Study identifies the high costs of becoming a teacher

According to a new research brief from Michigan State University’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, or EPIC, aspiring teachers invest substantially more time, money and more coursework toward their bachelor’s degrees than other undergraduate students.

Teaching is a highly skilled profession that requires deep subject-area expertise, instructional training and hands-on field experiences. Long before they enter the profession, future teachers complete nearly 160 undergraduate credit hours on average — about one-third more than the minimum typically required to complete a bachelor’s degree (120 credits) and 16% more than the average for bachelor’s-seeking students in other fields (137 credits).

These additional credit hours carry financial and time costs. Compared to otherwise similar students attending the same colleges, future teachers incur nearly $10,000 more in tuition before financial aid over the course of their undergraduate studies.

To complete their additional credit hours, aspiring teachers tend to both carry heavier courseloads per semester and take longer to graduate than their peers. In fact, 60% of teachers enroll in at least 16 credits per semester, compared to 45% for those not pursuing a teaching degree. Even with a heavier average courseload, teachers are about half as likely as their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree within a standard four-year timeframe.

The study also finds that special education teachers face higher tuition, time and workload costs than their peers pursuing elementary or secondary general education credentials. For instance, special education teachers incur about $11,000 more in tuition and complete 27 more credit hours than non-teachers. This is about $3,200–$3,800 more in tuition and six–eight more credit hours than the average for aspiring general education teachers.

“Special education teachers have one of the most complex and demanding roles in education,” said Tara Kilbride, associate director of EPIC and co-author of the study. “Their significant preservice investments reflect the extensive knowledge and skills needed to support students with diverse learning needs. As Michigan continues to face persistent shortages of special education teachers, it is important to understand whether and how these investments may influence who enters the profession.”

The core components of teacher preparation that contribute to these added costs play important roles in preparing candidates for the teaching profession. Rather than removing requirements or lowering certification standards, the authors recommend continuing to prioritize financial assistance programs for candidates pursuing teaching careers, such as the Michigan Future Educator Fellowship and Stipend.

“Michigan recognizes the substantial investment required to become a well-prepared educator,” said State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko. “These findings reinforce the importance of sustained support for preservice teachers enrolled in rigorous preparation programs and competitive compensation that reflects the value of the profession. Strengthening these commitments is essential to attracting and retaining the skilled teachers our students depend on.” 

These types of programs can help to reduce financial barriers for prospective teachers without compromising the quality or rigor of their preparation.

For policymakers seeking to strengthen the teaching profession, these findings emphasize a need to consider not only the compensation that educators receive after entering the workforce but also the substantial investments they make as they prepare for their roles. Ensuring that these investments translate into commensurate professional recognition, career opportunities and compensation may help to reinforce the value of the profession and encourage more students to pursue teaching.

Note: Calculations are all based on Michigan, but EPIC believes it’s applicable to the teaching profession overall.