Become a Teacher in New Hampshire

Choose the statement that best describes you to jump to applicable information.

I AM...

An Aspiring Teacher in New Hampshire

A Teacher Moving to New Hampshire

A Teacher in New Hampshire

Teaching in New Hampshire Snapshot

$60,070Secondary School Teacher Salary

$57,470Elementary School Teacher Salary

$15,340Public School Spending Per Student

All career and salary information pulled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics pupil expenditure information was provided by Governing

NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

101 Pleasant Street Concord
NH 03301-3494
(603)-271-3494

Explore Featured Degree Options in Education

Featured Online programs
University Name	Type of Program	Learn More	Program Description
University of Southern California	Master of Arts in Teaching	Learn more about USC Rossier	The online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education prepares you to become a transformative K–12 teacher. Through live online classes and enriching field experiences in your community, you can earn your MAT in less than 18 months without relocating.
Fordham University	Master of Science in Teaching	Learn more from Fordham University	Fordham University’s online Master of Science in Teaching program prepares aspiring teachers (grades 1-6) for initial teaching certification or dual certification in teaching and special education.
Vanderbilt University	Master of Education in School Counseling	Learn more about Vanderbilt Peabody	Vanderbilt University's Peabody College offers an online Master of Education in human development counseling with a specialization in school counseling for students interested in becoming school counselors and making a meaningful difference in K–12 settings.

Sponsored Programs

Steps to Becoming a Teacher in New Hampshire

Important Note: Education licensure requirements, statistics and other information are subject to change. Teach.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. (Last update: 02/17/2019)

Prerequisite Coursework in New Hampshire

All states require at least a bachelor’s degree to teach. New Hampshire does not have any additional credit hour requirements, although each field or subject area requires specific competencies. See NH Teacher Certification Standards for more information.

New Hampshire Teacher Certification Programs

Teacher certification programs can be taken online or on-site. They typically include an educational theory and classroom skills seminar and a fieldwork component of student teaching in the area. See the New Hampshire Department of Education’s 2018-2019 list of N.H. Approved Collegiate Programs of Preparation for the Academic Professions for more information.

Required Tests for New Hampshire

Most states require tests to show competency in basic skills as well as in the desired subject area. New Hampshire requires the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators tests, as well as Praxis II: Content Assessment exam(s) for subject areas. Candidates seeking certification in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Reading and Writing Teaching, and Reading and Writing Specialist are required to also take the Foundations of Learning exam administered by Pearson.

You can learn more about the Praxis exams by visiting Teach.com's Ultimate Guide to the Praxis Exams and read more about teacher certification tests on Teach.com.

Initial Teaching Certifications

To earn your New Hampshire teaching credential you will have to complete the appropriate amount of undergraduate coursework and standardized tests, as well as an accredited certification program. Learn more about earning your New Hampshire teaching credential through the New Hampshire Department of Education Bureau of Credentialing.

Learn more about getting your teaching credential on Teach.com.

Return to the top

Discover an 8-week Online Teaching Short Course from Harvard's Bok Center

Earn recognition of your ability to develop and deliver a memorable teaching experience when you receive a premier certificate from Harvard’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, in association with HarvardX, upon successful course completion.

Learn more about an 8-week short course from Harvard's Bok Center

Sponsored Program

Alternative Certification in New Hampshire

The State of New Hampshire offers four alternative routes to certification:

Alternative 2 is a process whereby New Hampshire accepts candidates from all states and other jurisdictions if the candidate graduated from an approved state program, or has been employed as a certified teacher for at least three years out of the last seven, or completed an alternative certification program.

Alternative 3 is designed for candidates who have gained the competencies, skills, and knowledge through means other than Alternative 1 or Alternative 2. The Alternative 3 process includes both a written examination and an oral review. Candidates may request teaching, administrative, or educational specialist certification on the basis of demonstrated competencies and equivalent experiences.

Alternative 4 is designed for individuals who have skills and knowledge in an area where there is a shortage of qualified teachers. Each shortage area has its own requirements for competencies, coursework, and/or experience. The district superintendent then draws up an Individualized Professional Development Plan leading to full certification.

Alternative 5 involves on-the-job training for candidates holding a bachelor’s degree with some coursework in the area(s) to be taught (30 credits are required for secondary school subjects). This route is available if a local school district is willing to assume the responsibility for training and supervising the teacher candidate

For additional information about alternative paths to certification in the State of New Hampshire, please consult the New Hampshire Department of Education website.

New Hampshire Teacher Certification Information & Links

Return to the top

Transferring Your Certification

Certification Reciprocity in New Hampshire

Interstate reciprocity is a program that allows teachers certified in one state to teach in another state. Through the Alternative 2 certification process, New Hampshire will recognize education and/or certification in other states. To find out which other state teaching licenses can be used in New Hampshire, visit the Teach.com reciprocity page. Or, for more specific questions about your situation, contact the New Hampshire Department of Education.

Return to the top

Jobs, Benefits, and Opportunities for Teachers in New Hampshire

New Hampshire Teaching Jobs

The New Hampshire Department of Education provides links to job search engines that list New Hampshire teaching positions.

Learn more about finding a teaching job on Teach.com.

New Hampshire Teacher Salary and Incentives

The average teacher in New Hampshire makes $57,253 per year, according to The National Center for Education Statistics. New Hampshire also provides loan forgiveness to teachers willing to work in high--need schools or shortage subjects. More detailed salary information can be found on the Department of Education’s New Hampshire Teacher Salary Reports page.

Learn more about teacher salaries on Teach.com.

New Hampshire Teacher Benefits and Retirement

Public school teachers in New Hampshire are enrolled in the New Hampshire Retirement System . Teachers who are age 60 or older can retire with no minimum service requirement. Teachers aged 50–59 are eligible for early retirement with a minimum of 10 years of service. Teachers under age 50 need at least 20 years of service to retire early.

Learn more about benefits for teachers on Teach.com.

New Hampshire Teacher Shortage Areas

Teacher Shortage information was provided by the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listings (Pg 117) for 2017-18, and was determined by examining the most recent data about unfilled teaching positions; positions filled by teachers certified by irregular, provisional, temporary, or emergency certification; and teachers teaching in subject areas other than their area of preparation.

Business Administrator
Career and Technical Education Administrator
Comprehensive Business Education
Comprehensive Family and Consumer Science
Comprehensive Technology Education
Blind and Vision Disabilities
Deaf and Hearing Disabilities
Early Childhood Special Education
Educational Interpreter/Translator
Education Technology Integrator
Elementary Mathematics Specialist (K–Grade 6)
English for Speakers of Other Languages
General Special Education

Library Media Specialist
Mathematics (Grades 5–8 and 7–12)
School Psychologist
School Social Worker
Sciences
Chemistry (Grades 7–12)
Middle School Science (Grades 5–8)
Physical Science (Grades 7–12)
Physics (Grades 7–12)
Special Education Administrator
Special Education Categorical Areas:
Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities*
World Languages

Financial Aid in New Hampshire

New Hampshire residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship as well as the TEACH Grant, a grant that gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need field in a low-income area.

Learn more about how to finance your Master's degree on Teach.com.

Return to the top

Career Advancement

Professional Development for New Hampshire Teachers

New Hampshire has a network of online and on-site professional development organizations, including NEA-NH and New Hampshire Educators Online. See the New Hampshire Department of Education’s list of resource links for more details.

Teachers in New Hampshire are required to draw up their own personal development plan for license renewal, including a minimum of 75 credits plus 30 credits for each additional area in which they are certified to teach.

Benefits of a Master's Degree in New Hampshire

It is no longer enough to just have years of experience in teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education can give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor.

After a master’s program, you may be able to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay. In Manchester, a teacher holding a master’s degree can earn roughly $4,470 more per year than a teacher without an advanced degree, according to 2017-2018 data from The National Council of Teacher Quality.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.

Return to the top

Explore Featured Program Options in Education

Featured Online programs
University Name	Type of Program	Program Description
University of Southern California	Master of Arts in Teaching	The online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from the USC Rossier School of Education prepares you to become a transformative K–12 teacher. Through live online classes and enriching field experiences in your community, you can earn your MAT in less than 18 months without relocating.
Fordham University	Master of Science in Teaching	The online Master of Science in Teaching program prepares aspiring teachers (grades 1-6) for initial teaching certification or dual certification in teaching and special education.
Harvard University's Bok Center	Advanced Certification in Teaching	The 8-week Teaching and Learning Strategies for Higher Education online short course is delivered by Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, in association with HarvardX. Students in this course will engage deeply with the most relevant research on effective teaching methods in the higher education context, while refining their own practices, portfolio, and teaching philosophy.
Vanderbilt University	Master of Education in School Counseling	Vanderbilt University's Peabody College offers an online Master of Education in human development counseling with a specialization in school counseling for students interested in becoming school counselors and making a meaningful difference in K–12 settings.

Sponsored Program