How To Become a Teacher in North Carolina 2025

<p>North Carolina students often make the decision to <a href="https://learn.org/articles/how_to_become_a_teacher.html">become a teacher</a> to enjoy the benefit of shaping the minds of children of all ages. This involves teaching early childhood education, special education, and many essential topics all the way through the high school level. </p> <p>We invite you to learn more about the steps on how to become a teacher in North Carolina. This guide will focus on the efforts to earn a teacher's certification, a relevant bachelor's degree, and other important credential programs. </p> <h2 id="section---StepsToBecomeATeacherInNorthCarolina">Steps To Become a Teacher in North Carolina</h2> <p>Aspiring teachers can get into the classroom much sooner by learning the <a href="https://learn.org/articles/fastest_program_to_become_a_teacher.html">fastest way to become a teacher</a> and earn a respectable salary. This article will cover all the essential requirements to become a teacher in North Carolina through the following six steps. </p> <h3 id="section---Step1DecideWhatSubjectAndGradeLevelYouWantToTeach">Step 1: Decide What Subject and Grade Level You Want To Teach</h3> <p>The first thing you should do is decide which grade level you desire to teach. These next three sections will preview the general requirements for becoming an elementary, middle, or high school teacher in North Carolina. </p> <h4 id="section---BecomingAnElementarySchoolTeacher">Becoming an Elementary School Teacher</h4> <p>Elementary school involves teaching young children from preschool through fourth or fifth grade, preparing them to enter middle school. The typical education requirement for North Carolina teachers would be to complete a bachelor's degree, gain student teaching experience, pass background checks, and obtain state licensure to teach. </p> <p>At this level, many prospective teachers focus on degree programs in elementary education, early childhood education, or any other related education degree. Don't forget to check out the more specific guidelines to <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Kindergarten_Teacher_How_to_Become_a_Kindergarten_Teacher_in_5_Steps.html">become a kindergarten teacher</a>. </p> <h4 id="section---BecomingAMiddleSchoolTeacher">Becoming a Middle School Teacher</h4> <p>If you're considering becoming a middle school teacher, you'll have to demonstrate further competency in specific subject matter, such as pre-algebra, social studies, and physical education. Many teachers cover multiple subjects at this level. Most of the <a href="https://learn.org/articles/What_Are_the_Requirements_to_be_a_Middle_School_Teacher.html">middle school teacher educational requirements</a> are the same as they are for elementary school teaching. However, for this age group, teachers should further develop their classroom management skills and subject matter depth. </p> <h4 id="section---BecomingAHighSchoolTeacher">Becoming a High School Teacher</h4> <p>High school teaching is a growing career field in North Carolina because of teacher shortages driven by retirements and other turnover issues. You can obtain a teaching position at this level with a bachelor's degree, but <a href="https://learn.org/articles/High_School_Teacher_How_to_Become_a_High_School_Teacher_in_5_Steps.html">high school teacher educational requirements</a> always involve licensing. In North Carolina, you can do this in as little as a year if you already have a college degree. </p> <h3 id="section---Step2ChooseYourMajor">Step 2: Choose Your Major</h3> <p>It helps to choose a college major that will help you develop basic skills, gain competency in various pedagogies, and even acquire the hands-on experience necessary to teach at multiple grade levels. While many North Carolina teachers complete a teacher preparation program in college, others secure employment with non-education degrees or master's degrees. </p> <p>Several undergraduate degrees can prepare you to teach various subjects in primary or secondary education. Here are some of the most popular majors for future K-12 teachers in North Carolina. </p> <ul><li>elementary education </li><li>early childhood education </li><li>technical education </li><li>special education </li><li>math education </li><li>social studies education </li><li>language arts education </li></ul><h3 id="section---Step3EarnYourBachelorSDegree">Step 3: Earn Your Bachelor's Degree</h3> <p>All teachers must hold a bachelor's degree in North Carolina to obtain employment. Of course, you stand a better chance of getting a job in a competitive school district if you earn a high grade point average (GPA) and incorporate a greater volume of education courses into your degree program. </p> <p>Most teacher education programs involve a student-teaching component for about a year &mdash; often during the senior year of college. Undergraduate education programs typically include coursework in areas such as educational psychology, classroom management, curriculum development, child development, and more. </p> <h3 id="section---Step4ConsiderAMasterSDegree">Step 4: Consider a Master's Degree</h3> <p>Aside from certain private schools, you'll never have to obtain a master's degree for employment, but it's a terrific idea if you wish to earn a higher salary. North Carolina has a very specific salary schedule for all public school teachers, according to the education department. Generally, teachers can increase their income in one of three ways: </p> <ul><li>earning a master's degree </li><li>passing the National Board Certification for teachers </li><li>accruing more tenure </li></ul><p>Be aware that not all master's degrees qualify for higher salaries in North Carolina public schools. Supplemental pay for certain master's concentrations is at the discretion of each county school system. You'll have a much better chance of getting the master's pay increase if your degree fits the teaching vacancies of specific schools (especially for special education and other shortage areas). </p> <h3 id="section---Step5PassNorthCarolinaTeachingExamsAndGainLicensure">Step 5: Pass North Carolina Teaching Exams and Gain Licensure</h3> <p>The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) governs the teacher licensing process in your state. Specific licensing exams and requirements depend on which subject or grade level you teach, which is why that's the first thing you should determine as a prospective teacher. </p> <p>Once you've completed the academic requirements, you'll have to complete North Carolina's Praxis Subject Test and submit a teaching portfolio. After passing the licensing test, submit your license to NCDPI through its online licensure system. This requires you to pay the license application fee, submit academic transcripts, and send your certification exam scores. </p> <h3 id="section---Step6ApplyForTeachingJobs">Step 6: Apply for Teaching Jobs</h3> <p>You can now apply for teaching jobs as a certified teacher in North Carolina. It's common to find new teaching positions posted on job boards all throughout the year, but most recruitment happens in the late spring or summer months as schools prepare to fill vacancies for the upcoming school year. </p> <p>Private schools may post their job openings either on their school website or on popular job boards. Public schools can do this as well, but North Carolina also devotes an entire section to teaching careers on the NC Virtual Public School (NCPVS) website. It's also a good idea for new teachers to speak with their teaching mentors to identify lucrative employment opportunities that match their career interests. </p> <h2 id="section---HowToChooseTheRightTeachingDegreeProgram">How To Choose the Right Teaching Degree Program</h2> <p>You can find several full-time and part-time teaching degree programs in North Carolina. Some of these permit students to enroll online for part or all of their teacher credentialing and early professional development. We also recommend finding a degree program that will pay for your college tuition in exchange for teaching in North Carolina. </p> <p>Several universities, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and North Carolina State University (NCUS), offer a full ride through college through the North Carolina Teaching Fellows program. This often guarantees full tuition remission and generous financial aid stipends if students agree to teach in North Carolina for a certain number of years. This is a great way to earn almost any teaching credential for K-12 employment in the state. </p> <h2 id="section---FAQsAboutBecomingATeacherInNorthCarolina">FAQs About Becoming a Teacher in North Carolina</h2> <p>These are some of the most common questions that prospective teachers have about education programs and other requirements. This section will also address how long it takes to become a teacher and whether those requirements differ between private schools and public schools in North Carolina. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatQualificationsDoYouNeedToBecomeATeacherInNorthCarolina">What Qualifications Do You Need To Become a Teacher in North Carolina?</h3> <p>The North Carolina Department of Education requires most K-12 teachers to possess a bachelor's degree, teaching certification, and teaching license to qualify for public school employment. You'll notice that most private schools expect at least these credentials as well. These must come from an institution with a valid accreditation from a review board, like the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). </p> <h3 id="section---DoRequirementsDifferAtPrivateSchoolsAndPublicSchools">Do Requirements Differ at Private Schools and Public Schools?</h3> <p>There is plenty of overlap between job requirements and qualifications for private schools and public schools. However, private schools may specify additional expectations in their job advertisements. Some private schools may require additional certifications, and if they have ties to a religious institution (like the Catholic Church), they may prefer to hire candidates who share those religious beliefs. </p> <h3 id="section---HowLongDoesItTakeToBecomeATeacherInNorthCarolina">How Long Does It Take To Become a Teacher in North Carolina?</h3> <p>This may depend on how much education you already possess. New teachers who already hold a bachelor's degree could complete some of the remaining teacher certification requirements and use their degree to go straight into the classroom within a year or so. However, if you enter college after high school, and wish to become a teacher, then it will probably take about four to five years to fulfill the requirements mentioned above. </p> <h3 id="section---CanIGetATeachingJobWithoutATeachingDegree">Can I Get a Teaching Job Without a Teaching Degree?</h3> <p>Most public and private schools will only hire candidates with a teacher certification, but it does not mean they must have a degree in teacher education. Some teachers, especially in the natural sciences, may utilize other undergraduate degrees to teach high school courses specifically in their areas of expertise (i.e., physics, history, business, etc.). </p> <p>However, you may find an opportunity to become either a teacher's assistant or substitute teacher without holding a certification. Some schools may accept probationary teachers if they can obtain a teacher's license within a certain time frame upon employment (typically one to three years). </p> <h3 id="section---HowDoIBecomeASubstituteTeacherInNorthCarolina">How Do I Become a Substitute Teacher in North Carolina?</h3> <p>According to <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/school-district-substitute-information/open">NC.gov</a>, the requirements to become a substitute teacher depend on the county jurisdiction. Some areas, such as Wake County, claim to have a critical need for substitute teachers and will hire applicants without a North Carolina teaching license, provided they complete the Substitute Effective Teacher Training (SETT) or Effective Teacher Training (ETT) courses mentioned on the county school board's website. </p> <h3 id="section---HowDoIApplyToATeachingProgram">How Do I Apply To a Teaching Program?</h3> <p>You can apply for a teaching license by visiting the NCDPI website and submitting all the required information, including academic records, certification exam scores, a background check, and fees. If you would like to enroll in a teacher education program in North Carolina, you should decide which university you would like to attend. </p> <p>Many teachers begin by taking courses at community colleges before transferring to one of North Carolina's top colleges for education. Those include UNC, NCSU, Appalachian State University, and East Carolina University. </p> <h2 id="section---StartYourTeachingCareerToday">Start Your Teaching Career Today</h2> <p>We hope this offers guidance on how to become a teacher in North Carolina. There are several steps to earning a teaching certification and other important credentials. You can discover all the fastest ways to accomplish every step with essential resources for online learners from Learn.org.</p>