Georgia Teaching Certification
Georgia requires teachers to hold a bachelor’s degree, complete a Georgia Professional Standards Commission-approved educator preparation program, and pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) before earning an Induction certificate. From there, GaPSC’s tiered system moves you toward Professional and Advanced certification as you gain classroom experience.
Sponsored School(s)
Educator certification in Georgia is administered by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). GaPSC runs certification on a tiered system: a Pre-Service or provisional credential first, then Induction, then Professional certification once you’ve logged real classroom time. Find the situation below that matches yours, whether you’re a first-time applicant, an administrator, or a substitute.
Choose Your Georgia Certification Path
Georgia’s certification process branches depending on where you’re starting from. Pick the description below that fits your situation:
- Initial Teaching Certification…
- I’m a teacher from another state…
- Teacher Certification Renewal…
- Admin./Principal Certification…
- Alternative Teaching Certification…
- Substitute Teaching Permit…
How to Get Your Initial Georgia Teaching Certification
Find schools offering teacher preparation programs through the widget above, or read on for how GaPSC’s process actually works.
Georgia’s Tiered Certification System
GaPSC doesn’t hand out one flavor of teaching license. Certification here runs on a tier system, and the tier you start on depends on your path in. Candidates finishing a teacher preparation program hold a Pre-Service certificate while completing their field experience. Once you’ve passed the required GACE exams and completed an approved educator preparation program (EPP), you move on to an Induction certificate, valid for 5 years. After three years of documented classroom experience under that Induction certificate, you’re eligible to upgrade to a Professional certificate, renewable every five years. Teachers with five or more years of experience who meet additional GaPSC requirements can advance further to a Lead or Advanced Professional certificate.
Every candidate completes a state-approved educator preparation program (EPP) housed at a Georgia college or university, or an out-of-state program GaPSC has separately approved. These programs build in supervised field experience or full-semester student teaching, depending on the pathway.
Passing the GACE
The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) is the exam system Georgia uses to certify teachers, but which specific assessments you take isn’t the same for everyone. Requirements vary by certification field, preparation pathway, enrollment date, reciprocity status, and applicable exemptions, so don’t assume your requirements match a friend’s or a program brochure’s generic list. Most candidates work through a Content Assessment matched to their subject or grade band, as well as the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment, which covers professional conduct standards. Depending on your certification field, you may also need a separate assessment covering instruction and student development.
Georgia added a GACE Literacy assessment for many candidates entering educator preparation programs on or after June 1, 2025, with certain reciprocity applicants subject to it starting July 1, 2026. Whether it applies to you depends on when you enrolled and which pathway you’re on, so check GaPSC’s GACE Content Assessments page or your program’s certification officer for the exact combination required for your field.
Georgia teaching fields span Early Childhood Education (P-5), Middle Grades (4-8), Secondary subject certifications (6-12), Foreign Languages, Special Education, and educational leadership. If you completed your degree outside Georgia, GaPSC still accepts your credits as long as your program carries approved accreditation and you satisfy the state’s special requirements on content knowledge, ethics, and recency of study.
Applying for the Background Check
Once you’ve cleared the education and testing requirements, you apply through the GaPSC Certification Application portal, submitting official transcripts and an Approved Program Recommendation Form signed by your EPP. Georgia school systems generally require a criminal background check before employment, and GaPSC certification rules also include standards-of-conduct requirements you’ll need to meet regardless of where you’re hired.
Georgia Teacher Salary and Job Outlook
Pay varies by grade band and by how many years you’ve taught, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks median wages for each core K-12 teaching occupation. As of May 2025, Georgia’s median wages for elementary, middle, and secondary teachers each exceed the national median for their respective occupations. Unlike the national outlook for these occupations, which is flat to slightly declining, Georgia’s labor projections point to real growth over the next decade.
| Occupation (Georgia) | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | $65,680 |
| Elementary School Teachers | $72,290 |
| Middle School Teachers | $64,780 |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | $75,480 |
| Occupation (Georgia) | Job Growth (2024–2034) |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | +10.2% |
| Elementary School Teachers | +10.0% |
| Middle School Teachers | +10.0% |
| Secondary (High) School Teachers | +10.3% |
According to Georgia Department of Labor projections, all four core K-12 teaching occupations are set to grow by roughly 10% between 2024 and 2034, adding thousands of net new positions on top of the openings created by retirements and turnover. That’s a different picture than the national trend, where the BLS projects slight national declines for these same occupations over the same period, driven mostly by enrollment patterns rather than a shrinking need for teachers in individual states like Georgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a certified teacher in Georgia?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. It doesn’t have to be in education. Candidates with a degree in another field can pursue certification through an alternative educator preparation program while already working in a classroom.
How long does it take to get certified in Georgia?
Through the traditional route, expect the length of a four-year education degree, plus your program’s student-teaching component. Through an alternative pathway, you can begin teaching under a provisional certificate sooner and finish your coursework and GACE exams while already employed.
Can I teach in Georgia without an education degree?
Yes. Georgia’s alternative certification route allows candidates with a bachelor’s degree in any field to begin teaching under a provisional certificate while completing required coursework and passing the GACE. See our Georgia alternative certification guide for the specific steps.
Do I need to retake the GACE if I’m already certified in another state?
Not always. Georgia participates in reciprocity through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement, though GaPSC still reviews your out-of-state credential and may require specific Georgia assessments. Check our Georgia teacher reciprocity page for what applies to your state.
How much do certified teachers earn in Georgia?
As of May 2025, the median annual wage ranges from $64,780 for middle school teachers to $75,480 for secondary school teachers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual pay depends on your school system’s local salary schedule, since Georgia districts supplement the state base salary at their own discretion.
- GaPSC runs a tiered system. Pre-Service, Induction, Professional, and Advanced/Lead certificates mark different stages of a teaching career, not a single one-time credential.
- GACE requirements vary by pathway. Which assessments you take depends on your certification field, enrollment date, and reciprocity status, not a single fixed list.
- A bachelor’s degree in any field can lead to certification. Traditional and alternative routes both end in the same license, just on different timelines.
- Georgia’s teacher job market is growing. Projected growth of roughly 10% through 2034 for core K-12 teaching roles, ahead of the flat national trend.
- Your specific situation determines your next step. First-time applicants, out-of-state teachers, renewals, and administrators each follow a different process on this site.
Select your state below to find accredited teacher certification programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS wage estimates and 2024-2034 employment projections for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, reflect state and national data, not school-specific outcomes. State or district job-growth projections are sourced separately from national BLS outlook data. Conditions vary by school sector, subject area, and district. Data accessed July 2026.
