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
Jobs Postings for High School Teachers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 41,034 (48%)
- No Education Listed: 25,126 (29%)
- Master's degree: 12,360 (14%)
- High School or GED: 6,481 (8%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,032 (1%)
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 48% of positions. In 29% of job listings no education level was listed and in 14% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for High School Teachers
Jobs Postings for High School Teachers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 13,187 (60%)
- 2-3 Years: 7,034 (32%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,420 (6%)
- 7-9 Years: 106 (0%)
- 10+ Years: 341 (2%)
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 60% of job postings for High School Teachers, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 6% 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 2021 a total of 433,411 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 5 Degree Programs for High School Teachers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 94,732 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
| History, General. | 31,345 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 30,075 |
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Biology/Biological Sciences, General. | 94,732 |
| English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
| History, General. | 31,345 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences. | 30,075 |
| Mathematics, General. | 29,750 |
| Education, General. | 29,696 |
| Chemistry, General. | 19,853 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 18,699 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 13,892 |
| Physics, General. | 12,849 |
| Spanish Language and Literature. | 11,063 |
| Secondary Education and Teaching. | 10,488 |
| Teacher Education, Multiple Levels. | 9,780 |
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching. | 7,983 |
| Reading Teacher Education. | 6,466 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,141 |
| Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor. | 5,653 |
| Education, Other. | 4,749 |
| Music Teacher Education. | 4,738 |
| Physical Sciences, General. | 3,817 |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching. | 3,517 |
| Mathematics Teacher Education. | 3,360 |
| English/Language Arts Teacher Education. | 3,050 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,903 |
| Foreign Languages and Literatures, General. | 2,802 |
| French Language and Literature. | 2,532 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. | 2,323 |
| Social Studies Teacher Education. | 1,967 |
| Art Teacher Education. | 1,816 |
| Health Teacher Education. | 1,801 |
| Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education. | 1,362 |
| Bilingual and Multilingual Education. | 1,302 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,240 |
| German Language and Literature. | 1,192 |
| Japanese Language and Literature. | 1,053 |
| Biology Teacher Education. | 852 |
| History Teacher Education. | 776 |
| Chinese Language and Literature. | 718 |
| Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education. | 572 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 486 |
| Social Science Teacher Education. | 474 |
| Russian Language and Literature. | 463 |
| Spanish Language Teacher Education. | 419 |
| Italian Language and Literature. | 368 |
| Foreign Language Teacher Education. | 338 |
| Music Pedagogy. | 308 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General. | 294 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General. | 292 |
| Drama and Dance Teacher Education. | 285 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education. | 285 |
| Chemistry Teacher Education. | 236 |
| Computer Teacher Education. | 217 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General. | 182 |
| Earth Science Teacher Education. | 169 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 158 |
| Physics Teacher Education. | 152 |
| Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Educational Methods. | 140 |
| Korean Language and Literature. | 117 |
| Environmental Education. | 93 |
| Portuguese Language and Literature. | 86 |
| Online Educator/Online Teaching. | 79 |
| Speech Teacher Education. | 68 |
| Latin Language and Literature. | 63 |
| French Language Teacher Education. | 55 |
| Driver and Safety Teacher Education. | 55 |
| Earth Systems Science. | 44 |
| Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. | 42 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language, Other. | 27 |
| International Teaching and Learning. | 25 |
| Communication Arts and Literature Teacher Education. | 22 |
| Environmental Geosciences. | 20 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 13 |
| German Language Teacher Education. | 8 |
| Psychology Teacher Education. | 5 |
| Latin Teacher Education. | 4 |
| Geography Teacher Education. | 3 |
| Hawaiian Language and Literature. | 2 |
| History and Language/Literature. | 0 |
| Teaching French as a Second or Foreign Language. | 0 |
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
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Develop the knowledge and skills you need to become an outstanding middle or high school teacher in Ohio with Franklin’s Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) Education program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Gain the expertise to help students learn and think in classrooms across Ohio with Franklin’s Middle Childhood Education (MCE) program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Class Type: 100% online
- Years To Complete: 3
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 71,184 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for High School Teachers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Education | 17,490 | 25% |
| Lesson Planning | 17,429 | 24% |
| Classroom Management | 10,893 | 15% |
| Curriculum Development | 8,753 | 12% |
| Special Education | 7,612 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for High School Teachers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 40,448 | 57% |
| Communications | 25,249 | 35% |
| Mathematics | 14,484 | 20% |
| English Language | 12,528 | 18% |
| Planning | 12,323 | 17% |
Based on 71,184 job postings related to high school teachers, mathematics education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 25% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for lesson planning, classroom management, curriculum development, special education and individualized education programs (iep) were also highly sought.
As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for high school teachers, followed by communications, mathematics, english language, planning and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Education | 17,490 | 25% |
| Lesson Planning | 17,429 | 24% |
| Classroom Management | 10,893 | 15% |
| Curriculum Development | 8,753 | 12% |
| Special Education | 7,612 | 11% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 7,246 | 10% |
| Learning Styles | 6,806 | 10% |
| Social Studies | 6,525 | 9% |
| Differentiated Instruction | 6,246 | 9% |
| Educational Assessment | 5,868 | 8% |
| Science Education | 5,615 | 8% |
| Instructional Strategies | 5,384 | 8% |
| Biology | 3,865 | 5% |
| Student Engagement | 3,761 | 5% |
| Pedagogy | 3,669 | 5% |
| Chemistry | 3,617 | 5% |
| Learning Strategies | 3,408 | 5% |
| Algebra | 3,347 | 5% |
| Organizational Communications | 2,993 | 4% |
| Small Group Instruction | 2,956 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 40,448 | 57% |
| Communications | 25,249 | 35% |
| Mathematics | 14,484 | 20% |
| English Language | 12,528 | 18% |
| Planning | 12,323 | 17% |
| Writing | 10,526 | 15% |
| Spanish Language | 10,235 | 14% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 8,088 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 6,495 | 9% |
| Management | 6,401 | 9% |
| Leadership | 6,092 | 9% |
| Progress Reporting | 5,923 | 8% |
| Research | 5,467 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 4,952 | 7% |
| Coaching | 4,819 | 7% |
| Parent Communication | 4,692 | 7% |
| Critical Thinking | 4,450 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 4,030 | 6% |
| Training And Development | 3,906 | 5% |
| Enthusiasm | 3,803 | 5% |
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.