How to Become a Teacher

It takes a special person to become a school teacher. While the work doesn’t pay a ton, it can be incredibly rewarding to educate and inspire children. It also offers good job security, along with large swaths of time off in the summer and over the holidays.

If you’re curious about what’s needed to be a teacher, here are the general teacher requirements and skills that you’ll need to start a teaching career.

Minimum requirements for becoming a school teacher

The state you live and teach in dictates the requirements for teachers working in traditional classroom settings in public or private schools. For the most part, regular teachers need to have the following teaching qualifications:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a 4-year bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college.
• Complete a teacher preparation program.
• Complete a certain number of supervised teaching hours.
• Pass a subject area test.
• Pass a teacher certification exam.
• Get fingerprinted and pass a criminal background check.
• Obtain a teacher license from the state.

One of the biggest obstacles to a teacher career is that you do have to go to college to be a teacher in a traditional classroom setting. In some states, you’ll need a degree in the subject area you plan to teach. In others, you’ll need to get a degree in education and then pass a subject area exam to prove your competence.

Some states may have additional requirements. For instance, Indiana teachers must be CPR certified and also have a certificate in suicide prevention.

This is why it’s crucial to review your state’s unique requirements before beginning your education. Choosing the right school is just as important since the institution can help you meet relevant requirements faster.

Vital skills for teachers

Because you are responsible for the education and well-being of children, it’s important to bring a strong set of skills with you. And it’s not enough to just get along well with children.

Below are the skills needed to be a teacher:

• Patience
• Creativity
• Organization
• Communication
• Coordination
• Collaboration
• Meticulousness
• Adaptability
• Empathy
• Confidence
• Physical and mental endurance

These skills will help you successfully work with children, their parents, and your fellow teachers and administrators.

Before you begin your education and training, you have to first know which pathway you’re going to take. In addition to choosing a target subject to teach, you need to figure out which type of school teacher you’re going to be. Below are the most common teacher job options.

Elementary school teacher (grade K–5)

Elementary school teachers are responsible for teaching children basic skills like reading, writing, and math. Art and physical education are also part of the elementary school curriculum.

While you may have a subject or two you specialize in, most elementary school teachers teach the entire curriculum to the same class all year round.

Middle school teacher (grade 6–8)

Middle school teachers are responsible for teaching one or more specific subjects. For example, a middle school science teacher may teach biology and chemistry, whereas a middle school humanities teacher might teach English and social studies.

As students make their way through middle school, teachers begin to prepare them for higher learning. As a result, there are greater expectations for the students. Teachers need to provide them with more comprehensive curricula and strict testing, which means middle school teachers themselves need to possess deeper subject knowledge than elementary school teachers.

High school teacher (grade 9–12)

In high school, students have the opportunity to acquire more specialized and advanced skills and knowledge. For this reason, high school teachers have more options when it comes to the subjects they can teach.

As a high school teacher, you’re preparing students for life after school, be it a vocational career or college. You have the option to teach advanced placement (AP) classes, college preparatory classes, and more complex subjects, like calculus or physics.

High school teachers might be tasked with taking on additional responsibilities. For instance, you might mentor students, do SAT tutoring, supervise high school clubs, or coach a sports team.

Other types of teachers

Beyond K–12 teaching, there are a few other career paths you may choose to consider:

• Community college teacher: As the name implies, these teachers work at community colleges, usually teaching adults. Many community colleges require teachers to have a graduate education, such as a master’s or doctoral degree.
• University professor: To teach at a university, you usually need a Ph.D. or higher level of education. These positions are among the most competitive teaching positions, but they often come with higher salaries and better benefits.
• Online teacher: Instead of teaching in a physical classroom, you can teach online in a virtual classroom. This offers more flexibility for teachers and students who otherwise cannot or would rather not attend in-person classes.
• Homeschool teacher: This is a special type of role that involves going to a child’s home to deliver their education. Instead of teaching large groups, homeschooling usually just involves teaching the children of one particular family.
• ESL teacher: English as a second language (ESL) teachers can teach online or at language centers. This type of teaching often doesn’t require a degree or formal teaching credentials.
• Boarding school teacher: Teaching at a boarding school is a lot like teaching in a traditional K–12 school setting. The difference is that the students are actually living at the school, and you may do the same. These roles sometimes offer better pay than standard teaching jobs.
• Religious teacher: Instead of teaching in a classroom, these teachers often provide education at religious establishments. In this type of role, you would educate young minds on the principles of a particular religion.

The main factor distinguishing these different types of teaching roles is where you’d be teaching. Even if you have a solid idea of what subject you’ll be teaching, it’s important to think about the type of job you want when you become a fully qualified teacher.

Below, we’ll discuss how to become a teacher step-by-step. We’ll dig into the main steps everyone must take in order to become a licensed teacher in their state and work as a traditional school teacher.

1. Decide what type of teacher you want to be

Regardless of your state’s teaching requirements, the first thing you have to do is figure out what kind of teacher you’re going to be.

You’ll need to choose a school level (kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, or high school). But beyond age and grade level, there are other decisions you’ll need to make that will define your teaching career.

Subjects to teach

An important step in becoming a teacher is choosing your subject area or discipline. These are some popular general subject areas you can teach:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social studies
• Art
• Music
• Foreign languages
• Physical education

Beyond choosing an academic discipline, there are other ways to specialize as a teacher. For example, you could become a special education teacher. These teachers work with children who have learning or developmental limitations or disabilities.

Alternatively, you could become a gifted education teacher, providing comprehensive education and challenging coursework to students who have been identified as academically gifted or skilled.

Where you’ll teach

You should also think about what sort of teaching environment you prefer. For example, you can work in public education or for a private school, charter school, or boarding school.

You can also become an online teacher or virtual teacher, working from home instead of in a traditional classroom setting. You can even become a teacher abroad and move to a foreign country to teach there. The possibilities are endless.

The bottom line is that the clearer you get about your goals, the easier it will be to find the right education program and meet all the requirements to be a teacher in your state.

2. Review your state’s teacher requirements

As mentioned, most states have baseline requirements to become a teacher and receive a teaching license. However, every state makes its own rules. Not only that—there are different requirements for prospective teachers in different circumstances.

For example, in the state of Florida, teachers can apply for a Temporary Teacher Certificate or a Professional Certificate. What’s more, there’s a different application process for all of the following professionals:

• Out-of-state teachers
• Students who completed a teacher education program
• College graduates who didn’t get a degree in education
• Career changers
• Foreign-trained graduates or teachers

To find out what your state’s requirements are, go to your state’s department of education website and review their teacher or educator licensure and certification requirements.

3. Earn a bachelor’s degree

School teacher education requirements dictate that you need a bachelor’s degree or higher to get a state teaching license or certification.

In terms of what type of degree you need to be a teacher, that depends on your state’s licensing requirements. Some states want teachers to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education, while others want them to have a degree in their subject area.

Teaching degree requirements don’t just apply to what subject you study. Some states also have strict rules about where you get your education. For example, they may prefer in-state institutions over out-of-state colleges. Others might only care that the institution is accredited.

Something else to think about before enrolling in an undergraduate program is what’s included. In addition to obtaining a 4-year degree, teachers have to pass a variety of exams that demonstrate their preparedness for the school system.

When reviewing college university programs, check to see if they offer these types of teacher preparation programs and exams. That way, it’ll be one less thing you have to worry about after graduation.

4. Get hands-on experience through student teaching

While there’s a lot you’ll learn about education and your subject matter in the classroom, your education must also include hands-on teaching experience. Most teachers get this experience through student teaching.

Student teaching typically takes place in a public school setting. You’ll be supervised by the classroom teacher or a faculty member.

This comes standard as part of a bachelor’s degree in education. After you learn all about teaching methods, pedagogy, and testing and evaluation process, you’ll complete the required student teaching hours before you graduate.

If you get a bachelor’s degree in your subject area, then you’ll need to complete a teacher preparation program. Here, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills to help you prepare for your career as an educator. You’ll also complete your teaching hours this way.

While student teaching is a requirement, it’s also an invaluable piece of your education and training. It will prepare you to teach in a real-world setting, manage a classroom, deal with different children’s needs, and discover your teaching style.

5. Get certified and licensed to teach

The teacher certification exams you take are dictated by the grade level you plan to teach as well as your subject area.

Many states also require teachers to pass general knowledge exams related to reading, writing, and math. Professional education tests may also be required and will evaluate your understanding of pedagogy and teaching practices.

Before signing up for any exams, review your state’s licensing requirements to ensure you take the right ones. With passing scores, you can apply to become a licensed teacher.

The teacher licensing process varies somewhat from state to state. However, it’s usually a straightforward process that requires you to submit the following items to your state’s department of education:

• Application
• Fee
• Transcripts
• Teacher certification exam scores
• Background check

Once the state approves your application, you’ll receive a teaching certificate for the specific grade level and subject area you plan to teach.

6. Apply for teaching jobs

As a licensed teacher, you’re ready to begin your teaching career. To start, put together your resume. It should include all of your education, degrees, and related certifications. You should also put together a list of personal and professional references.

At that point, you can start applying for jobs. There are a few different ways to find teaching jobs:

• Apply directly to open jobs on your local school district’s website.
• Use a job board like Indeed, SimplyHired, or LinkedIn Jobs to find open positions.
• Attend a local job fair.
• Sign up with a professional organization that lists teaching jobs.
• Reach out to your connections to see if they know anyone hiring.

If you’re not able to find a teaching job for your grade level or subject area, or there are no teaching jobs available at your dream school, consider working as a substitute teacher in the meantime.

As a sub, you’ll get hands-on classroom experience while also building a relationship with the school. If or when a permanent position opens up, you’ll be one of the first people to know.

7. Continue your professional development

Even after you’ve become an educator, it’s important that you keep up on your professional development. While your formal education likely taught you about big-picture stuff, it might not have given you the most practical tips to refine your teaching practice.

So while you’re getting things started and looking around for work, brush up on teaching tips and hacks. Read blog posts, watch videos, and maybe even take a free online course or two.

Scholastic and Cult of Pedagogy are good resources that’ll help you with your craft. Education Week and Education Next are good ones to bookmark if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest education news and how it affects you.

According to anecdotal reports and surveys from across the web, school teachers in the United States earn anywhere in the range of $25,000–$115,000 per year. This is a pretty big range. That’s because teacher salaries are influenced by multiple variables.

Here are the key factors influencing how much you earn as a teacher:

• Location
• Your degree and teaching qualifications
• Subject(s) you teach
• Type of school you teach at
• Number of years of experience as a teacher
• Coaching or managing extracurriculars

The most influential factors are location and teacher experience level. For example, according to the National Education Association (NEA), the national average starting teacher salary is $44,530, whereas the national average for teachers of all experience levels is $69,544 per year. 1

To give you an idea, the table below shows a breakdown of the earnings for different types of teachers.

Average Salaries of US School Teachers in 2023

In terms of job outlook, there isn’t a huge amount of turnover in this field. That said, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that both elementary and high school teachers will see a job growth of about 1% from 2022 to 2032, much less than the 3% growth predicted across all occupations.

Nevertheless, that shouldn’t stop you from starting your journey to become a teacher if this is a field you’re truly passionate about. If find the salary is lacking or you want to pursue other income streams, there are plenty of side hustles for teachers you can explore later down the line.

There will always be a need for qualified, competent, and caring school teachers. The question is this: Is teaching a good career choice for you?

If you’re passionate about education, enjoy spending time with children, and have the fortitude to manage a curriculum and classroom, then a teaching career may be a great fit for you. However, there are a few drawbacks you should consider before you take your first steps to becoming a teacher.

For starters, it is hard to become a teacher. Beyond that, what many educators will tell you is that being a teacher is also incredibly hard work. Teachers often don’t get the support they need. They face unreasonable demands, and they’re rarely shown the appreciation they deserve.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t become a teacher. But you should heed the warnings from today’s teachers in the US and be prepared to work hard, not just during the process of becoming a teacher but also throughout your teaching career.

How long does it take to become a teacher?

There isn’t a fast way to become a teacher. In general, it takes about 4–5 years to become a teacher. This is because of how long you have to go to school to be a teacher (4 years), plus the time it takes to get hands-on training to be a teacher and get certified and licensed.

While teaching requirements differ slightly from state to state, most school teachers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree. In addition, you’ll need to complete student teaching hours as well as various certification exams.

Alternatives to becoming a school teacher

There are various reasons why teaching isn’t for everyone. It could be the 4-plus-year education required to be a teacher, the full-time career commitment, or the salary. Whatever the reason, you may be wondering what else you can do.

Well, there are other ways to make a living in education without being a teacher. Here are some other educational jobs to consider:

• Tutor
• Special education assistant
• Music teacher
• Driving instructor

These types of teaching-related jobs have different requirements, and some may be more practical options for you, depending on your background and skill set.