Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School Salary
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary Schools in Virginia make a median of $75,580 a year. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $79,734 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Virginia?
About career/technical education teachers, secondary schools
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for career/technical education teachers, secondary school, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $66K. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level career/technical education teachers, secondary schools (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School salary by metro in Virginia
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $78K | +3% | 630 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $76K | +1% | 70 |
| Charlottesville | $74K | -2% | 90 |
| Roanoke | $66K | -13% | 140 |
| Richmond | $64K | -16% | 490 |
Compare to other states
Track career/technical education teachers, secondary school salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a career/technical education teachers, secondary school afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 34.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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, secondary schools in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new career/technical education teachers, secondary schools typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,163/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $76K here vs. $66K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for career/technical education teachers, secondary schools?
Virginia pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $66K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do career/technical education teachers, secondary schools make in Virginia?
The median is $75,580 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,710, and experienced career/technical education teachers, secondary schools can clear $101,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,811/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 34.2% 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, secondary school salary go in Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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, secondary school salary is worth about $79,734 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.