Teacher in 1658: Comenius publishes the first picture textbook

How long does it take to become a teacher? Typically four to six years after secondary school: a three- or four-year degree, one to two years of teacher training and supervised practice, then a probation or induction period of one to two years before full licensure. Finland's standard route runs about five to six years because a master's degree is mandatory; some fast-track programs place career changers in classrooms within months, with training alongside.

It varies more by country than almost any comparable profession. Luxembourg's statutory scales, the OECD's highest, climb above €120,000; German teachers commonly earn €55,000–€85,000 with civil-servant status; the US average was about $72,000 in 2023–24 per the NEA; England's main scale ran roughly £32,000–£49,000 in 2024–25; and low-fee private schools in India may pay under ₹20,000 a month.

Why is there a global teacher shortage? UNESCO estimated in 2023 that the world needs 44 million additional teachers by 2030, about 15 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa, where student numbers are growing fastest. In wealthier countries the problem is attrition and recruitment rather than demographics: roughly 8% of US teachers leave the profession each year, and shortages concentrate in physics, mathematics, computing and special education.