logo

Maryland Teacher Certification and Career Guide

All Maryland public K-12 teachers must be state certified by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). The certification process is outlined below for those looking to learn how to become a teacher in Maryland.

The main steps for the traditional path to teacher certification in Maryland are:

  1. Complete a bachelor’s degree with a state-approved teacher preparation component.
  2. Complete a student teaching placement.
  3. Pass the required teacher certification exams.
  4. Apply for a teaching certificate or license.
  5. Upgrade your license, if desired.

Continue reading to learn more about the traditional certification pathway in Maryland.

Table of Contents


How to Become a Teacher in Maryland

Maryland has a tiered system for teacher certification. Teachers can advance their license status with experience, further education, or other qualifications. Each license is valid for five years:

  • Initial Professional License (IPL): For new teachers who have met all Maryland teacher certification requirements.
  • Professional License (PL): For teachers who have completed a Maryland induction program or three years of effective performance as a teacher.
  • Advanced Professional License (APL): For teachers who meet the PL requirements and have a National Board Certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), a master’s degree, or 30 semester hours of post-baccalaureate credit.

If you are a bachelor’s degree holder who has not attended a teacher preparation program, there are alternative teacher certification options in Maryland.

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree that includes an approved teacher preparation program.

​The first step to becoming a teacher in Maryland is to complete a bachelor’s degree or higher that includes a teacher preparation program. The bachelor’s degree major will depend on the grade level and subject you wish to teach. The MSDE Educator Preparation and Program Approval Branch approves teacher preparation programs in Maryland. You can find an approved program in the Maryland Approved Programs (MAP) Directory.

You can compare key metrics for state-approved teacher preparation programs on our Maryland schools page. You can also read about two important accreditations to consider, institutional accreditation and programmatic accreditation, on our teaching schools guide.

2. Complete a student teaching placement.

As part of your MAP, you will complete a clinical experience or practicum. Maryland-approved programs require a practicum of at least 100 days. Starting in July 2025, the required practicum must be a full school year. The teaching placement allows prospective teachers to lead a classroom under an experienced mentor teacher. The clinical experience should be at the grade level and in the subject you wish to teach. Some teacher training programs offer more than one clinical experience

3. Pass the required Maryland teacher exams.

To become a teacher in Maryland, candidates must pass a basic skills assessment, a subject area content assessment, and a pedagogy assessment. The basic skills assessment requirement can be satisfied through several ways, including:

  • An overall 3.0 GPA
  • Passing the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exams
  • Passing the SAT, GRE, or ACT

Candidates must also pass the required subject area and pedagogy tests for their desired licensure area. Starting in July 2025, the edTPA or PPAT will be required for teacher applicants. Until then, applicants can also submit the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment to fulfill the pedagogy assessment requirement. You can see the tests required for each content area on the MSDE Licensure Assessments page.

4. Apply for Maryland teacher certification.

To apply for teacher licensure in Maryland, you will need to register your account in the Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (TEACH) and complete an online application. Along with your application, you will submit:

  • Official transcripts
  • Basic skills test scores or minimum overall GPA
  • Content and pedagogy test scores
  • Fingerprint based background check
  • Non-refundable application fee

Review the TEACH Applicant Guide for more information.

5. Upgrade your license, if desired.

Advancement to another license is not required in Maryland. To advance to a PL or APL, you will need to submit a Renewal/Advancement application on your TEACH Dashboard and submit the documentation demonstrating your qualifications for the advanced license.

Guide to Other Teaching Pathways

Maryland Teacher Certification Renewal

Maryland teacher licenses can be renewed. Teachers must initiate the renewal of their professional license before it expires through the TEACH Dashboard. You will need to upload documentation demonstrating the completion of the requirements for the next license as well as an Individualized Professional Development Plan (IPDP) and a minimum of 90 Professional Development Points (PDPs) that include:

  • Content or pedagogy related to your license area
  • English as a Second Language, Sheltered English, or Bilingual Education
  • Strategies for teaching students with disabilities or differentiated instruction
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching or diverse student identities in education

There are additional renewal requirements for specific areas of licensure such as elementary education teachers beginning in July 2025. You can find more information on the Renewal and Advancement page.

Adding Subjects or Grades to a Certificate

Once you receive your teaching certificate, you will only be eligible to work as a teacher in the grade levels and certification areas listed on your certificate, though occasional, temporary exceptions are made. Teachers who would like to add a subject or grade to a certificate can submit an online endorsement application through their TEACH Dashboard. Requirements vary by endorsement area, but in general, applicants can qualify by taking specific coursework or passing a content area test, along with demonstrating reading proficiency. For more information on how to add an endorsement to a license, read more on the Adding an Endorsement/New Area of Licensure page. You can also review the Areas of Licensure page for a list of all endorsement areas in Maryland.

Maryland Teaching License Reciprocity

Teachers with a valid license from another state can apply for a teaching license in Maryland in the same area of licensure. They should submit:

  • Official transcripts
  • Copy of your valid, professional out-of-state license
  • Verification of passing scores for the certification tests required to earn your out-of-state license
  • Verification of passing score on the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary exam (for certain license areas only)
  • Beginning July 2025, a passing score on a portfolio-based performance assessment, a National Board Certificate, or an effective rating on a year-end evaluation (for Maryland local school system-employed teachers only)
  • Non-refundable application fee

Out-of-state teachers must also create a TEACH account and submit an online application.

The MSDE offers licenses to other administrators and support professionals in education in addition to the teaching license. These include:

  • Gifted and Talented Specialist: Requires a master’s degree from a gifted and talented education preparation program and 27 months of satisfactory teaching or clinical experience.
  • Library Media Administrator: Designated by the local superintendent of schools to supervise the library media program in individual schools. Requires a master’s degree, three years of satisfactory library media program experience, three semester hours of state-approved Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit in special education coursework, and to complete an option leading to licensure as an Administrator I.
  • Montessori Professional License: Requires a bachelor’s degree or higher; a valid credential from the American Montessori Society, Association of Montessori Internationale, or a program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education; and a passing score on the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary assessment. Montessori Professional License-holders can only teach students in a public school that uses Montessori instruction as the primary mode of instruction or an MSDE-approved private school.

Review the Pathways to Initial Licensure page for more details.

Maryland Teacher Outlook, Salary, and Jobs

Projected Job Growth

10.7%

Growth in Teaching Jobs in MD through 20322*

Data from the 2017-2018 school year from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported 1,420 operational schools in Maryland, with over 60,000 teachers and over 893,000 students.3 This equates to an overall student-to-teacher ratio of over 14:1.3

Job projections for teachers in the state through 2032 are significantly better than those nationwide. Job growth for kindergarten teachers is expected to be 10.5% in Maryland compared to 0.6% nationally; for elementary school teachers, 10.6% in Maryland compared to 0.7% nationally; for middle school teachers, 10.8% in Maryland compared to 0.8% nationally; and for high school teachers, 10.9% in Maryland compared to 1% nationally.2 The table below provides a detailed comparison of job growth prospects and salary levels for Maryland teachers.

TypeNumber Employed in MD4Average Annual Openings in MD2MD Proj. Job Growth 2022-20322Average Annual Salary in MD425th Percentile Wages in MD575th Percentile Wages in MD5
Preschool Teachers8,10099010.1%$41,810$29,840$45,630
Kindergarten Teachers1,67030010.5%$66,750$50,150$80,050
Elementary School Teachers29,9902,51010.6%$70,660$56,050$80,780
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Special Education4,0402709.9%$71,650$55,430$84,590
Middle School Teachers11,1001,41010.8%$70,950$57,740$80,670
Middle School Teachers, Special Education2,650——$75,940$58,770$93,430
Middle School Teachers, Career/Technical Education100106.7%$80,300$76,450$85,870
Secondary School Teachers16,8901,40010.9%$73,730$59,340$83,880
Secondary School Teachers, Special Education——9.6%$75,580$59,840$92,230
Secondary School Teachers, Career/Technical Education660608.9%$80,260$63,960$95,640

*The estimated job growth average is based on projections for mainstream kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teachers. Projections for other categories, such as special education and career and technical education, may be higher or lower than the average.

Teacher Shortages in Maryland

Educator shortages are widespread across the country. According to the US Department of Education Teacher Shortage Area report for 2023-2024, Maryland has identified the following deficits:

According to recent research, there were 1,616 unfilled teaching positions in Maryland during the 2021-2022 school year.7 An additional 6,724 teachers were considered underqualified for their positions, including teachers assigned to classrooms outside their certification fields on a temporary or emergency basis.7

Maryland School District Requirements

If you would like to learn more about how to become a teacher in Maryland cities, check out our Baltimore page below. Here you’ll find out the steps for becoming a teacher in Baltimore public schools, the requirements to become a substitute teacher, and information about private and charter schools in Baltimore.

Additional Resources

Related Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How can I become a substitute teacher in Maryland?

Answer: The only statewide requirement for becoming a substitute teacher in Maryland is a high school diploma or a GED; however, individual districts may set their own requirements, which typically include an associate’s degree or 60 hours of college credit. To become a substitute in the state, you must apply to individual school districts and meet the employing district’s requirements.

Question: How many private schools are in Maryland?

Answer: According to the latest statistics available, as of the 2019-2020 school year, Maryland had 705 private schools, with over 14,000 teachers and 129,000 students.8 Private school teachers who teach English, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and other courses must have a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent. Teachers at publicly-funded non-public schools must be certified. Each school has its own requirements, so check with the school for more information.

References:
1. Maryland State Department of Education: https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/Pages/Default.aspx
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. National Center for Education Statistics, State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey Data, 2017-2018: https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/stnfis.asp
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Maryland: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_md.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm
6. US Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas: https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports
7. Teacher Shortages in the United States, Tuan D. Nguyen et al.: https://teachershortages.com/
8. National Center for Education Statistics, Private School Universe Survey, 2019-20: https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/tables/TABLE15fl1920.asp