Become a Teacher in Massachusetts
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
(781) 338-3000
I AM...
Choose the statement that best describes you to jump to applicable information.
Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Massachusetts
Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 04/29/2020)
In Massachusetts, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree and complete a state-approved teacher preparation program to receive certification. Massachusetts does not list specific course or credit hour requirements; however some subject fields may have such requirements. Also, every college or university teacher preparation program will have requirements of its own. Contact your teacher preparation program or the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education for more information.
Teacher certification programs can be taken online or on-site. They typically include an educational theory and classroom skills seminar and a fieldwork component of student teaching in the desired content area. Visit the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education for a list of accredited teacher preparation programs.
Aspiring Massachusetts teachers are required to take the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure
You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.coms' Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.
All candidates registering to take the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) are required to enter a MEPID (Massachusetts Education Personnel ID) number in order to register for a test. Before registering for the MTEL, you must know your MEPID number.
Initial Teaching Certifications
To earn your Massachusetts teaching credential you will have to complete the required amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Massachusetts issues an Initial license for new teachers (valid for five years and renewable once), and a Professional license (renewable every five years), issued after at least three years of teaching under an Initial License and completion of a teacher induction program.
Learn more at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education about earning your teaching credential or learn more about getting your teaching credential at Teach.com.
Discover an 8-week Online Teaching Short Course from Harvard's Bok Center
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Alternative Certification in Massachusetts
Aspiring teachers in Massachusetts can apply for a Preliminary license, which is valid for five years during which time an approved teacher preparation program can be completed. For more information on licensure and non-traditional certification routes visit the state’s Executive Office of Education page.
Massachusetts Teacher Certification Information & Links
Transferring Your Certification
Certification Reciprocity in Massachusetts
Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in Massachusetts, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. Or, for more specific questions about your situation contact the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education.
To find out what other state teaching licenses can be used in Massachusetts, check out our Teacher Certification Reciprocity page on Teach.com.
Career Advancement
Professional Development for Massachusetts Teachers
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education established a system of Professional Development Points (PDP’s) for teacher license renewal. PDP’s are earned through the completion of school or district-run professional development activities. The Department publishes detailed guidelines and resources for PDP’s.
Benefits of a Master's Degree in Massachusetts
It is no longer enough to only have years of experience teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, teachers are almost solely evaluated by their success in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education should provide you with more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as 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 have more job security and potential for higher pay.
Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.
Higher Education Teaching Certificate
The Higher Education Teaching Certificate online short course aims to give you the opportunity to engage deeply with and reflect on your teaching practices, portfolio, and journey in the higher education (HE) field. Loosely based on the in-person seminar program currently offered by Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, and in association with HarvardX, this course gives you the opportunity to explore the focus areas of pedagogy, course and assessment design, professional communication, language and culture of the classroom, and reflections on teaching – entirely online, from anywhere in the world.
Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Teaching Jobs
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education runs an Educator Career Center, where districts can post job opportunities and aspiring teachers can search through them.
Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.
Massachusetts Teacher Salary and Incentives
In Massachusetts, teachers earned an average salary of around $71,000 per year in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Massachusetts is one of the highest paying states to teach in, and additionally offers increased pay for teachers willing to work in high-needs schools or in shortage subjects. Teacher salary is determined by the school district. For the most recent data on average salaries in each district, visit the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education’s Teacher Salaries Report page or learn more about teacher salaries at Teach.com.
Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.
Massachusetts Teacher Benefits and Retirement
Massachusetts public school teachers are eligible to receive full retirement benefits from the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System at age 55 with at least 10 years of teaching service, or at any age with a minimum of 20 years of teaching service. Benefits are calculated using age at the time of retirement, years of service, and the average of a teacher’s highest three consecutive years’ salaries. For more information, visit the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System.
Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.
Massachusetts Teacher Shortage Areas
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 Massachusetts for the 2020-21 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
- English as a Second Language
- Career and Technical Education
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Special Education
- World Languages
Financial Aid in Massachusetts
Massachusetts 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.
Information last updated: May 2020