What is Career Clusters?

Career Clusters provide a nationally recognized framework for organizing CTE instruction around broad industry areas. Originally developed through a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (now Advance CTE), the framework groups occupations and industries into categories that share common knowledge and skills.

In Fall 2024, Advance CTE released a modernized framework with 14 Career Clusters and 72 Sub-Clusters, updated from the original 16 clusters and 79 pathways that had been in place for over a decade. Key changes include merging Energy with Natural Resources, expanding Information Technology into Digital Technology, and combining Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security with Government and Public Administration into Public Service and Safety. Many states continue to use the legacy 16-cluster framework as they transition to the updated model.

Each Career Cluster contains multiple sub-clusters (formerly called Career Pathways) that represent more specific occupational groupings within the broader cluster. For example, the Health Science cluster includes sub-clusters such as Therapeutic Services, Diagnostic Services, Health Informatics, Support Services, and Biotechnology Research and Development. This tiered structure helps students move from broad exploration to focused preparation.

Career Clusters serve multiple purposes in CTE program design. They help states organize their CTE offerings into a coherent structure, provide students with a roadmap for career exploration, and give employers a common language for communicating workforce needs. Many states use the Career Cluster framework as the foundation for their CTE standards and program approval processes.

Because the modernized framework was driven by industry input and labor market data for the first time, it better reflects current workforce needs. Understanding both the national framework and state-specific variations is essential for CTE administrators who design and manage programs.

Why Career Clusters Matters for CTE Programs

Career Clusters provide the organizational backbone for most state CTE systems. CTE directors use this framework to structure program offerings, ensuring that their districts cover the career areas most relevant to local and regional labor markets. When proposing new programs or seeking state approval, administrators typically need to identify which cluster and pathway a program falls under.

The cluster framework also drives curriculum decisions. State CTE standards are typically organized by cluster and pathway, meaning that curriculum development efforts must align with cluster-specific competencies and knowledge areas. Directors who understand the cluster framework can more effectively align their programs with both state standards and industry expectations.

From a student perspective, Career Clusters support informed decision-making about course selection and career planning. Administrators can use the framework to build comprehensive career guidance systems that help students see connections between classroom learning and future employment.

Key Components

State Variations

While most states use the national 16 Career Cluster framework, implementation varies considerably. Some states have consolidated clusters to match their economic landscape, for example combining similar clusters or creating state-specific groupings. Others have added sub-clusters or additional pathways to reflect emerging industries.

States also differ in how they use clusters for program approval and funding. Some states require that every CTE program map to a specific cluster and pathway, while others allow more flexibility. The depth of standards associated with each cluster also varies, with some states developing detailed competency frameworks for every pathway and others providing broader guidance.

Common Misconceptions

Related Terms