Missouri Bachelor’s in Education Programs
If you want to pursue a career in teaching, the state of Missouri is a good place to begin. As a teacher in Missouri, you can look forward to many opportunities to hone your skills as an educator while knowing you are making a difference in your community. Another benefit? Missouri has high standards for education; Forbes magazine recently rated Columbia, Missouri, as one of the top 20 places to educate your child in the United States.
At EducationDegree.com, we make it simple to help you find, contact and compare Missouri universities offering Bachelor’s in education programs, both online and campus-based, to help you find the right program for your needs. As a general rule, we recommend contacting multiple universities to help you make the most informed decision possible about the future of your education. Read on to learn more about becoming a teacher in Missouri, or begin exploring the featured schools on this page!
Earning Your Bachelor’s in Education in Missouri
Becoming a teacher in Missouri starts with an accredited Bachelor’s in education program. Once you have found the right program for your needs, you will then need to select a specialty area that you wish to teach and become certified in. Some of the teacher certification areas offered by Missouri include:
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Middle Education
- Secondary Education
- Special Education Education
Once you have completed an accredited Bachelor’s in education program, you will also need to complete an approved teacher education program. Starting in fall 2013, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education began requiring candidates for teacher preparation programs to meet grade point average requirements: 2.75 cumulative, 3.00 content, and 3.00 professional education). To qualify for certification, you will also need to pass content area assessments that align with state and national standards for school leaders, and the Missouri Standards-Based Performance Assessments, which measures performance in content, coursework and field experience during an internship.
Career Outlook for Teachers in Missouri
Choosing to study a high-needs area of education can improve your chances of employment, as well as provide the satisfaction of knowing you are helping to fill a need in the state’s education system. According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, for the 2016-2017 school year, Missouri reported needing teachers in the following areas:
- Special Education: Deaf/Hearing Impaired, Blind/Partially Sighted
- ESOL
- Gifted
- Physics
- Speech/Language Specialist
In terms of compensation, Missouri offers salaries competitive with surrounding states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012 the annual mean wage of popular teaching positions in Missouri included:
- $47,920 for elementary school teachers
- $45,810 for secondary school teachers
- $55,520 for special education teachers
Teaching offers many additional benefits that go beyond a salary. As you progress in your teaching career, you can look forward to opportunities to grow as an educator through mentoring programs and opportunities for professional development. These opportunities can help you to increase your effectiveness for implementing the techniques that enable you to make a difference in your school and the lives of the children in your classroom.
Take the first step to becoming a teacher in Missouri! Explore the featured schools on this page, then contact several to gather more information and help you find the perfect Bachelor’s in education programs for your needs.
