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Guest teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a guest teacher. Guest teachers usually study elementary education, business, or education. 71% of guest teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,478 real guest teacher resumes to see exactly what guest teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for guest teachers are the University of Nevada - Las Vegas and the University of Nevada - Las Vegas.

There are also many online guest teacher courses to help get the education required to be a guest teacher.

There are certain guest teacher certifications that you should consider. These guest teacher certifications include Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE).

What education do you need to become a guest teacher?

What degree do you need to be a guest teacher?

The most common degree for guest teachers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of guest teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 71%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 8%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a guest teacher?

You should major in elementary education to become a guest teacher. 14% of guest teachers major in elementary education. Other common majors for a guest teacher include business and education.

Most common colleges for guest teachers

Guest teachers often get their degrees at University of Nevada - Las Vegas, University of Phoenix, and Oakland University. Here are the most common colleges for guest teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Guest teacher common collegePercentages
University of Nevada - Las Vegas13.37%
University of Phoenix10.08%
Oakland University9.88%
Michigan State University7.00%
Western Michigan University6.79%

Best majors for guest teachers

RankMajorPercentages
1Elementary Education14.0%
2Business10.8%
3Education10.7%
4Psychology8.1%
5English7.1%

Best colleges for guest teachers

The best colleges for guest teachers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A guest 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 guest 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 guest teachers.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

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. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

9. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Madison, WI • Private

In-state tuition

$10,555

Enrollment

30,360

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

20 best online courses for guest teachers

Advertising disclosure

1. Music Education for Teachers

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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. Teaching Impacts of Technology in K-12 Education

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2% That’s the estimate of how many high school students in all of California took a Computer Science class in 2015. And yet, computers and data are everywhere. Just consider a typical 24 hours in your life … how many different computer devices do you use? We all live in multiple digital worlds that are changing rapidly with new apps, devices, and data analyses offering a constant stream of innovations and technology integrations for our lives.\n\nAs it's an integral part of our lives, we’re...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

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Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

4. Outcome Based Education (OBE) & Academic Quality Assurance

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Master Course for Teachers' Development: Grow Your Teaching-Learning Expertise to World-Class Level...

5. The Teacher and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

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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

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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. Teacher Training - How to Teach Online - Remote Teaching 1Hr

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8. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom

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Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...

9. Critical Issues in Urban Education

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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. Virtual Teacher Final Project

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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...

11. Teaching with Google Classroom

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Learn how to create, use, and teach creative, memorable lessons using Google Classroom...

12. Moodle: From Novice Teacher to Expert Online Educator

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13. Online Learning Design for Educators

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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...

14. TESOL Teacher Training: Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

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Putting Theory Into Practice in the ESL/EFL Classroom...

15. TESOL - Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages

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Teaching Skills and Classroom Management...

16. Preparation for CELTA Teacher Training

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17. Mindfulness for Life Coaching Success: Teacher Certificate

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Transform Lives with Mindfulness & Meditation: Accredited Life Coach Teacher Certificate (2023)...

18. Implementing Positive Behaviour Management in the Classroom

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Practical Strategies to Address Behaviour Issues in any Classroom...

19. Mind Maps/ Mind Mapping for Teachers, Trainers, & Presenters

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Using Mind Mapping to Plan>Rehearse >Teach brain-friendly lessons, broadcasts or webinars (Mind Maps,Memory,Mindmapping)...

20. Excel at Teaching English: Be a Better ESL Teacher

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Increase Understanding, Increase Productivity, Increase Teacher and Learner Satisfaction...

Top 10 most affordable universities for guest teachers

The most affordable schools for guest teachers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for guest 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 guest 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. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

5. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

6. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for guest teachers

The hardest universities for guest teachers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for guest 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 guest 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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

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 North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for guest teachers

The easiest schools for guest teachers to get into are Barry University, gwynedd mercy university, and the university of texas permian basin.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a guest 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 guest 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. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

4. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

7. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

8. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

10. Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,111

Average guest teacher salary by education level

According to our data, guest teachers with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $39,738 annually. Guest teachers with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $36,955.
Guest teacher education levelGuest teacher salary
Master's Degree$36,955
High School Diploma or Less$29,854
Bachelor's Degree$33,765
Doctorate Degree$39,738
Some College/ Associate Degree$32,343

Guest 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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