Health and PE teachers teach both health and physical education — covering nutrition, wellness, and human development alongside fitness and sports skills.
Health and PE Teacher (Health and Physical Education Teacher) pay typically runs $56K–$81K at this level, and jobs in this field are projected to shrink 2% through 2034.
A typical day mixes classroom-based health instruction with gym-based PE classes. The shift between sitting in a classroom and running around in the gym takes adjustment, and the curriculum content for the two halves is genuinely different — one is sedentary academic work, the other physical and movement-focused.
Collaboration involves other PE and health teachers, classroom teachers, parents, and sometimes school nurses. What's harder than expected is the sensitive topics in health curriculum — covering puberty, mental health, or substance use takes care, and the conversations with parents about what's being taught are part of the job.
People who thrive tend to be versatile, comfortable with sensitive topics, and physically energetic. If you care about kids developing healthy habits across both physical and informational domains, the role often feels meaningful. People who only enjoy one half — only the gym, only the classroom — tend to find the dual role uncomfortable.
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Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Health and PE teachers teach both health and physical education — covering nutrition, wellness, and human development alongside fitness and sports skills.
Median pay for a Health and PE Teacher (Health and Physical Education Teacher) is about $64K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $47K to $105K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Instructing, Learning Strategies, Instructing, Speaking, and Learning Strategies.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 1.8% through 2034, with roughly 1.7 million people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Curriculum and Assessment Director, Before and After School Program Director, and Before and After School Site Director.
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