The state of Hawaii employs an average of 640 new secondary teachers each year, with the most common positions being in the core subject areas (i.e., English, math, science, and social studies).

As of 2024-2025 SY, the starting salary for all licensed teachers range from $53,390 – $68,753 and teachers can advance in pay throughout their career towards a salary of $101,371. In addition, Hawaii offers salary differentials to teachers who are licensed and are teaching in the highest need fields and the highest need geographical areas.

• Special Education secondary teachers = + $10,000
• Hawaiian Language Immersion secondary teachers = + $8,000
• All secondary teachers in the following hard-to-fill geographic locales:
  • Tier 1: Kea‘au & Pāhoa Complex Areas = + $3,000
  • Tier 2: Kealakehe, Kohala, Konawaena and Lahainaluna Complex Areas = + $5,000
  • Tier 3: Honoka‘a and Ka‘u Complex Areas = + $7,500
  • Tier 4: Hāna, Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, Nānakuli, and Wai‘anae Complex Areas, as well as, Olomana School and Hawai‘i School for the Deaf and Blind = + $8,000

Note: Salary differentials are stackable (e.g., a secondary special education Hawaiian Language Immersion teacher in Moloka‘i could earn and additional $26,000 per year). Differentials are contingent on annual renewal of state budget and funding.

A secondary teaching license qualifies you to teach any grade in middle, intermediate, or high schools (grades 6-12). As a secondary teacher, you would pick a specific subject to teach. If you decide you would like to pursue licensure in multiple content areas, you can choose one area for your licensure program, and then pursue an “add-a-field” to add a different content area to your license.

• Content Knowledge Verification: To become a licensed teacher in your chosen content area, you must demonstrate that you have knowledge in that field through one of the following options:
  • Test Option – Applicants may choose to verify their content knowledge by submitting a passing score on the licensure test adopted by the Board in the content field. Submit official scores to University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, institution code 4867.
  • Coursework/Major Option – Applicants have three options for demonstrating content knowledge using their coursework:
    • Content major consisting of a minimum of thirty semester hours in the content field for a bachelor’s degree awarded by an accredited institution of higher education; OR
    • A minimum of thirty semester hours in the content field from an accredited institution of higher education, at least fifteen of which must be upper division level; OR
    • A master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree in the license field awarded by an accredited institution of higher education.

The College of Education at UH Mānoa partners with many state community colleges that offer associate degree pathways in education. Those who complete their associate degrees through these programs can seamlessly transition to one of our UH Mānoa bachelor degrees with an elementary licensure track. 

Associate Degree Partners – Complete first and then transfer to BEd in Elementary for licensure

• Kapiolani CC A.A. in Liberal Arts, w/concentrations in:
  • Secondary Education
  • STEM Education
  • Second Language Teaching – Campus-based option only (in-person)
• Leeward CC A.S. in Teaching
• Maui College offers tuition-free prerequisite education coursework through the Hoapili Teacher Pathway (available to all students across the UH system)

Bachelor Degree options: Candidates can pursue licensure in elementary only, or there are many specialized dual licensure opportunities available at the undergraduate level.

• Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education
  • English Language Arts
  • Math
  • Music
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • World Language

Master Degree options: For those who already have a bachelor’s degree, we offer a graduate program for initial licensure in elementary, as well as offering two dual licensure options as well.

• Master of Education in Teaching
  • Secondary Education Track
    • English
    • Math
    • Science
    • Social Studies
    • Other fields: Inquire to see if other options are available
  • Dual Secondary & Special Education Track
  • Dual Hawaiian Language Immersion Track (K-12)

Post Baccalaureate Certificate options: For those who already have a bachelor’s degree or higher, we offer a shorter, 18-month program for initial licensure in secondary.

• Post Baccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Education
  • Art
  • Dance
  • English Language Arts
  • English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners (TESOL)
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Theater
  • World Language
    

Grow Our Own (GOO) Stipends: Candidates pursuing the MEdT or Post Bac program in Secondary, the Grow Our Own Teacher Initiative (GOO) stipends may cover full to partial tuition costs for these programs in return for teaching at least 3 years in a secondary position in the HIDOE upon graduation. Applicants must apply and be accepted for the GOO stipend. Priority criteria are used for selection; please refer to the Grow Our Own website for more details and a link to the application.

Someone Special Stipends: For candidates pursuing licensure as a secondary special education teacher through the Dual MEdT program, about two-thirds of program tuition costs may be provided in return for teaching at least 3 years in a secondary special education position in the Hawaii DOE upon graduation. No separate application is required; upon annual renewal of funds, all admitted candidates in these programs would be offered the opportunity to accept the stipend. Please refer to the website for more information.

Financial Aid & Scholarships: Browse through all the different funding opportunities on our website: coe.hawaii.edu/funding