Living & Expenses 2011
Salary
Salary
$30,000–$39,000
$30,000–$39,000
Cost of Living
Housing Costs (single)
$250–$700
$250–$700
Housing Costs (shared)
$60–$700
$60–$700
Health Insurance
$80
$80
Utilities
$60-$80
$60-$80
Daycare
No day care available near most placement schools
No day care available near most placement schools
Monthly Transit Pass
N/A
N/A
Car Required
Yes
Yes
Car Insurance
$90
$90
Start-Up
Costs
Testing Costs
$207
$207
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
$4,700–$5,500
$4,700–$5,500
Use Americorps award for testing/certification
Yes (for second year only)
Yes (for second year only)
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
Coursework for licensure complete after first year
Coursework for licensure complete after first year
Is it possible to complete a master's degree at the end of the two years?
Yes, depending on placement
Yes, depending on placement
Is a master's degree required?
No
No
Partner Universities
University of New Mexico (main partner), Western New Mexico University, Santa Fe Community College, Rio Salado College
University of New Mexico (main partner), Western New Mexico University, Santa Fe Community College, Rio Salado College
Teacher Certification Information
In order to teach in New Mexico, corps members must be able to obtain a valid Pre-Level One License. To that end, corps members must:
- Demonstrate that they have received a bachelor’s degree
- Pass a background check
- Take and pass the New Mexico Teacher Assessments in their content area
- Enroll in a teacher preparation program
Most corps members teach with a Pre-Level One License for one year and then, provided they have fulfilled all coursework and testing requirements, receive the state’s Level One Provisional License. Through a two year “master’s plus licensure” partnership with the University of New Mexico in Gallup, corps members in the Four Corners end their commitment as fully certified New Mexico teachers, with many completing their master’s degrees in education.
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.