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How to hire an elementary school teacher

Elementary school teacher hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring elementary school teachers in the United States:

  • There are a total of 1,650,500 elementary school teachers in the US, and there are currently 84,607 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire an elementary school teacher is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per elementary school teacher on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Las Vegas, NV, has the highest demand for elementary school teachers, with 23 job openings.

How to hire an elementary school teacher, step by step

To hire an elementary school teacher, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an elementary school teacher:

Here's a step-by-step elementary school teacher hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an elementary school teacher job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new elementary school teacher
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an elementary school teacher do?

Elementary school teachers are trained to provide education to children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The teachers are responsible for children's emotional and educational growth in the classroom. They manage the resources and materials to be used for their education. It is part of their duties to evaluate the students' performance, social development, physical health, and behavior. Also, they adapt to teaching methods and instructions to meet the interests and needs of the children.

Learn more about the specifics of what an elementary school teacher does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring an elementary school teacher, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an elementary school teacher to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an elementary school teacher that fits the bill.

    This list presents elementary school teacher salaries for various positions.

    Type of Elementary School TeacherDescriptionHourly rate
    Elementary School TeacherKindergarten and elementary school teachers prepare younger students for future schooling by teaching them basic subjects such as math and reading.$17-34
    5th Grade TeacherA 5th Grade Teacher is responsible for educating children and teaching them subjects like math, English, science, or art. They work in a public or private school at the elementary level.$15-30
    2nd Grade TeacherA 2nd-grade teacher specializes in educating young children, providing them with a safe and efficient classroom environment. One of their primary responsibilities is to devise strategies to improve the students' academic knowledge and interpersonal skills, craft effective lesson plans, and enhance their reading and writing skills... Show more$15-32
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Classroom Management
    • Math
    • Professional Development
    • Mathematics
    • Social Studies
    • Instructional Materials
    • Classroom Environment
    • Student Learning
    • Student Achievement
    • Language Arts
    • Public Schools
    • Student Performance
    • State Standards
    • Curriculum Development
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Offer leave of absence for remainder of school yearupon adoption of twin girls from Russia.
    • Help kids expend excess energy so they can sit still in regular classes for the rest of the afternoon.
    • Differentiate lessons to fit the needs of students in the ESL program, students with special needs, and gift students.
    • Create innovative PowerPoint presentation for daily lesson.
    • Create various PowerPoint presentations for multiple projects.
    • Develop innovative approaches to literacy development and mathematics teaching.
    More elementary school teacher duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the elementary school teacher job description is a good way to get more applicants. An elementary school teacher salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

    For example, the average salary for an elementary school teacher in Missouri may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level elementary school teacher. Additionally, an elementary school teacher with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average elementary school teacher salary

    $52,161yearly

    $25.08 hourly rate

    Entry-level elementary school teacher salary
    $37,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 16, 2025

    Average elementary school teacher salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Maryland$78,994$38
    2New York$75,701$36
    3District of Columbia$70,184$34
    4New Jersey$66,674$32
    5California$66,567$32
    6Oregon$62,904$30
    7Pennsylvania$61,422$30
    8Illinois$50,038$24
    9Georgia$50,011$24
    10Texas$46,676$22
    11Maine$46,314$22
    12Minnesota$44,845$22
    13Florida$44,501$21
    14New Mexico$43,787$21
    15North Carolina$42,995$21
    16South Carolina$41,453$20
    17Colorado$41,168$20
    18Louisiana$39,348$19
    19Arizona$39,039$19
    20Oklahoma$35,765$17

    Average elementary school teacher salary by company

  4. Writing an elementary school teacher job description

    An elementary school teacher job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an elementary school teacher job description:

    Elementary school teacher job description example

    The Roger Bacon Academy is an education management organization that manages multiple award-winning public charter schools in southeastern North Carolina including Classical Charter Schools of Southport in Bolivia, NC that serves students in grades K - 7. We have an immediate need for a 3rd grade Teacher. We are seeking outstanding applicants to join our school who have a degree in Education with a heart to inspire young minds! We have a dedicated Beginning Teacher Coordinator and also a staff of Academic Coaches to work alongside teachers to provide engaging ongoing training and support.


    Our researched-based Direct Instruction curriculum begins with reading by phonics and writing with attention to penmanship, spelling, grammar, and style. Mathematics, science, music, and art also receive emphasis in the basics with examples and techniques from time-honored classical sources. The children gain a solid base of knowledge well-grounded in the intellectual, aesthetic, and moral traditions of western civilization.


    We have an overarching mission to provide the finest educational foundation for the children of our community. We expect our employees to come to work prepared with the tools to teach and a desire to never stop seeking to improve themselves as individuals and as valued members of our family. We also expect our employees to have an unwavering commitment to make a difference, to seek to understand the children within our reach, and a compassionate heart to never give up helping a child reach his or her potential.


    We believe every child can learn when properly taught. Our school’s Direct Instruction teaching method provides high behavioral and academic standards for students, as well as specific methods and support staff for managing behavior and ensuring academic success. As a result, you will have the rewarding opportunity to witness and create amazing student transformations. “Every kid needs a champion” and we believe you are just the right person to inspire the children at our schools!


    Qualifications


    A Bachelor’s degree in education with valid teaching certificate from North Carolina or partnering state in the area for which candidate is applying.


    Successfully teaching a group of diverse learners is a physically demanding job. Constant circulation throughout the room working with individual students requires that the teacher be on their feet at all times during the day.


    Coursework in Applied Behavior Analysis, Probability and Statistics, Algebra and in the subject specialty departments are highly desirable.




  5. Post your job

    To find the right elementary school teacher for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with elementary school teachers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit elementary school teachers who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your elementary school teacher job on Zippia to find and attract quality elementary school teacher candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    During your first interview to recruit elementary school teachers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new elementary school teacher

    Once you've found the elementary school teacher candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new elementary school teacher. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an elementary school teacher?

Recruiting elementary school teachers involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

Elementary school teachers earn a median yearly salary is $52,161 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find elementary school teachers for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $17 and $34.

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