These States Pay Student Teachers

As states grapple with teacher shortages, lawmakers in a handful of states are creating and funding programs investing in student teachers to support their education and encourage them to stay in-state as full-time educators once they’ve completed their degrees.

Maryland is one of the seven states to pass legislation creating a student-teacher stipend program. Eligible students are awarded a $20,000 annual stipend over 10 months.

The six-year pilot program is restricted to students who attend in-state institutions where at least 40% of the attendees are eligible to receive federal Pell Grants. Qualifying schools include, but aren’t limited to, Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Morgan State University, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

To be eligible for the stipend, students must be enrolled in a teacher preparation program, participate in an internship at a public school or publicly funded prekindergarten program, and continue to make progress toward a degree to be eligible for the stipend.

Additionally, qualified students must pledge to teach in-state for two years after they complete their degree at a “high-needs school, grade level, or content area in which there is a shortage of teachers,” according to the bill language.

Eligibility requirements vary between the states that have student-teacher stipend programs. Below, read about the other states that support student teachers through stipends and learn how students can qualify.

Colorado started offering eligible students $11,000 for a 16-week residency or $22,000 for a 32-week residency student teaching for the 2022-2023 school year. To qualify, participants must make within 250% of Pell eligibility.

An Illinois bill currently moving through the legislature would give student teachers a stipend of up to $10,000. The bill was assigned to the Education Appropriations committee in April 2025.

Kentucky started giving student teachers who are residents of the state salaries of up to $5,000 in the 2024-2025 academic year.

Maryland in 2023 passed a law that gives student teachers up to $20,000 stipends for their 10-month educator internships.

Michigan also started awarding student teachers $9,600 stipends in 2023. Participants don’t have to be Michigan residents but must be in approved educator preparation programs and enrolled full time in “required student teaching experience[s]” in order to qualify for the program.

New Jersey implemented its student-teacher stipend pilot program in 2023, offering student teachers $3,000 during their clinical placement. The New Jersey Education Association is advocating to increase the stipend and make it permanent.

The State of New Mexico Legislature provides student teachers in select educator prep programs with $10,450 stipends.

Pennsylvania offers student teachers stipends of $10,000. Student teachers in high-need areas can get an additional $5,000. Governor Josh Shapiro secured an additional $10 million for the program in his 2024-2025 budget, doubling the number of stipends to total $20 million.

Louisiana, in the 2022-2023 school year, gave undergraduate resident teachers $3,300 stipends.

Oklahoma began providing student teachers with a stipend of up to $3,250 beginning in the 2021-2022 school year. The state’s program is funded by federal COVID-19 relief dollars, so it expired after the 2023-2024 school year. Participants are awarded $1,625 during their first week of teaching and an additional $1,625 from the school district if they are hired as full-time educators.

Utah’s legislature passed a bill paying stipends to college students completing student teaching. Student teachers got up to $6,000 stipends in the 2024-2025 school year, but funding was only available for that academic year.