In 2007, New Jersey had the 11th largest total population in the nation with 8,686,000 people and the second highest population per square mile in the country. If you're considering becoming a teacher in New Jersey, you might be interested to know that it has 593 school districts employing a total of 114,385 K-12 teachers, for a ratio of 12 students enrolled per teacher.
Teachers in New Jersey made the fifth highest salaries in the nation, with an average of $63,111 per year (116.2 percent of the national average). From the 2007-08 school year to the 2008-09 school year, teachers' salaries in New Jersey increased 3 percent, according to the National Education Association.
New Jersey Teaching Certifications
In order to teach in New Jersey, you must earn a bachelor's degree from an approved accredited college or university, have a GPA of at least 2.75, and pass an exam to establish your eligibility to become permanently certified. There may be additional requirements for teaching certification in New Jersey depending on what you plan to teach. Even vocational teachers, such as beauty school instructors, must be certified through the New Jersey Department of Education.
Online New Jersey teacher certification is an option, as long as the school you attend has the proper accreditation. Some online teacher certification programs include assignments that provide classroom-based teaching experiences and allow you to choose specializations, such as Early Childhood Education or Special Education.
If you're degree program wasn't from one of several "alternate route" New Jersey teaching programs, you may need to go the traditional route in the provisional teacher training program, which includes 30 weeks of mentoring and paying a fee.