How to Become a Teacher in Iowa

Several of Iowa’s metropolitan areas, including Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, rank among the best places in the U.S. for teachers. Iowa is dedicated to helping its educators with an official state website of career listings.

Employment opportunities for teachers in Iowa are estimated to grow 8% from 2014 to 2024. The median Iowa teacher’s salary is $58,150 as of 2022.

To earn an Iowa teaching certificate, candidates must first complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. Iowa then offers two paths to becoming a teacher.

The traditional path requires coursework and 14 weeks of student teaching in Iowa. There are in-person and online colleges in Iowa to earn an initial teaching license.

For those with a degree in a teaching field, the alternative pathway requires only 12-18 credits of teaching coursework to earn an intern license. After one year of teaching in Iowa full-time and a few more credits, these educators can receive a full teacher’s license.

An Iowa teaching certification allows graduates to teach in the certified subject area(s) at the specified education level. For example, a teacher may be certified for general primary education or mathematics for secondary education.

Types of educator certifications in Iowa include an intern teaching license, an initial teaching license, a standard teaching license, and a master educator teaching license.

Newly licensed educators receive an initial teaching license. The standard teaching license is granted after two years of teaching in Iowa at a public school or three years at an accredited private school or out-of-state.

Iowa offers a regional exchange teaching license for out-of-state educators.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution to get a teaching certificate in Iowa. There are then two pathways to earning a teaching license in Iowa.

The traditional path requires attendance at an approved teacher preparation program and a 14-week teaching internship. Many of these programs require students to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 or 2.75.

The other path is open to students with a degree in a field of education. This requires 12-18 credits of additional coursework before an intern teaching license is granted.

Some bachelor’s degree programs include teacher licensure. Specialization options include education degrees in art, mathematics, social studies, science, and special education.

The minimum education requirements for a standard Iowa teaching license include:

For standard teacher education programs, 14 weeks of student teaching is required. This is usually completed in the final semester of the teacher education program.

Iowa prefers educators to gain student teaching experience in the relevant subject area. Additional experience to understand Iowa’s model educator system is useful but not required.

For students with an intern teacher license, one year working as a full-time teacher is required to earn a standard teaching license.

In addition, some colleges require relevant field experience to enter a teacher education program. The University of Iowa, for example, requires 10 hours of relevant field experience.

To earn a teaching license in Iowa, candidates must complete an approved program for the endorsement they plan to teach. There are more than 100 endorsements available in Iowa.

Endorsements are grade and subject-specific. For example, one endorsement is middle school math, while another is grades 5-12 science.

Candidates for Iowa teaching licenses are required to pass at least two exams: a Praxis® pedagogy exam and subject-specific Praxis® exams. Teachers may earn endorsements in more than more subjects if they meet the endorsement requirements.

To apply for certification in Iowa, educators must fill out an online application form with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BoEE). The application fee is $40. Applicants must answer questions and upload educational transcripts. The BoEE provides detailed instructions on the process.

In addition, all teachers in Iowa must pass a background check and pay a $75 background check fee. Mandatory reporter training is required every three years. It is available online.

The online application can be completed in under an hour. Processing times can take up to six weeks or longer.

Educators in Iowa must maintain an active, valid certification. A valid, active Iowa teaching license allows educators to teach. An educator that has met all requirements, but whose license is expired cannot teach.

To renew an initial teaching license or expired license, educators must complete the application for conversion from an initial to a standard license. The same form is used for each subsequent renewal application. The renewal fee is $85.

All teachers must meet the licensure renewal requirements for continuing education credits. A standard teaching license renewal requires six credits. Credits must be relevant to license or endorsement areas.

After five years of teaching, educators may apply for a master’s teaching license through the same webpage.

Individuals in teaching careers are in demand in Iowa. Licensed teaching professionals can search for jobs on the Iowa government website.

To further meet the demand for teachers, Iowa has created a fast-track program and a program for military personnel to become teachers. The state government maintains a list of areas of teacher shortages, which is updated annually.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean salary for elementary and secondary teachers in Iowa is $55,970. For college and university teachers, the mean salary is $86,640.

Job opportunities for high school teachers are projected to grow 8% from 2020-30. Postsecondary teacher positions are projected to grow 12% during the same time frame, according to the BLS.

A master’s degree in education opens the possibility of a significant salary increase for education careers in Iowa. Many community colleges and some 4-year institutions will accept a master’s degree with experience for professor positions.

Earth Science Teacher (Grades 5-12)

Earth science is geoscience related to the earth. It encompasses biology, chemistry, and physical structures related to the earth’s spheres. The curriculum covers the earth’s oceans, geology, and nature.

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Early Childhood Education Teacher

Early childhood education encompasses the years from birth to eight years old. The early years of education lay the foundation for lifelong academic and social growth. Early childhood educators focus on children’s physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and language development.

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World Language Teacher

Language teachers help students to write, speak, and understand a foreign language. They also introduce students to the culture and literature of the language. There is currently a demand for teachers of all world languages in Iowa.

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Deaf or Hard of Hearing Educator

Educators for deaf or hard of hearing students must demonstrate fluency in American Sign Language. Some positions require educators to move with students to classes, while other positions offer a full-time classroom.

Median Annual Salary: $61,500

Social Studies Teacher (all levels)

Social studies teachers present a curriculum that studies the world’s societies. In Iowa, this includes immigration and migration, world religions and cultures, U.S. government, economics, U.S. and world history.

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