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First grade teacher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a first grade teacher. First grade teachers usually study elementary education, education, or early childhood education. 74% of first grade teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 8,227 real first grade teacher resumes to see exactly what first grade teacher education sections show.
The most common colleges for first grade teachers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online first grade teacher courses to help get the education required to be a first grade teacher.
There are certain first grade teacher certifications that you should consider. These first grade teacher certifications include Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) and Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:).
What education do you need to become a first grade teacher?
What degree do you need to be a first grade teacher?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 4%
- High School Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a first grade teacher?
- Elementary Education, 39%
- Education, 14%
- Psychology, 4%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for first grade teachers
| First grade teacher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.47% |
| Arizona State University | 6.53% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.27% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.73% |
| University of Houston | 5.33% |
Best majors for first grade teachers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary Education | 39.0% |
| 2 | Education | 14.2% |
| 3 | Early Childhood Education | 13.4% |
| 4 | Psychology | 4.3% |
| 5 | Special Education | 4.0% |
Best colleges for first grade teachers
The best colleges for first grade teachers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A first 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 first 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 first grade 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. 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. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$55,466
Enrollment
6,752
10. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
20 best online courses for first grade teachers
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Welcome to Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you effectively assess student performance virtually, including compliance issues, feedback models, online grade book functions, and data analysis. We will discuss why effective measures of performance and assessment are a crucial component of any virtual program, and the importance of teachers and administrators understanding both the myths and challenges of assessing performance virtually, administering...
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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...
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12. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
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13. Color Grading Masterclass: Resolve 15
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14. Adobe Premiere Pro: Color Grading Masterclass (Updated)
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15. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
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16. Preparation for CELTA Teacher Training
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17. Mastering Advanced Color Grading in Photoshop
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18. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom
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19. Mind Maps/ Mind Mapping for Teachers, Trainers, & Presenters
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20. Meditation Practitioner / Teacher Certification (ACCREDITED)
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Top 10 most affordable universities for first grade teachers
The most affordable schools for first 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 first 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 first 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. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
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 first grade teachers
The hardest universities for first grade teachers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for first 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 first 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for first grade teachers
The easiest schools for first grade teachers to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, barry university, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a first 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 first grade teachers.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
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. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
7. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
8. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
9. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average first grade teacher salary by education level
| First grade teacher education level | First grade teacher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,449 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,434 |
| Doctorate Degree | $56,099 |
First 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