How to Become a Teacher in Pennsylvania

Teaching is more important than ever. In fact, there are at least 55,000 teacher positions open nationwide, in addition to 270,000 underqualified positions, according to a study conducted by Brown University.

To combat the teacher shortage, the U.S. Department of Education is aiming to improve working conditions and compensation for teachers and make the process of becoming a teacher easier.

So, how can you get started on this career path if you live in the Keystone State? To become a teacher in Pennsylvania, all you need is a bachelor's degree to start your journey to becoming a teacher. From there, you can pursue student teaching opportunities and teacher certifications.

4 Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Pennsylvania

Becoming a teacher starts with at least a bachelor's degree in the subject you want to teach. In the end, you'll also need to take a teacher certification for your subject of choice and grade level.

1. Earn Your Bachelor's Degree

In Pennsylvania, it's required to earn a bachelor's degree to become a teacher. And the good news? You don't necessarily need to major in education — if you know what subject you'd like to teach, you can pursue a bachelor's in that subject.

A few common degrees include:

• Mathematics
• Biology
• English
• Chemistry
• Spanish and other non-English language degrees

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) lists all approved certification programs and what colleges offer compatible teaching degrees.

If you've already earned your bachelor's degree, you can become a teacher through either an intern program or go on to earn your master's degree or post-baccalaureate.

The intern route does not require student teaching experience and awards an Intern Certificate valid for three years before the final teaching certificate.

2. Gain Student Teaching Experience

You are required to have at least 12 weeks of supervised teaching experience and must commit to teaching at a Pennsylvania school for three years, according to the PDE. You can also substitute teach for up to 10 days for a professional or 20 days if you've had at least one satisfactory observation.

Up to 50% of student teaching can be done in a remote learning environment.

Starting fall 2024, the state will pay student teachers, making it one of at least five states to do so. The PA Student Teacher Support Program will pay student teachers a $10,000 stipend and an additional $5,000 for student teachers working in high-need areas or have a high rate of open positions.

However, awardees who don't complete the three-year commitment may have to repay the awards.

Applications open in April 2024.

3. Take Required Certification Tests

People who complete an approved post-baccalaureate certification program or have a graduate-level degree are not required to take the basic skills assessments.

Through the traditional route, you'll have to take several standardized tests:

• ACT/SAT
• CORE Academic
• PAPA through Pearson
• PPST (Praxis I)

Afterward, you'll be required to take certification tests relating to your degree. Tests vary by subject and grades you want to teach for. To learn more about which tests you need, you can find a full list here.

4. Apply for Certification

Applicants will need a credit card, their social security number, and additional documents after submitting their application. The PDE recommends using Microsoft Edge or Firefox web browsers.

Apply through the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) on the PDE website. After registering and logging in to TIMS, you can apply through the dashboard.

An application is considered complete when the PDE receives all necessary documents and has the "awaiting evaluation" status. You will receive an email once your application is approved.

What's the Career Outlook and Salary for Teachers in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has experienced record-high teacher turnover rates, leaving the state in need of teachers. From 2021-22 to 2022-23 there was a 1.5% increase in teacher attrition, according to a study by Pennsylvania State University's Center for Education. The Commonwealth experienced the largest number of teachers leaving their positions on record at 7.7%, 9,587 total.

The attrition rate was even greater for minority groups, as almost one in every five Black male teachers left the Pennsylvania teaching field in 2023. Black female teachers and Hispanic and multi-racial males all had attrition rates higher than 15%.

In terms of salary expectations, Pennsylvania pays its school district teachers an average of $71,741 per year, while charter school teachers make less, at $58,497, according to OpenPAGov. This is roughly aligned with the yearly average for teachers across the nation — BestColleges found that teachers made an average of $66,397 per year in 2021-22.

If you want to increase your earning potential, consider earning an advanced degree. BestColleges found that teachers who earned advanced degrees and certificates boosted their salaries by 27%. And as of 2021, teachers with a doctoral degree earned a base salary of over $71,000 a year.

Frequently Asked Questions About Teacher Certification in PA

Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed March 18, 2024.