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8th grade science teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a 8th grade science teacher. 8th grade science teachers usually study biology, elementary education, or education. 73% of 8th grade science teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,475 real 8th grade science teacher resumes to see exactly what 8th grade science teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for 8th grade science teachers are the Arizona State University and the Arizona State University.

There are also many online 8th grade science teacher courses to help get the education required to be a 8th grade science teacher.

What education do you need to become a 8th grade science teacher?

What degree do you need to be a 8th grade science teacher?

The most common degree for 8th grade science teachers is bachelor's degree, with 73% of 8th grade science teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 22% and master's degree degree at 4%.
  • Bachelor's, 73%
  • Master's, 22%
  • Associate, 4%
  • Doctorate, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 0%

What should I major in to become a 8th grade science teacher?

You should major in biology to become a 8th grade science teacher. 18% of 8th grade science teachers major in biology. Other common majors for a 8th grade science teacher include elementary education and education.

Most common colleges for 8th grade science teachers

8th grade science teachers often get their degrees at Arizona State University, Texas A&M; University, and Texas State University. Here are the most common colleges for 8th grade science teachers in the US based on their resumes.
8th grade science teacher common collegePercentages
Arizona State University9.70%
Texas A&M University8.48%
Texas State University6.06%
University of North Texas5.45%
Pennsylvania State University5.45%

Best majors for 8th grade science teachers

Best colleges for 8th grade science teachers

The best colleges for 8th grade science teachers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.

A 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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 8th grade science teachers.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

20 best online courses for 8th grade science teachers

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1. Social Science Approaches to the Study of Chinese Society Part 1

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The Final Project will be a hands-on, comprehensive project that practitioners of virtual education can implement in their profession. For this final project, learners will draft a design plan for an online learning module utilizing materials learned from the virtual teacher series. Learners will choose the subject matter, method of delivery, tools, instructional strategies, and assessments, with the goal of creating a module of online or blended instruction that meets the needs of their...

6. Constructivism and Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education

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This course is designed to help participants examine the implications of constructivism for learning and teaching in science, mathematics, and technology focused areas. Course readings, discussions, and assignments will examine constructivist views of learning, research on students' ideas and idea-based interactions, research on instructional approaches taking student ideas into account, and challenges in implementing constructivist perspectives in instruction...

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Top 10 most affordable universities for 8th grade science teachers

The most affordable schools for 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

7. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

8. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for 8th grade science teachers

The hardest universities for 8th grade science teachers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.

Some great schools for 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for 8th grade science teachers

The easiest schools for 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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 8th grade science 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. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

7. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

8. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

9. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

10. College of New Rochelle, The

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

982

Average 8th grade science teacher salary by education level

According to our data, 8th grade science teachers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $54,451 annually. 8th grade science teachers with a Doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $54,200.
8th grade science teacher education level8th grade science teacher salary
Master's Degree$54,451
Bachelor's Degree$49,097
Doctorate Degree$54,200

8th grade science teacher education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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