High School Teachers: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of high school teachers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for high school teachers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of high school teachers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for high school teachers.

What Education & Experience is Needed for High School Teachers?

Do high school teachers need a degree? What kind of experience do high school teachers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for high school teachers to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for High School Teachers

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of high school teachers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 41% of positions. In 31% of job listings no education level was listed and in 16% of postings a master's degree was required.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for High School Teachers

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for high school teachers. In 47% of job postings for High School Teachers, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 40% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 9% of job postings for high school teachers.

What Kind of Degree Do High School Teachers Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for high school teachers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 79 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective high school teachers, and in 2023 a total of 402,164 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective high school teachers.

Top Degree Programs for High School Teachers

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for High School Teachers

What Skills Do High School Teachers Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by high school teachers to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for high school teachers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's High School Teachers
Based on 213,279 job postings

Based on 213,279 job postings related to high school teachers, lesson planning was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 24% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for curriculum development, classroom management, mathematics education, learning styles and special education were also highly sought.

As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for high school teachers, followed by communication, english language, mathematics, planning and writing.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about high school teachers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for high school teachers.

What do high school teachers do?
How much do high school teachers make?

All Occupations

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.

View Other Occupations