Arizona Education and Teaching Overview

Arizona is one of the fastest growing student populations in the United States. There is a big demand for teachers in the major cities and suburbs around Arizona, especially in rural areas and in specialty subjects such as special education and English as a Second Language. In Arizona, the average starting salary for teachers is $28,915 and the average capped salary for teachers is $44,672. The number of teachers in Arizona is currently 47,894.


Arizona Teacher Requirements

Arizona’s largest cities are Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, and Tucson. The state currently has over 230 different school districts, which gives many available teaching jobs to choose from. The schools in Arizona are usually quite big and clean, providing a great teaching environment. Teaching in Arizona is a wonderful experience and is high in demand.

Before you take a teaching job at an Arizona school, it is important to check the stats of the school you are applying to teach at, just as a prospective parent would. Reports as such are produced to inform parents and all people of Arizona about the current performance of public schools.

At most schools in Arizona, safety and discipline is among one of the highest rated qualities, along with excellent principal leadership, extracurricular activities, and parent involvement. Teaching in Arizona is perfect if you are looking for well structured curriculum and children eager to learn.

Arizona Teacher Requirements

Just a few years ago, math, science, history and Spanish teachers were in high demand in Arizona. Today, there is a real need for teachers in Arizona in practically all content areas.

According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Arizona will have one of the highest demands for new teachers of any state in America, particularly in the areas of science, math and bilingual education. From now until 2016, an additional 480,000 teachers are expected to be needed, and that equates to an overall growth of 12 percent according to the Bureau. For this reason alone, it''s easy to say that teaching in Arizona is a career for the future.

Although teachers in Arizona aren''t the highest paid in the nation when starting out (the average entry level salary is just over $30,000), salaries do average around $45,000 for teachers with experience. Also, teachers with a master''s degree will earn, on average, about 20% more than those with just a bachelor''s degree.

Like most states in the Sun Belt, Arizona boasts a diverse and growing population, and the need for quality teachers is only going to grow in the future. With a large number of children who speak English as a second language, those who are bilingual in Spanish and English will be in particularly high demand for careers teaching in Arizona for years to come.

Online Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association,www.ncahlc.org; 312-263-0456.

Accreditation  

The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

Western Governors University is the only university to have received simultaneous accreditation by four regional accrediting commissions. Currently, WGU’s "home" accrediting commission is the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the same organization that accredits such leading institutions as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, and other public and private colleges. WGU is also nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). WGU is the first online university to receive NCATE accreditation for its degree programs that lead to teacher licensure from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). WGU’s Health Informatics program is now accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). WGU’s Nursing programs are CCNE accredited.

Campus Colleges Offering Education and Teaching Degrees

Accreditation  

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. .

Programs Offered  
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential
Accreditation  

Kaplan University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Accreditation  

McCann School of Business & Technology is accredited to award occupational associate degrees and certification diplomas by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education,.