School Jobs: Pay and How to Get In

EDUCATION HIRING — You do not need a teaching license to work in a school. Teacher assistants, substitute teachers, school bus drivers and the childcare and preschool staff who feed into the same classrooms make up millions of jobs, and most of them are open to people with a high school diploma, some college or a commercial driver's license.

Childcare workers, teacher assistants and school bus drivers earned national medians of $34,980 to $47,920 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and none of those jobs requires a teaching license.

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💼 The School Jobs That Don't Need a Teaching License

Teacher assistant (paraprofessional, aide). You work under a licensed teacher: running small reading groups, helping one student through a worksheet while the teacher handles the other twenty-five, supervising lunch and recess, and often supporting students with disabilities. BLS counted 1,463,000 teacher assistant jobs in 2025.

Substitute teacher. You cover a class when the regular teacher is out, sometimes for a day, sometimes for weeks. Each state sets the minimum qualification for a substitute permit, and each district sets its own daily rate and how it books subs. That makes this the school job where local rules matter most, so check your state education department's substitute page before you apply.

School bus driver. You run morning and afternoon routes, keep order on the bus and do safety checks on the vehicle. BLS counted 396,800 school bus driver jobs in 2025.

Childcare worker. You care for infants, toddlers and young children in childcare centers, before- and after-school programs and family homes. BLS counted 1,010,300 jobs in 2025. Some work for school districts themselves, in before- and after-school programs.

Preschool teacher. You lead a classroom of three- and four-year-olds in a childcare center, a Head Start program or a public school pre-K. BLS counted 583,200 jobs in 2025.

💵 What School Jobs Pay

These are national medians from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, for May 2025. A median is the midpoint: half the people in the job earned less. Your district or center sets the actual rate, and the state and city where you work set the floor.

Job	National median pay, May 2025
Childcare worker	$34,980 a year ($16.82 an hour)
Teacher assistant	$36,780 a year
Preschool teacher	$38,140 a year ($18.34 an hour)
School bus driver	$47,920 a year
Kindergarten and elementary teacher (licensed)	$63,820 a year

Two details are worth knowing. For teacher assistants, the spread runs from under $27,150 for the lowest-paid 10 percent to over $50,040 for the top 10 percent, so the district you work for matters. And childcare pays more inside a school system than in a stand-alone center: BLS puts the median at $18.15 an hour for childcare workers employed by local elementary and secondary schools, against $16.43 an hour in child daycare services.

Watch the annual figures on school-year jobs. Teacher assistants and school bus drivers generally do not work in summer, and BLS notes that part-time schedules are common in both. Ask whether a district pays over ten months or spreads checks over twelve, and whether the hours qualify you for benefits.

🎓 Training and Credentials

Teacher assistants. BLS lists some college, no degree, as the typical entry point. Public school assistants generally need at least two years of college coursework or an associate's degree. Schools that receive federal Title I money, which serve large numbers of low-income students, require a two-year degree, two years of college or a passing score on a state or local assessment. Most states also require a skills test for assistants who work with students with special needs. Some jobs ask for CPR and first aid.

School bus drivers. Every bus driver needs a commercial driver's license with a passenger (P) endorsement, and school bus drivers add a school bus (S) endorsement, which has its own knowledge and driving tests. Expect a background check, drug and alcohol testing and physical, vision and hearing standards. Many districts train new drivers on the job, and BLS notes some drivers earn the CDL during that training.

Childcare workers. Requirements vary by state and setting. Some states ask for a high school diploma, some set no education minimum for entry-level roles, and many require the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, renewed every three years. Licensed centers typically require a background check, immunization records and a minimum amount of training.

Preschool teachers. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry point. Head Start center teachers need at least an associate's degree, and at least half of Head Start preschool teachers nationwide must hold a bachelor's in early childhood education or a related field. Public school pre-K teachers must be licensed in early childhood education, which generally means a bachelor's degree and an exam.

The path to teacher. Every state licenses public school teachers, and every state offers an alternative route to certification for people who already hold a bachelor's degree in another subject. Some of those programs let you teach under supervision while you finish.

🔥 Who's Hiring

The biggest employers are public school districts, which hire assistants, substitutes and drivers directly. Private and charter schools hire the same roles. Childcare centers, including national chains, Head Start programs and district before- and after-school programs hire childcare and preschool staff. Some districts contract out transportation, so a school bus job may be posted by a private bus company rather than the district.

This is a turnover market more than a growth market. BLS projects little or no change in teacher assistant employment from 2025 to 2035, 1 percent growth for school bus drivers and a 2 percent decline for childcare workers. But it still projects about 176,200 openings a year for teacher assistants, 150,300 for childcare workers and 77,600 for bus drivers of all kinds, mostly to replace people who leave. Projections are a model, not a promise, but they say the doors keep opening.

⚠️ Who School Jobs Are Not For

Every one of these jobs involves a background check, because you will be around children. If you need year-round, full-time hours from one employer, the school calendar works against you unless you pair it with summer work. Bus driving means early mornings, all weather and responsibility for a full bus of kids.

🔎 Where to Aim Right Now

Openings come up all year, not only in August, because most of them replace people who leave. Search these titles, and try "paraprofessional" as well as "teacher assistant," since districts use both.

Start here:

🗺️ Where to Look in Your City

These metros are home to some of the largest public school systems in the country, which means the most assistant, substitute and driver openings in one place.

Not on the list? Find your city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work in a school without a teaching degree?

Yes. Teacher assistants, substitute teachers, school bus drivers and childcare staff do not need a teaching license. Each has its own requirements, from some college for assistants to a CDL with P and S endorsements for bus drivers.

How much do teacher assistants make?

The national median was $36,780 a year in May 2025, according to BLS. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned under $27,150 and the top 10 percent over $50,040, so the district matters a lot.

What do I need to be a substitute teacher?

It depends on your state, which sets the minimum for a substitute permit, and on your district, which sets pay and scheduling. Start with your state education department's substitute teaching page.

Do school bus drivers need a CDL?

Yes. School bus drivers need a commercial driver's license with passenger and school bus endorsements, plus a background check and drug and alcohol testing. Some districts train new drivers for the license on the job.

Do school jobs pay over the summer?

Usually not for hours worked, since assistants and drivers generally work only when school is in session. Some districts spread a ten-month salary over twelve months. Ask before you accept.

Get Into a School This Year

School and childcare openings come up all year, so there is no need to wait for next August. Create a free LocalJobPage account to save searches and get alerts for new school and childcare postings, or browse all jobs near you.

Employers: hiring aides, drivers or childcare staff? Post your openings on LocalJobPage and reach job seekers in 50 cities.

School Jobs: What They Pay and How to Get Hired Without a Teaching License