Become a Teacher in New Hampshire

To earn your New Hampshire teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Learn more about earning your New Hampshire teaching credential through the New Hampshire Department of Education Bureau of Credentialing.

Learn more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.

The State of New Hampshire offers four alternative routes to certification:

Alternative 2 is a process whereby New Hampshire accepts candidates from all states and other jurisdictions if the candidate graduated from an approved state program, or has been employed as a certified teacher for at least three years out of the last seven, or completed an alternative certification program.

Alternative 3 is designed for candidates who have gained the competencies, skills, and knowledge through means other than Alternative 1 or Alternative 2. The Alternative 3 process includes both a written examination and an oral review. Candidates may request teaching, administrative, or educational specialist certification on the basis of demonstrated competencies and equivalent experiences.

Alternative 4 is designed for individuals who have skills and knowledge in an area where there is a shortage of qualified teachers. Each shortage area has its own requirements for competencies, coursework, and/or experience. The district superintendent then draws up an Individualized Professional Development Plan leading to full certification.

Alternative 5 involves on-the-job training for candidates holding a bachelor’s degree with some coursework in the area(s) to be taught (30 credits are required for secondary school subjects). This route is available if a local school district is willing to assume the responsibility for training and supervising the teacher candidate

For additional information about alternative paths to certification in the State of New Hampshire, please consult the New Hampshire Department of Education website.

Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. Through the Alternative 2 certification process, New Hampshire will recognize education and/or certification in other states. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in New Hampshire, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the New Hampshire Department of Education.

The New Hampshire Department of Education provides links to job search engines that list New Hampshire teaching positions.

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

The average teacher in New Hampshire makes $69,000 to $62,000 per year depending on grade level taught, according to 2019 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. New Hampshire also provides loan forgiveness to teachers willing to work in high–need schools or shortage subjects. More detailed salary information can be found on the Department of Education’s New Hampshire Teacher Salary Reports page.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

Public school teachers in New Hampshire are enrolled in the New Hampshire Retirement System. Eligibility is dependent on when you started teaching, age, and length of service.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

Teacher Shortage information was provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listings for 2020-21, and was determined by examining the most recent data about unfilled teaching positions; positions filled by teachers certified by irregular, provisional, temporary, or emergency certification; and teachers teaching in subject areas other than their area of preparation.

New Hampshire residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant that gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need field in a low-income area.

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

New Hampshire has a network of online and on-site professional development organizations, including NEA-NH and New Hampshire Educators Online. See the New Hampshire Department of Education’s list of resource links for more details.

It is no longer enough to just have years of experience in teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education should give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor.

After a master’s program, you may be able to achieve better results in the classroom and may have more job security and the potential for higher pay. 

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