How to Become a Teacher in Indiana 2026
To become a teacher in Indiana, you need a bachelor's degree and completion of an Indiana-approved educator preparation program, plus passing scores on the Praxis assessments required for your specific license and content area, and a cleared background check. If you already have a bachelor's degree in another field, Transition to Teaching lets you skip starting over.
Every state runs certification a little differently, and Indiana sorts most of it through the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). If you want the general certification pathways that most states share before narrowing to Indiana's specifics, that's a good place to start. Here's the order things actually happen in, from picking a grade band through landing your first classroom.
Choose What You Want to Teach
Working with high school seniors on a research project pulls a different kind of teacher than reading the alphabet with kindergartners, or working one-on-one with a student who has an IEP. If you're not sure yet, talk to an advisor at your program, or look through the Indiana Department of Education site for a sense of what's out there by grade band and subject.
Complete Your Education Requirements for Teaching in Indiana
For Indiana's standard initial instructional license, you need a bachelor's degree and completion of an Indiana-approved educator preparation program (EPP). Indiana has more than one licensing pathway, so the exact requirements depend on which route and license you're pursuing.
Some approved EPPs offer a blended or joint program that awards the bachelor's degree and the teaching license together. It's an intensive track, but it shaves real time off the process for anyone who knows early on that they want to teach.
Complete a Teacher Preparation Program
Public school teachers in Indiana need a teaching license, and most private and charter schools require one too, though that varies school to school. A prep program mixes coursework (technology, pedagogy, teaching methods) with fieldwork: observation hours, reflective writing, and student teaching. Pass those, usually against a set GPA, and you come out with a bachelor's degree and a license at the same time.
Alternative Teacher Certification in Indiana
You don't have to go the traditional route. Indiana runs alternative certification paths for people who already have a degree and want to move into teaching without repeating a bachelor's.
Transition to Teaching
If you hold a bachelor's degree, whether from Indiana or another state, a Transition to Teaching program lets you earn an Indiana teaching license without starting your education over.
Indianapolis Teaching Fellows
The Indianapolis Teaching Fellows program supports candidates earning a Master's of Arts in Teaching in high-need subject areas, with training and mentoring built in.
Pass the Required Tests for Indiana
Indiana moved from the Pearson CORE exams to the Praxis series in September 2021, and testing requirements are now specific to the license and content area you're pursuing rather than one universal set of exams. There's no single test everyone takes.
Assessments Vary by License and Content Area
Under Indiana's current licensing rule, a pedagogy test applies to those seeking an Initial Practitioner instructional license, and a subject-specific content test applies to instructional and administrative licenses. A kindergarten license and a high school chemistry license don't require the same exams. Indiana partners with ETS to administer these, and test requirements have changed more than once in recent years, so confirm the current list for your program area before you register.
Where to Check Current Requirements
Your teacher preparation program's licensing advisor can tell you exactly which Praxis assessments apply to the license you're working toward. You can also check IDOE's educator licensing page directly, since exam names and requirements are periodically updated.
Apply for Your Indiana Teaching License
Once you clear the assessments required for your license, Indiana issues a two-year Initial Practitioner License. From there, renewal or conversion to a five- or ten-year Practitioner License depends on your specific credential and the professional-growth requirements you complete, so check with IDOE's Office of Educator Licensing for what applies to your license type.
Application Requirements
Applying costs two $35 fees, one for evaluation and one for the license application, plus whatever handling and transaction fee the Office of Educator Licensing sets at the time you apply. You'll need official transcripts showing your completed prep program and degree, proof of passing scores on your required exams, and a cleared background check. Depending on your license type, Indiana may also require training such as suicide-prevention awareness, human-trafficking awareness, child-abuse and neglect recognition, and CPR/AED/Heimlich certification. Licensing requirements are updated periodically, so confirm the current list that applies to your specific license with your institution's licensing advisor before you apply.
Contact Information
Indiana Department of Education
Indiana Government Center North, 9th Floor
100 N Senate Ave
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 232-6610
Find a Teaching Job in Indiana
Once you're licensed, you're ready to work as an educator in Indiana.
Teaching in Indiana's Public Schools
Indiana's public schools post openings through the Indiana School Personnel Job Bank and Schoolspring.com. Elementary education, STEM, English, physical education, and special education are running high-need areas right now, so it's worth checking those databases regularly since postings do expire.
Once you're hired, you can join the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) or the Indiana branch of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT): both are statewide advocacy groups for teacher pay and working conditions. When you retire, the Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS) handles your pension, with some financial-planning support built in.
Teaching in Indiana's Private Schools
Private schools hire in the same subject areas and, while Indiana law doesn't require them to hire only certified teachers, most do anyway. Indiana has 830 private schools serving more than 118,000 students, and most of them are faith-based.
Teacher Shortage Areas in Indiana
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education tracks Teacher Shortage Areas (TSA) by state. Indiana's most recent published list includes:
- Agricultural Science and Technology 5-12
- Business Education 5-12
- Family and Consumer Science 5-12
- Business, Marketing and Information Technology 5-12
- Engineering Technology 5-12
- Mathematics 5-12
- Physics 5-12
- Life Science 5-12
- Earth and Space Science 5-12
- Chemistry 5-12
- Physical Science 5-12
- Early Childhood PreK-3
- ESOL PreK-12
- Language Arts 5-12
- Instrumental Music PreK-12
- Choral Music PreK-12
- Computer Science PreK-12
- Special Education, All Exceptionalities PreK-12
Teacher Salary and Job Outlook in Indiana
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indiana's median annual wages for classroom teachers as of May 2025 ranged from the high $50,000s to the low $60,000s depending on grade band, with special education roles running slightly higher. Unlike the national picture, where Projections Central shows most core K-12 teaching occupations flat to declining through 2034, Indiana's own projections are positive across every teaching occupation, according to the state's labor market data.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Job Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers | $36,650 | +6.5% |
| Kindergarten Teachers | $58,250 | +1.5% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $59,700 | +1.3% |
| Middle School Teachers | $60,700 | +1.2% |
| Secondary School Teachers | $61,880 | +1.6% |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary | $58,760 | +1.3% |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | $61,130 | +1.6% |
Growth in the low single digits isn't a headline number, but it means Indiana is adding classroom positions most years rather than cutting them: a contrast worth knowing if you've read that teaching jobs nationally are shrinking.
Continue Your Education and Professional Development
Most states require ongoing professional development to renew a teaching license, and Indiana is no different. The programs worth choosing are the ones that evaluate your actual instructional and leadership practice, not just log hours: that's what ends up moving your pay and your options later.
Professional Development in Indiana
Purdue and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne run a joint network offering professional development to Indiana teachers, and the Professional Learning Board offers online continuing education nationally that counts toward Indiana renewal.
Consider the Benefits of Earning a Master's Degree
Renewal or conversion from your Initial Practitioner License to a longer-term Practitioner License depends on your specific credential, but ongoing coursework, a Professional Goal Plan, or National Board Certification are common paths. A frequently cited benchmark is at least 6 semester hours from a regionally accredited institution, though the exact requirement depends on your license type, so confirm the current figure with IDOE's Office of Educator Licensing.
Since you may already be back in coursework for renewal, it's worth considering whether to put those credits toward a full master's degree instead of the minimum. Per IDOE's licensing pages, a master's degree combined with teaching experience is one factor in advancing to a longer-term license. Confirm the current specifics for your license type before planning around it.
Plenty of Indiana districts build a salary step or stipend into their pay scale for teachers who hold a master's degree. Check your own district's published pay scale for the exact figure, since it varies by district and isn't something we can verify from state or national data.
Course Credits to Expand License Content Areas
A master's degree is also useful for adding content areas to your existing license. For most subjects, passing the corresponding Praxis content exam is enough. A handful of areas also require coursework completed through an approved program, including:
- Early Childhood Education
- Communication Disorders
- Exceptional Needs
- Fine Arts
- English Learners and High Ability
- Elementary Education
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree do I need to become a teacher in Indiana?
For the standard route, you need a bachelor's degree and completion of an Indiana-approved educator preparation program. If your bachelor's is in a different field, Transition to Teaching lets you become licensed without repeating your undergraduate degree.
What tests do I need to take to become a teacher in Indiana?
It depends on your license and content area. Indiana no longer requires a single basic-skills exam for program entry, and now uses Praxis assessments for pedagogy and content areas that vary by license type. Your teacher preparation program's licensing advisor can confirm exactly which exams apply to you.
Can I become a teacher in Indiana without an education degree?
Yes. Transition to Teaching and programs like Indianapolis Teaching Fellows are built for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field and want to move into the classroom without starting over.
How much does it cost to apply for an Indiana teaching license?
Budget for two $35 fees: an evaluation fee and an application fee, plus a handling and transaction fee the Office of Educator Licensing sets at the time you apply.
How long does an Initial Practitioner license last in Indiana?
Two years. After that, renewal or conversion to a five- or ten-year Practitioner License depends on your specific credential and the professional-growth requirements you've completed, so check with IDOE's Office of Educator Licensing for what applies to your license type.
- Bachelor's degree, approved prep program: the standard route requires a bachelor's degree and an Indiana-approved educator preparation program.
- Testing is license-specific: Indiana moved from Pearson CORE to Praxis assessments in 2021, and which exams apply now depends on your license and content area.
- Alternative routes exist: Transition to Teaching and Indianapolis Teaching Fellows work for career-changers with a non-education bachelor's degree.
- Licenses start at two years: the Initial Practitioner License runs two years, and renewal or conversion to a longer-term Practitioner License depends on your credential and professional-growth requirements.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, and Special Education Teachers. Job growth projections (2024-2034) are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, Projections Central. Figures reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.
Certification is only half the decision: the other half is finding a program that fits how you actually need to study. The sponsored programs on this page include options built for people who already hold a degree in another field and can't put their life on hold to go back to school full time.