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Home school teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a home school teacher. Home school teachers usually study business, elementary education, or education. 54% of home school teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,242 real home school teacher resumes to see exactly what home school teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for home school teachers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

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

What education do you need to become a home school teacher?

What degree do you need to be a home school teacher?

The most common degree for home school teachers is bachelor's degree, with 54% of home school teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 15%.
  • Bachelor's, 54%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 15%
  • High School Diploma, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a home school teacher?

You should major in business to become a home school teacher. 15% of home school teachers major in business. Other common majors for a home school teacher include elementary education and education.

Most common colleges for home school teachers

Home school teachers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Washington, and California State University - San Bernardino. Here are the most common colleges for home school teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Home school teacher common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix14.56%
University of Washington7.77%
California State University - San Bernardino5.83%
Ashford University5.83%
University of South Florida4.85%

Best majors for home school teachers

RankMajorPercentages
1Business14.5%
2Elementary Education14.0%
3Education8.7%
4Psychology7.6%
5Nursing6.0%

Best colleges for home school teachers

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

A home school 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 home school 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 home school 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

7. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

8. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for home school teachers

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1. 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...

2. K-12 Blended & Online Learning

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This course introduces teachers and interested adults to K12 blended and online learning. Participants will design a blended or online unit and develop one module to use with K12 students...

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

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4.4
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Includes videos and over 300 pages of quizzes/worksheets (answer keys provided!)...

4. Pre-Algebra Explained

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

5. 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...

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. Master the FTCE Reading K-12

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4.7
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Instruction and Practice on the 44 Skills Needed to Pass the FTCE Reading K-12 Exam...

8. Learn to Teach Yoga to Children

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Help Kids Become Focused, Mindful, and Calm with Yoga at School and Home Through Poses, Games, Stories and More...

9. School Health for Children and Adolescents

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Children and adolescents spend so much of their time in school regardless of where they live in the world. Health and learning are closely connected in the school setting, where good health and healthy practices create the optimal conditions for students’ academic success. And the contrary is also true: poor heath and unhealthy practices build tall barriers to student learning.\n\nThe courses of this specialization are designed to equip learners to manage common health conditions including...

10. ICT in Primary Education: Transforming children's learning across the curriculum

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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. Learn German Language: Complete German Course - Beginners

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Learn German with a Native Teacher. Complete Course - German for Beginners (A1,A2,A2+) German Grammar, German Vocabulary...

12. Learn German Language: Complete German Course - Intermediate

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Learn German Language: Native Teacher, German Speaking, German Grammar, Vocabulary. Complete German Course. Intermediate...

13. THINK GLOBAL: TEACHERS TRAINING COURSE (IDP-ICE)

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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. Lesson Planning with the ELL in Mind

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In this course you will learn how to design lesson plans around the needs of your ELL students and their language level through the analysis of content language and cognitive demands. You will learn how to align language objectives to the adopted standards of your school and content area. You will learn how to modify existing course materials as well as develop graphic organizers and languages frames to support ELLs’ access to content. Analysis of second language acquisition theories will be...

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17. Learn German Language: German Course - Upper Intermediate

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Learn German Language with a Native Teacher. German speaking, German grammar, vocabulary: business, job, cv, interviews...

18. German Language B2 - Upper Intermediate German

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Learn German Language From A Native & Experienced German Teacher - Learn German Grammar, Vocabulary, & More...

19. Mindfulness Teacher Training Certificate

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Become a certified mindfulness teacher with this accredited mindfulness teacher training programme...

20. German Language B1 - Intermediate German

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Top 10 most affordable universities for home school teachers

The most affordable schools for home school 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 home school 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 home school 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. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

5. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

6. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

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. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for home school teachers

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

Some great schools for home school 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 home school 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

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. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

8. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

9. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

Admissions rate

18%

SAT average

1,502

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for home school teachers

The easiest schools for home school teachers to get into are Wayland Baptist University, san francisco state university, and mount saint mary's university.

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

1. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

2. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

7. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

8. College of Mount Saint Vincent

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,021

9. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

10. College of New Rochelle, The

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

982

Average home school teacher salary by education level

Home school teachers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $58,150 annually. With a Master's degree, home school teachers earn a median annual income of $57,552 compared to $48,810 for home school teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
Home school teacher education levelHome school teacher salary
Master's Degree$57,552
Bachelor's Degree$48,810
Doctorate Degree$58,150

Home school 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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