Pennsylvania Teacher Certification
Complete guide to teacher certification in Pennsylvania. Find required exams, registration info, salary data, and practice tests.
Exams161
Salary range$42k–$72k
🎯94%
👩🏫150,000+
📝250+
🗺️50
⭐4.9/5
🛡️100% refund
Certification Requirements in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's degree, approved teacher preparation program, passing PECT or Praxis exams, Pennsylvania background checks (FBI, State Police, Child Abuse).
Exam Costs & Test Day Information
Registration & Fees
Most teacher certification exams in Pennsylvania cost between $90–$200 per attempt, depending on the exam board (Praxis, NBPTS, AACRAO, etc.). Fees typically cover the exam, score report, and official score verification sent to your state certification board.
Register through the official exam provider's website. Many providers offer discounted test registration during certain times of year or for bulk registrations from teacher preparation programs.
Test Day & Format
Exams are offered year-round at testing centers throughout Pennsylvania. Most tests are computer-based and can be scheduled on your preferred date. Plan for 2–4 hours total (including check-in and breaks).
Bring a valid government-issued ID and arrive 15 minutes early. No calculators, notes, or unauthorized materials are permitted in the testing room.
Certification Area Requirements
Grades PreK-4
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018)
PRAXIS | Code: 5018
80 questions • 120 min
Required Score: 165
Practice Test →Complete Exam Requirements
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018)
PRAXIS | Code: 5018 • 80 questions • 120 min
Early Childhood Education
Required Score
165
Nat: 157
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018)
PRAXIS | Code: 5018 • 80 questions • 120 min
Middle Grades Education
Required Score
165
Nat: 157
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354)
PRAXIS | Code: 5354 • 100 questions • 120 min
Special Education
Required Score
158
Nat: 155
All Available Exams in Pennsylvania
161 exams across 5 exam series.
NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist
60 questions·Pass: 275
NBPTS English Language Arts: Adolescence & Young Adulthood
60 questions·Pass: 275
NBPTS Generalist: Early Childhood
60 questions·Pass: 275
NBPTS Middle Childhood / Generalist
60 questions·Pass: 275
NBPTS Reading-Language Arts: Early & Middle Childhood
60 questions·Pass: 275
NBPTS Mathematics: Early Adolescence
60 questions·Pass: 275
PECTPECT
ParaProParaPro Assessment
PRAXISPraxis
Spanish: World Language (5195)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Mathematics Subtest (5003)
40 questions·Pass: 157
Earth and Space Sciences (5572)
125 questions·Pass: 152
General Science: Content Knowledge (5436)
135 questions·Pass: 152
Gifted Education (5358)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Special Education: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments (5282)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Early Childhood Education: Foundational Knowledge and Content (5534)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education Assessment (5006)
180 questions·Pass: 157
Speech Communication: Content Knowledge (5221)
80 questions·Pass: 152
Russian: World Language (5671)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts CKT (7812)
55 questions·Pass: 157
Middle School Social Studies (5089)
90 questions·Pass: 149
Chinese (Mandarin): World Language (5665)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Computer Science (5652)
100 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education Assessment: Reading, Language Arts & Social Studies (5007)
55 questions·Pass: 157
Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities (5322)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (7001)
160 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Math Specialist (5037)
60 questions·Pass: 157
School Superintendent Assessment (6991)
120 questions·Pass: 163
Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision (5412)
120 questions·Pass: 163
Chemistry: Content Knowledge (5246)
125 questions·Pass: 152
Journalism (5224)
100 questions·Pass: 152
Art: Content Knowledge (5134)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Teaching Speech to Students with Language Impairments (5881)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle (5901)
115 questions·Pass: 157
Middle School Mathematics (5164)
55 questions·Pass: 165
Latin (5601)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Agriculture (5701)
120 questions·Pass: 147
Elementary Education: Mathematics (7003)
40 questions·Pass: 157
PLT: Grades 5–9 (5623)
70 questions·Pass: 161
Elementary Education Fundamentals: Social Studies (8004)
77 questions·Pass: 157
Middle School Science (5442)
90 questions·Pass: 150
Early Childhood Assessment (5026)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5165)
60 questions·Pass: 160
Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (5017)
80 questions·Pass: 157
PA Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: English Language Arts and Social Studies (5154)
70 questions·Pass: 157
Marketing Education (5561)
100 questions·Pass: 152
Family and Consumer Sciences (5122)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005)
30 questions·Pass: 157
Theatre (5641)
80 questions·Pass: 152
German: World Language (5183)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Pre-Kindergarten Education (5531)
60 questions·Pass: 157
English Language Arts: Content and Analysis (5039)
80 questions·Pass: 157
PLT: Early Childhood (5621)
70 questions·Pass: 161
Elementary Education: Teaching Reading (7002)
55 questions·Pass: 157
Music: Instrumental and General Knowledge (5115)
90 questions·Pass: 152
PLT: PreK–12 (5625)
70 questions·Pass: 161
STEM for the Elementary Grades (5036)
60 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (5018)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Music: Vocal and General Knowledge (5116)
90 questions·Pass: 152
Communication and Literacy: Writing (5724)
40 questions·Pass: 220
Teaching Reading: K–12 (5206)
80 questions·Pass: 157
School Leaders Licensure Assessment (6990)
100 questions·Pass: 163
Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Social Studies CKT (7815)
40 questions·Pass: 157
Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5091)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Health Occupations (5052)
100 questions·Pass: 152
School Psychologist (5403)
150 questions·Pass: 147
Elementary Education: Science CKT (7814)
40 questions·Pass: 157
World Languages Pedagogy (5841)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Economics (5911)
110 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education Assessment: Mathematics and Science (5008)
45 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Severe to Profound Applications (5545)
120 questions·Pass: 155
Elementary Education: Mathematics CKT (7813)
45 questions·Pass: 157
Citizenship Education: Content Knowledge (5087)
90 questions·Pass: 155
Technology and Engineering Education (5053)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Japanese: World Language (5661)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Severe to Profound (5547)
100 questions·Pass: 153
English to Speakers of Other Languages / ESOL (5362)
120 questions·Pass: 155
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications (5543)
120 questions·Pass: 155
Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354)
100 questions·Pass: 155
PA Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Science (5159)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Social Studies (5581)
130 questions·Pass: 155
Core Combined (5752)
164 questions·Pass: 468
Core Academic Skills: Mathematics (5733)
56 questions·Pass: 150
Sociology (5952)
80 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education: Social Studies Subtest (5004)
30 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education Assessment (5006)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (5355)
120 questions·Pass: 153
Geography (5921)
80 questions·Pass: 152
School Counselor (5422)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Algebra I (5162)
60 questions·Pass: 157
Health Education (5551)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Braille Proficiency (0633)
56 questions·Pass: 200
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (5023)
100 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Early Childhood/Early Intervention (5692)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge for Teaching (7811)
180 questions·Pass: 157
Government/Political Science (5931)
80 questions·Pass: 152
Special Education: Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students (5272)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Early Childhood: Reading, Language Arts & Social Studies (5027)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Mathematics (5903)
40 questions·Pass: 157
Early Childhood Education: Foundational Knowledge (5533)
60 questions·Pass: 157
Speech-Language Pathology (5331)
132 questions·Pass: 162
Elementary Education Fundamentals: Teaching Reading (8006)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Business Education: Content Knowledge (5101)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Geometry (5163)
60 questions·Pass: 157
Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081)
130 questions·Pass: 155
PA Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Mathematics (5158)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Special Education: Teaching Students with Behavioral Disorders/Emotional Disturbances (5372)
100 questions·Pass: 153
Biology: Content Knowledge (5236)
150 questions·Pass: 152
Social Studies: Content and Interpretation (5086)
90 questions·Pass: 155
Reading Specialist (5302)
120 questions·Pass: 162
Psychology (5391)
90 questions·Pass: 152
Speech and Theatre (5222)
80 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Science (5905)
35 questions·Pass: 157
Art: Content and Analysis (5135)
90 questions·Pass: 157
Music: Content Knowledge (5113)
90 questions·Pass: 152
Middle School English Language Arts (5047)
90 questions·Pass: 163
Middle School Social Studies (5589)
90 questions·Pass: 149
School Librarian (5312)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Health and Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5857)
120 questions·Pass: 152
PA Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: Pedagogy (5153)
60 questions·Pass: 157
English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038)
130 questions·Pass: 167
Elementary Education: Three Subject Bundle — Social Studies (5904)
35 questions·Pass: 157
Music: Content and Instruction (5114)
90 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education Fundamentals: Mathematics (8003)
40 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts Subtest (5002)
50 questions·Pass: 157
PLT: Grades K–6 (5622)
70 questions·Pass: 161
Communication and Literacy: Reading (5714)
55 questions·Pass: 227
Elementary Education: Science (7005)
35 questions·Pass: 157
French: World Language (5174)
120 questions·Pass: 157
PLT: Grades 7–12 (5624)
70 questions·Pass: 161
ParaPro Assessment (1755)
90 questions·Pass: 461
Special Education: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (5383)
100 questions·Pass: 153
PA Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: Mathematics and Science (5155)
70 questions·Pass: 157
Early Childhood Education (5025)
100 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education Fundamentals: Reading and Language Arts (8002)
55 questions·Pass: 157
Education of Young Children (5024)
120 questions·Pass: 157
Audiology (5343)
120 questions·Pass: 162
Family and Consumer Sciences (5123)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (5511)
100 questions·Pass: 152
PA Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: English Language Arts (5156)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Elementary Education: Social Studies (7004)
35 questions·Pass: 157
World and U.S. History: Content Knowledge (5941)
120 questions·Pass: 155
PA Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: Social Studies (5157)
80 questions·Pass: 157
Physical Education: Content and Design (5095)
120 questions·Pass: 152
Communication and Literacy Combined (5753)
110 questions·Pass: 470
Core Academic Skills: Reading (5713)
56 questions·Pass: 156
Physics (5266)
125 questions·Pass: 152
Core Academic Skills: Writing (5723)
40 questions·Pass: 162
PA Grades 4–8 Core Assessment: Pedagogy, ELA & Social Studies, Math & Science (5152)
180 questions·Pass: 157
Early Childhood: Mathematics and Science (5028)
40 questions·Pass: 157
Physical Science (5485)
125 questions·Pass: 152
Elementary Education Fundamentals: Science (8005)
74 questions·Pass: 157
Pennsylvania Teaching Certification — FAQ
How do I get a teaching certificate in Pennsylvania?
Bachelor's degree, approved teacher preparation program, passing PECT or Praxis exams, Pennsylvania background checks (FBI, State Police, Child Abuse).
What exams do I need to pass to teach in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania requires 161 exam(s) across multiple certification areas. Browse the full list on this page to find the tests relevant to your subject and grade level.
How much do teacher certification exams cost in Pennsylvania?
Exam fees vary by test. Most certification exams cost between $90 and $200 per attempt. Check the individual exam pages for specific pricing.