Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle Schools in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $65,190 a year. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $71,277 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About career/technical education teachers, middle schools
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Career/technical education teachers, middle school pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,390/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for career/technical education teachers, middle schools in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $62K | $64K |
| St. Louis | $88K | $92K |
| Winston-Salem | $51K | $55K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $57K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $103K | +59% | 720 |
| Rhode Island | $97K | +50% | 50 |
| Connecticut | $96K | +47% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $93K | +43% | N/A |
| Utah | $87K | +34% | N/A |
| Ohio | $87K | +33% | 590 |
| New York | $86K | +33% | 1,930 |
| Maryland | $84K | +29% | 210 |
| Minnesota | $81K | +25% | 160 |
| Illinois | $81K | +24% | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $78K | +20% | 690 |
| Wisconsin | $77K | +18% | 570 |
| Georgia | $73K | +12% | 560 |
| New Jersey | $68K | +5% | N/A |
| Virginia | $67K | +4% | 640 |
| Colorado | $66K | +2% | 470 |
| Iowa | $63K | -3% | N/A |
| Texas | $63K | -3% | 5,230 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -4% | 100 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -4% | 370 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -4% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -5% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -7% | 90 |
| Michigan | $61K | -7% | N/A |
| Florida | $59K | -10% | 610 |
| Kansas | $59K | -10% | 30 |
| Alabama | $58K | -10% | 640 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -13% | 120 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -15% | 270 |
| Indiana | $55K | -15% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -17% | 110 |
| Missouri | $53K | -19% | 240 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -20% | 760 |
| North Dakota | $47K | -28% | 220 |
Showing 1–10 of 34 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track career/technical education teachers, middle school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 30.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for career/technical education teachers, middle schools in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,879/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is career/technical education teachers, middle school a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, middle schools?
Chattanooga pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, middle schools make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $65,190 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,990, and experienced career/technical education teachers, middle schools can clear $72,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,521/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 30.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a career/technical education teachers, middle school salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median career/technical education teachers, middle school salary is worth about $71,277 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do career/technical education teachers, middle schools get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.