Career Information: Teacher (page 2)

How do you get ready?  

All teachers in public schools must have a teaching certificate, which is a license to teach. Some teachers are licensed to teach preschool through grade 3. Others are licensed to teach grades 1 through 6 or 8. Some are licensed to teach middle school or high school. Some have a license to teach a special subject.

You must have a college degree to be a teacher, unless you are teaching a job skill like how to fix cars. You must take classes in education and practice teaching with the help of an experienced teacher.

To be a teacher, you must pass tests in reading, writing, and other subjects. And you have to keep learning. In some States, you have to get a master's degree. You also need computer training in some States.

Teachers must be able to talk to children and be good leaders. The students must trust them. Teachers must be able to make students want to learn. They also should be organized, dependable, patient, and creative.

How much does this job pay?  

The middle half of all kindergarten school teachers earned between $34,880 and $56,370 a year in 2006. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $28,590. The highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $71,410 a year.

The middle half of all elementary school teachers earned between $36,680 and $58,170 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $30,370 and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $72,720 a year.

The middle half of all high school teachers earned between $38,360 and $61,090 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $31,760 and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $76,100 a year.

Some teachers earn extra money during the summer by doing other jobs.

How many jobs are there?

There were 4 million jobs for teachers in 2006. There are more elementary school teachers than any other kind. The next biggest kind is high-school teachers.

Every State has teachers for its schools, and private schools also hire teachers.

What about the future?    

Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the place where they live and the subject they teach. Some schools are having trouble finding enough teachers, especially in cities. Today, many schools are looking for math and science teachers and teachers who speak a foreign language and who can teach English as a second language.

The number of jobs for teachers is expected to increase about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2016. Many teachers will retire, creating many other job openings.

Are there other jobs like this?    

• Coaches
• Counselors
• Education administrators
• Employment interviewers
• Librarians
• Public relations specialists
• Social workers
• Teachers—postsecondary
• Teachers—special education

Where can you find more information?    

More BLS information about teachers—preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job.