$83,910
$58,540
$123,540
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
110
$96,250
$103,580
$75,330
$127,750
Bakersfield-Delano
50
$70,250
$73,600
$61,520
$96,680
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
50
$75,460
$89,820
$56,580
$122,670
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
50
$80,100
$82,970
$68,470
$98,550
Stockton-Lodi
50
$79,470
$84,520
$58,650
$119,670
Visalia
50
$77,920
$86,650
$58,130
$119,870
El Centro
40
$85,680
$89,710
$61,400
$128,670
Merced
40
$93,780
$92,330
$61,430
$125,930
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
N/A
$101,800
$112,550
$45,480
$162,940
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
N/A
$126,160
$111,070
$81,180
$126,170
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do career and technical education teachers make in California?
The median annual wage for career and technical education teachers in California is $80,620, above the national median of $66,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $64,330 at the 25th percentile to $102,510 at the 75th.
How many career and technical education teachers work in California?
California holds about 3,260 career and technical education teacher jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 111,420, and BLS projects about 6,200 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a career and technical education teacher in California?
Teacher certification is set by each state's education agency. For career and technical education specifically, documented trade experience and an industry license or credential often carry much of the requirement, with pedagogy coursework completed through an alternative certification route. Educator preparation programs may be CAEP-accredited, and many states use Praxis examinations. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state department of education before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a teaching degree online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state department of education.
What is the highest-paying area of California for career and technical education teachers?
Among California metro areas with published data, Fresno reports the highest median at $105,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for career and technical education teachers?
On pay, the state median of $80,620 sits above the national $66,270 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.25 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School (SOC 25-2032), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
