How long is your Mississippi teaching license valid?

The standard teaching license in Mississippi is valid for five years. While there are multiple classes of teaching licenses in Mississippi, including more advanced licenses for those with higher credentials, they are typically all valid for five years before needing renewal.

Can you teach in Mississippi without a teaching degree?

To earn a standard teaching license in Mississippi, you will need a teaching degree, although an alternative route to licensure does not require one. However, to earn a teaching license in the alternative route, you must hold an advanced degree in another field, such as an MBA or a doctorate. You also may be able to teach at a Mississippi private school without a teaching degree.

How to Become a Teacher in Mississippi

Updated on June 21, 2024

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Want to start teaching in Mississippi? Read on to discover everything from qualifications to job opportunities for future Mississippi teachers.

If you’ve ever had a favorite teacher, you know what impact educators can have on students. And if you’re living in the Magnolia State and hoping to become a teacher, you might be wondering where to begin.

You’ll need a few things for your Mississippi teaching career. In addition to earning a relevant bachelor’s degree, you’ll need to earn licensure and find a teaching job. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a teacher in Mississippi.

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How Do You Become a Teacher in Mississippi?

There are a few steps to earning a Mississippi teaching license, starting with education. Here are the steps you can take to start teaching in Mississippi:

1. Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree

You’ll typically need a bachelor’s degree in education to become licensed to teach in Mississippi. Many teachers earn their bachelor’s degree in education to learn the pedagogical foundation that can help them be more impactful teachers.

With that in mind, you can also get a degree in the subject you hope to teach, such as history, math, or biology, and earn education credentials in a state-approved teacher preparation program. This can be especially beneficial if you hope to teach at the high school level.

2. Gain Student Teaching Experience

In your teacher preparation program, you’ll gain real-world classroom experience as a student teacher in a school near the college while you study. During this experience, you’ll work directly with students and receive feedback from a mentor to help you improve your teaching and lesson planning skills.

3. Take Required Certification Tests

After completing a student teaching experience and graduating from a teacher education program, you must pass a series of assessment exams. These exams measure your preparedness for teaching. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) currently requires aspiring teachers to take three exams:

Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching, grade-level specific
Praxis II Content Area
Foundations of Reading (only required for those seeking elementary education certification)

To prepare for these tests, you can use online and in-person exam preparation materials. Some universities also offer preparation courses.

4. Apply for Certification

You must fill out your licensure request forms online through the Educator Licensure Management System (ELMS). You must also provide an application plus the following materials:

Verification of lawful presence (submitted by mail or in person)
Transcripts submitted directly by your universities
Institutional program verification or online recommendation showing completion of an approved educational program
Official documentation of attainment showing qualifying scores on all required examinations

After completing all requirements and earning licensure, this initial license remains valid for five years.

5. Maintain Teaching Certification

Initial teaching licenses issued in Mississippi remain valid for five years. At that time, you must meet at least one of the following continuing education requirements:

Ten hours of continuing education units in your content area and/or grade level.
Three college semester hours related to your content area and/or grade level, plus five hours of continuing education in your content area and/or grade level.
Six college semester hours in your content area and/or grade level.

When preparing to renew your teaching certification, you can use MDE’s online portal to complete the renewal application and pay the associated fee.

How Much Will You Make as a Teacher in Mississippi?

With thousands of job openings for teachers in Mississippi, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find one that suits your needs. While rates will vary from school to school and depend on factors like whether you’re teaching in a metro area or a rural school, as well as a public or private school, you can get an idea of the salary range you might receive.

Median Annual Salaries for Mississippi Teachers
Job Title	Median Annual Salary
Elementary School Teacher	$48,650
Middle School Teacher	$48,420
High School Teacher	$49,880
Special Education Teacher	$49,450
Career and Technical Education Teacher	$52,460

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Frequently Asked Questions About Mississippi Teacher Certification

As of the 2023-2024 school year, there were over 5,000 vacancies for teaching jobs in Mississippi. While the state does not comment on the extent to which this is a shortage per se, it certainly means plenty of openings for new Mississippi teachers.

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 May 23, 2024.