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How to Become an Elementary School Teacher: Degree & Salary
Key takeaway: To teach elementary school in a U.S. public school you need a bachelor's degree, completion of a state-approved educator preparation program that includes supervised student teaching, passing scores on your state's required licensure exams, and a teaching license issued by that state. Elementary school teachers, except special education, had a median annual wage of $63,970 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median).
Elementary school teaching is a licensed profession, and that single fact shapes the entire path. The degree is only half of what you need. The other half is a state credential, and every state writes its own rules for who gets one – which exams you sit for, how many supervised classroom hours you log, what background check you clear, and how you renew or advance the license once you have it.
This guide walks the path in the order you will actually complete it, and it is honest about the places where “it depends on your state” is the only accurate answer. For the wider view of the field and the degree levels available, start with the Online Elementary Education Degrees Guide.
Step-by-step: how to become an elementary school teacher
Step 1: Earn a bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree is the floor for public school teaching in every state. Two routes get you there:
- A bachelor’s in elementary education. The most direct route. These programs bundle the degree and the state-approved educator preparation coursework together, so you graduate eligible to apply for licensure. See the bachelor’s in elementary education guide.
- A bachelor’s in another subject plus a preparation program. If you already hold or are pursuing a degree in something else, you complete a separate state-approved educator preparation program – as a post-baccalaureate certificate, a master’s with licensure, or an alternative-route program.
Elementary licensure is usually written as a grade band rather than a subject, commonly K-6, 1-6, or K-8 depending on the state. Because elementary teachers teach all core subjects, the coursework covers reading and literacy instruction, mathematics methods, science and social studies methods, child development, classroom management, and instruction for students with disabilities and multilingual learners.
Step 2: Complete a state-approved educator preparation program
This is the requirement people most often miss. A degree in education does not automatically make you licensable – the program has to be approved by the state where you intend to teach, or the state has to accept it through a reciprocity agreement. Before you enroll, confirm two things directly with the program: that it leads to initial licensure, and which states it is approved in or has approval agreements with.
Online and hybrid programs can and do lead to licensure, but the supervised field components happen in person in real classrooms. Verify how a program arranges placements in your area before you commit; see online elementary education program formats.
Step 3: Complete supervised student teaching
Every state requires a period of supervised clinical practice, usually called student teaching or a clinical internship. You are placed in a classroom with a mentor teacher and gradually take over planning and instruction while a university supervisor observes and evaluates you.
The length varies by state and program but a full semester of full-time teaching is typical, often preceded by earlier field-experience hours. This is a full-time, unpaid-in-most-states commitment, which matters for planning: it is difficult to hold a full-time job during your student teaching term. Some states allow paid residency or apprenticeship models that substitute for traditional student teaching – ask whether your state does.
Step 4: Pass your state’s required licensure exams
Almost every state requires standardized exams before it issues an initial license. Which ones depend entirely on the state:
- Praxis tests (administered by ETS) are used by a majority of states. Elementary candidates commonly take a basic-skills test such as Praxis Core and a content test such as Praxis Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects, and many states add a Teaching Reading test.
- State-specific exam systems are used elsewhere. Texas uses the TExES series, California uses the CBEST and CSET, New York uses the NYSTCE, Michigan uses the MTTC, and several other states run their own programs.
- Performance assessments such as edTPA are required by some states in addition to the multiple-choice exams. These require you to submit video of your teaching along with written commentary and student work samples.
Passing scores differ by state even when the exam is the same, so check the cut score published by the board or department of education you are applying to, not the national average.
Step 5: Clear a background check and apply for your license
States require fingerprinting and a criminal background check, usually through both state and federal databases. You then submit the license application itself, which typically asks for official transcripts, your preparation program’s recommendation, exam score reports, and an application fee.
What you receive is an initial or provisional license, and it is time-limited. Most states require you to convert it to a professional or continuing license within a set number of years by completing induction or mentoring, additional coursework, or in some states a master’s degree. New York, for example, requires a master’s degree to move from the initial to the professional certificate. Renewal thereafter runs on a cycle of continuing education or professional development hours.
Step 6: Get hired into your first classroom
With a license in hand you apply to districts. Hiring is district-level and seasonal, concentrated in spring and late summer for the following school year. Districts commonly ask for a demonstration lesson as part of the interview. First-year teachers in most states enter a formal induction or mentoring program, which is often also a condition of advancing the license.
One important exception to everything above: private and independent schools are not bound by state licensure rules. Many hire teachers with a bachelor’s degree in a subject area and no state credential. Charter schools vary – some states exempt them from licensure requirements, others do not.
What degree do you need to be an elementary school teacher?
A bachelor’s degree is required, and a bachelor’s is enough to earn an initial license and start teaching. The most efficient version is a bachelor’s degree in elementary education that includes the state-approved preparation program, so you finish the degree and the licensure coursework at once.
A master’s in elementary education serves two different purposes. For career changers who already hold a bachelor’s in another field, a master’s with initial licensure is a common entry route. For teachers already in the classroom, a master’s is how many states satisfy the requirement to advance from an initial to a professional license, and it is how most districts move you up the salary schedule. It is not a prerequisite for entering the profession in most states.
An associate degree does not qualify you to teach elementary school. It can be a first step toward the bachelor’s, or it can qualify you for a paraprofessional or teaching assistant role in a classroom while you finish the degree.
For the full range of roles these degrees open, see what you can do with an elementary education degree.
How much do elementary school teachers make?
Elementary school teachers, except special education, had a median annual wage of $63,970 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median). That is the midpoint of the national distribution – half of elementary teachers earned more and half earned less.
View the data behind this chart
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,960 |
| 25th percentile | $57,710 |
| Median | $63,970 |
| 75th percentile | $81,450 |
| 90th percentile | $104,340 |
View the data behind this chart
| State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Washington | $102,350 |
| California | $99,650 |
| District of Columbia | $96,580 |
| Massachusetts | $94,000 |
| Rhode Island | $90,930 |
| New York | $85,760 |
| Connecticut | $80,600 |
| Alaska | $79,260 |
Two other figures give useful context. Kindergarten teachers, except special education, had a median annual wage of $62,680, and special education teachers at the kindergarten and elementary level had a median annual wage of $65,120 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians). Teaching assistants, the role many people hold while completing a degree, had a median annual wage of $43,350.
Public school pay is set by district salary schedules that pay on years of experience and degree level rather than by individual negotiation, so your actual salary depends heavily on which district hires you and what credentials you bring. Most schedules pay a defined premium for a master’s degree. To weigh the cost of the degree against these figures, see is an elementary education degree worth it.
How long does it take to become an elementary school teacher?
For a student starting from scratch, four years is the standard answer: a four-year bachelor’s degree that includes the preparation program and the student teaching semester, with exams taken during the final year and the license application processed over the following weeks to months. Licensing agencies commonly take several weeks to a few months to process an application, so build that into your timeline before your first fall hiring season.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, plan on roughly one to two additional years. A post-baccalaureate licensure certificate can run about a year; a master’s with initial licensure typically runs one and a half to two years. Alternative-route programs in some states let you begin teaching on a provisional credential while you complete requirements, which shortens the time to a paycheck but not the time to full licensure.
These are ranges, not promises. Part-time enrollment, the availability of a student teaching placement, exam retakes, and state processing times all move the date.
Frequently asked questions
What degree do you need to be an elementary school teacher?
A bachelor’s degree, paired with a state-approved educator preparation program. The most direct route is a bachelor’s in elementary education that includes the preparation program. If your bachelor’s is in another field, you complete the preparation program separately through a post-baccalaureate certificate, a master’s with licensure, or an alternative-route program.
How long does it take to become an elementary school teacher?
About four years from a standing start, which covers the bachelor’s degree, the preparation coursework, and the supervised student teaching term, plus a few weeks to a few months for exams and license processing. If you already hold a bachelor’s in another field, expect roughly one to two more years.
How much do elementary school teachers make?
Elementary school teachers, except special education, had a median annual wage of $63,970 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national median). Public school pay follows district salary schedules keyed to experience and degree level, so what you earn depends on the district and on the credentials you hold.
Do you need a degree to be an elementary school teacher?
For public school teaching, yes – a bachelor’s degree is required in every state, with no exception. Private and independent schools set their own hiring standards and many do not require a state teaching license, though a bachelor’s degree is still the practical expectation. There is no route into a public elementary classroom as the teacher of record without a degree.
Do you need a license to teach elementary school?
In public schools, yes. The license is issued by the state, not by your college, and it is separate from your degree. Private schools generally do not require it, and charter school requirements vary by state.
Can you get an elementary teaching license online?
You can complete the coursework online, but not the whole credential. Supervised student teaching happens in a physical classroom, and the license itself is issued by a state agency after you pass its exams and background check. Confirm before enrolling that the online program is approved for licensure in the state where you plan to teach.
Related guides
- Online Elementary Education Degrees Guide – the field overview and degree levels
- Bachelor’s in Elementary Education – the degree that leads to initial licensure
- Master’s in Elementary Education – for career changers and license advancement
- What Can You Do With an Elementary Education Degree? – roles inside and outside the classroom
- How to Become a Special Education Teacher – the licensure path for the special education endorsement
- How to Become a Preschool Teacher – the earlier grade band, with very different requirements
Wage figures on this page are national medians from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Licensure requirements, exams, and cut scores are set by individual states and change; confirm current rules with the department of education or professional standards board in the state where you intend to teach.
Data verified: August 12, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
Back to Online Elementary Education Degrees Guide: Levels and Licensure