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High school mathematics teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a high school mathematics teacher. High school mathematics teachers usually study mathematics, education, or general education, specific areas. 67% of high school mathematics teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,086 real high school mathematics teacher resumes to see exactly what high school mathematics teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for high school mathematics teachers are the Florida State University and the Florida State University.

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

What education do you need to become a high school mathematics teacher?

What degree do you need to be a high school mathematics teacher?

The most common degree for high school mathematics teachers is bachelor's degree, with 67% of high school mathematics teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 3%.
  • Bachelor's, 67%
  • Master's, 26%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Doctorate, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a high school mathematics teacher?

You should major in mathematics to become a high school mathematics teacher. 35% of high school mathematics teachers major in mathematics. Other common majors for a high school mathematics teacher include education and general education, specific areas.

Most common colleges for high school mathematics teachers

High school mathematics teachers often get their degrees at Florida State University, Temple University, and University of Florida. Here are the most common colleges for high school mathematics teachers in the US based on their resumes.
High school mathematics teacher common collegePercentages
Florida State University8.49%
Temple University7.55%
University of Florida6.60%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro5.66%
University of Houston5.66%

Best majors for high school mathematics teachers

Best colleges for high school mathematics teachers

The best colleges for high school mathematics teachers are Harvard University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A high school mathematics 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 high school mathematics 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 high school mathematics 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. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

7. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

10. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

20 best online courses for high school mathematics teachers

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1. Mathematics for Machine Learning

coursera

For a lot of higher level courses in Machine Learning and Data Science, you find you need to freshen up on the basics in mathematics - stuff you may have studied before in school or university, but which was taught in another context, or not very intuitively, such that you struggle to relate it to how it’s used in Computer Science. This specialization aims to bridge that gap, getting you up to speed in the underlying mathematics, building an intuitive understanding, and relating it to Machine...

2. Mathematics for Engineers

coursera

This specialization was developed for engineering students to self-study engineering mathematics. We expect students to already be familiar with single variable calculus and computer programming. Through this specialization, students will learn matrix algebra, differential equations, vector calculus, numerical methods, and MATLAB programming. This will provide them with the tools to effectively apply mathematics to engineering problems and be well-equipped to pursue a degree in engineering. To...

3. Algebra 2 & Trigonometry: A Complete High School Curriculum

udemy
4.4
(517)

Includes videos and over 300 pages of quizzes/worksheets (answer keys provided!)...

4. Pre-Algebra Explained

udemy
4.6
(518)

Master Pre-Algebra with 700 Practice Questions! Prepare for High School Math: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry...

5. Mathematical Biostatistics Boot Camp 1

coursera

This class presents the fundamental probability and statistical concepts used in elementary data analysis. It will be taught at an introductory level for students with junior or senior college-level mathematical training including a working knowledge of calculus. A small amount of linear algebra and programming are useful for the class, but not required...

6. Mathematics for Machine Learning and Data Science

coursera

Mathematics for Machine Learning and Data Science is a foundational online program created by DeepLearning.AI and taught by Luis Serrano. This beginner-friendly Specialization is where you’ll master the fundamental mathematics toolkit of machine learning.\n\nMany machine learning engineers and data scientists need help with mathematics, and even experienced practitioners can feel held back by a lack of math skills. This Specialization uses innovative pedagogy in mathematics to help you learn...

7. College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, & Trigonometry Explained

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4.7
(466)

Master College Level Algebra with our Step by Step Video Tutorials. Over 4500 Practice Questions! Ace your Algebra Exam!...

8. Master Pre Calculus and Trigonometry

udemy
4.4
(510)

Get prepared for Calculus and fully grasp all things Precalculus and Trigonometry with over 9 hours of lectures...

9. Mathematics for Machine Learning: PCA

coursera

This intermediate-level course introduces the mathematical foundations to derive Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a fundamental dimensionality reduction technique. We'll cover some basic statistics of data sets, such as mean values and variances, we'll compute distances and angles between vectors using inner products and derive orthogonal projections of data onto lower-dimensional subspaces. Using all these tools, we'll then derive PCA as a method that minimizes the average squared...

10. Mathematical Foundations of Machine Learning

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4.5
(5,125)

Essential Linear Algebra and Calculus Hands-On in Num Py, Tensor Flow, and Py Torch...

11. Become an Algebra Master

udemy
4.7
(10,598)

Learn everything from Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, then test your knowledge with 1,150+ practice questions...

12. The Beginner's Guide To Understanding Algebra 1 & Algebra 2

udemy
4.6
(446)

Master The Fundamentals of Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 and be ready to pass any test!...

13. Mathematical Foundation For Machine Learning and AI

udemy
4.6
(1,262)

Learn the core mathematical concepts for machine learning and learn to implement them in R and python...

14. Discrete Mathematics

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4.6
(2,937)

Master Discrete Math for Computer Science and Mathematics Students...

15. Complete Mathematics Masterclass: College & University Level

udemy
4.8
(321)

All the Applied Mathematics Needed in Science, Programming, Engineering, IT & Business - Theory, Examples & Exercises...

16. Learn Algebra The Easy Way!

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4.7
(1,548)

Algebra Review - Slope, Graphing Linear Equations, Exponents, Factoring, Solving Quadratic Equations, & Radicals...

17. Linear Algebra for Data Science & Machine Learning - Math

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4.5
(348)

Complete linear algebra - Mathematics for data science, machine learning & Deep Learning - Math for Data Science Algebra...

18. Precalculus 1: Basic notions

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4.9
(428)

Mathematics from high school to university...

19. Physics - Kinematics for High School and AP Physics 1

udemy
4.7
(315)

This is a comprehensive Algebra based Mechanics course in physics specifically covering topics of Kinematics...

20. Linear Algebra for Data Science & Machine Learning A-Z 2023

udemy
4.6
(727)

Linear Algebra for Data Science, Big Data, Machine Learning, Engineering & Computer Science. Master Linear Algebra...

Top 10 most affordable universities for high school mathematics teachers

The most affordable schools for high school mathematics teachers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for high school mathematics 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 high school mathematics teachers.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

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. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

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 high school mathematics teachers

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

Some great schools for high school mathematics 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 high school mathematics 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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

6. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

7. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

9. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

Admissions rate

18%

SAT average

1,502

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for high school mathematics teachers

The easiest schools for high school mathematics teachers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, san francisco state university, and barry university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a high school mathematics 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 high school mathematics teachers.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

3. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

4. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

7. College of New Rochelle, The

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

982

8. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana, PA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,019

9. Texas A&M University - Kingsville

Kingsville, TX • Private

Admissions rate

89%

SAT average

1,035

10. Notre Dame of Maryland University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,069

Average high school mathematics teacher salary by education level

High school mathematics teachers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $60,741 annually. With a Master's degree, high school mathematics teachers earn a median annual income of $60,092 compared to $50,643 for high school mathematics teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
High school mathematics teacher education levelHigh school mathematics teacher salary
Master's Degree$60,092
Bachelor's Degree$50,643
Doctorate Degree$60,741

High school mathematics 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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