Become a Teacher
in Washington

To become a certified teacher in Washington, 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 CourseworkPrerequisite 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. Washington, however, does not have any undergraduate credit hour requirements.

Teacher PreparationTeacher Preparation

The State of Washington requires prospective teachers either to complete a state-approved teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university, or to complete a state-approved alternative certification 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 Washington 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 ReciprocityCertification Reciprocity

Washington will accept some teaching credentials from the following states. Contact the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction 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
Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana
Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey
New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota
Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee
Texas Utah Vermont Virginia
West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Teacher SalaryTeacher Salary

  • Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: Washington provides differential pay for teachers teaching in high needs schools and offers loan forgiveness for teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
  • Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: Washington has limited/weak induction policies in place
  • Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in Washington makes $51,370
  • Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in Washington makes$54,050
  • Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in Washington makes 130% of the salary of the average worker in Washington
  • Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: The average teacher in Washington receives 15 weeks of vacation per year
  • Number of Years to Tenure: Washington requires 2 years of teaching before a teacher is eligible for tenure

Required TestsRequired Tests

In order to become a certified teacher, you must satisfactorily complete the Basic Skill Test requirement and any Subject Area Competence assessments needed for your desired area of instruction.

Subject Area Competence

Teacher Certification Information & LinksTeacher Certification Information & Links