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Jobs Similar to Secondary School Teachers

Also called: Secondary School Teachers

The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to secondary school teachers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Elementary School Teachers, Kindergarten Teachers and Middle School Teachers.

Secondary School Teachers: $72,040 median pay · usual preparation: Bachelor's degree.

Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers

The 20 most similar careers

  1. 1Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

    87% similar · $63,970 (−11%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  2. 2Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

    87% similar · $62,680 (−13%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  3. 3Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

    86% similar · $64,370 (−11%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  4. 4Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

    85% similar · $74,260 (+3%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  5. 5Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors

    85% similar · $61,540 (−15%) · Bachelor's degree

  6. 6Special Education Teachers, Middle School

    85% similar · $66,810 (−7%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  7. 7Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School

    83% similar · $65,030 (−10%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  8. 8Special Education Teachers, Preschool

    83% similar · $64,830 (−10%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  9. 9Tutors

    83% similar · $43,350 (−40%) · Training or associate

  10. 10Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

    82% similar · $41,670 (−42%) · Bachelor's degree

  11. 11Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

    82% similar · $75,870 (+5%) · Graduate degree

  12. 12English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary

    82% similar · $78,760 (+9%) · Graduate degree

  13. 13Instructional Coordinators

    82% similar · $77,440 (+7%) · Graduate degree

  14. 14Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School

    82% similar · $66,270 (−8%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group

  15. 15Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

    82% similar · $38,140 (−47%) · Training or associate · Same group

  16. 16Education Teachers, Postsecondary

    81% similar · $75,350 (+5%) · Graduate degree

  17. 17Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary

    81% similar · $77,570 (+8%) · Graduate degree

  18. 18Self-Enrichment Teachers

    81% similar · $46,800 (−35%) · Training or associate

  19. 19Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary

    81% similar · $85,020 (+18%) · Graduate degree

  20. 20Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary

    81% similar · $80,260 (+11%) · Graduate degree

Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology

Similar jobs that pay more

Only careers that usually need no more preparation than secondary school teachers.

Similar jobs that need less preparation

Thinking of a career change?

Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for secondary school teachers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.

Jobs for former secondary school teachers →

Jobs that can lead here

Careers where secondary school teachers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).

Questions about jobs like secondary school teachers

What jobs are most similar to secondary school teachers?

By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Elementary School Teachers (87% similar), Kindergarten Teachers (87% similar), Middle School Teachers (86% similar), Special Education Teachers (Secondary School) (85% similar) and Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors (85% similar).

Which jobs like secondary school teachers pay more?

Among the 20 most similar careers, Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary ($85,020, +18%; usually a graduate degree), Philosophy and Religion Teachers ($80,260, +11%; usually a graduate degree) and English Language and Literature Teachers ($78,760, +9%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with secondary school teachers ($72,040). Without more preparation than secondary school teachers usually need: Special Education Teachers (Secondary School).

How is the similarity percentage worked out?

We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.

Keep exploring

Sources. Skills, tasks and education: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Data Sources & Licenses