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Nicknamed everything from the Garden State to the Crossroads of the East, New Jersey's geographical terrain runs the gamut—as does its cultural and economic makeup. From busy industrial metropolises like Newark and Jersey City to the pastoral Appalachian Highlands of its interior northwest to the historic coastal towns along the Jersey shore, New Jersey offers a broad range of attractive settings in which to teach, live and vacation.
What Makes Teaching in New Jersey Special? When it comes to improving student performance, New Jersey teachers get great marks. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, New Jersey's high school graduation numbers far exceed the national average, and its 2007 8th grade standardized test scores are some of the highest in the nation for reading and writing—with math and science scores following close behind. New Jersey's strong performance in education may be due in part to its smaller classroom sizes. Per the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2007 New Jersey's student-teacher ratio was 12.4:1—significantly less than the national average of 15.5:1. As the results indicate, New Jersey teachers are a talented, hard-working lot. If you hold yourself and your students to similarly high standards and appreciate the benefits of smaller class sizes, this might be the time for you to become a teacher in New Jersey. New Jersey Teacher Salaries & Compensation According to the State Education Data Center, New Jersey spends considerably more on its students than the national average—by almost $5,000 per student. This translates into higher salaries for the state's diligent teachers. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey teachers earned an average salary of almost $51,000 in 2007. For a better understanding of teacher earning potential, here's a list of average annual salaries for New Jersey teaching jobs: - Elementary teacher salary: $57,980
- Middle school teacher salary: $59,120
- High school teacher salary: $61,640
- Elementary special education teacher salary: $56,780
- Secondary special education teacher salary: $62,530
Demand for NJ Teachers The ability to find a New Jersey teaching job, especially as a newly graduated teacher, depends heavily on the location you're looking in and the expertise you bring to the position. If you're just starting out, specializing in a high-demand subject can improve your chances of landing a job in a more competitive area of the state. Echoing a national trend, New Jersey is experiencing a shortage in qualified math and science teachers at all grade levels. Teachers certified in ESL or special education also have a greater chance of securing a position teaching in New Jersey. Of course, the more professional experience you have in the education system, the more marketable you become. The grade level you choose to teach may also play into your employment prospects, as secondary schools often offer more teaching opportunities. According to the State Education Data Center, the following numbers illustrate New Jersey's public school staffing levels in 2007: - Prekindergarten teachers: 1,456
- Kindergarten teachers: 3,619
- Elementary teachers: 40,419
- Secondary teachers: 48,157
- Ungraded teachers: 18,650
New Jersey Teacher Certification Although certification is mandatory to begin teaching in New Jersey, there are a wide variety of endorsements available to prospective teachers. The standard certificate is permanently awarded to any teacher who has earned a bachelor's or advanced degree in professional education with a minimum GPA of 2.75 (some exceptions apply) and passed all applicable certification tests and coursework. Provisional and emergency certificates are also available to potential teachers during severe shortages, but only for abbreviated periods of time and often only in the district requesting the exception. New Jersey's Alternative Route program is another option to those who have not completed a formal teacher preparation program at an accredited institute but would like to become a certified NJ teacher through on-the-job training. For more information on New Jersey teacher certification, contact the New Jersey Department of Education. A job teaching in New Jersey can match up to any lifestyle and work environment you can think of. From rural elementary schools to high-achieving secondary schools near bustling hubs of higher learning—there's a niche for every kind of teacher out there, and many opportunities for new teachers starting out. If all of this sounds appealing to you, check out our list of accredited teacher programs to become a teacher in New Jersey. |
 
Teaching Throughout the U.S. Jersey's Halls of Ivy- New Jersey's two most famous institutions of higher learning—Princeton and Rutgers—were both established in the 18th century, decades before the Revolutionary War was fought or the Declaration of Independence was signed. Since then both schools have fostered exceptionally high standards of academia.
- According to Princeton University's Undergraduate Admissions, 711 out of the university's 4,845 total undergraduates hailed from New Jersey during the 2007-08 school year—that's 15 percent of the total undergraduate student body. As a teacher you could be the driving force behind a student's ability to get there.
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