How to Become a Teacher in Montana 2026
How to become a teacher in Montana starts with a bachelor's degree and an accredited educator preparation program, which qualifies you for a Class 2 Standard Teaching License. You can show competency through a Praxis Subject Assessment, a student-teaching portfolio, or a qualifying GPA. The Office of Public Instruction handles applications, plus a background check.
If you're researching how to become a teacher in Montana, the path runs through one agency: the Office of Public Instruction, and the certification process follows the same broad shape most states use: choose a grade band, complete a preparation program, and get approved to teach. Everything below, from your first application to your Class 1 upgrade years later, goes through OPI's TeachMT system. Montana repealed its old basic-skills test requirement, and it doesn't mandate one specific exam for every candidate. Instead, OPI accepts several ways to demonstrate content and pedagogical competency, depending on your license class and pathway.
Choose What You Want to Teach
Start with grade level and subject, since Montana licenses by endorsement area and that choice shapes your entire preparation program. Elementary teachers cover multiple subjects at a foundational level, while secondary teachers usually specialize in one, like math or English. Special education is its own endorsement track with its own coursework.
The Montana Office of Public Instruction publishes endorsement requirements by area, which is worth reviewing before you commit to a program built around one.
Earn a Bachelor's Degree and Complete an Educator Preparation Program
Montana requires a bachelor's degree and completion of an accredited professional educator preparation program in an endorsement area approved by the state. Most Montana colleges and universities let you complete both at once through a blended program, which folds your degree coursework and your licensure coursework into a single four-year track. That's the more common route for people who know early on they want to teach.
If you already hold a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, Montana offers post-baccalaureate and alternate preparation programs instead of asking you to start a second bachelor's degree from scratch.
What a Teacher Preparation Program Involves
Programs combine coursework and fieldwork. Coursework covers pedagogy, classroom management, lesson design, and differentiated instruction. Fieldwork means classroom observation hours and student teaching, where you work under a mentor teacher for a set period before you're licensed on your own.
Alternative Routes to Certification in Montana
Montana offers more than one way in if the traditional four-year path doesn't fit your situation.
Certification Reciprocity
If you're already licensed in another state, Montana's reciprocity agreements may let you transfer that license, though you'll still need to complete Montana's own licensure process. One wrinkle: if your original license came through an alternative route or exam-only pathway, Montana may not grant full licensure outright, since the state defines specific coursework requirements a test alone doesn't satisfy. In that case, OPI's Licensure Division will tell you exactly what's missing.
Class 5 Provisional License
Haven't finished every requirement yet? The Class 5 Provisional License lets you start teaching for up to three years while you complete the remaining pieces, most often a preparation program. Before the three years are up, you'll need to finish those requirements to move to full certification.
Demonstrate Content and Pedagogical Competency
Montana doesn't route every candidate through the same test. OPI recognizes several ways to show you're ready for the subject and grade level you want to teach, and which one applies depends on your license class and pathway:
- A qualifying score on the Praxis Subject Assessment for your endorsement area
- A student-teaching portfolio verified by your educator preparation program
- A 3.0 or higher GPA in your approved preparation coursework
- A qualifying out-of-state license or teaching experience, for candidates coming through reciprocity
Because the specific requirement depends on your endorsement area and which pathway you're using, check OPI's current licensure requirements for your situation rather than assuming one test applies across the board.
Apply for Your Montana Teaching License
Application Requirements
OPI will ask for the following when you apply:
- Completed application form
- Official transcripts from every college or university you've attended
- Application fees
- Copies of any existing teaching certificates, if applicable
- Official statement of eligibility status
- Employment records
- Fingerprints and a background check
Contact Information
Montana Office of Public Instruction
Attn: Educator Licensure
P.O. Box 202501
Helena, Montana 59620-2501
Phone: (406) 444-3150
Find a Teaching Job in Montana
Once your license is approved, you're cleared to teach anywhere in the state. Where you look next depends on whether you want a public or private school classroom.
Public School Teaching Jobs
Montana has an ongoing teacher shortage, particularly in rural districts, and OPI runs Jobs for Teachers, a statewide database connecting districts with licensed candidates.
Teacher Unions
Most public school teachers in Montana join a union, commonly the Montana Education Association and Montana Federation of Teachers (MEA-MFT), which handles collective bargaining and provides professional support throughout a teaching career.
Retirement Benefits
Montana teachers draw retirement, disability, and survivor benefits through the state's Teachers' Retirement System (TRS).
Private School Teaching Jobs
Montana has more than 120 private schools, many offering considerably smaller class sizes than the public system. Requirements vary by school, so it's worth contacting institutions directly rather than assuming public licensure rules apply the same way.
If you're weighing options across the region, How to Become a Teacher in Idaho and How to Become a Teacher in South Dakota cover licensure in Montana's neighboring states, in case reciprocity or a shorter commute makes one of them worth a look.
Teacher Salaries and Job Outlook in Montana
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Montana elementary school teachers earned a median annual salary of $58,150 as of May 2025, middle school teachers earned $61,240, and secondary school teachers earned $61,550.
Employment for Montana's core K-12 teaching roles is essentially flat: Projections Central estimates elementary teaching positions will decline about 0.6% between 2024 and 2034, with roughly 270 openings a year from retirements and turnover, not expansion. Middle and secondary teaching show a similar pattern. Preschool teaching is the exception: Montana's preschool teacher employment is projected to grow 12.9% over the same period, well above the 4.1% national figure, with about 160 openings a year.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | Job Growth (2024-2034) |
|---|---|---|
| Preschool Teachers | $38,440 | +12.9% |
| Elementary School Teachers | $58,150 | -0.6% |
| Middle School Teachers | $61,240 | -1.0% |
| Secondary School Teachers | $61,550 | -0.1% |
| Special Education Teachers (K-Elementary) | $59,320 | -0.2% |
| Special Education Teachers (Middle School) | $63,270 | -0.3% |
| Special Education Teachers (Secondary) | $63,830 | 0.0% |
Continue Your Education and Upgrade Your License
Your initial Class 2 Educator License runs for five years and renews through 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs), earned via approved college credits or professional development activities. One college semester credit equals 15 PDUs, though OPI sets conditions on which coursework counts toward that total.
Class 1 Educator License eligibility requires meeting Class 2 requirements plus either a qualifying master's degree (in education or an endorsable subject area) or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, along with any other applicable OPI requirements. Renewing that five-year license takes the same 60 PDUs, or the equivalent in college credits, per cycle. To upgrade, submit an upgrade application along with transcripts or your National Board certification documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master's degree to teach in Montana?
No. A bachelor's degree and an accredited educator preparation program are enough for your initial Class 2 Standard License. A master's degree, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, becomes relevant later, when you're eligible to upgrade to the Class 1 Professional License.
Can I teach in Montana if I'm licensed in another state?
Often, yes, through Montana's reciprocity agreements, but you still have to complete Montana's own licensure process. If your original license came through an alternative or test-only route, you may need to complete additional coursework before Montana grants full licensure.
What if I haven't finished my teacher prep program yet?
The Class 5 Provisional License lets you start teaching for up to three years while you finish remaining requirements, typically the preparation program itself, under OPI's oversight.
Do I have to pass the Praxis to teach in Montana?
Not necessarily. The Praxis Subject Assessment is one accepted way to demonstrate competency, but OPI also accepts a verified student-teaching portfolio, a 3.0+ preparation-program GPA, or a qualifying out-of-state license and experience, depending on your pathway and endorsement area. Check OPI's current requirements for your specific situation.
Is there a teacher shortage in Montana?
Yes, particularly in rural districts, which is why OPI runs a dedicated Jobs for Teachers database connecting open positions with licensed candidates statewide.
- One licensing body - the Montana Office of Public Instruction handles every application, from your first Class 2 license through a Class 1 upgrade.
- No single required exam - Montana accepts a Praxis Subject Assessment, a student-teaching portfolio, or a qualifying preparation-program GPA to show competency, depending on your pathway.
- Provisional path exists - the Class 5 Provisional License lets you teach for up to three years while finishing remaining requirements.
- Preschool is the growth outlier - Montana preschool teaching is projected to grow 12.9% through 2034, well ahead of core K-12 roles, which are essentially flat to slightly declining.
- Class 1 has two routes - a qualifying master's degree or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification, on top of Class 2 eligibility.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, plus Preschool 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.
Montana's licensure steps are the same wherever you train, but the program you pick decides how you get through them. The sponsored programs on this page include options built for career-changers who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field, with online coursework that fits around a full-time job.