How to Become an Elementary School Teacher

Short answer

• To become an elementary school teacher in a public school in the United States, you generally need a bachelor's degree, completion of an approved teacher preparation program that includes supervised student teaching, passing scores on your state's required licensure exams, and a state-issued teaching license or certificate for elementary education. The exact exams, coursework, and application steps vary by state, so your state's education agency is the final authority on what applies to you. For a full-time student, the whole path commonly takes about four years, though alternative routes, part-time study, and extra endorsements can change that timeline.

By Emma Hudson

What an Elementary School Teacher Does

Elementary school teachers instruct young students in basic subjects to prepare them for future schooling, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In practice, that usually means teaching one class of children several subjects across the school day, including reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. Some schools use team teaching, where two or more teachers share responsibility for a group of students in at least one subject.

The work goes beyond delivering lessons. Elementary teachers plan units and daily lessons, adapt materials for students at different reading and skill levels, assess progress, manage classroom behavior, communicate with families, and coordinate with other school staff. They generally work during school hours when students are present and use evenings and weekends for lesson preparation and grading. Most do not work during the summer, although many use that time for professional development, curriculum planning, or summer school work.

If you are drawn to the classroom itself rather than only the credential, it helps to read about what good teaching looks like in practice. Our companion guide to the qualities of a good teacher covers patience, clarity, consistency, and the habits that help young learners thrive. Keep that picture in mind as you work through the formal steps below, because licensure gets you into the classroom, while teaching skill is what keeps students learning once you are there.

The Standard Route at a Glance

For most people, the route to an elementary classroom follows five milestones:

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree, usually in elementary education or a closely related field.
2. Complete an approved teacher preparation program, which is often built into that degree.
3. Complete supervised student teaching in a real elementary classroom.
4. Pass the licensure exams your state requires.
5. Apply for, and receive, a state teaching license or certificate in elementary education.

Private schools set their own hiring rules in many states, and their requirements may differ from the public school route described here. This article focuses on the public school path, which is the route most prospective elementary teachers follow and the one state licensure governs most directly.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree is the typical entry-level education for kindergarten and elementary school teachers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public school teachers must also hold a state-issued certification or license. The degree and the license are two separate requirements, and you need both.

Most aspiring elementary teachers major in elementary education. That major is designed to cover both subject content and teaching methods for the early grades. Other common starting points include early childhood education, child development, or a liberal arts degree paired with a teacher preparation program. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you do not necessarily have to start over; alternative routes, covered later in this article, are built for career changers.

When you compare degree programs, look for these features:

• State approval. The program should be approved by the state where you plan to teach, because approval is what connects the degree to licensure eligibility.
• Elementary grade coverage. Check which grade span the program prepares you for, since elementary licenses are often defined by grade bands that differ by state.
• Built-in field experience. Strong programs move you from classroom observation to supervised teaching gradually, rather than leaving all practical experience to the final term.
• Reading and mathematics preparation. Elementary teachers teach foundational literacy and numeracy, so coursework in how children learn to read and how to teach early mathematics matters more than a general survey of the subjects.
• Support for licensure exams. Ask how the program prepares candidates for the state’s required assessments and what its candidates’ pass rates look like.

A bachelor’s degree in elementary education is commonly described as a four-year program for a full-time student. Treat that as a planning estimate, not a promise. Transfer credit, part-time enrollment, additional endorsements, and program sequencing can all lengthen or shorten the timeline. If you are weighing degree options, our guide to the bachelor of teaching degree explains how teaching degrees are structured and what to look for when comparing programs.

Step 2: Complete an Approved Teacher Preparation Program

A teacher preparation program teaches you how to teach, not only what to teach. Coursework typically covers child development, curriculum planning and lesson design, classroom management, assessment, and ways to adapt instruction for students at different levels, including students with disabilities and students learning English. Some programs also include educational technology and family engagement.

Programs are approved at the state level, and states do not all recognize the same programs. A program approved in one state may not automatically qualify you for licensure in another. That is why the practical advice repeats so often in this field: confirm with your state’s education agency that the program you choose is recognized there before you enroll, especially if you plan to move after graduation.

Some teacher preparation programs carry accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP accreditation signals that a program has met national quality standards, but it is not a universal licensing requirement in every state. State approval is the requirement that matters for licensure; national accreditation is an additional quality signal worth noting, not a substitute for state approval.

If you are still deciding whether teaching is the right career, it is worth reading a broader overview first. Our guide on how do you become a teacher sets out the general teaching route across grade levels, while this article focuses on the elementary-specific steps, exams, and grade-span licenses.

Step 3: Complete Student Teaching

Student teaching is the supervised classroom placement that sits at the heart of most teacher preparation programs. You are placed in a real elementary classroom under the guidance of an experienced mentor teacher, and you gradually take on full teaching responsibility: planning lessons, delivering instruction, managing the classroom, assessing student work, and communicating with families.

Student teaching is typically completed in the final semester or final year of a preparation program, and it is a requirement for licensure in most states. The length of the placement varies by program and state, so do not rely on a single number you read online. What matters for your planning is that student teaching is a full-time commitment during the placement period, which makes paid work alongside it difficult. Budget and schedule for that term accordingly.

Treat student teaching as a job interview that lasts a whole term. Mentor teachers and school administrators observe your practice, and their recommendations carry weight when you apply for jobs. Practical habits that help include arriving prepared, asking for feedback early and acting on it, keeping careful records of student progress, and building professional relationships with the whole school team, not only your mentor.

Classroom setup is part of that professional practice too. The physical arrangement of a room affects how young students focus, move, and collaborate, which is why our guide to how classroom layout affects student learning is a useful companion read before your placement begins.

Step 4: Pass Your State’s Licensure Exams

Most states require prospective teachers to pass one or more licensure assessments before a license is issued. These assessments generally cover basic academic skills, elementary subject content, and teaching knowledge. The exact combination depends on the state, the license type, and the pathway you followed.

Some states use the Praxis series of tests, produced by ETS. Others use state-specific assessments, and some accept alternative evidence, such as a qualifying college entrance exam score, a grade point average threshold, or completion of an approved program, in place of one or more tests. Because of that variation, no single exam list applies nationally. The reliable sequence is: identify the license you want, check your state education agency’s current assessment list for that license, and then prepare for exactly those tests.

A few preparation tips apply regardless of which exams your state uses:

• Start early. Find out which exams are required when you enter your preparation program, not in your final semester, so you can space preparation across your coursework.
• Use official preparation materials where they exist, and practice under timed conditions.
• If you do not pass on the first attempt, check your state’s retake rules and waiting periods before rebooking, and use your score report to target the weakest areas.
• Keep copies of your score reports. Districts and licensing agencies may ask for them during hiring or license application.

Be cautious about advice that names one exam as universal. It is not. State requirements change, and the only list that governs your application is the one published by your state’s licensing authority at the time you apply.

Step 5: Apply for Your State Teaching License

Once you have completed your degree, your preparation program, student teaching, and required exams, you apply to your state’s education agency or licensing board for a teaching license or certificate in elementary education. The application commonly requires official transcripts, proof of program completion, exam score reports, an application fee, and a background check. Processing times vary, so apply as early as your state allows and keep copies of everything you submit.

Licenses are usually issued for a specific grade span and subject area, so make sure your application matches the elementary license you trained for. Some states issue an initial or provisional license first, with a move to a professional or continuing license after a period of successful teaching and additional requirements, such as mentoring, professional development, or further coursework. Renewal rules, including continuing education and professional development hours, also vary by state and license type.

Because teachers work with children, expect a criminal background check as part of the licensing process. Requirements and procedures differ by state, and a background check is also commonly repeated by hiring school districts. If you have any concern about your record, check your state agency’s guidance early rather than discovering an issue at the application stage.

The U.S. Department of Education maintains a directory of state education agencies, which is a useful starting point if you are unsure which agency handles licensure in your state. From there, follow the link to your state’s licensing office and work from its current published requirements.

Alternative Routes for Career Changers

If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, alternative routes to licensure exist in many states. These routes are designed for people who did not major in education and typically combine teaching coursework, supervised classroom experience, and the state’s required exams, sometimes while you are already working in a school under a provisional or alternative license.

Alternative routes differ widely in structure, eligibility, and length. Some are run by universities, some by school districts, and some by state-approved alternative programs. Some allow you to teach while completing requirements; others require coursework first. None of these details is uniform nationally, so compare routes only within the state where you plan to teach, and confirm that any route you consider leads to the full elementary license you want, not only a temporary permit.

A related question career changers often ask is whether a master’s degree helps. A master’s degree in education or in elementary teaching can serve as the vehicle for an alternative route, and it may support later salary advancement or specialist roles. It is not, however, a universal requirement for an initial elementary license, and most states require only a bachelor’s degree plus an approved preparation program for entry. Weigh a master’s degree on its cost, its fit with your state’s route, and your longer-term goals, not on the assumption that it is required.

How Long Does It All Take?

For a full-time student starting from scratch, the traditional route commonly takes about four years: a bachelor’s degree with an embedded teacher preparation program and student teaching, followed by licensure exams and application. That figure is a planning estimate drawn from how degree programs are structured, not a guarantee.

Timelines stretch when study is part time, when a student changes major, when exams need retaking, or when additional endorsements are added. Timelines can also stretch if you move states mid-route and need extra coursework or exams to meet the new state’s rules. Alternative routes for degree holders vary more widely, from about one year to several years depending on the program’s design and whether you teach while completing requirements.

Build buffer time into your plan around student teaching and licensure processing. Those two stages are the most common sources of delay, and both sit at the end of the route, where a delay has the most visible effect on a job search.

What Elementary Teachers Earn and What the Job Outlook Looks Like

Pay figures for teachers vary substantially by state and school district, and by experience, education level, and local salary schedules. Any national figure should therefore be read as a benchmark, not a prediction for a particular job.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of 63,970 dollars for elementary school teachers, except special education, in May 2025, and 63,820 dollars for kindergarten and elementary school teachers combined in 2025. The same source reported 62,680 dollars for kindergarten teachers, except special education, in May 2025. These are national medians from a single year, and actual salaries in a given district may sit well above or below them.

On employment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects little or no change in overall employment of kindergarten and elementary school teachers from 2025 to 2035, while projecting about 99,400 openings per year on average over that decade, mostly from the need to replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force, for example to retire. In plain terms, the field is not projected to grow much in total size, but hiring continues steadily as vacancies open. Prospects in a particular state or district will depend on local enrollment, budgets, and retirements, so local district data matters more than the national projection when you choose where to apply.

Searching for Your First Elementary Teaching Job

Start your job search before your license is finalized, but be clear with employers about exactly where you stand in the process. Districts hire on school-year cycles, and many post openings in spring for the following school year, with additional openings appearing over the summer as enrollments and staffing settle. Substitute teaching, paraprofessional work, or after-school roles in a district can build local relationships and classroom familiarity while you finish requirements, though they do not replace licensure.

A strong application for a first elementary position typically includes:

• A resume that names your license area, grade-span preparation, student teaching placement, and any additional endorsements.
• A cover letter that connects your preparation to the specific school and grade level, rather than sending the same letter everywhere.
• A portfolio or set of sample materials, such as lesson plans, student work samples with names removed, and evidence of how you assessed learning, if the district invites one.
• References from your mentor teacher, university supervisor, and any other educator who observed your teaching directly.
• Readiness to teach a sample lesson or answer scenario questions about classroom management, differentiation, and family communication.

During interviews, schools are listening for more than subject knowledge. They want to hear how you plan a week of instruction, how you respond when a lesson fails, how you support a struggling reader, and how you work with colleagues and families. Concrete examples from student teaching answer those questions better than general statements about loving children.

Classroom Reality in the First Year

New elementary teachers often find the first year harder than the coursework suggested, and that is normal. The workload includes planning across several subjects, grading, family communication, meetings, and paperwork, on top of the teaching day itself. Young students also need consistent routines, clear expectations, and patient redirection, and building those routines takes weeks of steady work at the start of the school year.

Several habits help new teachers through that first year:

• Plan in weekly blocks, not day by day, so a disrupted day does not derail the whole week.
• Build routines early and reteach them calmly after breaks, rather than assuming students remember.
• Keep assessment simple and frequent: short checks that tell you who understood the lesson and who needs another approach.
• Ask for help early. Mentor teachers, grade-level colleagues, and instructional coaches exist for exactly this reason, and asking is a professional strength, not a weakness.
• Protect time outside school for rest. Sustainable teaching depends on recovery, and burnout helps no student.

Growth after the first year is continuous. Our guide on how to be a better teacher covers reflection, feedback, and the small adjustments that compound into stronger practice over time. It is a useful read once you have your own classroom and a term of experience to reflect on.

Specializing and Advancing Later

Once you hold a license and classroom experience, several directions open up. You can add endorsements, for example in special education, English as a second language, or reading, depending on what your state offers and what your district needs. You can move into specialist or coaching roles, such as literacy coach or instructional coach, or into school leadership, which usually requires additional preparation and a separate administrator license.

One widely recognized advanced credential is National Board Certification, offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. It is a voluntary, performance-based certification for experienced teachers, built around standards for accomplished teaching practice and assessed through four components covering content knowledge, differentiation in instruction, teaching practice and learning environment, and effective and reflective practice. It is not an initial license and it does not replace state licensure. Some states and districts connect it to salary incentives, license renewal, or advanced license tiers, but those connections vary by state, so check your state’s current policy before pursuing it. Most candidates pursue it after gaining classroom experience, not at the start of their careers.

A master’s degree can also support advancement, whether in curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, special education, or a subject area. As with initial licensure, the value of a particular degree depends on your state’s rules, your district’s salary schedule, and the role you want next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming one state’s rules apply everywhere. Licensure is state-specific. Always verify requirements with the state where you will teach.
• Choosing a program before checking state approval. An unapproved program may leave you unable to obtain a license in that state.
• Leaving exams to the final semester. Late exam results can delay a license and a job start.
• Treating student teaching as a formality. It is the most closely observed part of your preparation and the source of your strongest references.
• Comparing salaries across states without context. Cost of living, salary schedules, and benefits differ, so a national median is a starting point, not a comparison tool.
• Overlooking renewal. Licenses expire and renew under rules that change, so track your renewal requirements from the year you are first licensed.

Choosing Where to Teach

Location shapes much of the experience: salary schedules, class sizes, grade configurations, support for new teachers, and the cost of living all vary by district. When you compare districts, look beyond the headline salary. Ask about mentoring for new teachers, planning time, class size averages, professional development, and how the district supports teachers working with students who need additional help. Visit schools where possible, talk to teachers working there, and read the district’s published staffing and salary information rather than relying on general claims.

If you are open to more than one state, compare licensure transfer rules early. Some states have reciprocity arrangements that recognize out-of-state licenses, sometimes with additional requirements such as extra coursework or exams. Reciprocity is not automatic or uniform, and the details change, so confirm the current arrangement with the receiving state’s licensing authority before you commit to a move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a degree in elementary education specifically?

In most states, the standard route is a bachelor’s degree plus an approved teacher preparation program, and an elementary education major is the most direct way to satisfy both. Degrees in related fields can also work when paired with an approved preparation program, and alternative routes exist for degree holders in other fields. The deciding factor is whether your combination of degree and program qualifies you for licensure in your state.

How long does it take to become an elementary school teacher?

For a full-time student, the traditional route commonly takes about four years. Part-time study, alternative routes, exam retakes, additional endorsements, and moving states can extend that timeline. Plan around student teaching and license processing, which are the stages most likely to cause delays.

Do elementary teachers need a license in every state?

Public school elementary teachers must hold a state-issued certification or license, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Private school requirements differ and are set by the school or, in some cases, the state. If you plan to teach in a public school, licensure is part of the path in every state, even though the specific requirements vary.

What exams do I need to pass?

It depends on your state. Some states use the Praxis series, others use state-specific assessments, and some accept alternative evidence for certain requirements. Check your state education agency’s current assessment list for the elementary license you want, and prepare for exactly those assessments.

Can I become an elementary teacher if my degree is in another subject?

Yes, in many states, through an alternative route to licensure. These routes combine teaching coursework, supervised classroom experience, and required exams, and their structure and eligibility rules vary by state. Confirm that the route you choose leads to a full elementary license in the state where you plan to teach.

Is student teaching paid?

Generally, student teaching is an unpaid, full-time placement completed as part of a teacher preparation program. Some alternative routes place candidates in paid teaching roles while they complete requirements, but that arrangement depends on the specific program and state rules. Check the terms of any program you consider before enrolling.

What is the difference between certification and licensure?

The two words are often used interchangeably, and usage varies by state. Some states issue a license, others a certificate, and some use both terms for different tiers of credential. What matters is holding the state-issued credential that authorizes you to teach elementary grades in a public school in that state.

Do I need a master’s degree to teach elementary school?

No, not for an initial license in most states. A bachelor’s degree plus an approved preparation program is the standard entry route. A master’s degree may support alternative routes, salary advancement, or specialist roles, but it is not generally required to start teaching.

What if I want to teach in a different state from where I trained?

Check the new state’s licensure and reciprocity rules before you move. Some states recognize out-of-state licenses with additional requirements, while others require extra coursework or exams. Your preparation program’s state approval does not automatically transfer, so verify the new state’s requirements with its licensing authority.

Is National Board Certification the same as a teaching license?

No. National Board Certification is a voluntary advanced credential for experienced teachers, offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. It recognizes accomplished teaching practice and may connect to salary incentives or license renewal in some states, but it does not replace a state teaching license.

Sources & references

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers." Typical entry-level education, public school licensure requirement, median pay figures for May 2025, employment and openings projections for 2025 to 2035. Opened 4 November 2026. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers.htm
• U.S. Department of Education, "State Contacts" directory of state education agencies. Starting point for locating the licensing authority in each state. Opened 4 November 2026. https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html
• National Conference of State Legislatures, "A Legislators' Guide to Board Certification for Teachers." National Board Certification as a voluntary advanced credential, its four assessment components, and state-by-state connections to licensure, renewal, and compensation. Opened 4 November 2026. https://www.ncsl.org/education/a-legislators-guide-to-board-certification-for-teachers