Living & Expenses 2011
Salary
Salary
$32,000–$34,000
$32,000–$34,000
Cost of Living
Housing Costs (single)
$500–$700
$500–$700
Housing Costs (shared)
$400–$600
$400–$600
Health Insurance
$90
$90
Utilities
$50
$50
Daycare
$420–$460
$420–$460
Monthly Transit Pass
N/A
N/A
Car Required
Yes
Yes
Car Insurance
$80–$100
$80–$100
Start-Up
Costs
Testing Costs
$100–$150
$100–$150
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
None
None
Use Americorps award for testing/certification
No
No
How is teaching certification structured in this state/region?
One content specific test (Praxis II or OSAT)
One content specific test (Praxis II or OSAT)
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 Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, University of Missouri-St. Louis
University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Teacher Certification Information
To become certified to teach in Oklahoma, corps members must take and pass one content-specific test (Praxis II or OSAT) before starting in the classroom. It is the corps member’s responsibility to pay for these exams as well as prepare enough to pass them. Nevertheless, the Oklahoma region makes study guides available to our corps members.
Corps members can receive an optional master’s in education during their two-year corps commitment. We worked out an innovative partnership with the University of Missouri-St. Louis which offers a variety of online courses to the Oklahoma, St. Louis, and Kansas City regions. After their first year of teaching, corps members can begin a master’s in education through the University of Oklahoma and can be completed within two years (requiring a third year of teaching).
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.