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A teacher in a Missouri school reads to early childhood education students in the classroom. Behind the teacher, there is a chart to help students learn their letters.

Jobs in Missouri

Learn how you can start a high-demand career and make a difference for Missouri students.

Find out how and where you can change education in Missouri, and build a sustainable, fulfilling career while you give back to your community. 

On this page, get information on:

Education Career Outlook in Missouri

An educator in a Missouri school district talks with two students at their desk. The students have notebooks, pencils and papers spread out, and the teacher is high-fiving one of the students while he learns.

Missouri schools teach nearly 880,000 students in over 2,400 schools. (1) And in 2019, Missouri schools had over 6,200 teacher openings—some of which never got filled. (2)

In short, Missouri needs more educators, from teaching assistants to classroom teachers. That demand will continue to increase: Teaching positions will grow by 7 to 8 percent in the coming decade. (3)

What does that mean for you? If you’re passionate about education and community work, there are big opportunities to make an impact in Missouri.

Teaching in a shortage area not only means you can deepen your impact—you’ll also be starting a career with strong job security and plenty of options.

Jobs, Benefits and Opportunities for Teachers in Missouri

Learn about where Missouri schools are currently, benefits for educators and what’s on the horizon.

If you’re curious about teaching, but not sure if it’s right for you, we have good news: You don’t have to commit right away! There are a lot of ways you can gain education experience and get a sense of the work before you pursue a teaching certificate.

What To Do if You’re Interested in Teaching in Missouri

If you’re curious about teaching, but not sure if it’s right for you, we have good news: You don’t have to commit right away!

There are a lot of ways you can gain education experience and get a sense of the work before you pursue a teaching certificate. For example, you can consider:

  • Volunteering in classrooms or after-school programs
  • Looking for full-time, non-teacher positions in schools
  • Substituting as a teacher, teacher assistant or other non-full-time position

What do these jobs look like? In the next section, we’ll go over a few classroom roles and what to expect.

Once you’re ready to start applying for education jobs, we recommend visiting the DESE Missouri Teaching Jobs page. There, you’ll find links to job boards for teaching jobs and student support positions throughout the state.

Education Roles in Missouri

How to Become a Certified Teacher in Missouri

A Missouri elementary school teacher works with two students at their desk. One student is holding an iPad. She and the teacher are smiling and laughing at something on the iPad. Behind them, there is another row of students working.

If you’re wondering about the requirements to become a teacher in Missouri, you’ve come to the right place.

To become a Missouri teacher, you’ll need to complete a few steps. Here’s the short version (12):

  1. Decide what subject and grades you want to teach.
  2. Complete an educator preparation program. 
  3. Pass your teaching certification test.
  4. Submit your teaching application to the state. 

Becoming a teacher in Missouri can sound like a lot—but that’s where TEACH Missouri comes in! We’re here for you every step of the way, from choosing the right program to completing your applications to preparing for certification tests.

Visit our About Certification page for a full explanation and (free!) downloadable PDF that covers the certification process from start to finish.

Learn About Certification

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References

  1. “2019 Missouri Legislators Retreat,” The Hunt Institute. SOS.MO.gov. 
  2. News Release: “Missouri Joins National PSA Campaign to Address Teacher Shortage,” Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. April 16, 2021. DESE.MO.gov. 
  3. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Department of Labor. Data.BLS.gov. 
  4. 2021-2022 Missouri Teacher Shortage Areas Report, U.S. Department of Education. TSA.Ed.gov. 
  5. “Educator Vacancy Report, June 2021.” Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. DESE.MO.gov. 
  6. Will, Madeline. “Teacher Salaries are Increasing. See How Your State Compares,” Education Week. April 26, 2021. EdWeek.org. 
  7. Cost of Living Data Series, Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. MERIC.MO.gov.  
  8. State of Missouri: Total Minority Population Percentage Change by County, 2010-2020. OA.MO.gov. 
  9. Palmer, Kyle. “Less Than 7 Percent of Missouri Teachers are Minorities and Other Facts You Need to Know.” NPR in Kansas City. August 24, 2015. KCUR.org. 
  10. Meckler, Laura and Kate Rabinowitz. “America’s schools are more diverse than ever. But the teachers are still mostly white,” The Washington Post. December 27, 2019. WashingtonPost.com. 
  11. Substitute Teachers, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. DESE.MO.gov. 
  12. Become a Certified Teacher, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. DESE.MO.gov.