How to Become a Teacher in Wyoming: Certification Steps for 2026
Here's how to become a teacher in Wyoming: earn a bachelor's degree, complete a state-approved teacher preparation program, and pass any testing required for your specific endorsement; then the Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) issues your license. Out-of-state teachers may qualify through reciprocity, and PTSB treats a few named out-of-state programs as equivalent to in-state preparation.
If you're researching how to become a teacher in Wyoming, the path looks different depending on where you're starting from. Wyoming certifies teachers through the Professional Teaching Standards Board, building on the certification basics that apply everywhere. Someone finishing a traditional education degree, a career-changer with a bachelor's in another field, and a licensed teacher moving in from another state each have a specific route. Here's how each one works.
Choose What You Want to Teach
Your first decision is grade level or subject area, since Wyoming licenses by content area rather than issuing one general credential. An elementary certification covers grades K-6. A secondary certification covers grades 6-12 in a specific subject, and special education, career and technical education, and other specialty areas carry their own endorsements.
The Wyoming Department of Education oversees the state's schools and curriculum, while educator licensing itself is handled by the Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB).
Complete a Bachelor's Degree and Teacher Preparation Program
Wyoming's traditional licensure route requires a bachelor's degree and completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program. If you're pursuing an alternative or reciprocity route instead, the degree and program requirements differ, as covered below.
Complete a Teacher Preparation Program
Many candidates complete their teacher preparation program alongside their bachelor's degree at an approved institution. These programs combine coursework in subject-specific teaching methods, classroom management, and assessment with a defined period of full-time student teaching under a mentor teacher. During student teaching, you'll plan lessons, grade assignments, and manage a classroom under the supervision of a licensed teacher of record.
If you already hold a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, a post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program is the standard route in rather than starting a second bachelor's degree.
For current program and application requirements, check the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board directly, since specific coursework and testing requirements can vary by pathway.
If You Already Have a Bachelor's Degree
Wyoming doesn't operate its own standalone alternative licensing program the way some states do. Instead, the PTSB recognizes qualifying out-of-state alternative certification programs as equivalent to in-state preparation, and it has Exception Authorization mechanisms for specific staffing situations. If you already hold a bachelor's degree and want to move into teaching without a second undergraduate degree, these are the two named routes worth knowing about.
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program
The University of Wyoming offers a Teacher Certification Program for Post-Baccalaureate Students, with the option to pair it with a master's in Curriculum and Instruction.
Northern Plains Transition to Teaching (NPTT)
PTSB specifically treats graduates of the Northern Plains Transition to Teaching (NPTT) program, based at Montana State University-Bozeman, as in-state applicants. NPTT is built for career professionals who already hold a bachelor's degree: you work in a Wyoming school district while completing the coursework required for full licensure, rather than pausing your income to finish a program first.
Beyond these two named pathways, contact the PTSB directly about Exception Authorization if you're already working in a Wyoming school and need a specific staffing accommodation while you complete requirements.
Testing Requirements for Wyoming Certification
Wyoming doesn't require a universal battery of exams for every endorsement. Currently, PTSB requires the Praxis II exam specifically for initial licensure in Elementary Education K-6 and Social Studies Comprehensive 6-12. Other endorsement areas may or may not carry a testing requirement, and that can change, so confirm what applies to your specific endorsement directly with the PTSB before you register for anything.
Elementary and Social Studies Praxis II Requirements
If you're pursuing an Elementary Education K-6 or Social Studies Comprehensive 6-12 endorsement, plan on the Praxis II exam for that subject area. Some preparation programs also require passing scores before you can enter or exit the program, so check with your program advisor early rather than waiting until you apply for licensure.
Apply for Your Wyoming Teaching Certificate
Once your degree, program, and test scores are in place, you'll submit your application to the PTSB.
Application Requirements
A complete application typically includes:
- Completed application form
- Official, sealed college transcripts documenting your degree and completion of an approved teacher preparation program
- Passing exam scores
- Documentation of knowledge of the U.S. and Wyoming constitutions
- Completed fingerprinting and a cleared background check
- Out-of-state teaching license or credential, if applicable
Moving to Wyoming with an Out-of-State License
Wyoming recognizes an out-of-state teaching license when the standards you met to earn it are equivalent to Wyoming's own, consistent with the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement on Reciprocity. If your original state required a licensure test, PTSB accepts that test rather than making you sit for a separate Wyoming exam. If you came through an alternative certification route in another state, PTSB generally looks for three of the past six years of qualifying teaching experience for that route to carry over. Confirm your specific situation with the PTSB, since reciprocity terms depend on your original state, route, and endorsement area.
Contact Information
Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board
2001 Capitol Avenue, Emerson Building, Room 128
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Phone: (307) 777-7291
Find a Teaching Job in Wyoming
Once your certification is approved, you're ready to apply for teaching positions across the state. Wyoming's Department of Education and individual districts post openings through district websites and third-party job boards, so it's worth checking both rather than relying on one source.
Private schools are another option outside the public system, though pay and benefits there are typically set independently of the state's public schedules and vary by school.
Professional Teacher Unions
Once hired, teachers can join a professional labor union. Wyoming options include the Wyoming Education Association (WEA) and the National Education Association's Wyoming chapter.
Retirement Benefits
Wyoming teachers become eligible to draw a pension annuity at retirement through the Wyoming Retirement System. Individual pension amounts depend on years of service and salary history, so check with the Retirement System directly for your own projection.
Wyoming Teacher Salaries by Grade Level
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wyoming teacher salaries vary by grade level as of May 2025:
| Occupation | Employment | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten Teachers | 360 | $61,500 |
| Elementary School Teachers | 2,600 | $63,630 |
| Middle School Teachers | 1,290 | $65,560 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 1,600 | $66,020 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary | 650 | $64,310 |
| Special Education Teachers, Secondary | 350 | $65,400 |
Unlike the national picture, where most core K-12 teaching roles are projected to decline slightly, Wyoming's own labor market data points the other way. Projections Central estimates Wyoming elementary teaching positions will grow about 8.8% between 2024 and 2034, with roughly 210 openings a year, and secondary teaching positions are projected to grow about 9.1%, with about 130 openings annually.
Keep Your License Current with Professional Development
Classroom experience alone doesn't maintain a Wyoming license. Research consistently links teachers' ongoing professional development to student achievement, and PTSB renewal credits are built around that same idea.
Professional Development in Wyoming
The PTSB functions as the state's licensing and renewal-credit authority, approving workshops and courses that count toward maintaining certification. A Standard/Professional Wyoming Educator License requires five renewal credits within its five-year cycle, and the PTSB lists several ways to earn them, including undergraduate or graduate coursework. Confirm which specific courses and workshops qualify with the PTSB, since approved options are set at the board level and can change between cycles.
Earning a Master's Degree in Education
A master's degree isn't required to earn or maintain a Wyoming teaching license. Graduate coursework is one of several ways to earn PTSB renewal credits, though any coursework you use still has to meet the requirements for that specific renewal cycle. Whether an advanced degree affects your pay is set by your individual district's salary schedule, so check that schedule directly rather than assuming a statewide figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a bachelor's degree to teach in Wyoming?
Yes, for the traditional and post-baccalaureate routes. Reciprocity for an out-of-state license and PTSB's Exception Authorization mechanisms work differently and depend on your existing credentials and experience, so a bachelor's degree isn't the only path into the classroom.
What tests do I need to pass for Wyoming teacher certification?
It depends on your endorsement. PTSB currently requires the Praxis II exam specifically for Elementary Education K-6 and Social Studies Comprehensive 6-12. Other endorsements may not carry a separate testing requirement, so confirm what applies to yours directly with the PTSB before registering for anything.
Can I transfer my out-of-state teaching license to Wyoming?
Often, yes. Wyoming participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement on Reciprocity, which can let an existing license and passing scores carry over instead of restarting the traditional route. You'll still need to meet Wyoming-specific requirements, so check your situation with the PTSB.
What if I already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field?
A post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program, like the one at the University of Wyoming, or the NPTT program through Montana State University-Bozeman, is built for exactly this situation - no need to start a second bachelor's degree.
How often do I need to renew my Wyoming teaching license?
A Standard Wyoming Educator License renews every five years, based on completing PTSB-approved renewal credits. Confirm the current credit count and options with the PTSB directly, since renewal policy is set at the board level.
- Traditional route - a bachelor's degree and an approved teacher preparation program, submitted to the PTSB, plus Praxis II only if your endorsement is Elementary K-6 or Social Studies Comprehensive 6-12.
- Multiple ways in - the post-baccalaureate program and the NPTT program both serve candidates who already hold a bachelor's degree, and PTSB has Exception Authorization for specific staffing situations.
- Reciprocity matters - the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement can carry an out-of-state license and test scores into Wyoming instead of restarting from zero.
- Renewal is ongoing - Standard licenses renew every five years through PTSB-approved professional development credits.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, and High School Teachers, and the Special Education Teachers occupational group. 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 requirements are only half the decision - the other half is finding a program that fits your timeline and budget. The sponsored programs on this page include options for candidates who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field.