High School Teacher job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$72,040

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (O*NET-SOC 25-2031.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks. importance 4.3 of 5
2. Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies. importance 4.3 of 5
3. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. importance 4.3 of 5
4. Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities. importance 4.3 of 5
5. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests. importance 4.2 of 5
6. Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress. importance 4.1 of 5
7. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students. importance 3.9 of 5
8. Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. importance 3.9 of 5
9. Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. importance 3.9 of 5
10. Guide and counsel students with adjustments, academic problems, or special academic interests. importance 3.9 of 5
11. Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. importance 3.9 of 5
12. Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools. importance 3.9 of 5
13. Assign and grade class work and homework. importance 3.9 of 5
14. Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations. importance 3.8 of 5
15. Enforce all administration policies and rules governing students. importance 3.8 of 5
16. Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems. importance 3.7 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Training and Teaching Others, Coaching and Developing Others, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships and Developing Objectives and Strategies.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Perform administrative duties, such as school library assistance, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.

Knowledge areas: Education and Training, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics and Psychology.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Word, Common Curriculum. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a high school teacher.

Most high school teachers surveyed by O*NET (77%) name a bachelor's degree as the education the job requires.

Job title: High School Teacher
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a High School Teacher to teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to students.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in instructing, reading comprehension and active listening
- Working knowledge of Education and Training and English Language
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $72,040 in May 2025. BLS publishes annual wages only for this occupation, so no hourly figure is shown. BLS estimates about 1,065,210 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of high school teachers to decline 0.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 63,500 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full high school teacher salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real high school teacher posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only high school teacher work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (instructing and reading comprehension); high school teacher interview questions turns them into practice questions.