Become a Teacher in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania currently has a two-tier certification system. New teachers begin at Level I, which is valid for six years of teaching service. At the end of six years, every teacher must complete at least 24 credits of post-baccalaureate coursework and have gone through an induction program set up by their school in order to obtain Level II certification. In order to keep a Level II license active, teachers must complete a required number of continuing education credit units. If you are certified to teach in another state, Pennsylvania has interstate reciprocity agreements with most other states that can make it easier for you to begin teaching in Pennsylvania. 

Obtaining alternative certification is an option for graduates of accredited universities and colleges who do not have a degree in education or who have not earned a teaching certification. Since 2002, Pennsylvania has recognized ABCTE (the American Boards of Certification for Teacher Excellence) for alternative certification. Most students complete the ABCTE online self-paced program in under a year.

If you are certified to teach in another state, Pennsylvania has interstate reciprocity agreements with most other states that can make it easier for you to begin teaching in Pennsylvania. In order to qualify for reciprocity under the interstate agreement, candidates must satisfy a set of specific requirements. Teaching candidates should contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education for details about credential reciprocity, or visit the Teach.com reciprocity page.

To find out what other state teaching licenses can be used in Pennsylvania, check out our Teacher Certification Reciprocity page on Teach.com.

One job search service for Pennsylvania teachers is Pennsylvania School Applications Network – (PAREAP) which was developed in partnership with state school districts and PAREAP. PAREAP provides daily job listings for teaching, administrative and school support positions as well as publishing information on education job fairs in Pennsylvania.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

According to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pennsylvania teachers earn an average of around $69,630 per year, depending on grade level being taught. The state does offer incentives, such as loan forgiveness, for teaching in shortage areas.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Pennsylvania’s Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) provides full retirement benefits for teachers with 35 years of credited service. Teachers aged 60 with 30 years of service or aged 62 with at least 1 year of service are also eligible for normal retirement benefits. Early retirement and disability benefits are provided and group health insurance and premium assistance are available for retirees and their dependents. PSERS online services include detailed retirement information, counseling services, application forms and retirement calculators. Learn more about benefits for teachers.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

A teacher shortage occurs when there are not enough teachers in key subject areas, which has been partly caused by years of teacher layoffs during the Great Recession, a growing student population and fewer people entering teacher preparation programs, according to the Learning Policy Institute.

The following is a list of teacher shortage areas in Pennsylvania for the 2020-21 school year as reported by the U.S. Department of Education. 

In addition to financial aid offered by colleges and universities, there are several financial aid programs to help Pennsylvania teachers complete their educational goals.

Pennsylvania residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.

Learn more about how to finance your Master’s degree on Teach.com.

Pennsylvania’s Act 48 of 1999 stipulates that teachers must complete continuing education requirements every five years in order to remain actively certified. The PERMS system (Professional Education Record Management System) allows Pennsylvania teachers to find out about available Act 48 courses, research approved course providers and track completed coursework.

Prior to December  2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Education offered free online Act 48 professional education courses through Learning Sciences International. Those courses are no longer funded by the State of Pennsylvania but are still available for a small fee.

Additionally, individual school districts in Pennsylvania are required to have state-approved induction policies for teachers. Teachers must complete six collegiate credits or six PDE-approved in-service credits or 180 continuing education hours or any combination of the above every five calendar years to keep their Level II teaching certificate active.

Pennsylvania teachers who complete a master’s degree in the field of education may earn a higher salary. In Philadelphia, teachers holding a master’s degree can earn from $1,000 to $8,000 per year more than teachers lacking an advanced degree depending on years of experience, according to a School District of Philadelphia salary schedule. They can also use their graduate course credits towards Level II certification. A master’s degree that is earned while a Pennsylvania teacher’s Level I certification is active will satisfy the education requirements for Level II.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.