High-Demand States for Teachers in 2025: Where to Apply and Get Certified

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

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What defines a high-demand state for teachers in 2025?

High-demand states face persistent teacher shortages, marked by vacant classrooms, urgent needs in critical subject areas, and difficulty recruiting certified educators. Systemic challenges such as high turnover, fewer graduates from teacher preparation programs, and rising student enrollment intensify the problem. Increasingly, states also see candidates pursuing an online teaching degree as a flexible pathway into the profession, helping to expand the pipeline of qualified educators.

Demand is not measured by vacancies alone. It also reflects the growing reliance on uncertified teachers to fill essential roles. For aspiring educators, these states present both significant challenges and unique opportunities to make an immediate impact. Below are what constitute high-demand states for teachers:

• High Vacancy Rates: Thousands of classrooms operate without permanent teachers each year.
• Uncertified Hires: Districts issue emergency credentials or use substitutes to cover gaps.
• Subject-Area Gaps: Math, science, and special education remain the hardest to staff.
• Rural Shortages: Remote communities struggle to attract and retain teachers.
• Policy Responses: States pass legislation, expand reciprocity, and introduce incentives to ease entry into the profession.

Which states have the most teacher vacancies in 2025?

Teacher vacancies continue to strain schools across the United States, but the burden falls more heavily on certain states than others. Florida, a large state, faces some of the steepest staffing gaps, while a fast-growing region such as Arizona also struggles to keep pace with enrollment growth. Rural states add another layer of complexity, since geographic isolation and fewer resources make recruiting and retaining qualified educators especially difficult. 

Financial pressures further exacerbate the shortage, as 36.6% of teachers carry outstanding student loans. This burden discourages many from remaining in the profession, contributing to high turnover and making it even harder for schools to maintain stable staffing levels. To strengthen the pipeline, states and universities increasingly promote accredited online teaching degree programs, which give aspiring educators more flexible, affordable pathways into classrooms.

According to the Learning Policy Institute (2023), high-demand states for teachers with the highest reported vacancies include:

• Florida: 3,911 unfilled positions
• North Carolina: 3,218 unfilled positions
• Mississippi: 3,036 unfilled positions
• Montana: 2,349 reported vacancies 
• Arizona: 1,729 unfilled positions
• Maryland: 1,621 unfilled positions
• Illinois: 1,704 unfilled positions
• New Mexico: 1,048 unfilled positions
• Michigan: 1,228 unfilled positions
• South Carolina: 938 unfilled positions

How do teacher shortages vary by subject area?

Teacher shortages don’t affect every subject equally. While most states can staff elementary classrooms, shortages in STEM, special education, and language instruction persist year after year. These fields require specialized expertise, yet often come with heavier workloads or lower pay compared to other teaching roles. As a result, students in these areas face crowded classrooms, fewer course options, or instructors who may lack full certification.

Many educators bridge this gap by earning a masters degree for teachers, which strengthens subject expertise and increases eligibility for roles in hard-to-staff areas. This pathway not only enhances teaching quality but also increases earning potential, making it a valuable tool for states seeking to fill critical shortages.

Here are the critical teacher shortages by subject areas:

• Special Education: 45 states struggle to hire qualified special education teachers. These roles require advanced training, legal knowledge, and exceptional patience, making recruitment and retention especially difficult.
• Science: 41 states report shortages in physics, chemistry, and advanced biology. High-paying private sector opportunities pull many STEM graduates away from teaching.
• English as a Second Language (ESL): Rapidly growing multilingual student populations outpace available teachers. ESL educators must combine language skills with cultural awareness, creating a steep barrier to entry.
• Foreign Languages: Schools across the country face difficulty filling positions in Spanish, French, Mandarin, and other world languages. Declining enrollment in language degree programs deepens the shortage.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE): States expand workforce training initiatives, but few industry professionals meet certification standards. This gap restricts programs in healthcare, IT, and skilled trades.

This chart from Learning Policy Institute details the frequently recorded shortages by teaching areas.

What are the best states to apply for teaching jobs right now?

Although teacher shortages exist nationwide, some states are emerging as particularly attractive for educators looking to start or advance their careers. These states don’t just have open positions; they also back them up with competitive salaries, strong professional environments, and policies designed to support teachers both inside and outside the classroom. 

For candidates preparing through traditional routes or the best online teacher certification programs, the landscape is becoming more flexible. This allows teachers to secure roles that match both their professional goals and lifestyle preferences.

Job seekers in education now encounter greater opportunities to secure stable positions, accompanied by incentives and benefits that were previously uncommon. Candidates prioritizing higher compensation, reduced student-to-teacher ratios, or avenues for professional advancement will find these states, according to World Population Review (2025), particularly favorable for pursuing teaching careers.

• New York: New York ranks at the top for teacher opportunities, earning an overall score of 60.86. Teachers here earn the highest average salary in the country at $92,222 annually. Although the cost of living runs high, especially in New York City, the state strengthens its appeal by committing to competitive pay and a robust educational system.
• Utah: The state faces large class sizes, averaging 22:1, with some high school teachers managing classrooms of 40 students. Even with these challenges, Utah attracts teachers with an average salary of $58,619 and a growing need for dedicated professionals ready to make an impact.
• Washington: Washington balances opportunity with workplace quality, achieving an overall score of 55.41. Teachers here earn an average salary of $81,586, placing the state among the top five for pay. By combining financial stability with progressive education policies, Washington positions itself as a strong destination for teachers seeking rewarding careers.
• Pennsylvania: Teachers in Pennsylvania earn an average salary of $72,428, well above the national average. With opportunities ranging from historic urban districts to rural communities, Pennsylvania offers a diverse landscape that appeals to both new graduates and seasoned educators.
• New Jersey: New Jersey has an overall score of 54.53 and a reputation for high educational investment. The state spends about $21,866 per student, the second-highest in the nation, and pays teachers an average salary of $79,045. With a low pupil-to-teacher ratio of 12:1, New Jersey provides one of the most supportive teaching environments for long-term stability.

Which states offer alternative certification pathways to fill shortages?

As teacher shortages intensify across the country, states have turned to alternative certification pathways as a practical solution. These programs allow individuals with degrees in other fields, or professionals seeking a career change, to enter classrooms faster without following the traditional teacher preparation track. 

While some argue these routes may compromise training quality, they remain essential for addressing immediate staffing gaps. For aspiring educators, alternative certifications open more accessible entry points into the profession, often paired with on-the-job training and mentorship. Some candidates even consider parallel routes such as online colleges that accept transfer credits, which similarly reduce barriers and accelerate the path to completing educational requirements.

Some of the states with alternative certification pathways include:

• Arizona: Grants teaching eligibility to bachelor’s degree holders who pass basic competency exams.
• Florida: Expands temporary certifications for candidates with subject expertise but no formal teacher training.
• California: Streamlines entry for college graduates through new legislation focused on filling high-need roles.
• Texas: Operates one of the nation’s largest and most established alternative certification programs.
• Nevada: Partners with universities to create accelerated preparation models.
• New Jersey: Issues provisional certifications to professionals transitioning from other industries.
• Colorado: Supports nontraditional candidates with stipends and targeted training programs.

How does teacher pay compare across high-demand states?

Teacher pay directly shapes both recruitment and retention, especially in states that struggle with persistent shortages. Salaries influence where educators apply and also determine whether they stay in the profession over time. 

For many, pursuing advanced credentials such as a masters in education online becomes a practical strategy. This helps them qualify for higher-paying roles, leadership tracks, or specialized positions in districts that face chronic staffing gaps.

High-demand states for teachers like California and New York attract talent by offering some of the nation’s highest wages, yet steep living costs reduce these advantages. In contrast, states such as Florida and Alabama offer far lower pay, which discourages candidates from pursuing or sustaining teaching careers there. 

Salary differences, therefore, drive the uneven distribution of teachers across the country. Educators weighing their options must balance salary potential against the local cost of living. For instance, California pays an average of about $101,084, one of the highest in the nation. Meanwhile, New York pays more than $92,615, though high expenses diminish overall take-home benefits.

This chart from World Population Review shares the top states with the highest pay in the US.

What benefits and incentives are states offering to attract teachers?

Many teachers feel undervalued for the work they do, with 51% strongly disagreeing that their salary is fair (EdWeek, 2022). This dissatisfaction underscores why states must act decisively to attract and retain educators, particularly in high-demand states for teachers where shortages are most severe. 

Teacher pay remains a central factor, as salaries often determine not just where teachers apply but whether they remain in the profession long term. States with low compensation, like Florida and Alabama, struggle to keep teachers, while places like California and New York use higher wages to remain competitive despite higher living costs.

In addition, New York’s robust pension system, the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS), a large public pension fund, serves as a powerful long-term incentive for educators considering career stability.

To address these challenges, states increasingly turn to incentive-based strategies that reward teachers for taking on difficult roles or meeting performance standards. For example, incentive pay programs include 24.5% offering bonuses for National Board certification, 15.4% targeting shortage subject areas, and 10.2% linking pay to performance (International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 2015). 

Furthermore, some states provide financial incentives for educators working in hard-to-staff schools, including Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, and Virginia. These combined efforts highlight how states use a mix of higher salaries, bonuses, and targeted incentives to make teaching both more appealing and more sustainable. Policymakers often compare such approaches with career advancement models in fields like Eds degree benefits for teachers, which tie financial incentives directly to professional development.

Which states offer teacher license reciprocity?

Teaching license reciprocity helps reduce barriers for educators who want to pursue opportunities beyond their current state. Managed by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC), this system creates agreements that support teacher mobility across state lines. While many states still require supplemental paperwork or assessments, reciprocity ensures that educators do not need to restart the licensing process from scratch, saving time and effort while maintaining professional standards.

Several states actively participate in these agreements to address growing teacher shortages and expand access to qualified educators. Below are the NASDTEC agreement signees that make it easier for teachers to transition into classrooms where they are needed most. By streamlining certification, these states not only attract more candidates but also ensure that schools can fill critical roles more quickly and efficiently.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• DODEA
• Florida
• Georgia
• Guam
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Eight states, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, and Oklahoma, extend full teacher license reciprocity to all eligible, fully licensed educators. This allows them to transfer credentials seamlessly without additional requirements. 

In contrast, the remaining states provide only partial or conditional reciprocity, often mandating supplementary coursework, assessments, or verified teaching experience. Consequently, out-of-state licenses in these jurisdictions are not fully recognized without fulfilling these additional criteria.

Such complexities mirror professional mobility challenges in other regulated fields, like healthcare, where comparisons to what is required to a master's in education underscore how advanced qualifications influence licensing and reciprocity decisions.

How do working conditions affect teacher demand across states?

Working conditions shape teacher demand as much as pay and certification policies. Even high salaries cannot keep staff when below problems persist, causing chronic shortages. In contrast, districts that build professional communities and keep workloads manageable retain more teachers and reduce vacancies.

These are the factors that influence teacher retention and demand across states:

• Class Size: Overcrowded classrooms increase teacher workload, making it harder to provide individual attention and accelerating burnout.
• Support Staff: Aides and specialists share responsibilities, easing pressure on core teachers and improving overall classroom support.
• Professional Development: Mentoring and training programs help early-career teachers gain confidence and stay in the profession longer.
• Administrative Support: Strong, responsive leadership creates trust, addresses concerns quickly, and lowers teacher turnover.
• School Climate and Safety: A positive, safe environment keeps teachers motivated, engaged, and committed to their schools.
• Geography: Rural isolation makes recruitment harder, as teachers face fewer resources and limited professional networks.

Some states have taken steps to ease these burdens. For example, Indiana reduced its pupil-to-teacher ratio by 1.3 students, Arizona by 1.1, and both Kansas and Kentucky by 0.9. These improvements demonstrate how directly addressing working conditions can make teaching more sustainable and appealing across diverse contexts. The situation parallels challenges in other high-demand professions, where better conditions matter as much as pay — such as in low stress physician specialties, where job satisfaction and retention hinge on balancing workload with manageable environments.

What are the long-term career prospects for teachers in high-demand states?

Teacher shortages remain one of the most pressing challenges in US education, with more than four in ten teachers reporting they may leave the profession within the next two years. Yet, despite this immediate crisis, the long-term outlook, especially in high-demand states for teachers, remains optimistic. 

Persistent vacancies create not only job stability but also opportunities for career growth and greater influence within the field. At the same time, many states are investing in retention strategies, expanding career pathways, and raising pay to attract and keep qualified educators. 

As a result, teachers entering the workforce today stand to benefit from stronger job security, enhanced mobility, and increasing professional recognition compared to previous generations. For teachers entering or advancing in these states, the outlook includes opportunities such as:

• Job Stability: Ongoing shortages guarantee steady demand across most states and subject areas.Career Mobility: Reciprocal certification agreements allow teachers to transfer more easily between states.
• Leadership Roles: Many high-demand states for teachers fast-track teachers into administrative or mentoring positions.
• Specialization Opportunities: STEM and special education offer competitive salaries and high advancement potential.
• Policy Support: Legislation in 2024 to 2025 expands financial incentives and alternative pathways to certification.
• Community Impact: Teachers in shortage areas play an essential role in advancing educational equity.
• Increased Professional Voice: Persistent shortages amplify teacher influence in policy discussions and education reform.

Other Things You Should Know About High-Demand States for Teachers

How do teachers move into administration roles in shortage states?

In shortage states, teachers often move into administration through accelerated leadership programs or alternative certification pathways designed to fill urgent needs. Some states reduce experience requirements, allowing mid-career teachers with master’s degrees to step into principal or district-level roles more quickly.

Financial incentives, such as tuition assistance for leadership degrees or higher pay for administrators in high-need areas, further encourage the transition. In rural districts, hybrid roles like instructional coaches often serve as stepping stones into administration.

Why are some teaching specialties harder to fill than others?

Specialties like special education, STEM, and bilingual education are harder to fill because they require advanced training or dual skill sets not common among teachers. For example, STEM teachers can earn more in private industry, while special education teachers face high compliance and emotional demands.

Fewer universities offer preparation programs for areas like foreign languages or career-technical education, which reduces the supply of qualified candidates. As a result, schools often compete heavily for limited applicants in these specialties.

How do working hours differ for teachers across states?

Working hours vary widely depending on state policy, union contracts, and district needs. In states with strong union protections, teachers often have defined limits on after-school duties, while in shortage, states may require extended hours to cover multiple subjects or extracurriculars.

Documentation, standardized testing, and administrative tasks add significant unpaid time, especially in states with strict accountability measures. Some states with year-round school calendars spread instructional time evenly but extend planning and grading throughout the year.

How do class sizes impact teacher shortages?

Large class sizes increase stress and reduce teachers’ ability to provide individualized instruction, which fuels burnout and turnover. States with higher student-to-teacher ratios, such as Arizona, report some of the most severe shortages due to these pressures.

By contrast, smaller class sizes improve job satisfaction and student outcomes, making teaching roles more attractive and sustainable. Funding decisions at the state level often determine class sizes, creating a direct link between policy and staffing shortages.