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Only you can decide if teaching is right for you, and there is a combination of skills and values that many teachers have.
Here are some signs that you will like teaching:
Here are a few places to start your research:
Check out our articles, pages and videos to explore the ins and outs of teaching.
Choosing the right teaching programs will depend on your experience and where you want to begin your teaching career.
Consider these questions to help determine the program for you:
Questions like these will guide you to choosing the program that fits your goals. You can learn more about choosing a teaching program in our article.
You can use financial aid such as scholarships, grants and loan forgiveness opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable.
Financial aid options in Minnesota:
Financial aid opportunities can be federally, privately or institutionally funded. You can learn more about financial aid for future Minnesota teachers in our financial aid guide.
You can absolutely teach in a subject other than what your degree is in. In Minnesota, you will typically need to begin taking a teacher preparation program in your new subject, take post-baccalaureate courses or pass required content exams in your new subject.
How to get licensed in your new subject:
Choose a Pathway: master’s of art in teaching programs offer a master’s degree alongside your teaching license, or you can take licensure-only programs. Learn more on our How to Earn Your MN Teaching License page.
You do not need a master’s degree to start teaching in Minnesota, but if you already have a bachelor’s degree and are changing careers to start teaching, a master’s degree isn’t a bad idea.
Benefits of getting a master’s degree to teach in Minnesota:
You can use our Program Explorer to find master's degree programs in Minnesota.
If you’re a first-year teacher, the average starting salary for Minnesota teachers is $44,995. If you have more experience or more education, Minnesota’s average teacher salary is $72,430.
You can learn more about Minnesota teacher salaries and benefits on our Salary and Benefits page.
To set your teaching career up for success, focus on professional growth and finding the right environment. Follow these key steps:
Teachers generally have a great deal of autonomy — more so than most jobs right out of college. From day one, you'll be entrusted with big responsibilities.
Areas teachers will have the most autonomy
That said, every school varies in terms of teacher autonomy, so it's smart to ask about this during job interviews.
In most cases, yes. With proper training, preparation and practice, you'll build the skills you need to manage students in your classroom.
Your teaching program should show you how to earn your students' trust, develop strong communication skills and use effective classroom management techniques.
Once you're in the classroom, you'll continue to learn on the job and learn from your colleagues. Teachers are a supportive bunch, and experienced educators at your school will help you to continue to build your craft. You've got this!
Yes! While there’s no single way to be a good teacher, there are a combination of skills and values that a good teacher has. Like any profession, it takes time and dedication to develop the skills to teach effectively.
Therefore, good teachers need to have passion, drive, and curiosity to do their job well and better themselves. Each day, you'll improve your relationship-building, critical thinking, creativity and leadership skills, to support your students the best that you can.
The quickest way to become a teacher online is through licensure-only programs or teacher residency programs.
Key benefits to non-traditional online programs:
No matter what type of program you choose, you will have hands-on, in-person experiences during student teaching, so it can’t be done completely online.
In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career.
You can see different programs and their lengths in our Program Explorer.
The fastest pathway to become a licensed teacher in Minnesota is by getting your tier 1 teaching license.
Key requirements for a tier 1 teaching license:
Tier 1 licenses only last for one year, but can be renewed up to three times. If you’re serious about teaching, consider advancing to a tier 2 license by taking licensure-only programs.
Learn more about becoming a Minnesota teacher.
You can become a teacher even if you have a unique background, and there are pathways to teaching tailored specifically for situations like this.
Pathways to a teaching license:
Learn more about becoming a Minnesota teacher.
No, you can absolutely become a teacher in Minnesota at any point in your career.
Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about becoming a Minnesota teacher.
No, substitute teaching or paraprofessional roles do not qualify for the 3 years of full-time teaching experience requirement towards a tier 3 teacher license. This is because you need at least a tier 1 teaching license to receive a substitute teaching license, and you will need to have 3 years of experience specifically in your teaching subject. However, working as a paraprofessional will be good experience for applying to teacher preparation programs.
Yes, you can use your non-education degree or prior experience to teach in Minnesota. There are two options available:
An alternative licensure is generally a teacher preparation pathway that lets you earn your initial teaching license while you teach in your own classroom. In Minnesota, these programs are called licensure-only programs.
To apply, you will need to meet these requirements:
Applications are available on university or institution websites, and you can find Minnesota licensure-only programs in our Program Explorer.
Alternative licensure is generally a type of teacher licensing that prepares teachers for an accelerated entry into teaching and lets you earn your initial teaching license while you teach in your own classroom. In Minnesota, these programs are called licensure-only programs.
This type of teaching license is good for people who:
If you are unsure of what subject to teach, or curious about what options are available for you, you can learn more about Minnesota licensure areas and check out licensure-only or earn while you learn programs.
In Minnesota, the primary difference is that a teaching degree is an academic qualification from a college, while a teaching license is the legal authorization from the state to teach in a classroom.
To qualify for these credentials, you must meet different requirements:
Yes, you can earn your master’s degree and Minnesota teaching license in one program in as little as one to three years.
The benefits of a master’s degree program:
You can find a master’s degree program for you in our Program Explorer.
Yes, there are many earn while you learn (teacher residency) programs in Minnesota for teachers to get licensed while teaching in a classroom. These programs are built for you to earn your teacher license in one to three years, all while applying what you learn in your coursework into the classroom. You can find Minnesota residency programs in our Program Explorer under “earn while you learn”.
A teaching residency program allows you to earn your teaching license in 2- 3 years while getting paid to teach in a classroom alongside a mentor teacher. In Minnesota, you will likely need to be working in a school already to take advantage of the program, typically a part of a district’s “Grow our own” program.
Key benefits to a teaching residency program:
You can find Minnesota residency programs in our Program Explorer under “earn while you learn”.
Minnesota offers a variety of teacher licensure programs, ranging from programs for people who have never been to college to programs for people who want a master’s degree. You can expect to find these types of programs available at different colleges and universities:
Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about Minnesota teacher licensing.
To become a substitute teacher in Minnesota, you can apply for a short-term substitute teaching license with just a bachelor’s degree or other teaching experience. This license is valid for three years.
Key requirements for substitute teaching license:
You can learn more about the application process on the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website.
To start teaching immediately in Minnesota, you can apply for a tier 1 license or start a licensure-only program. Both pathways allow you to start teaching while fulfilling teacher licensing requirements. You can learn more about licenses in our guide.
Yes, in Minnesota, you can renew your teaching license even if it has expired. You will need to submit an application to make sure you are meeting all the current subject area knowledge and teaching experience requirements for your subject area. You may need to take subject area exams to fulfill current licensure requirements.
In most cases, obtaining a Minnesota teaching license through reciprocity is a straightforward process. You can get your out-of-state teaching license evaluated by the Minnesota Department of Education to determine if you meet all the requirements to teach in Minnesota.
Evaluation of your out-of-state teacher license and applicable tiers:
In both tier 3 and tier 4 scenarios, you may also need to take subject area exams or pedagogy exams. Review more details on the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website.
You can apply for a Minnesota teaching license even with an international degree or license. You will need to submit an application for a tier 1 or tier 2 license. To begin the process, you will need to gather some documents as well as have your degree and credentials evaluated.
International teaching license application requirements:
You will also need to submit official transcripts of credits, pattern of training and degrees awarded to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) for a course-by-course evaluation. Once you submit the report, Minnesota will determine if you need to fulfill additional exam requirements or take an approved teacher preparation program. Learn more about sending in your documents.
To have your international teaching license or degree recognized by the U.S. and to begin teaching in Minnesota, you will need to submit your transcripts to a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE) for a course-by-course evaluation.
How to start your teaching credential recognition:
Submit a tier 1 or tier 2 teaching license application: Send in required documentation and begin the application process on the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website.
Minnesota has many financial aid opportunities available for veterans, active-duty service members and their families to pursue a teaching career.
Financial Aid for veterans and current active-duty members:
Veterans and their families can utilize several support programs, such as the G.I. Bill or MyCAA.
Programs in Minnesota will have a variety of deadlines that vary depending on the program start, but generally, spring semester applications are due by December, summer by March, and fall by June.
Typical application deadlines:
Be sure to carefully review the programs you are interested in and account for deadlines when planning your application. You can view upcoming deadlines on our Application Deadline Explorer.
In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career.
You can see different programs and their lengths in our Program Explorer.
You can apply for financial aid such as scholarships and grant opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable.
Types of program-specific financial aid
You can learn more about financial aid for future Minnesota teachers in our financial aid guide.
Teaching preparation programs vary in cost, but there are financial aid resources available, especially for teachers and educators.
Financial aid options in Minnesota:
Financial aid opportunities can be federally, privately or institutionally funded. You can learn more about financial aid for future Minnesota teachers in our financial aid guide.
Minnesota teacher licensing uses the National Evaluation Series (NES) exams that are hosted by Minnesota Teacher Licensing Exams (MLTE) and are unique for each subject. In most cases, you won’t need to take a test in order to get licensed to teach! If you do need to take a test, you can find preparation materials available for free on their website.
Find out if you need to take a test on the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board website.
In Minnesota, there are two main requirements to become a licensed teacher under tier 1 or tier 2 licensing. The requirements may become more specific with each teacher preparation program.
The key requirements
While GPA requirements may vary depending on the program and university, you can generally expect to see a cumulative GPA of 2.75 as a requirement for most teacher preparation programs in Minnesota. You can view GPA requirements for programs in our Minnesota Program Explorer.
To teach special education in Minnesota, you will need to have a bachelor’s degree in Special Education or take a teacher preparation program specifically in Special Education.
The steps to get licensed in Special Education:
With access to free resources like career coaching, guides and financial aid, you can begin to map out your teaching career. Sign up today to discover the possibilities in education!