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Resource specialist teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a resource specialist teacher. Resource specialist teachers usually study elementary education, special education, or education. 59% of resource specialist teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 499 real resource specialist teacher resumes to see exactly what resource specialist teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for resource specialist teachers are the California State University - Los Angeles and the California State University - Los Angeles.

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

What education do you need to become a resource specialist teacher?

What degree do you need to be a resource specialist teacher?

The most common degree for resource specialist teachers is bachelor's degree, with 59% of resource specialist teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 30% and master's degree degree at 6%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Master's, 30%
  • Associate, 6%
  • High School Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a resource specialist teacher?

You should major in elementary education to become a resource specialist teacher. 16% of resource specialist teachers major in elementary education. Other common majors for a resource specialist teacher include special education and education.

Most common colleges for resource specialist teachers

Resource specialist teachers often get their degrees at California State University - Los Angeles, California State University - Dominguez Hills, and California State University - San Bernardino. Here are the most common colleges for resource specialist teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Resource specialist teacher common collegePercentages
California State University - Los Angeles8.43%
California State University - Dominguez Hills8.43%
California State University - San Bernardino7.23%
National Louis University6.02%
New York University6.02%

Best majors for resource specialist teachers

Best colleges for resource specialist teachers

The best colleges for resource specialist teachers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

A resource specialist 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 resource specialist 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 resource specialist teachers.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

7. SUNY at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$10,099

Enrollment

21,404

8. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

20 best online courses for resource specialist teachers

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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. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher

coursera

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,...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

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4.4
(876)

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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4.4
(1,390)

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

5. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education

coursera

This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...

6. Critical Issues in Urban Education

coursera

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...

7. Seth Godin on learning and education

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4.6
(679)

Build the future of community, culture and possibility...

8. Complete Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Masterclass

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4.2
(590)

Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Training - Mastering Google Classroom - G Suite - Teaching Online - Google Drive...

9. Online Learning Design for Educators

coursera

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...

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

coursera

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. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training

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4.5
(294)

Google Apps for Education...

12. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course

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4.6
(1,679)

Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...

13. Virtual Teacher Final Project

coursera

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...

14. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education

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PhET Interactive Simulations ( https://phet.colorado.edu/ ), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, we will review strategies for how to use PhET to create sim-based...

15. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education

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4.7
(626)

Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...

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

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4.4
(445)

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

17. Advanced Instructional Strategies in the Virtual Classroom

coursera

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...

18. Climate change education

coursera

This specialization offers tools and resources developed as part of the "Rise up" initiative by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to combat climate change and improve the sustainability of the planet. Through the three courses that make up this specialization, you will learn what we can do individually, as a school, and as a community to lead a more sustainable and healthier life. You'll also delve into the primary ethical and social issues related to climate change, how to use games to...

19. Performance Assessment in the Virtual Classroom

coursera

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...

20. Instructional Planning with Genially

coursera

Genially is “the tool that brings content to life.” Genially allows you to map out a learning journey for your students using high interest images and interactive tools. But did you know that Genially is also a wonderful tool for organizing your lessons and units. With Genially, you can plan and organize your units in one central place, simplifying your planning process with templates created with teachers in mind! Throughout this project, we will work together to build your confidence using...

Top 10 most affordable universities for resource specialist teachers

The most affordable schools for resource specialist teachers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for resource specialist 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 resource specialist 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. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

7. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

8. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

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 resource specialist teachers

The hardest universities for resource specialist teachers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for resource specialist 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 resource specialist 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. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for resource specialist teachers

The easiest schools for resource specialist teachers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and gwynedd mercy university.

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

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

5. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

8. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

9. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average resource specialist teacher salary by education level

Resource specialist teachers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $63,434 annually. With a Master's degree, resource specialist teachers earn a median annual income of $62,134 compared to $57,576 for resource specialist teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
Resource specialist teacher education levelResource specialist teacher salary
Master's Degree$62,134
High School Diploma or Less$55,426
Bachelor's Degree$57,576
Doctorate Degree$63,434
Some College/ Associate Degree$56,091

Resource specialist 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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