Massachusetts Teaching Certification
Massachusetts teaching certification requires a bachelor’s degree, completion of a state-approved educator preparation program, and passing scores on the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL). The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) issues Provisional, Initial, and Professional licenses for academic PreK-12 educators depending on where you are in the process, with separate routes for out-of-state teachers, military spouses, license renewal, and school administrators.
Sponsored School(s)
Massachusetts runs one of the more demanding licensure systems in the country, and the state’s results back it up: Massachusetts students routinely rank at or near the top on national assessments. This guide covers the traditional path into a Massachusetts public school classroom, from your first Provisional or Initial license through renewal and administrator licensure. Charter, private, early education, adult education, substitute, and vocational-technical roles each follow their own DESE rules, so use the routes below to find the page that matches your specific situation.
Choose Your Massachusetts Certification Path
Pick the description below that matches your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
Initial Massachusetts Teaching Certification
Find schools offering teaching certification programs in Massachusetts before you start mapping out the requirements below.
Education Requirements
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (781-338-3000) requires that applicants for teaching licensure possess a bachelor’s degree, earned through a state-approved educator preparation program. These programs are offered at the bachelor’s and post-bachelor’s levels.
What if you completed your educator preparation in another state? If that state is a member of the NASDTEC Interstate Contract, or if the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education has accredited your program, that can support a pathway toward Massachusetts licensure. It doesn’t guarantee automatic credit or license transfer, though. DESE still conducts a Massachusetts-specific evaluation of your credentials and, depending on your background, may require additional MTEL assessments, endorsements, experience verification, or supporting documents before issuing a license.
If your teacher preparation program was completed in another country, you’ll need a course-by-course credit evaluation conducted by one of the foreign credential evaluation agencies listed here.
Licensure Options
DESE’s academic PreK-12 system centers on three main license types you’ll move through over a career: Provisional, Initial, and Professional. A separate Temporary license is available for out-of-state teachers, and a Military Spouse license is available to spouses of active-duty service members who hold a valid, comparable out-of-state license. Note that vocational-technical licensure is structured differently and still uses the term “Preliminary” for its entry-level license, so don’t assume the academic and vocational-technical tracks use identical terminology.
- Provisional License: Issued to applicants who haven’t yet completed an educator preparation program. Requires a bachelor’s degree and passing scores on the applicable MTEL (see below). Valid for five years.
- Temporary License: Offered to licensed teachers from other states with at least three years of experience. Valid for one year.
- Initial License: Typically issued to those who hold a bachelor’s degree, have graduated from an approved educator preparation program, and have passed the MTEL. Valid for five years.
- Professional License: Once you have your Initial License, you’ll work under it for three years, complete a Teacher Induction Program, and finish the educational requirements under one of the options listed here to earn your Professional License. Valid for five years.
- Military Spouse License: Available to spouses of active-duty military members stationed in Massachusetts, letting you teach while completing any additional state-specific requirements.
To determine the requirements for a particular license, check DESE’s license requirements tool.
Examinations
DESE uses the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) to assess candidate readiness.
Basic skills testing: Most candidates satisfy this requirement with the MTEL Communications and Literacy Skills Test, which tests reading and writing. DESE also accepts an approved alternative assessment in place of this test, and eligible candidates can request a waiver of the requirement through June 30, 2029. Check current DESE guidance to see whether you qualify before registering for (and paying for) a test you may not need.
Content area assessment testing: You’ll generally need to pass a subject-level MTEL test corresponding to the license area you want. Subject tests aren’t universal, though — some license fields don’t have a corresponding test available. Confirm with DESE which assessment, if any, applies to your specific license field before assuming you need to sit for one.
MTEL subject-area tests cover license fields across grade bands from early childhood through grade 12, including core academic subjects like English, mathematics, history, and the sciences; world languages; the arts; physical education and health; Digital Literacy/Computer Science; Library; and licenses for teaching students with disabilities, English learners, and students who are visually or hearing impaired. Grade-band requirements vary by field and change as DESE updates its regulations, so confirm the exact grade span and test requirement for your specific license field on DESE’s subject test requirements page rather than relying on a static list. Note that some areas, like Academically Advanced, are endorsements added to an existing license rather than stand-alone teaching licenses.
DESE provides this list of schools in the state that offer MTEL test preparation courses.
Experience Requirements
Under DESE’s rules, licensure applicants complete a supervised teaching practicum, typically 300 hours total, including at least 100 hours in which you hold full responsibility for the classroom. Exact hour requirements can vary by subject area and grade level, so confirm the specifics for your license field directly with DESE.
This experience takes place in the classroom, under the guidance and mentorship of the teacher of record. You’ll participate in developing and implementing lesson plans, leading the class, and assisting the teacher of record in daily duties. At the end of your practicum, your performance is assessed using DESE’s Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP), the state’s official pre-service evaluation tool, by an official from your educator preparation program and your mentor teacher.
Document and Application Requirements
Once you’ve fulfilled the state’s requirements for educator licensure, completed your educator preparation program including student teaching, earned at least a bachelor’s degree, and passed the applicable MTEL exams, you’re ready to apply for teacher licensure in Massachusetts. You can apply online through the ESE Security Portal or mail a hard copy application.
You’ll need to submit official college transcripts with your application. DESE should already have your MTEL score reports on file. Confirm the current application fee and accepted payment methods on DESE’s application portal before you submit, since fee schedules change. If your license requires employment verification letters, attach them or send them separately. Print your Social Security number, MEPID, or educator license number on every document you submit to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Educator Licensure, 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149.
Criminal History Background Check
DESE conducts a suitability review as part of the licensure process, and Massachusetts school districts run their own CORI and fingerprint-based background checks before hiring. You’ll be asked to disclose your criminal history on your application truthfully. Having a record doesn’t automatically disqualify you — DESE evaluates disclosed information case by case as part of its suitability determination. Your hiring district will walk you through its own CORI and fingerprinting process when you apply for a teaching position.
Contact Information
For information on educator preparation programs in Massachusetts, visit the Educator Preparation Programs Directory to contact them directly.
For more on educator licensure in Massachusetts, contact the Office of Educator Licensure via its website or by calling 781-338-6600.
Massachusetts Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
According to BLS data, Massachusetts elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $94,000 as of May 2025, well above the $63,970 national median for the same occupation. Massachusetts secondary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $95,260, compared to the national median of $72,040. Kindergarten teachers in Massachusetts earned a median of $84,950, and middle school teachers earned a median of $89,450.
| Occupation | Massachusetts Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $84,950 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $94,000 |
| Middle School Teachers | $89,450 |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | $95,260 |
Massachusetts does publish its own occupational outlook. Federal labor market data reporting the state’s Long-Term Occupational Projections show 10% projected growth for both elementary and secondary school teachers in Massachusetts between 2022 and 2032, with about 840 annual openings projected for elementary teachers and about 630 for secondary teachers, driven by retirements and turnover as much as by new positions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Massachusetts?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from a state-approved educator preparation program. The degree doesn’t have to be in education for every license type, but your program must be DESE-approved or come from a NASDTEC- or NCATE-accredited institution.
What is the MTEL, and do I have to take it?
The Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure is the state’s licensing exam system. Most candidates take the Communication and Literacy Skills Test (or an approved alternative assessment — eligible candidates can request a waiver through June 30, 2029) plus a subject-area test, if available, for their license field. Passing scores are required before DESE issues an Initial License.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching license to Massachusetts?
It’s not automatic. If your license comes from a NASDTEC Interstate Contract state or an NCATE-accredited program that supports a pathway toward a Massachusetts license, DESE still conducts a Massachusetts-specific evaluation and may require additional assessments, endorsements, or documentation. Teachers with at least three years of experience can also qualify for a one-year Temporary License while completing any remaining Massachusetts-specific requirements.
How long does the Massachusetts teaching practicum take?
Typically,300 hours total, including at least 100 hours in which you hold full responsibility for the classroom. You’ll complete it under a mentor teacher, and your preparation program will assess your performance using DESE’s Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP) before you finish.
Do I need a criminal background check to teach in Massachusetts?
Yes. DESE conducts a suitability review during licensure, and any school district that hires you will run its own CORI and fingerprint-based background check. Having a record doesn’t automatically disqualify you — you’re expected to disclose it truthfully, and DESE evaluates it case by case.
- Massachusetts licensure isn’t a simple sequence of four tiers — Provisional, Initial, and Professional licenses cover most academic PreK-12 teachers, with separate Temporary and Military Spouse licenses for specific situations, and vocational-technical licensure still uses its own “Preliminary” terminology.
- The MTEL isn’t always required exactly as written — an approved alternative can satisfy the Communication and Literacy requirement, waivers are available through June 30, 2029, for eligible candidates, and not every license field has a subject test.
- Out-of-state credentials support a pathway, not an automatic transfer — NASDTEC and NCATE status can help your case, but DESE still runs its own Massachusetts-specific evaluation.
- Massachusetts pays well above the national median — elementary and secondary teachers both earn tens of thousands more than the national median, according to BLS data.
- The application requires more than a degree — official transcripts, MTEL score reports, and a truthful criminal history disclosure are all part of the process.
Find accredited teacher certification programs, application links, and licensing requirements to start your path toward a Massachusetts teaching license.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teacher, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. Job growth and annual openings figures reflect Massachusetts state Long-Term Occupational Employment Projections (2022–2032), as reported on federal labor market information sites. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2026.
