This page was written by 240 Tutoring. Certification requirements and exam fees change — confirm current details with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission and ETS before registering.
The quick answer
To teach in a Georgia public school, you need a bachelor's degree, completion of a GaPSC-approved educator preparation program, passing scores on the required GACE exams, and a passing score on the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment. From a standing start with no degree, the traditional path takes about four years. If you already have a bachelor's degree in another field, you can take an alternative route — most commonly GaTAPP — and earn certification in 12 to 24 months while teaching full-time. Either way, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) issues the certificate, and the GACE is the exam you'll take to prove subject-area knowledge.
The traditional path: step by step
If you're starting from a recent high school graduation or planning to switch into education from your current undergraduate program, this is the route most people take. Five steps, in order:
1. Earn a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
Your major depends on the grade level and subject you want to teach. Elementary education candidates often major in elementary education or early childhood education. Secondary teachers typically major in their content area (math, English, history, biology) and pair it with a teacher preparation component.
GaPSC requires a minimum 2.5 GPA for certification. Some preparation programs set their own higher GPA minimums.
2. Complete a GaPSC-approved educator preparation program
This is non-negotiable — Georgia teaching certification requires completion of a GaPSC-approved program. Most candidates handle this through their undergraduate degree at a Georgia college or university with an approved program. If you already have a degree in another field, you'll complete a post-baccalaureate program instead (see the alternative path section below).
The program covers teaching methods, classroom management, child development, and a supervised student teaching placement — typically a full semester in a Georgia classroom.
3. Pass the GACE Program Admission Assessment (or qualify with SAT/ACT/GRE scores)
Before you can begin your preparation program, you'll need to demonstrate basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing. You can do this by passing the GACE Program Admission Assessment, or by submitting qualifying scores on the SAT, ACT, or GRE. Many candidates whose test scores are recent enough use those instead of taking another exam.
4. Pass the GACE Content Assessment for your subject area
This is the test most people think of when they hear "GACE." It measures your knowledge of the specific subject you'll teach — Mathematics, Biology, English, Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and so on. Each content area has its own exam (or pair of subtests). You need a passing scaled score of 220 at the Induction certification level, or 250 at the Professional level.
5. Pass the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment and apply for certification
The Educator Ethics Assessment (test code 360) covers professional conduct standards for Georgia educators. You take it through a different system than the content exams. Once you've passed all required tests and completed your preparation program, you apply to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission through your MyPSC account for an Induction Certificate — Georgia's entry-level teaching credential. The Induction Certificate is valid for 3 years and converts to a Professional Certificate after you complete the required teaching experience and any remaining program requirements.
A free GACE practice test gives you a real starting point — and tells you which content areas need the most work.
The alternative path: GaTAPP and other options
If you already have a bachelor's degree in something other than education, you don't have to go back for a second degree. Georgia has alternative routes designed for career changers — people moving in from industry, the military, or another career altogether.
GaTAPP (Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy)
GaTAPP is the most common alternative pathway. It's a job-embedded preparation program — meaning you teach full-time in a Georgia classroom while completing the program over 12 to 24 months (the length depends on your certification area and provider).
To get into GaTAPP, you generally need:
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
- A passing score on the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment (test 360) — usually before or shortly after entering the program
- Employment as a full-time teacher of record at a Georgia accredited school, charter school, or eligible private school in the subject area you're seeking certification in
- A passing score on the GACE content assessment for your field (some programs require this at admission; others allow you to complete it during the program)
GaTAPP is administered through Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESAs), some school districts, and approved universities. Each provider has slightly different admission requirements, costs, and seminar schedules.
Other routes
Some career changers go through post-baccalaureate programs at Georgia colleges and universities, or pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). Others come in through other GaPSC-approved non-traditional programs. The right route depends on your subject area, where you live, and whether you've already lined up a teaching job.
A real note on GaTAPP
GaTAPP is harder than it sounds. You're teaching full-time and completing a preparation program at the same time. Most candidates describe their first year as the hardest year of their career. It's also less flexible than traditional college coursework — seminars are usually in-person and on Saturdays. If you have the option to slow down and use a traditional or post-bac route, weigh it honestly before committing to the job-embedded path.
The GACE: what you'll actually take
The GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) is administered by ETS in partnership with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. There isn't one "GACE" — there are different tests depending on what you'll teach.
The three exams every Georgia teacher candidate touches
- Program Admission Assessment — Basic reading, math, and writing skills. Required before entering most preparation programs (unless waived by SAT, ACT, or GRE scores).
- A Content Assessment for your subject area — Subject-specific. Required for certification. Most content assessments cost around $169 for the combined test. Specialized exams like Educational Leadership and the Curriculum and Instruction exam run higher — $193 to $263. (Verified May 2026 at gace.ets.org.)
- Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment (test 360) — Self-paced training and assessment modules covering professional conduct. Required for all new educators. You get up to five attempts per registration to pass.
How GACE scoring works
Most GACE content assessments use a 100–300 scaled score. To pass at the Induction level (entry-level certification), you need a 220. To pass at the Professional level (which qualifies you for a higher-tier certificate later), you need a 250.
If you don't pass on the first attempt, you can retake the same exam after 30 calendar days. There's no limit on retakes, though each attempt costs the full exam fee.
Bottom Line:
You'll take the GACE Program Admission Assessment, one or more Content Assessments for your subject, and the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment. Most content exams cost around $169. Passing score is 220 for Induction-level certification.
For a deeper breakdown of which GACE exam you need and how to prepare:
→ Browse 240 Tutoring's GACE study guides and practice tests
If test anxiety is part of why you're hesitating to register for the GACE, you're not alone — and there are concrete techniques that help:
→ Test-taking tips to help with anxiety
What Georgia teachers earn
Knowing what you'll make matters, especially if you're a career changer running the math on whether teaching can support your household.
Georgia's state minimum starting salary for the 2025–2026 school year is $43,592 for a teacher with a bachelor's degree on a 10-month contract. (Source: Georgia Department of Education FY26 State Salary Schedule, verified May 2026.)
The average Georgia teacher salary, across all experience levels, sits around $64,461 per year (National Education Association data, most recent published figure). That puts Georgia roughly 20th in the nation for average teacher pay, and 39th for starting pay.
Two things to know about those numbers:
- The state minimum is a floor, not the actual salary. Many metro Atlanta districts — Fulton County, Cobb County, DeKalb, Atlanta Public Schools, Gwinnett — pay starting salaries well above the state minimum. Check each district's current salary schedule for specifics.
- Advanced degrees and certifications raise the base. A master's, specialist, or doctorate moves you to a higher step on the state schedule from day one. The schedule also increases with each year of experience.
Which subject should you teach?
Georgia's Department of Education and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission identify several critical shortage areas: Special Education (all levels), Science (especially Chemistry, Physics, and Earth/Space Sciences), Math (middle and high school), World Languages (particularly Spanish, French, and ESOL), and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE). Middle Grades certifications are also in consistent demand. Rural districts across the state tend to face the most acute staffing shortages, which can mean faster hiring and, in some cases, loan forgiveness or tuition assistance for teachers in qualifying subjects. The Georgia DOE publishes an updated shortage areas list each year — worth checking the current list before you commit to a subject area.
Each subject has its own GACE content assessment and, in some cases, its own degree or coursework requirements. The right choice usually comes down to two questions: what you actually want to teach, and what kind of teaching job you can realistically get hired into in your area.
Is teaching in Georgia the right move for you?
This is the part most state guides skip. A few honest things to weigh before you commit to the path:
Teaching in Georgia might be a good fit if:
- You want a career with a clear, well-defined entry process and meaningful work
- You're okay with a starting salary in the $43K–$55K range (depending on district) while you build seniority
- You're comfortable with the GaTAPP option's intensity if you're career-changing — full-time teaching plus a preparation program is real
- You can commit to one school year at a time (Georgia teaching contracts are annual)
It might not be the right move if:
- You need to earn more than $50K in your first year and can't relocate to a higher-paying metro district
- You're considering it primarily because of the schedule — the 10-month contract is real, but the workweek during the school year is closer to 50+ hours than 40
- You haven't talked to current Georgia teachers about what the day-to-day actually looks like — that conversation is worth more than any guide
Most candidates we hear from describe the GACE itself as more manageable than the path to take it — once they know which test they're taking and put real time on the diagnostic, the exam stops feeling like the bottleneck.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're starting without a bachelor's degree, plan on about four years for an undergraduate degree with a teacher preparation component. If you already have a bachelor's degree and go through GaTAPP, you can earn full certification in 12 to 24 months while teaching. Post-baccalaureate programs at universities typically take 1 to 2 years.
Costs vary by route. The biggest expense in the traditional path is the bachelor's degree itself. For testing, plan on these approximate fees (verified May 2026 at gace.ets.org): GACE Program Admission Assessment — $78 for a single test, $103 for any two, or $128 for all three combined in one appointment. GACE Content Assessment — around $169 for most subjects. Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment — $30. GaTAPP tuition typically runs $4,000 to $8,500 for the full program, depending on your certification area and provider — Standard/General Education programs are at the lower end, Special Education and Elementary higher, and private-school candidates highest. Many Georgia school districts offer payroll deduction to spread the cost over your first year or two of teaching.
Yes. If you have a bachelor's degree in another field, you can earn certification through GaTAPP, a post-baccalaureate program, or another GaPSC-approved alternative route. You'll still need to pass the required GACE exams and the Educator Ethics Assessment, complete a preparation program, and earn classroom experience under supervision. What you don't need is a second bachelor's degree.
Often, yes. Georgia is a member of the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which means certificates from most other states can be evaluated for reciprocity. You'll typically need to submit your out-of-state certificate, transcripts, and pass any Georgia-specific assessments you haven't already taken. As of July 1, 2026, all out-of-state educators applying for Georgia certification through reciprocity must also pass a state-approved GACE literacy assessment — either Application of the Science of Reading or Fundamentals of the Science of Reading, depending on your preparation field. You may be exempt if you previously passed a comparable literacy assessment in your home state. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission reviews each transfer individually through MyPSC.
For most content assessments, you need a scaled score of 220 to pass at the Induction (entry-level) certification level, or 250 to pass at the Professional level. The Program Admission Assessment has its own passing requirement, and the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment is pass/fail based on completion of all required modules.
There's no lifetime limit on GACE retakes, but you have to wait 30 calendar days between attempts on the same exam. Each retake costs the full exam fee. If you've failed an exam more than once, pulling your score report and identifying which content categories you scored lowest in is the highest-leverage step before your next attempt.
No, you don't need a master's degree to start teaching in Georgia. A bachelor's degree plus the required certification is enough. A master's degree moves you to a higher step on the state salary schedule and can be required later if you want to move into specialist or leadership roles — but you can earn it after you start teaching, and many districts offer tuition reimbursement for currently employed teachers.
Through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), at gapsc.com. You'll create a MyPSC account, which is the central system for applying for certification, registering for GACE exams, and tracking your educator records throughout your career.
Where to start
The path looks long when you're staring at it from the beginning. The reality is that most Georgia teachers describe the certification process as straightforward once they have the route figured out — the hard part is choosing the route.
Two things worth doing this week:
- Identify the subject area you want to teach. Everything downstream — which GACE you take, which preparation programs are open to you, which districts will hire you — flows from this one decision.
- Take a free GACE practice test for that subject. Before you spend money on a prep program, find out where you actually stand. A diagnostic tells you whether you need months of preparation or a few weeks of targeted review.
The fastest way to know whether you need months of preparation or a few weeks of targeted review.
Sources
Information on this page is based on the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (gapsc.com), GACE / ETS (gace.ets.org), the Georgia Department of Education FY26 State Salary Schedule, and the National Education Association 2024–2025 Teacher Salary Benchmark Report. Verified May 2026. Certification rules and exam fees change — always confirm directly with GaPSC and ETS before registering.
GACE® is a registered trademark of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. This website is not endorsed or approved by GaPSC.