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Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $63,970 Median per year Most earn $47,960–$104,340

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
  • Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
  • Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
  • Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
  • Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Numerous Job Openings

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 87,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Elementary and secondary schools98.1%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

On-siteExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Elementary school teaching is not usually a straight-out-of-school job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree and a state teaching license first, and many spend about 6 months to 1 year in a related role, such as a teaching assistant, before they are hired as a lead classroom teacher.

  1. Bachelor's degree in elementary education

    4 years

    You take classes on how children learn, reading and math teaching methods, and classroom management, and you complete student teaching under a mentor teacher. This gives you the degree and hands-on practice that schools require.

  2. Teaching Assistant

    6 months to 1 year

    You work alongside a classroom teacher, helping with lessons, small groups, and behavior, which builds the classroom experience schools look for. It also helps you learn how a school day runs.

  3. Elementary School Teacher

    Ongoing

    After earning your teaching license, you lead your own classroom and teach academic and social skills to students in grades K through 5 or 6. Your career then grows through experience and more responsibility.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Teacher

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on added duties such as mentoring newer teachers, leading grade-level planning, and helping set curriculum for your team. Strong classroom results and good relationships with colleagues usually come first.

  2. Instructional Coordinator

    5+ years of experience first

    You shift from teaching students to helping teachers improve lessons, choose materials, and use student data. Most people in this role have several years of classroom teaching and often additional education in curriculum or leadership.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take child development or education classesCourses in psychology, child development, or teaching careers, if your school offers them, show you how young kids learn and whether this path fits you.
  • Tutor younger studentsHelping classmates or younger kids with reading or math builds the skills of explaining ideas clearly and being patient.
  • Volunteer with kidsSummer camps, youth sports, religious groups, or library reading programs give you real experience working with children.
  • Join a future educators or leadership clubClubs like these, if your school has them, let you meet teachers and practice speaking in front of groups.
  • Get a job babysitting or working at a campCaring for children on a regular basis teaches you routines, communication, and how to handle different personalities.

In college

  • Major in elementary educationThis is the most direct route, since the degree usually includes teaching methods courses and the student teaching you need for a license.
  • Work as a campus tutor or teaching assistantPaid campus tutoring builds teaching experience and can count toward the 6 months to 1 year of related work that schools often look for.
  • Complete a field placement or student teaching earlyAsk your education department about observing classrooms in your first or second year so you can confirm your interest before you commit.
  • Join a student education organizationGroups for future teachers on many campuses offer networking, workshops, and connections to local school districts.
  • Volunteer in local elementary schoolsReading buddy or homework help programs give you practice with real students and something to talk about in job interviews.

Tips for getting started

  • Get classroom time early. Substitute teaching, tutoring, or assistant jobs help you learn what the job is really like and make your applications stronger.
  • Look up your state's teaching license requirements now, since they vary by state and can include exams and a set number of student-teaching hours.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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