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Career · National · 2026
Which Teaching Subjects
Have the
Most Jobs?
A data-driven ranking of teaching subjects by shortage severity, permanency rate, and state incentive recognition — with out-of-field teaching rates and scholarship program details.
Out-of-field teaching rates from AITSL National Trends Teacher Workforce report, June 2025. State shortage designations from NSW DoE, WA DoE, QLD DoE, VIC DoE, and ACT Government scholarship programs, accessed May 2026. Scholarship figures current at time of publication; verify eligibility with the relevant program before applying.
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Which Teaching Subjects Have the Most Jobs?
About this guide

Subject area shapes teacher employment prospects more than almost any other factor. A maths teacher with provisional accreditation can find a permanent role in Term 1. A PE teacher with five years of experience may spend a year on casual relief. This guide ranks teaching subjects by genuine employment demand — using out-of-field teaching rates, state DoE shortage designations, and Commonwealth scholarship priority lists — so you can make informed decisions about specialisation, career changes, and further study.

Contents
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01
Understanding Demand
Volume vs. difficulty to fill

Advertised vacancies count how many roles are posted. English consistently has the highest raw number of advertised secondary positions in every state. If you ranked subjects purely by listing volume, English would win — but English has more listings because it occupies more timetable hours, not because supply is inadequate.

Hard-to-fill roles measure something different: how few qualified candidates apply relative to vacancies. The clearest indicator is the out-of-field teaching rate — the percentage of teachers delivering a subject without a formal specialisation. High out-of-field rates signal genuine structural shortage that listing counts alone cannot show.

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02
Subject Rankings
Tier 1: Critical shortage
Special Education — hardest to staff nationally

60% of primary principals report difficulty filling specialist support roles. 44% of Australian teachers work in schools with a special education shortage — above the OECD average of 33%. The proportion of students requiring additional support has risen from 36% to 66% of schools between 2018 and 2024. Listed as high-demand by NSW DoE; priority subject for Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships. Strong permanent prospects in metropolitan and regional schools.

Mathematics — 38% out-of-field teaching rate

More than one third of secondary maths classes are taught by out-of-field teachers. AMSI estimates it would take 20 years to close the gap at current training rates. Every state government identifies mathematics as a priority. NSW's Transition to Teaching Scholarship guarantees permanent employment for career changers. QLD's Turn to Teaching internship provides paid placement and a permanent offer on graduation.

Technologies / TAS — 52.2% of schools report difficulty

The hardest-to-staff secondary subject by proportion of schools reporting difficulty. Design, digital technologies, engineering, industrial technology, food technology, and agriculture. Listed as high-demand by NSW DoE and WA DoE. Targeted by NSW Transition to Teaching Scholarship and QLD Turn to Teaching. Career changers from trades and engineering backgrounds are increasingly valued.

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02
Subject Rankings
Tier 2 & 3
Tier 2: Genuine demand, more candidates available
Out-of-field rates — AITSL National Trends, June 2025
Physics27% out-of-field nationally. NSW DoE identifies physics as high-demand. Physics + maths is the strongest dual-subject pairing for secondary employment prospects.
Chemistry23% out-of-field nationally. Included in NSW Transition to Teaching Scholarship science requirements (chemistry or physics mandatory). Good permanent employment prospects.
Biology20% out-of-field — best matched supply among sciences. Still shortage-listed in many states. Combining biology with chemistry or physics strengthens employment prospects significantly.
Languages / LOTE44% of schools report difficulty filling primary language specialist roles. WA DoE lists Indonesian, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Aboriginal languages as high-demand. QLD Turn to Teaching includes languages as a priority subject.
EAL/DNSW DoE identifies EAL/D as high-demand. Unlike most shortage subjects, demand is concentrated in metropolitan areas with significant migrant communities, not just regional schools.
Tier 3: High volume advertised, competitive for permanent roles
English — 29% out-of-field
Highest raw vacancy count nationally, but not listed as a shortage subject by NSW DoE. QLD is an exception. Most metropolitan English teachers spend 12–24 months on temporary contracts before securing permanent roles.
HASS / HSIE / Humanities
Does not appear on any state DoE shortage list. Competition is higher than for STEM subjects. Teachers willing to work in regional or remote schools will find permanent roles more accessible.
PE / Health
Not classified as a shortage subject by any state DoE. Teaching degree completions in PE/health maintain supply. Consistent advertised demand, but not shortage demand.
Visual Arts / Drama
Secondary arts and drama are competitive for permanent roles. Primary music specialist roles have more demand (34.3% of primary schools report difficulty), but secondary arts remain highly competitive nationally.

Strongest subject pairings: Physics + maths (both Tier 1/2); special education + any secondary subject (opens both specialist and mainstream roles); TAS + science (valued in STEM-focused schools).

Which Teaching Subjects Have the Most Jobs?
03
State Comparison
State-by-state shortage recognition

Which subjects each state government formally identifies as high-demand, or targets through scholarship and incentive programs. "Cwlth" = Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship priority designation.

Subject NSW QLD WA VIC SA TAS ACT NT Cwlth
MathematicsYesYesYesYes——Yes—Yes
Special EducationYesYesYesYes——Yes—Yes
Technologies / TASYesYesYesYes————Yes
Physics / ScienceYesYesYesYes——Yes—Yes
Languages / LOTE—YesYesYes——Yes——
English—YesYes—————Yes
EAL/DYes——Yes—————
School CounsellingYes————————
Sources: NSW DoE high-demand teachers page; WA DoE high-demand teaching jobs page; QLD Turn to Teaching program priority subjects; Victorian Teacher Workforce Snapshot 2024 and Teach the Future Fellowship program; ACT Government Teacher Education Scholarships 2026; Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships eligibility criteria. All accessed May 2026.
State notes

VIC: Targeted Financial Incentives up to $50,000 for hard-to-staff STEM roles. Special education was the most requested Permission to Teach authorisation in 2023 (29% of all PTT grants). SA: No formal subject-specific shortage list; challenges concentrated in country/remote schools. TAS: Hard-to-Staff Incentive targets nine schools by location, not subject. ACT: 2026 scholarships target languages, inclusive education, and STEM explicitly. NT: Recruitment driven by geographic need; all secondary subjects sought in remote schools.

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04
Financial Incentives
Government incentive programs by subject

Several programs provide financial support specifically linked to teaching shortage subjects. These are distinct from geographic loading payments (which apply to all subjects at rural and remote schools).

1
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship — up to $40,000

Up to $40,000 for undergraduate ITE students; up to $20,000 for postgraduate (Master of Teaching). Paid in $10,000 annual instalments. Priority subjects: secondary maths, science, TAS, English, and inclusive/special education K–12. 5,000 scholarships offered across 2024–2028. Available nationally for eligible students at any university.

2
NSW Transition to Teaching Scholarship — guaranteed permanent position

For career changers with a relevant undergraduate degree. Annual stipend of $10,000 while studying a Master of Teaching (Secondary), plus a professional experience allowance of up to $12,000. On completion, receives a permanent teaching position with NSW DoE. Subject areas: mathematics, science (must include chemistry or physics), TAS (engineering, industrial technology, agriculture, food technology).

3
QLD Turn to Teaching Internship — paid placement + guaranteed position

For career changers enrolling in a Master of Teaching. In year two, participants work at a Queensland state school on a 50% teaching load while completing their degree, paid at teacher salary rates. On graduation in a priority subject, receives a permanent employment offer. Priority subjects: English, sciences, maths, technologies (design and digital solutions), languages, special education.

4
VIC Targeted Financial Incentives — up to $50,000 for STEM

Commencement incentive payments of up to $50,000 (before tax) to attract qualified teachers to hard-to-staff roles in rural and regional government schools. STEM specialist positions attract higher funding. Annual retention payments apply after the second, third, and fourth year. Relocation costs covered.

NSW location-based incentives apply to all subjects at eligible rural and remote schools: Rural Teacher Incentive $20,000–$30,000 post-tax; Recruitment Bonus up to $20,000 at 6- and 8-point schools; Experienced Teacher Benefit $10,000/year for up to 5 years; Retention Benefit $5,000/year for up to 10 years. Shortage-subject teachers are disproportionately in eligible locations. See teacherpassport.com.au/rural-incentives for school-by-school detail.

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05
Career Implications
Choosing and switching specialisation
Pre-service teachers still choosing a teaching area

If you have genuine content knowledge and interest across multiple fields, choose a Tier 1 subject as your primary specialisation. A maths or special education teacher with provisional accreditation in NSW can expect multiple permanent offers in Term 1 in most regions. A HSIE teacher with the same accreditation may work temporarily for 12–24 months. Pairing a shortage subject with a second subject that aligns with your interests is sensible planning. One exception: if you have no genuine interest in mathematics or science, teaching them is a path to burnout, not employment stability.

Career changers entering teaching

The NSW Transition to Teaching Scholarship and QLD Turn to Teaching program both target career changers explicitly — with guaranteed permanent positions on completion. If you hold a degree in mathematics, engineering, physics, computer science, agricultural science, or design, you qualify for targeted funding not available to direct-entry student teachers. Career changers entering via technologies (TAS) from trade or engineering backgrounds will find a pathway that values their industry experience directly.

Experienced teachers considering a second teaching area

If you are teaching in a competitive subject (HSIE, PE, drama) and struggling to secure a permanent role, a second teaching area in mathematics, science, TAS, or special education will materially change your position. Upskilling via a graduate certificate or minor study qualifications route is possible in most states. Contact your state teacher registration body and your university provider for current recognition pathways.

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06
Methodology
What the numbers represent
Data sources
AITSL 2023–25Out-of-field teaching rates: percentage of secondary teachers who report teaching a subject outside their recognised specialist area. High rates signal structural shortage. Most reliable nationally comparable indicator.
State DoE listsOfficial shortage designations that trigger recruitment priority and scholarship eligibility. Most reliable indicator of what state governments are currently trying to address.
OECD TALIS 2024Teaching and Learning International Survey across approximately 30 OECD countries. 2024 Australia data is primary-source verified and used for international comparisons.
Union surveysAEU/QTU principal and teacher surveys on staffing difficulty. Useful for directional findings; used to corroborate patterns from official data, not as standalone evidence.
Which Teaching Subjects Have the Most Jobs?
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Which teaching subjects are in highest demand in Australia in 2026?
Mathematics, special education, and technologies/TAS are the three subjects with the most acute national shortage. Physics follows closely. All three attract the fastest permanent offers and are targeted by government scholarship programs in metropolitan and regional schools.
Q2. Does specialising in maths or science make it easier to get a permanent job?
Yes, materially so. More than 38% of maths classes nationally are taught by out-of-field teachers. A maths teacher with provisional accreditation can expect permanent offers in Term 1 in most regions, including metropolitan areas. Physics follows the same pattern.
Q3. Are there financial incentives for shortage-subject teachers in Australia?
Yes. The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship (up to $40,000 undergraduate, $20,000 postgraduate) targets maths, science, TAS, English, and special education nationally. NSW offers a Transition to Teaching Scholarship for career changers in maths, science, or TAS — including a guaranteed permanent position on completion.
Q4. Is English teaching competitive, even with so many English jobs advertised?
Yes. English has the highest raw vacancy count but also the largest pool of qualified teachers — a 29% out-of-field rate versus 38% for maths. NSW does not list English as a shortage subject. Most metropolitan English teachers spend 12–24 months on temporary contracts before securing permanent roles.
Q5. What subject should I choose for the fastest path to permanent employment?
Maths is the fastest nationally. If maths is not your area: physics plus a second subject, special education, or technologies/TAS if you have trade or engineering experience. Career changers should check the NSW Transition to Teaching Scholarship and QLD Turn to Teaching — both guarantee a permanent position in priority subjects.
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