What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Preschool Teacher, Public School Occupational Licensing
License required in 50 states
2nd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$491
What They Do
Preschool teachers instruct children (normally up to five years of age) in activities designed to promote social, physical and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschools, day care centers or other child development facilities. This report looks at requirements for teachers working in public preschools only.
Preschool Teacher, Public School Licensing Overview
Fifty states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Preschool Teacher, Public School. On average, these laws require $491 in fees, 2,051 days of education and about 2 exam. Preschool Teacher, Public School Licenses have the 2nd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Connecticut.
Where is a Preschool Teacher, Public School the most regulated?
Out of the 50 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden in Oregon. Oregon requires $812 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and 4 years education.
Where is a Preschool Teacher, Public School the least regulated?
Out of the 50 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School has the lowest burden in Ohio. Ohio requires $305 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years education.
Where is a Preschool Teacher, Public School license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School costs the most in Connecticut. Connecticut requires $1010 in fees, 2 exams, 40 months experience, and 4 years education.
Where is a Preschool Teacher, Public School license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School costs the least in Montana. Montana requires $66 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 4 years & 2 clock hours education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Preschool Teacher, Public School license?
An occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School takes the longest to obtain in Missouri. It takes 2927 days (8 years and 7 days). Missouri requires $196 in fees, 3 exams, 4 years experience, and 4 years & 30 contact hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Preschool Teacher, Public School license?
An occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School takes the least time to obtain in Ohio. It takes 730 days. Ohio requires $305 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years education.
What states require exams for a Preschool Teacher, Public School license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Preschool Teacher, Public School there is at least one exam required in: Oregon, Missouri, Delaware, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Connecticut, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, New York, Maryland, Idaho, Louisiana, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii, Vermont, Alaska, West Virginia, Iowa, Indiana, Arizona, Maine, Washington, Kansas, Kentucky, Colorado, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Alabama, Nevada, Texas, District of Columbia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, North Dakota, Ohio. Tennessee requires 5 exams.
Forty-nine states and D.C. require licenses of preschool teachers working in public schools; Utah is the only state that does not. On average, these laws require $492 in fees, over five and a half years (2,050 days) of education and experience, and around two exams—the second most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Because almost every state licenses the occupation, it ranks as the most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary, as do the ways in which states license the occupation. Missouri and Oregon require a bachelor’s degree for their preliminary teaching licenses and four years of teaching experience for their continuously renewable professional teaching licenses (2,920 days total). Ohio, on the other hand, has no preliminary license and requires only an associate’s degree (730 days) for its continuously renewable one. (See Appendix B under “Public School Teacher” for details on how the occupation was observed.) Similarly, exam requirements range from none in Montana to five in Tennessee. Fees are over $1,000 in Connecticut and Washington but under $200 in Missouri, Montana and South Dakota.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | 69 | $812 | 2920 | 4 years | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Missouri | 33 | $196 | 2927 | 4 years & 30 contact hours | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Delaware | 42 | $156 | 2920 | 4 years | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 42 | $575 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 69 | $827 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 65 | $1,010 | 2673 | 4 years | 40 months | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | New Mexico | 66 | $944 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $700 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 66 | $580 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Michigan | 48 | $549 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | New York | 41 | $743 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Maryland | 58 | $517 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Idaho | 66 | $363 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Louisiana | 77 | $486 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 70 | $586 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 37 | $566 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Georgia | 41 | $281 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 50 | $376 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | New Jersey | 54 | $752 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 3 | 12 | 18 |
| 20 | Hawaii | 64 | $256 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Vermont | 31 | $368 | 2555 | 4 years | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Alaska | 64 | $740 | 2232 | 4 years & 6 credit hours | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 67 | $423 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Iowa | 71 | $507 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Indiana | 37 | $441 | 2190 | 1 clock hours & 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Arizona | 68 | $431 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Maine | 46 | $421 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Washington | 76 | $410 | 2190 | 4 years | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Kansas | 35 | $456 | 1825 | 4 years | 1 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 38 | $403 | 1825 | 4 years | 1 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Colorado | 34 | $350 | 1825 | 4 years | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | California | 75 | $149 | 1825 | 4 years | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Virginia | 72 | $595 | 1460 | 4 years & 1 clock hours | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | South Carolina | 60 | $594 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | Florida | 55 | $505 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 36 | Illinois | 41 | $685 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Alabama | 63 | $664 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Nevada | 75 | $642 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Texas | 38 | $377 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | 61 | $409 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Minnesota | 35 | $393 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Mississippi | 65 | $367 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | Arkansas | 72 | $429 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Nebraska | 61 | $361 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | South Dakota | 32 | $346 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | 42 | $340 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | Wyoming | 26 | $355 | 1460 | 4 years | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 65 | $721 | 1276 | 2 years | 18 months | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 49 | Montana | 32 | $66 | 1460 | 4 years & 2 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | Ohio | 40 | $305 | 730 | 2 years | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report