by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Technical Teacher Education involves the study of Technical Teacher Education. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Teach Specific Vocational Technical Education Programs At Various Educational Levels. Continue reading for the essential details every technical teacher education major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering technical teacher education programs.
In the U.S., technical teacher education is a widely-pursued major, with 321 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Technical Teacher Education Schools ranking analyzes these 28 schools to determine the best overall colleges for technical teacher education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of technical teacher education programs later in this article.
Coursework for Technical Teacher Education emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations technical teacher education graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a technical teacher education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a technical teacher education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several technical teacher education degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 146 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 143 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 18 |
People currently working in careers related to technical teacher education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 38.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 25.7% |
| Master’s degree | 15.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.9% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in technical teacher education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in technical teacher education prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to technical teacher education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to technical teacher education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,441,246 | 2.4% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | 1,384,848 | 9.0% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | 474,592 | 2.1% |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | 202,912 | 0.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of technical teacher education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $49,919 |
| 4 years | $50,204 |
| 5 years | $56,331 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for technical teacher education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers technical teacher education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,329 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary | $86,398 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School | $48,506 |
| Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School | $46,297 |
With 28 different technical teacher education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased technical teacher education school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in technical teacher education, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 6,964 |
| Reading Teacher Education | 5,986 |
| Music Teacher Education | 4,544 |
| English/Language Arts Teacher Education | 3,018 |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 2,993 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other | 2,352 |
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 1,963 |
| Art Teacher Education | 1,860 |
| Health Teacher Education | 1,472 |
| Agricultural Teacher Education | 1,051 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
