Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle Schools in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA make a median of $103,490 a year. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $93,125 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 36.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $103K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for career/technical education teachers, middle school, local pay runs about 59% higher than the U.S. median of $65K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,501/month, which is 37% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for career/technical education teachers, middle schools in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $108K | $108K |
| Yakima | $100K | $104K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $108K | $108K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $98K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, middle schools (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $54K 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 with published data
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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, middle school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 37% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, middle schools typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,723/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 59% above the national median — $103K here vs. $65K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, middle schools?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s +59%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, middle schools make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $103,490 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,720, and experienced career/technical education teachers, middle schools can clear $132,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,766/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 37% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median career/technical education teachers, middle school salary is worth about $93,125 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.