You already have the skills. Electricians, chefs, coders, designers, nurses and makers become some of the best teachers in New York City. City Tech helps you turn your craft into a career in the classroom.

• Starting salary of $71,314 with a bachelor's degree
• Premium-free health insurance from day one
• A pension for life after retirement

Why Become a Teacher?

Teaching is a way to keep working in your field while shaping the people who will work in it next.

• Your skills are needed. NYC schools need teachers in technology, engineering, computer science and the trades. Qualified CTE teachers are hard to find.
• A career with security. Union-negotiated salary steps, tenure, and a clear path for growth through credits and experience.
• A schedule that works. A school-year calendar with summers and holidays, plus paid opportunities for summer and after-school programs.
• Room to lead. Grow into roles like department lead, work-based learning coordinator, mentor teacher or administrator.

NYC Teacher Salary and Benefits

New York City is one of the best-paying school systems in the country. Pay grows every year with experience and with graduate credits.

Salary at a Glance

Education / Experience	Annual Salary
Bachelor's degree, starting	$71,314
Master's degree, starting	$80,166
8 years + master's + professional development credits	$106,907
15 years + master's + professional development credits	$128,277

Source: TeachNYC, NYC Public Schools. Salaries effective September 14, 2026.

Benefits and Pay

Benefits

• Premium-free health insurance. Coverage starts on your first day.
• Lifetime pension. Regular payments for life after you retire.
• Teachers of Tomorrow. A one-time $3,400 award for a year of service at an eligible high-need school.
• Extra pay. Additional pay for priority schools, critical subject areas, and per-session work.

Find Your Path

Choose the route that matches where you are now. An advisor can help you confirm eligibility and transfer credits.

Career and Technical Education, BS in Ed

For people who work in a trade or industry

Turn your work experience into certification to teach a CTE subject in grades 7 to 12.

• Leads to NYS teaching credentials
• Transitional and Initial certificate options
• Field work in NYC CTE high schools

Technology Education, BS in Ed

For people who love building and making

A hands-on program that prepares you to teach technological literacy and engineering design from K to 12.

• Makerspace and lab-based courses
• Transitional C Certificate available for a bachelor’s degree holder in STEM

Certificates and Extensions

For people who already teach

Move from an Initial to a Professional certificate, or add new responsibilities to your license.

• Professional Certificate in CTTE
• Extension in Work-Based Learning
• Courses scheduled for working teachers

* Full tuition funding is available for qualifying NYCPS educators

Six Steps to Your Own Classroom

1. Talk to an advisor. Review your experience, credits and the right certificate area.
2. Apply to City Tech. Apply through CUNY as a freshman, transfer or non-degree student.
3. Learn to teach. Courses in pedagogy, curriculum and lab safety, with field hours in schools.
4. Student teach. Teach in a partner NYC CTE high school with a mentor teacher.
5. Get certified. Complete workshops, fingerprinting, and any NYS certification exams required for your certificate area.
6. Get hired. Apply to NYC/NYS Public Schools and start your teaching career.

Our Partner Schools

We partner with most NYC CTE high schools for field experience and student teaching, including Aviation High School, Brooklyn Technical High School, Thomas Edison CTE High School, George Westinghouse CTE High School, Graphic Communications CTE High School, Transit Tech High School, Samuel Gompers CTE High School, Queens Vocational High School, Gotham CTE High School, and P-TECH High School.

Ready to Teach?

Schedule an advisement session. We will review your background and show you the fastest route to certification.

Book advisement