How To Become a Teacher in New Jersey 2024

If you’re looking for a career that will allow you to empower, inspire, prepare, and have a positive impact on generations, then teaching is the career for you.

Teaching in New Jersey gives you a golden opportunity to leave a positive legacy on your students as you inspire them to achieve their goals and become independent and productive members of society. 

Each state has specific requirements regarding its teachers’ education level, licensing, and experience. The New Jersey public school system operates within districts supervised by locally elected school boards and superintendents. 

Despite New Jersey experiencing a growth in the number of teachers in public schools from 109,282 in 2022 to 117,135 in the 2023-2024 academic year, it still continues to experience teacher shortage. 

This guide will help you learn the steps and critical information to building a rewarding career in teaching. 

Is Teaching the Right Career for You?

Though challenging, teaching is a fulfilling profession if you are passionate about helping. Teaching is also a job that requires flexibility since, on any given day, things will happen to run you off your schedule. 

You also have to focus, have excellent communication skills, and have adequate mastery of your subject. Most teachers see teaching as a vocation, not a job. Money shouldn’t, therefore, be one of your motivation factors when going into the teaching profession. 

Passion for the subject you teach will help you through all the challenges that you will face in the teaching profession. 

As a teacher, you are constantly engaged with your learners, their families, the surrounding communities, your colleagues and the administration. You’ll need to practice lots of patience in engaging with all these individuals in your daily activities. 

The teaching career is often very stable, and you can expect long vacations. 

Though satisfying, a career in teaching can also be challenging. As a good educator, you make a positive impact on your learners every day. You teach your students not only academic skills but also how to embrace socially acceptable behaviours and how to work toward their goals. 

Teacher salaries in New Jersey vary depending on your level of education, your specific experience, the type of certification you hold, and the employing district. Educator’s salaries vary from state to state. For instance, $81,102 in New Jersey to $76,371 in Alaska.

State Requirements for Teaching In New Jersey

Each state has its teacher requirements, which reflect the current teacher situation in the state. For instance, if a state is experiencing a severe teacher shortage compared to other states, it might have fewer requirements. 

To teach in New Jersey, you must hold a bachelor’s degree, have completed a teacher preparation program, and have passed all the tests and examinations to acquire a teaching certification. 

Teaching requirements also differ depending on the level of education you want to teach, whether secondary, primary, or kindergarten. 

For instance, to teach at the elementary school level in New Jersey, you must meet the minimum GPA requirement, hold a bachelor’s degree that has a liberal arts or sciences major, or at least 60 liberal arts credits. 

You must also demonstrate basic skills by approved assessment and show physiology/hygiene knowledge. You also require multiple subject credentials and an endorsement for elementary education, such as Grades K-6. 

To be a certified secondary school teacher in New Jersey, you require a special area endorsement, which will allow you to teach grades P-12. You must also hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 30 semester hour credits in your subject area and a minimum of 12 advanced-level credits. 

Here are the requirements you need to become a teacher in New Jersey:

1. Bachelor’s Degree

The minimum teaching requirement in the U.S. is a bachelor’s degree. All states, therefore, require aspiring teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree. 

A bachelor’s degree in an education-related program is more suitable since it teaches you relevant skills such as math literacy, class management, and learner inclusivity. It gives you direct entry into the career. 

Some of the key learnings from an education degree program that make you qualified for the job include:

• The ability to work and communicate with children: You learn how to develop a common understanding with the learners. You understand how to identify their strengths and challenges and work together to support their well-being and development. 
• Lesson planning: This equips you to translate the curriculum into learning activities. You learn how to create a general outline of your teaching goals and objectives and provides you with a means to realize them. 
• Creating healthy and dynamic learning environments: A healthy and dynamic classroom helps ensure your learners feel safe. Such an environment will stimulate engagement and foster cooperation during learning sessions. 
• Effective oral and written communication: Effective oral communication skills help you establish meaningful interactions with your learners, resolve conflicts successfully and foster connections. Additionally, you need great written communication skills to maintain clear documentation and clearly communicate your learner’s progress to parents in a way that makes them receptive rather than defensive. 
• Information and communication technology savviness: Technology makes learning more accessible to your students. You can create a fun learning environment where learners can concentrate on their learning and be more interested in the learning process. The skills will also help you reduce your workload and efficiently share information with other teachers.  
• Research and analytical skills: A degree in education helps you acquire research skills, which can help you find solutions to specific problems arising within your classroom or institution. Analytical skills are essential in helping you to analyze a problem and critically consider different possible solutions objectively. They help you to reason well, define and analyze educational theories and determine their suitability in your teaching process. 
• Teamwork ability: To be a successful educator, you must sharpen your skills in teamwork and collaboration with your colleagues. These are essential in the organization of school events and activities, delivery of the curriculum and establishment of behaviour management skills. 

Here are some bachelor’s degree programs in education that can lead to a teaching career in education:

• Bachelor in Early Years Education
• Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood
• Bachelor of Education Honours degree
• Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies
• Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science
• BA Education, Culture, and Society
• BS. in Education

2. Complete an Accredited Teacher Preparation Program

To be a certified teacher in New Jersey, you must complete a state-approved educator preparation program encompassing field experience. In New Jersey, a teacher preparation program runs for a minimum of 13 semester-hour credits. These courses must be taken at an  NJDOE-approved provider. 

Most New Jersey accredited colleges and universities combine these teacher certification requirements within an educational degree, with some allowing you to be awarded a master’s in addition to your bachelor’s degree. 

A teacher preparation program equips you with skills such as learner management, modern teaching strategies and pedagogies to enhance. Teacher preparation programs are therefore essential in ensuring that you have a positive impact on all your students. 

3. Gain Student Teaching Experience

To be allowed to teach in New Jersey, you must gain classroom experience. 

Your Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) clinical practice component in New Jersey occurs in two segments. In the first segment, you must complete a minimum of 175 hours, with at least 100 hours happening throughout the semester before your full-time clinical practice semester.  The second segment of your clinical practice requires you to teach full-time for a minimum of one semester. 

Starting the 2024-2025 academic year, New Jersey provides all eligible students with $3,000 to cover academic and living expenses while in student teaching.

If you’re using the alternate certification route, you must complete 50 hours of pre-professional experience before teaching. This consists of 15 hours of coursework, 20 hours of clinical experience, 10 hours of planning and instruction delivery, and 15 hours at the program’s discretion. 

The requirement can be satisfied with appropriate experience working with children or special coursework. You can start the CE teacher preparation program after you begin teaching. 

4. Pass a Background Check

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) requires that all aspiring teachers must undergo and pass a background check conducted by the Office of Student Protection Unit (OSP). The OSP works together with the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to conduct teacher background checks for teachers applying to teach in public schools, non-public schools, private schools for learners with disabilities, and charter schools.

Background checks aim at determining the candidate’s trustworthiness around children. Applicants are disqualified if they are guilty of endangering a child’s welfare either by abuse or neglect if found on the sex offenders list or if they have committed any first- or second-degree crimes. 

5. Get Certified

Different states may have different certification requirements or licensing examinations for teachers. The New Jersey Department of Education currently uses the NJEdCert certification system, which requires the following;

• Passing a basic skill assessment test, the Praxis Core Academic Skills assessment. Candidates can also waive the Praxis Core Academic Skills Test requirement by providing an ACT, SAT or GRE score that is at or above the cut score for the year in which they took the exam.
• CEAS candidates must pass the appropriate edTPA prior to attaining CEAS certification, while CE holders must pass the edTPA before earning Standard certification.
• Pass the Praxis II content area test that is based on your certification area. 
• Pass a physiology and hygiene examination administered by the county offices of Education. 
• Specialized teaching areas may require specific training, such as military training or college-level study on subjects such as health, nutrition or biology. 

Once you have your certification examination scores, apply for certification through the New Jersey Educator Certification (NJEdCert) System. You will be expected to submit;

• Certification test scores 
• Transcripts
• Program completion verification
• Professional experience verification

If you require foreign or out-of-state credentials or a name change on your certificate, you should also submit supporting documents through the NJEdCert System.

Consider Getting a Master’s Degree

You dont need to hold a master’s degree to teach in New Jersey. However, many states are continually requiring their teacher candidates to hold a master’s degree or acquire one within the first five years of teaching.

A master’s degree gives you a competitive advantage over other applicants when seeking similar teaching opportunities. 

Some of New Jersey’s top universities and colleges run a 5-year educational program that awards you a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree upon completion. 

Also, some approved institutions providing accredited teacher preparation programs have master’s degree programs for those with non-educational bachelor’s degrees and are working towards transitioning into teaching. 

Alternative Route To Teaching In New Jersey

Besides the traditional pathway to teacher certification, you can also take the alternative teacher certification route to teaching. 

This pathway is suitable for if you have not completed a formal teacher preparation program at an accredited college or university and wish to become a certified teacher in New Jersey. 

Through the alternate teacher preparation pathway, you acquire a Certificate of Eligibility (CE). To qualify for CE, you can use your bachelor’s degree in your occupational area, your employment experience, your coursework, or a combination of your education and employment experience.  

Once you attain a CE, you are eligible to be hired to teach the subject area identified in your endorsement in grades 9 to 12. Some of the institutions in New Jersey that you can apply to include;

• Comprehensive school districts
• County vocational-technical school districts
• Special services schools district
• NJDOE-approved private schools for children with disabilities
• Charter schools

The alternative teaching pathway is suitable for career changers, substitute teachers wishing to launch careers in education, and recent college graduates who want to assess their suitability for the job before venturing into full-time. 

Alternative pathways to education are mostly flexible since you may be allowed to take the course at your own pace. In addition, the program is approximately two years, which is much less than the traditional 4-year traditional programs.

To pursue an alternative teaching program in New Jersey, you must first hold a bachelor’s degree. 

Here is a list of the next steps to certification:

1. Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CE) from NJDOE: Your bachelor’s degree must have at least 30 credits in the subject area you want to teach or 60 Liberal Arts credits for general elementary. You need a minimum of 15 credits to teach a specific subject in middle school and attain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. If you have an associate degree in a relevant field, you need at least two years of industry experience directly linked to the instructional program. You can also use your employment experience in the form of industry experience, self-employment, or military experience. 
2. Complete additional requirements: You need to satisfy the physiology and hygiene requirements by presenting evidence of basic military training. Also, you can complete a course such as health, biology, or nutrition that must appear on an accredited two or four-year college or university transcript. You should also acquire a State-Issued Occupational License, Certificate or Registration. NJDOE requires that candidates must hold current professional licenses for some certification. For instance, to teach cosmetology, you must have a valid license from the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. Once the appropriate documentation is submitted, you will be granted a Certificate of Eligibility in a specific area of instruction. 
3. Enrol in a teacher preparation program: Once you receive a CTE Certificate of Eligibility from NJDOE, you are eligible to be hired by a school district to teach the study area as identified in the endorsement. Once hired by a school, you become a provisional teacher. You must then participate in a two-year CTE Teacher Preparation Program. Upon completion of the Teacher Preparation Program, you will receive Verification of Program Completion, allowing you to apply for a standard teaching certificate. 

Getting Hired as a Teacher

The most relevant criteria for getting hired as a teacher are education, in-class experience, and certification. With all these satisfied, it’s time to find a teaching position. 

Here are several things you need to remember to enhance your chances of being hired:

Polish Your CV

Your CV needs to be adjusted to each job ad that you apply to. Highlight all the relevant degrees and certifications that you hold. In addition, attach any certifications to workshops, academic conferences, and special courses attended. All your relevant teaching experience should also be indicated on your CV. If you held multiple teaching roles, include your responsibilities under each role. 

Remember to check what most schools in the state require from their teachers to guide you in creating a winning CV. 

Upgrade Your Skillset

Some skills are key in the teaching profession. Increase your chances of securing a teaching position by ensuring that your skillset is fresh, current, and consistently upgraded. 

Here are some of the relevant teaching skills: 

• Patience: Your learners represent extreme diversity in their learning styles, intellectual abilities, and cultural backgrounds. You need to display to your prospective employer your unmatched ability to handle this diversity with professionalism and patience. Patience in a diverse classroom helps you balance your expectations and the learner’s abilities. 
• Communication: Strong verbal communication means that you are able to clearly and effectively communicate the lesson objectives and material to your learners. You require excellent written communication to give feedback on assignments and write progress reports for parents.
• Organizational skills: If you are a primary or a secondary school teacher, you may have 30 or more learners in your classroom. To be effective, you must be able to manage your learner’s materials and assignments well. Also, strong organizational skills will help you ensure that all the necessary learning materials, such as pens, markers, books, and extra paper, are in place before the beginning of a class. 
• Leadership skills: Your learners are always learning from you, and therefore, modeling acceptable leadership qualities is essential in helping them develop a dedication to learning and appreciation of their responsibilities in life. Leadership skills are also essential when interacting with teachers and school administrators. Leadership skills will be seen through your uptake of additional roles such as coaching sports or directing special interest clubs such as chess or drama. 
• Teamwork: Teamwork and collaboration will help you interact kindly and effectively with other educators. When you cultivate excellent teamwork skills, you will have the ability to accept input from other teachers even when you have differing opinions. Teamwork will also allow you to use other personnel as resources for your students.

Begin Your Job Search

In New Jersey, you can find teaching positions by checking with the New Jersey Department of Education and clicking the job opportunities page. You can also search through the districts you are interested in teaching by phone or email to check if they are hiring. Even when the districts are not hiring, it is prudent to send your resume in case something comes up. 

You can also send your resume to specific schools that you are interested in teaching, even when they are not hiring at the moment. They might reach out when hiring in the future. 

Join a Professional Organization and Network

Professional organizations provide you with networking opportunities that are key for your career growth. 

As a new teacher, professional teacher organizations can help you access job search resources and other career benefits. 

Here are some professional networks and organizations you can join in New Jersey:

• N.J. Literacy Association (NJLA): This professional network brings together teachers and individuals interested in advancing literacy and enhancing effective teaching practices while promoting appropriate assessment strategies. 
• N.J Assn. of Kindergarten Educators (NJAKE): This organization brings together kindergarten and early childhood educators. Its focus is strengthening communication between educators and the public on the emotional, physical, social values, and intellectual programs. Dues include $25 for unified county and state memberships and $10 for retired and student members. 
• Assn. of Mathematics Teachers of N.J.(AMTNJ): The organization is for mathematics educators and hosts conferences, webinars, and professional development programs for its members. It also offers scholarships, high school and middle school contests, and produces motivational publications for its teachers. Membership includes $39 per year for professionals and $15 per year for retirees and preservice teachers. 
• N.J. Association for Middle-Level Education (NJAMLE): The organization consists of middle-level educators, and it brings together all stakeholders committed to the excellence of middle-level education. It provides leadership, advocacy and professional learning to ensure that learners realize their cognitive, emotional, physical, and social needs. Membership dues are $25 for individuals, $15 for students, and $125 for institutions.
• New Jersey Alternative Education Assn. (NJAEA)– This is an ideal organization for you if you are working in alternative education or are interested in the development of alternative education options. The organization disseminates information concerning research, promotes alternative education programs, and produces publications on alternative education. Membership dues are $120. 

Joining professional networks allows you to mingle and learn from experienced educators. They also give you access to research with educators in your subject area, enhancing your professional growth. 

Ace Your Job Interview

You must successfully pass an interview before being hired to teach in New Jersey. 

Here are some tips and tricks to help you ace that job interview:

1. Review and keep a record of your most memorable classroom experiences: What makes you excited to meet your learners every morning? Communicate your passion for teaching and suitability for that position by sharing some of your most memorable classroom experiences, including volunteer, substitute, or student teaching experiences. 
2. Prepare adequately ahead of the interview: Research about the position you are applying for before the interview. This will give you some insights into the ideal candidate that the employer is seeking and guide you in tailoring your resume to match the requirements. You can also practice with a friend by getting them to ask you some of the most expected questions. 
3. Create a comprehensive educational portfolio: A portfolio is instrumental in showcasing your educational and professional talents. Include physical evidence of your academic skills and creativity. Include letters of recommendation from your supervising teacher and university instructors in the portfolio. Include a sample in your portfolio. Be prepared to teach a real lesson to students or a panel of administrators in case the interviewer requires one. 
4. Seek clarifications and thank the interviewing panel for their time. Show your interest in the position by preparing two to four post-interview questions. Such questions can act as a follow-up on any information shared by the panel. You can also seek further understanding for any information not covered by the interviewer.  For instance, ask about the school values, compensation, specific position roles, and engagement schedule. 

Career Outlook & Salary in New Jersey

New Jersey offers many teaching opportunities, especially in the state’s teacher shortage areas. As you start out, you can earn more by committing to work in a high-need district, specialization, or subject. 

New Jersey is also among the top ten highest-paying states for teachers nationwide. Its teachers earned an average annual salary of nearly $80,000 compared to the national average public school teacher salary of $66,745. 

New Jersey also offers a loan forgiveness program for teachers serving in high-need fields in eligible schools. 

Here are the average salaries for some teaching positions in New Jersey;

Highest Paid in Texas	Lowest Paid in Texas	National Average
$77,590	$50, 490	$61,320

Become a Teacher In New Jersey

Becoming a teacher is a gratifying career, and if you meet all the requirements, you can start your journey to make a difference in the next generation’s lives in New Jersey. 

New Jersey is an excellent state in which to be a teacher. It is family-friendly and provides its residents with an excellent quality of life. New Jersey was ranked the 3rd best state to live in and one of the safest in the nation due to its low crime rate.

Also, New Jersey’s location means you can enjoy the beach and still pop into New York City for an experience of big-city life.  

If you are interested in this rewarding, dynamic career in New Jersey, Teachers of Tomorrow is the sure alternative certification provider to help you realize that goal.