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What is a cooperating teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cooperating teacher. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.52 an hour? That's $50,997 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 60,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a cooperating teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreCooperating TeacherUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $50,997

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.52%

Asian 3.67%

Black or African American 9.90%

Hispanic or Latino 12.72%

Unknown 3.92%

White 69.28%

Gender

female 75.27%

male 24.73%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Cooperating teacher career paths

Key steps to become a cooperating teacher

  1. Explore cooperating teacher education requirements

    Most common cooperating teacher degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.9 %

    Master's

    19.6 %

    Associate

    8.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific cooperating teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Classroom Management43.42%
    Kindergarten6.62%
    Social Studies5.94%
    Language Arts4.98%
    Student Teaching4.26%
  3. Research cooperating teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
    • Create ESL materials to facilitate better understanding for the students.
    • Implement IEP, instructional plans and behavior support plans design by cooperating teacher.
    • Create and instruct developmentally appropriate lessons in all subject areas and adapt curriculum as per students' IEP goals.
  4. Prepare your cooperating teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cooperating teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cooperating teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable cooperating teacher resume templates

    Build a professional cooperating teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cooperating teacher resume.
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
    Cooperating Teacher Resume
  5. Apply for cooperating teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a cooperating teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first cooperating teacher job

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Are you a cooperating teacher?

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Average cooperating teacher salary

The average cooperating teacher salary in the United States is $50,997 per year or $25 per hour. Cooperating teacher salaries range between $41,000 and $63,000 per year.

Average cooperating teacher salary
$50,997 Yearly
$24.52 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do cooperating teachers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Cooperating teacher reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2023
Pros

The kids light up my days.

Cons

The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022
Pros

You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.

Cons

I can't say, maybe because there is none.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance


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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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