Online Teaching Degree Program Guide

Teachers are responsible for cultivating young minds to address tomorrow’s challenges. This is no small task —and many teachers find their jobs rewarding. The right teaching degree can prepare you to work with specific grade levels and subject areas. You can also focus on special education or ESOL. Here’s your guide to online teaching degree programs.

Online teaching degrees build theoretical knowledge and practical skills in education. These programs most commonly prepare you to work as a K-12 teacher in public or private schools. Depending on your level of education, you may also find work in education administration, curriculum planning, educational research, or higher education.

Education degree curriculums vary widely depending on your degree level and program specialization. However, most online teaching degrees focus on education theory and best practices for classroom instruction. Other common course topics include educational psychology, education policy, and diversity in the classroom.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

You can pursue a teaching degree with grade-level concentrations, such as elementary, middle, or high school. Degrees may also concentrate on different subjects, such as math or physics. Additionally, you can focus on special education or ESOL learning. Degree concentrations may also combine subjects with grade levels or other special learning needs.

Some courses you’ll take in a teaching program include:

You’ll also take courses focusing on teaching the grade level or subject you intend to teach.

As an aspiring teacher, the first step to getting into a classroom is to earn your teaching degree. Then, you’ll need to complete teaching hours, earn licensure, and pass a background check.

It can take four or more years to get a teaching degree. Program and credit requirements will vary based on what subject and grade levels a degree focuses on. Programs might also be designed to prepare you for licensure in specific states.

Some accelerated programs, like the online degrees offered at WGU’s Teacher’s College, can help you earn your credential sooner by allowing you to transfer credits from other institutions and complete your required coursework faster.

On average, online teaching programs cost slightly less than their on-campus counterparts. The average tuition for online teaching programs is $9,594 annually, while the average for on-campus programs costs $13,109, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Costs will vary by school and residency status.

Michigan State University’s tuition for its in-person teaching program costs $12,522 each year. The average tuition for Minot State University’s online offerings is $4,254, while Buena Vista University’s online program comes out to $16,740 each year. Also, keep in mind that some states offer different grant opportunities to incentivize students to study teaching.

Online teaching degrees prepare you for many different career paths in the education field. This chart highlights five popular careers along with their corresponding annual salaries. Keep in mind that advanced degrees usually correspond to higher average salaries.

With a teaching degree, you can become a middle school teacher, a career and technical education teacher, or even a high school principal.

Overall, the demand for teachers is projected to remain unchanged or decline over the next 10 years, with the exception of postsecondary teachers, who have a job outlook of 8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers who retire out of the labor force generate openings for teaching jobs.

This degree can open career paths as a librarian, school counselor, or education administrator, in addition to becoming a teacher.

How much you can earn with a teaching degree can vary greatly by job title. Principals earn a median annual salary of $103,460. On the other end of the spectrum, preschool teachers earn a median of $37,130 annually. High school teachers earn a median annual salary $65,220.

If you want to teach at a public K-12 school, you’ll need to earn state licensure. While licensure requirements vary among states, you’ll complete a similar process regardless of where you live. You can fulfill your licensure requirements while completing your teaching degree online.

All states require you to complete student teaching hours and take a licensure exam. However, specific requirements vary widely between states. Oregon, for example, requires 60 hours of student teaching in your subject area, while Texas only requires 30 hours.

Consider cost, program length, and accreditation to find the right teaching program. It’s also important to decide whether or not you want to attend classes online or in person.

The program’s cost can vary depending on whether you attend a private or public university and your state residency status. Financial aid can help offset these costs. There are also special funding options for aspiring teachers, such as the federal TEACH Grant.

You should consider how much time you want to spend in school. Accelerated programs will help you complete your degree and return to the workforce sooner, but the coursework may also demand a bigger time commitment each semester.

Accreditation ensures that your education meets a certain standard. While institutional accreditation verifies that your school meets a certain standard, programmatic accreditation shows that your teaching program is up to professional standards. You can verify programmatic accreditation using the Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s directory.

Maybe you learn best in a traditional classroom setting. Or perhaps you have a demanding schedule and can’t attend class at a set time every week. Maybe your situation is somewhere in between. The right program format should suit your learning style and life obligations.