Living & Expenses 2011
Salary
Salary
$35,000–$47,000
$35,000–$47,000
Cost of Living
Housing Costs (single)
$700–$900
$700–$900
Housing Costs (shared)
$500–$800
$500–$800
Health Insurance
Varies by school placement
Varies by school placement
Utilities
$75
$75
Daycare
$700 / month
$700 / month
Monthly Transit Pass
$83
$83
Car Required
Not essential, but recommended
Not essential, but recommended
Car Insurance
$125
$125
Start-Up
Costs
Testing Costs
$260–$420 (Philadelphia), $130–$210 (Camden)
$260–$420 (Philadelphia), $130–$210 (Camden)
Up Front Certification Costs
How Do You Pay Start-Up Costs
Out of Pocket
Out of Pocket
Ongoing Costs Through the Two-Year Commitment
Ongoing Certification Costs
$8,400 (general education), $12,000 (special education)
$8,400 (general education), $12,000 (special education)
Use Americorps award for testing/certification
Yes
Yes
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
Two years – through university
Two years – through university
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 Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
Teacher Certification Information
Most corps members teaching in Greater Philadelphia receive their certification by completing a specialized course of study with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (GSE). The Penn GSE/Teach For America Urban Teacher Program, open to all Greater Philadelphia corps members, is one of the few certification programs in the country focused explicitly on preparing teachers to educate students in urban environments. Corps members attending Penn also have the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in elementary or secondary education in conjunction with their certification at a total cost of about $44,000 over two years for both.
As an alternative, corps members assigned to Camden, New Jersey may opt not to attend Penn, and instead attend a one-year, state-run alternate route to certification program at a total cost of about $3,000.
Finally, while exact testing requirements vary by subject and state, all Greater Philadelphia corps members must take and pass one or more of the Praxis series of exams in order to become certified and teach in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.
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.