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1st grade teacher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a 1st grade teacher. 1st grade teachers usually study elementary education, education, or early childhood education. 73% of 1st grade teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 3,779 real 1st grade teacher resumes to see exactly what 1st grade teacher education sections show.
The most common colleges for 1st grade teachers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online 1st grade teacher courses to help get the education required to be a 1st grade teacher.
There are certain 1st grade teacher certifications that you should consider. These 1st grade teacher certifications include Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) and Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:).
What education do you need to become a 1st grade teacher?
What degree do you need to be a 1st grade teacher?
- Bachelor's, 73%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 5%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a 1st grade teacher?
- Elementary Education, 38%
- Education, 15%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for 1st grade teachers
| 1st grade teacher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.29% |
| Arizona State University | 7.09% |
| Grand Canyon University | 6.60% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.36% |
| Texas A&M University | 6.36% |
Best majors for 1st grade teachers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary Education | 38.4% |
| 2 | Education | 14.6% |
| 3 | Early Childhood Education | 11.9% |
| 4 | Special Education | 4.5% |
| 5 | Psychology | 4.4% |
Best colleges for 1st grade teachers
The best colleges for 1st grade teachers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.
A 1st grade teacher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for 1st grade teachers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become 1st grade teachers.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
20 best online courses for 1st grade teachers
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16. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom
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17. Professional Accredited Yoga Teacher Training Diploma Course
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18. Teaching with Google Classroom
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20. Music Theory ABRSM Grade 5
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Top 10 most affordable universities for 1st grade teachers
The most affordable schools for 1st grade teachers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for 1st grade teachers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for 1st grade teachers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
6. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for 1st grade teachers
The hardest universities for 1st grade teachers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for 1st grade teachers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for 1st grade teachers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for 1st grade teachers
The easiest schools for 1st grade teachers to get into are Barry University, gwynedd mercy university, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a 1st grade teacher without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for 1st grade teachers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
6. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average 1st grade teacher salary by education level
| 1st grade teacher education level | 1st grade teacher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,222 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $44,937 |
| Doctorate Degree | $53,809 |
1st grade teacher education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025