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General education teacher education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a general education teacher. General education teachers usually study elementary education, education, or special education. 67% of general education teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,962 real general education teacher resumes to see exactly what general education teacher education sections show.
The most common colleges for general education teachers are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online general education teacher courses to help get the education required to be a general education teacher.
There are certain general education teacher certifications that you should consider. These general education teacher certifications include Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) and Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:).
What education do you need to become a general education teacher?
What degree do you need to be a general education teacher?
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Master's, 26%
- Associate, 4%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a general education teacher?
- Elementary Education, 27%
- Education, 14%
- Special Education, 13%
- Other Majors, 39%
Most common colleges for general education teachers
| General education teacher common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 6.90% |
| Mercy College | 6.90% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.90% |
| Touro College | 5.91% |
| Chicago State University | 5.42% |
Best majors for general education teachers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elementary Education | 27.3% |
| 2 | Education | 14.4% |
| 3 | Special Education | 13.2% |
| 4 | Early Childhood Education | 7.0% |
| 5 | Psychology | 5.8% |
Best colleges for general education teachers
The best colleges for general education teachers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.
A general education 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 general education 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 general education 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. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
9. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
10. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
20 best online courses for general education teachers
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1. Music Education for Teachers
In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...
2. Virtual Teacher Final Project
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...
3. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance
Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...
4. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
5. The Teacher and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Social and emotional learning, or SEL, programs have flourished in schools during the last decade. These programs vary widely but most share a concern for five individual, student competencies: self awareness; self-management; social awareness; relationship skills; and finally responsible decision making. It is important for teachers and parents to know about and understand these programs. While lots of SEL programs emphasize K-12 student social and emotional learning, only a very few programs...
6. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher
Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...
7. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom
Practical Strategies to Address Behaviour Issues in any Classroom...
8. Mindfulness for Life Coaching Success: Teacher Certificate
Transform Lives with Mindfulness & Meditation: Accredited Life Coach Teacher Certificate (2023)...
9. Critical Issues in Urban Education
Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...
10. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum
Why and how are teachers integrating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) into primary education? In this course we analyse examples from schools in different parts of the world, and bring professional teachers, headteachers and policymakers together to share their best ideas and inspiring stories. The materials in the course are based on studies carried out for the UNESCO Institute of IT in Education, Moscow. Learning Outcomes: to be aware of the range of reasons for using ICT to...
11. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Putting Theory Into Practice in the ESL/EFL Classroom...
12. Preparation for CELTA Teacher Training
Learn the skills required to succeed in your CELTA training - gain practice in lesson planning and writing assignments!!...
13. THINK GLOBAL: TEACHERS TRAINING COURSE (IDP-ICE)
A group of seven European partners from Catalonia, Belgium, and Wales worked together on the Erasmus+ funded ‘Think Global’ project on global competence. The project seeks to address the following research question through development and piloting of practical classroom activities: What is global competence, and how can it be learned effectively? The Think Global project explores, through international collaboration, how global competence is defined, taught, learned, and measured in the...
14. Online Learning Design for Educators
This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...
15. Professional Accredited Yoga Teacher Training Diploma Course
Full Certification Diploma Course to Learn the In depth techniques of Yoga to teach to Students & Groups!...
16. Mind Maps/ Mind Mapping for Teachers, Trainers, & Presenters
Using Mind Mapping to Plan>Rehearse >Teach brain-friendly lessons, broadcasts or webinars (Mind Maps,Memory,Mindmapping)...
17. Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom
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...
18. Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom
Welcome to Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom! This course will help you apply strategies to the critical areas of K-12 virtual instruction to significantly impact virtual education. We will examine the pitfalls beginning teachers run into and learn how to overcome them by focusing on the fundamentals that have the greatest impact on student learning in a blended or online environment. By the end of the course, you will be able to empower your students to be voracious...
19. Mindfulness Teacher Training Certificate
Become a certified mindfulness teacher with this accredited mindfulness teacher training programme...
20. Meditation Teacher Training Certificate Course
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Approved Course...
Top 10 most affordable universities for general education teachers
The most affordable schools for general education teachers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for general education 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 general education 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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for general education teachers
The hardest universities for general education teachers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for general education 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 general education 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for general education teachers
The easiest schools for general education teachers to get into are Barry University, wayland baptist university, and mount saint mary's university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a general education 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 general education teachers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
4. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
5. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
6. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
9. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
10. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
Average general education teacher salary by education level
| General education teacher education level | General education teacher salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,941 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,861 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,347 |
General education teacher education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025