Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary Schools in Bellingham, WA make a median of $98,380 a year. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $95,210 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,794/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). 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, secondary schools
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What this looks like in Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for career/technical education teachers, secondary school, local pay runs about 48% higher than the U.S. median of $66K. Rent runs $1,794/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for career/technical education teachers, secondary schools in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $102K | $92K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $100K | $100K |
| Yakima | $100K | $104K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $102K | $102K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $101K | +53% | 3,460 |
| Connecticut | $101K | +52% | 1,910 |
| Massachusetts | $98K | +48% | 3,130 |
| New Jersey | $84K | +26% | 2,320 |
| Rhode Island | $82K | +23% | 90 |
| California | $81K | +22% | 3,260 |
| New York | $80K | +20% | 7,610 |
| Delaware | $79K | +20% | 560 |
| Ohio | $79K | +20% | 5,130 |
| Vermont | $79K | +20% | 220 |
| Georgia | $79K | +19% | 1,680 |
| Oregon | $78K | +18% | 750 |
| Maryland | $78K | +18% | 690 |
| Alaska | $78K | +18% | 170 |
| Maine | $78K | +18% | 170 |
| Illinois | $78K | +18% | 2,780 |
| Michigan | $77K | +17% | 1,800 |
| New Hampshire | $76K | +15% | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | +14% | 4,840 |
| Virginia | $76K | +14% | 3,500 |
| Wisconsin | $74K | +12% | 1,420 |
| Colorado | $73K | +10% | 1,250 |
| Utah | $72K | +9% | 730 |
| South Carolina | $72K | +9% | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $72K | +8% | 880 |
| New Mexico | $67K | +1% | 100 |
| Texas | $65K | -3% | 32,250 |
| Nevada | $65K | -3% | 150 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -5% | 1,310 |
| Arizona | $63K | -5% | 660 |
| Wyoming | $63K | -6% | 210 |
| Florida | $62K | -6% | 6,820 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -7% | 1,000 |
| Tennessee | $62K | -7% | 2,940 |
| North Dakota | $62K | -7% | 640 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -7% | 1,530 |
| Kentucky | $61K | -8% | 330 |
| Idaho | $61K | -9% | 1,140 |
| Alabama | $59K | -10% | N/A |
| Missouri | $59K | -11% | 2,000 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -11% | 1,170 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -12% | 2,650 |
| Kansas | $58K | -12% | 1,050 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -13% | 1,770 |
| West Virginia | $58K | -13% | 1,000 |
| Iowa | $58K | -13% | 640 |
| Indiana | $56K | -15% | 1,310 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -15% | 360 |
| Montana | $55K | -17% | 260 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track career/technical education teachers, secondary school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Bellingham numbers change.
Related careers in Education
Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, secondary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for career/technical education teachers, secondary schools in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $75K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,507/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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, secondary school a high-paying job in Bellingham?
Local pay is 48% above the national median — $98K here vs. $66K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, secondary schools?
Bellingham pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s +48%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, secondary schools make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $98,380 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,120, and experienced career/technical education teachers, secondary schools can clear $133,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 27.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a career/technical education teachers, secondary school salary go in Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (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, secondary school salary is worth about $95,210 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do career/technical education teachers, secondary 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.