Teaching is one of the most impactful careers available — and one of the most complex to navigate. Certification requirements vary by state, subject matter matters enormously for job prospects, and salary varies dramatically by location. Here's what you actually need to know.
What Teachers Do
Teachers plan lessons, deliver instruction, assess student learning, communicate with families, and support students' academic and social-emotional development. Most teachers work with students in a specific subject area (secondary) or across all subjects (elementary).
The work is demanding, rarely boring, and deeply relational. The best teachers describe it as simultaneously exhausting and irreplaceable.
The Standard Path
Step 1 — Bachelor's Degree (4 years)
Most states require a bachelor's degree for teacher licensure. Elementary education majors study pedagogy and child development broadly. Secondary teachers typically major in their subject area (Math, English, Biology, History) with education coursework alongside.
Step 2 — Student Teaching
All teacher preparation programs include supervised student teaching — typically a semester working full-time in a classroom under a mentor teacher. This is the most important part of your preparation.
Step 3 — State Licensure
Pass your state's teacher licensing exams (typically a content knowledge exam and a pedagogy exam) and apply for your teaching certificate.
Alternative Certification
Most states offer alternative routes to certification for career changers and people who have a bachelor's in a subject area but not in education. Programs like Teach For America, TNTP, and state alternative certification programs allow candidates to teach while earning certification. These paths are faster but require strong content knowledge.
What Subject You Teach Matters
Not all teaching jobs are equally available. Special education, math, science, and bilingual education have persistent shortages nationwide — teachers in these areas have more job options and in some states receive salary supplements. English and social studies have more competition.
If you're interested in teaching, choose a subject area that has strong demand.
What to Do in High School
- Tutor younger students — the experience of explaining something to someone who doesn't understand it is the core skill of teaching
- Volunteer with youth programs — summer camps, after-school programs, youth sports
- Take diverse subjects seriously — the broader your content knowledge, the more flexible you'll be
- Consider AP courses — strong content knowledge in your eventual teaching subject matters
Salary
Teaching salaries vary enormously by state and district. National median: $61,820 for elementary, $62,360 for secondary. Some states (California, New York, Massachusetts) pay significantly more; others significantly less. Benefits — pension, healthcare, summers — are part of the total compensation picture.