New Jersey Teacher Certification
How to Become a Teacher in New Jersey
If you want to become a teacher in New Jersey, there are several types of New Jersey teacher certification available for you to pursue. A Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) may be issued to someone who has completed an approved teacher education program and has met all requirements for certification. A Certificate of Eligibility may be issued to someone who has not yet completed a teacher education program, but who has met all other requirements for certification. A Provisional certificate may be requested by school system administrators for a prospective teacher that they have hired. This allows the teacher to accept the job, under provisions of mentoring, supervision, and evaluation. Finally, a Standard Certificate may be issued to someone who has met all certification requirements. This is a permanent certificate.
- I want to be a teacher in New Jersey, but don’t have a degree: Earn an Education Degree
- I want to be a teacher and have a degree, but not in education: Learn about New Jersey’s Alternative Certification Process and Programs
- I have a teaching degree and am interested in more education: Learn about Master’s Degree Education Programs or Doctorate Education Programs and Information.
Spotlight School
Popular Programs:
- MS in Education (for Existing Teachers Grades K-12)
- MA in Teaching (for Aspiring Teachers Grades 5-12)
New Jersey Teacher Education Requirements
New Jersey teaching certification requirements are similar to those of other states. For example, a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university is the minimum educational requirement. In addition, the state of New Jersey requires that potential teachers have a GPA of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale). There is some flexibility with this requirement through a high Praxis test score.
Candidates for a New Jersey teaching license must demonstrate significant liberal arts credits on their college transcript. This shows that the prospective teacher has a strong general knowledge background as well as reasoning, problem solving, and evaluation skills.
Profiles of Well Known Schools
Seton Hall University: Seton Hall University is located in South Orange, NJ and is home to the College of Education and Human Services. Seton Hall University is widely regarded as having one of the finest education departments in the country comprised of talented faculty, progressive curriculum, and excellent student services. Education is one of the most popular majors at the university at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Academic programs are accredited by several national organizations including the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Commission On Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). Students are able to choose from several majors including elementary and secondary education, educational leadership, instructional design and technology, and more.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics listed New Jersey’s unemployment rate as 9.6% at the start of 2012, slightly higher than the national average of 8.5%. The Occupational Supply and Demand System projects 8,520 annual job openings in education and library related fields in New Jersey through 2018. In 2008 and 2007 respectively, the National Center for Education Statistics reported 114,713 public school and 19,510 private school teachers employed in New Jersey. According to the National Education Association, the average beginning teaching salary is $44,872, and the overall average teaching salary in New Jersey is $66,612, the fifth highest average among US states. The NEA also reports many new job openings in library, counseling and teaching fields, especially in special education and high school math and science. Subject specialization will improve employment opportunity especially in urban areas. For more information on policy and education employment trends in New Jersey please visit the New Jersey Education Association. To learn more about specific certification procedures, contact local education and teaching schools for free information.
New Jersey Teacher Testing Requirements
Candidates for becoming a teacher in New Jersey must pass the Praxis II Subject Assessment/Specialty Area test for their desired certification area. The score that is required is not absolute, however. There is some flexibility in the passing test score, and that is completely dependent upon the candidate’s college grade point average. The higher the GPA, the lower the required test score. Also, the higher the Praxis II score, the lower the required GPA. Consult documents on the New Jersey teacher certification website for the exact numbers required for the Praxis II and GPA.
New Jersey Teacher Salary and Jobs
| Type | Number Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers | 11,550 | $37,370 |
| Kindergarten Teachers | 5,040 | $58,480 |
| Elementary School Teachers | 44,620 | $64,800 |
| Middle School Teachers | 25,660 | $65,780 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 37,000 | $68,650 |
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2011.
School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in New Jersey
Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools
Popular Programs:
- Early Childhood Education (Certification Only)
- Master of Education in Early Childhood Education
- MA in Teaching: Advanced Studies in Secondary Education- National Board Preparation
- Superintendent Letter of Eligibility (SLE)
- And more...
Popular Programs:
- Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Math
- Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy
Popular Programs:
- M.A. in Education/Secondary Teacher Education
- A.A. in Elementary Education
- M.A. in Education/Elementary Teacher Education
- M.A. in Education/Administration and Supervision
- And more...
Popular Programs:
- B.S. in Early Childhood Education (Birth - 5 Years)
- M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction: Curriculum & Instruction: Early Childhood Education
- Special Education (Early Childhood/Elementary)
- Educational Administration: (EDD)
- And more...
Frequently Asked Questions about Becoming a Teacher in New Jersey
Question: How do I become a substitute teacher in New Jersey?
Answer: To become a substitute teacher in New Jersey, you must get a county substitute credential for the county in which you want to work. The requirements for the credential vary by county, but the fee for each one is $125. Once you have the credential, you can apply to districts. http://www.state.nj.us/education/educators/license/guide.pdf
Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in New Jersey
Brookdale Community College
765 Newman Springs Rd
Lincroft, NJ 07738-1597
(732) 224-2345
www.brookdalecc.edu/pages/108.asp
Camden County College
College Drive
Blackwood, NJ 8012
(856) 227-7200
www.camdencc.edu/studentservices/index.htm
College of Saint Elizabeth
2 Convent Rd
Morristown, NJ 07960-6989
(973) 290-4000
www.cse.edu/index.php?id=20
Empire Beauty School-Laurel Springs
1305 Blackwood-Clementon Rd Commerce Plz 2
Laurel Springs, NJ 08021-5602
(800) 223-3271
Essex County College
303 University Ave
Newark, NJ 7102
(973) 877-3000
Fairleigh Dickinson University-College at Florham
285 Madison Ave
Madison, NJ 7940
(973) 443-8500
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
1000 River Rd
Teaneck, NJ 7666
(201) 692-2000
Kean University
1000 Morris Ave
Union, NJ 07083-0411
(908) 737-5326
www.kean.edu/kean_admissions/home.asp
Middlesex County College
2600 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08818-3050
(732) 548-6000
Monmouth University
400 Cedar Ave
West Long Branch, NJ 07764-1898
(732) 571-3400
www.monmouth.edu/admission/default.asp
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue – 855 Valley Road
Montclair, NJ 07043-1624
(973) 655-4000
www.montclair.edu/Admissions/
New Horizon Institute of Cosmetology Inc
5518 Bergenline Ave
West New York, NJ 07093-4623
(201) 866-4000
New Jersey City University
2039 Kennedy Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 7305
(201) 200-2000
www.njcu.edu/i2e/home/index.asp
Ocean County College
College Drive
Toms River, NJ 08754-2001
(732) 255-0326
www.ocean.edu/admissions/index.htm
Rider University
2083 Lawrence Road
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099
(609) 896-5000
www.rider.edu/admissions
Rowan University
201 Mullica Hill Road
Glassboro, NJ 8028
(856) 256-4000
www.rowan.edu/provost/academic_affairs/admissions/index.cfm
Rutgers University-New Brunswick
83 Somerset St
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281
(732) 932-1766
admissions.rutgers.edu/
Saint Peters College
2641 Kennedy Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07306-5997
(201) 761-6000
www.spc.edu/pages/404.asp
Salem Community College
460 Hollywood Avenue
Carneys Point, NJ 08069-2799
(856) 299-2100
Seton Hall University
400 S Orange Ave
South Orange, NJ 07079-2697
(973) 761-9000
www.shu.edu/applying/undergraduate/index.cfm
The College of New Jersey
2000 Pennington Road
Ewing, NJ 08628-0718
(609) 771-1855
www.tcnj.edu/~admiss/
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Jim Leeds Rd
Pomona, NJ 08240-0195
(609) 652-1776
intraweb.stockton.edu/eyos/page.cfm?siteID=64&pageID=1
William Paterson University of New Jersey
300 Pompton Rd
Wayne, NJ 7470
(973) 720-2000
www.wpunj.edu/admissions/default.cfm
Page edited by Charles Sipe.
