Become a Teacher
in New York
Certification Roadmap
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New York Prerequisite Coursework
New York Teacher Preparation
New York Certification Reciprocity
New York Teacher Salary
New York Required Tests
Teacher Certification Information & Links
New York Highlights
$67940
Avg. Elementary Teacher Salary
$70400
Avg. Secondary Teacher Salary
133%
Teacher Salary vs. State Average
15
Vacation Weeks Per Year:
To become a certified teacher in New York, you will need to fulfill all prerequisite coursework, teacher preparation, and testing requirements.
Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible, and we are dedicated to updating the site with new information on a regular basis. To stay up-to-date with the latest in teacher certification, please complete the form in the right sidebar.
New York Prerequisite Coursework
All states require that certified teachers at a minimum have a Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Here are New York's undergraduate prerequisites for some of the most popular specialty areas:
- Elementary Education: The individual evaluation pathway requires 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework in addition to General Core and Pedagogical Core semester hours requirements.
- Secondary English/Language Arts: The individual evaluation pathway requires 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework in addition to General Core and Pedagogical Core semester hours requirements.
- Secondary Mathematics: The individual evaluation pathway requires 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework in addition to General Core and Pedagogical Core semester hours requirements.
- Secondary History/Social Science: The individual evaluation pathway requires 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework in addition to General Core and Pedagogical Core semester hours requirements.
- Secondary Science: The individual evaluation pathway requires 30 semester hours of subject-specific coursework in addition to General Core and Pedagogical Core semester hours requirements.
This page is sponsored by Rossier Online, an innovative master level teaching degree program delivered online that enables you to earn a Master’s degree and teaching credential. Learn more about how the University of Southern California can help you become a transformative teacher in New York.
New York Teacher Preparation
Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program.
Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (or the art and science of teaching), and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching, and an internship.
While the involvement in an education program may seem financially daunting, a number of financial resources specifically for teachers exist around the country. For more information on this, visit our page on scholarships for teachers. For more scholarships for teachers exclusive to the State of New York, visit our New York Teacher Scholarships page.
Alternative Certification
Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree was not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements. Information about alternative certification in New York can be found here.
New York Certification Reciprocity
New York will accept some teaching credentials from the following states. Contact the New York State Education Department to inquire about your specific situation. Please see our interstate reciprocity disclaimer for more information.
| Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
| Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
| Indiana | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana |
| Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan |
| Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico |
| North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina |
| South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | Wyoming |
New York Teacher Salary
- Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: New York provides differential pay support for teachers teaching in high needs schools and teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
- Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: New York has strong induction policies in place
- Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in New York makes $67,940
- Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in New York makes $70,400
- Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in New York makes 133% of the salary of the average worker in New York
- District-Specific Teacher Salary: Salaries for New York teachers vary widely, depending on district. An online database of New York teacher salaries is available, in order to access district-specific information
- Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: The average teacher in New York receives 15 weeks of vacation per year
New York Teacher Certification Information & Links
- New York State Education Department
- New York Teacher Tenure
- The latest New York State Teacher Certification Updates
- How to Become an ESL Teacher in New York
- Troops to Teachers New York: In New York, Troops to Teachers is managed by the New York Troops to Teachers Office
- Subscribe to Certification Map’s monthly newsletter to receive updates about teacher certification, education news and much more.
Contact Information:
New York State Education Department
Office of Teaching Initiatives
89 Washington Avenue, 5N EB
Albany, New York 12234
For further information, contact:
(518) 474-3901
