Living & Expenses 2011
Salary
Salary
$32,000–$40,000
$32,000–$40,000
Cost of Living
Housing Costs (single)
$650–$900
$650–$900
Housing Costs (shared)
$400–$800
$400–$800
Health Insurance
$50
$50
Utilities
$70
$70
Daycare
$520–$800 / month
$520–$800 / month
Monthly Transit Pass
$70
$70
Car Required
Yes
Yes
Car Insurance
$125
$125
Start-Up
Costs
Testing Costs
$150–$300
$150–$300
Up Front Certification Costs
How Do You Pay Start-Up Costs
Transitional grants and loans, out-of-pocket
Transitional grants and loans, out-of-pocket
Ongoing Costs Through the Two-Year Commitment
Ongoing Certification Costs
$200
$200
Use Americorps award for testing/certification
No
No
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
Teach For America
Teach For America
Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of the two years?
Yes
Yes
Is a master's degree required?
No
No
Partner Universities
University of Colorado
University of Colorado
Teacher Certification Information
Our corps members must pass the subject/grade national Praxis II exam and/or the Colorado PLACE exam that correlates to their placement assignment. Corps members placed in special education, early childhood, or math are required to take the both the Praxis and the PLACE exams. The PLACE is only administered in Colorado on certain dates. Thus, candidates taking the PLACE exam will be reimbursed up to $350 for their travel expenses to and from Colorado.
During this first year of teaching, corps members will earn their permanent initial license to teach in the state of Colorado by participating in several different types of ongoing professional development training and completing a rigorous portfolio through Teach For America. For the second year of teaching, corps members continue their education through participating in either the one-year master’s program or working to complete an Action Research project.
Notes and Clarifications
- Beginning teacher salary: If you have a master's degree in education, are placed in a bilingual classroom, or in a math/science classroom you may receive additional compensation.
- Avg. health insurance: In some placement districts, health insurance premiums are pre-tax deductions.
- Total tax rate: Federal + state + city. Only applies to starting salaries.
- Up-front certification: Expenses that must be paid before your first day of teaching.
- Paying start-up costs: Can you pay for testing and up-front certification costs with transitional grants and loans or do you have to pay out-of-pocket?
- Ongoing certification: Total certification costs over two-year teaching commitment.
- AmeriCorps award for certification: Can you use your AmeriCorps award to pay testing/certification costs?
- Master's in two years: Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of two years?
- Master's required: Is the completion of a master's degree required as part of the two-year commitment?
- Extra master's degree costs: Additional total cost to obtain a master's degree (on top of ongoing certification costs); does not include AmeriCorps award.
- Partner university(ies): These universities partner with Teach For America for ongoing certification requirements, and in some cases, the fulfillment of a master's degree in education.
Teach For America was named one of Fortune magazine's top 100 employers to work for.
Teach For America was named one of America's top 100 Ideal Employers in Universum's 2011 American Student Survey.