Become a Teacher
in North Dakota
Certification Roadmap
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Prerequisite Coursework
Teacher Preparation
Certification Reciprocity
Teacher Salary
Required Tests
Teacher Certification Information & Links
North Dakota Highlights
To become a certified teacher in North Dakota, 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.
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 North Dakota's undergraduate prerequisites for some of the most popular specialty areas:
- Elementary Education: 34 semester hours or 50 quarter hours of professional education coursework.
- Secondary English/Language Arts: 26 semester or 40 quarter hours of professional education coursework.
- Secondary Mathematics: 26 semester or 40 quarter hours of professional education coursework.
- Secondary History/Social Science: 26 semester or 40 quarter hours of professional education coursework.
- Secondary Science: 26 semester or 40 quarter hours of professional education coursework.
Teacher Preparation
Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program.
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 North Dakota is coming soon!
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.
Certification Reciprocity
North Dakota will accept some teaching credentials from the following states. Contact the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board to inquire about your specific situation. Please see our interstate reciprocity disclaimer for more information.
| Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Delaware | Florida | Georgia |
| Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana |
| Kansas | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire |
| New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas |
| Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington |
| West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | |
Teacher Salary
- Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: North Dakota provides no support for teachers teaching in high needs schools or teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
- Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: North Dakota has no induction policies in place
- Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in North Dakota makes $35,370
- Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in North Dakota makes$36,300
- Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in North Dakota makes 117% of the salary of the average worker in North Dakota
- Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: The average teacher in North Dakota receives 15 weeks of vacation per year
- Number of Years to Tenure: North Dakota requires 1 year of teaching before a teacher is eligible for tenure
