Are you wondering what steps you need to take if you want to become a music teacher? Perhaps music is your passion, and you know you’d do an outstanding job of inspiring the same passion for music in others. If so, teaching music could be the ideal career for you. Here’s an overview of what you need to know to get started with a career in teaching music.
Academic and Other Credentials Necessary for Teaching Music
Education You Need for Teaching High School Music Classes
Every state in the USA requires public high school music teachers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate or license. Some states require their high school music teachers to have pursued a major in music as their primary course of study. In some US states, a master’s degree is required for teaching at public high schools. Public high school teachers need student teaching experience in addition to a degree. Teach.org has more information about specific state requirements.
State requirements are not applicable to private school teachers. Requirements vary for private school music teachers. If you want to teach music in a private school, it’s ideal to have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree in music or education. A more advanced degree might be necessary depending on school requirements and the level of competition present in the local job market.
Education You Need for Teaching College Level Music Classes
Many colleges require their music professors to hold graduate degrees in music. A Doctor of Musical Arts degree (D.M.A.) is ideal.
Education You Need for Teaching Private Music Classes
You don’t need any formal education to teach private music classes in most locations. You do need to have enough musical expertise to convince prospective students that it’s worth paying you to teach them what you know. A degree in music is helpful for this purpose.
Which Location Is Best for Finding a Job Teaching Music?
Excellent music teachers live and work in every state in the USA. In the recent past, some of the best job markets for music teachers have been the following US cities:
- Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Provo-Orem, Utah
- San Francisco, California
- San Diego, California
- New York, New York and its surrounding areas
- Washington, D.C. and its surrounding areas
- Manchester, New Hampshire
- State College, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- South Bend-Mishawaka, Indiana
- Mankato-North Mankato, Minnesota
- Boston, Massachusetts and its surrounding areas
- Los Angeles, California
- Chicago, Illinois
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Bakersfield, California
- Houston, Texas and its surrounding areas
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
If you’re seeking work as a teacher of music, these cities would be ideal places to live. Excellent music teachers are in demand in many other locations as well.
Where to Find More Information About Becoming a Music Teacher
The Department of Labor maintains updated statistics on the topic of occupational employment and wages for post-secondary art, drama, and music teachers. This information is made available through the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also maintains helpful recommendations and information on the topic of careers for music lovers.
We wish you all the best as you design your future career path. We hope the information we’ve provided here will be useful to you as you decide whether a teaching career would be the right choice for you. Now that you’ve gained a more detailed understanding of how to become a music teacher, you’re better enabled to focus on a specific course of action to pursue this career if you wish.
See also: Top 10 Best Online Master of Arts in Teaching Degree Programs
