How to Become a Teacher in Ohio: Tests, Fees and Routes

By the Transforming Education editorial team. Every fact on this page was checked against the source linked beside it on November 7, 2026.

Note: The State Board of Education of Ohio, Educator Licensure website could not be reached from our network on November 7, 2026, so the routes, license, renewal and background-check details on this page come from Ohio's administrative rules, Ohio Adm.Code 3301-24. Rules set the requirements but not always the current procedures or fees, so confirm both with the agency before you apply.

No degree yet: the traditional route

For high school students, college students and anyone without a bachelor's degree. You earn the degree and the teacher preparation in one program.

Resident educator license (approved teacher preparation program)

Candidates hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, complete an approved teacher preparation program with the required teaching-of-reading coursework, pass the examination prescribed by the State Board of Education and are recommended by the dean or head of teacher education. They receive a two-year resident educator license and must complete the Ohio resident educator program, including its performance-based assessment, to qualify for the five-year professional teaching license.

1. Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
2. Complete an approved teacher preparation program, including the required reading coursework
3. Pass the examination prescribed by the State Board of Education
4. Get a recommendation from the dean or head of teacher education at your institution
5. Apply for the two-year resident educator license
6. Complete the Ohio resident educator program and its performance-based assessment
7. Apply for the five-year professional teaching license

Source: law.cornell.edu

Bachelor's in another field: the alternative route

For people who already hold a bachelor's degree in a subject other than education.

Alternative resident educator license

The alternative resident educator license allows the holder to teach grades K-12 in a designated subject area, a world language or as an intervention specialist. Applicants must be of good moral character and meet the requirements of section 3319.26 of the Ohio Revised Code. To move to a professional educator license, holders complete four years of successful teaching under the license, the Ohio teacher residency program, the required teaching-of-reading coursework and the state board approved assessment of professional knowledge.

1. Meet the requirements of Ohio Revised Code section 3319.26 and the good moral character standard
2. Obtain the alternative resident educator license in a subject area, world language or intervention specialist area
3. Teach for four years under the license, as verified by the employing superintendent
4. Complete the Ohio teacher residency program
5. Complete the required teaching-of-reading coursework for your licensure area
6. Pass the state board approved assessment of professional knowledge
7. Apply for the professional educator license

Source: law.cornell.edu

Changing careers into teaching in Ohio

If you already have a bachelor's degree and some years in another job, start with the alternative route described above. It is built for people who did not study education.

For pay context, the median annual wage for high school teachers in Ohio was $78,800 in May 2025, according to the BLS OEWS state estimates. If your background matches a subject on the state's shortage list, that list is further down this page.

State-approved alternative certification programs

Not verified yet: the state's website could not be reached when we checked. Check with the agency.

Licensed in another state

For teachers who hold a license from another state and want to teach in Ohio.

One-year non-renewable out of state educator license

An out-of-state applicant who holds a valid standard teaching license from another state, and who completed a bachelor's degree, an approved teacher preparation program and that state's licensure examination but not yet the Ohio examination, can receive a one-year non-renewable out of state educator license at the request of an employing Ohio school district. Applicants for early childhood, primary, middle childhood and intervention specialist licenses need at least six of the twelve required semester hours in the teaching of reading, and the remaining hours are listed as a limitation to complete before the license expires.

1. Hold a valid standard teaching license from another state
2. Confirm you completed a bachelor's degree, an approved teacher preparation program and that state's licensure exam
3. Secure a request from the Ohio school district that will employ you
4. Show at least six semester hours in the teaching of reading if your licensure area requires twelve
5. Pass the examination prescribed by the State Board of Education for Ohio licensure
6. Finish any remaining reading coursework before the one-year license expires

Source: law.cornell.edu

Required tests, codes and qualifying scores

Ohio uses Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) for teacher licensure. The table lists the core tests by license area, with the qualifying score and fee exactly as the source publishes them. Which tests you take depends on the license area you are seeking, so check the full list for your subject before you register.

Scores and fees change. Confirm both on the testing company's page before you register.

Fees, background check and license validity

License fees: Not verified yet: the state's website could not be reached when we checked. Check with the agency.

Background check

Ohio Adm.Code 3301-20-01 sets the criminal-history standards for license applicants and license holders and uses criminal records checks as defined in Ohio Revised Code section 109.572. The State Board of Education must revoke the license of an educator convicted of an absolute bar offense listed in Revised Code section 3319.31(C), and other convictions are reviewed under sections 3319.31 and 3319.311. An unconditional pardon or a conviction set aside by law does not prevent licensure. The rule does not describe the fingerprinting process or set a fee. Source

Your first license

License: Resident educator license. It is valid for 2 years. Issued in areas such as early childhood (PK-3), primary (PK-5), middle childhood (4-9), adolescence to young adult (7-12), multi-age (PK-12), intervention specialist and career-technical. Holders must complete the Ohio resident educator program to qualify for the professional educator license in the same area, and the license may be extended case by case to allow the program to be completed. Source

Renewal

The five-year professional educator license can be renewed by educators employed in an Ohio school or district who complete six semester hours of coursework, or 18 continuing education units (180 contact hours), related to classroom teaching or the licensure area since the license was issued, following an individual professional development plan approved by the local professional development committee. Educators not employed in Ohio schools can apply directly to the Ohio Department of Education. National board certification earned during the license meets the requirement for the next renewal, and a license that lapsed for missing the requirement can be reinstated with nine semester hours of coursework. Requirement: 6 semester hours or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours) every 5 years. Source

Teacher pay in Ohio

Elementary teachers in Ohio earned a median of $77,370 a year in May 2025, $13,400 above the national median of $63,970. Half of teachers in each occupation earn more than the median and half earn less. What you earn in a given district depends on its salary schedule, your experience and any graduate credits.

Annual wages, cross-industry estimates, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 state tables, retrieved through the BLS Public Data API on November 7, 2026. Special education teachers are shown separately; our guide to the online master's in special education covers the add-on and initial-license options.

Teacher shortage areas, 2026-27

Ohio reported these subject areas to the US Department of Education as teacher shortage areas for the 2026-27 school year.

• Academically Advanced (statewide)
• Art and Music Education: Art, Dance, Music, Theatre (statewide)
• Career and Technical Education: Business Education, Construction Technology, Engineering Technology, Family and Consumer Science, Military Science, Teacher Coordinator: Work-Based Learning (statewide)
• Computer Science (statewide)
• English as a Second Language (statewide)
• Health and Physical Fitness (statewide)
• Language Arts: English (statewide)
• Mathematics (statewide)
• Science (statewide)
• Special Education (statewide)
• Support Staff: Counseling, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapy, Social Worker, Speech language pathologist/audiologist, Study Skills (statewide)
• World Languages (statewide)

Source: US Department of Education, Teacher Shortage Areas report, retrieved November 7, 2026.