Teacher Jobs in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix-area districts are still hiring teachers well into the 2026-27 school year, with Washington Elementary posting a $50,000 to $77,420 range and Mesa Public Schools paying $55,886 for a 5th grade opening. Here are the current teaching jobs, followed by who is hiring and how to get certified in Arizona.
Current teacher Openings in Phoenix, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Teacher Work in Phoenix
Teaching jobs in Phoenix are spread across a patchwork of elementary, high school and unified districts plus charter networks such as Great Hearts, which runs 24 academies around the Valley. Phoenix Union High School District runs the central city's public high schools, from Alhambra and Carl Hayden in west Phoenix to Camelback and North High in central Phoenix, and it showed 35 classroom teacher openings on September 29. North of downtown, Washington Elementary covers Sunnyslope and the neighborhoods along the Black Canyon Freeway into Glendale, while Paradise Valley Unified covers northeast Phoenix on both sides of the Loop 101, north to Pinnacle High.
Special education is where demand is deepest. More than half of Washington Elementary's recent teacher postings are resource, autism or self-contained special education classrooms, and Paradise Valley and Mesa are posting the same kinds of roles. Hiring does not stop in August here: several districts were still posting grade-level and special education jobs in the last week of September.
Top Phoenix Employers Hiring Teachers
These districts and charter networks had teacher openings on their own job boards this week:
- Phoenix Union High School District - the central Phoenix high school district is filling classroom teacher jobs at campuses including Alhambra, Camelback, Maryvale and Trevor Browne.
- Washington Elementary School District - the north Phoenix and Glendale elementary district posts grade-level, math and special education teachers at a $50,000 to $77,420 range.
- Paradise Valley Unified School District - the north Phoenix district is hiring interim and special education teachers at schools such as Pinnacle High and Quail Run Elementary.
- Mesa Public Schools - the East Valley district posts elementary, junior high and special education teachers on a 187-day contract.
- Great Hearts Academies - the Phoenix-based classical charter network hires lead teachers for its academies in Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, Goodyear and other Valley cities.
Teacher Salaries in Phoenix
- Entry level: about $50,000 to $56,000 a year for a first-year certified teacher.
- Experienced: roughly $59,000 to $68,000 a year, around the metro median for elementary and high school teachers.
- Senior: $75,000 to $80,000 or more for veteran teachers near the top of a district salary schedule.
These are estimates built from 2026-27 district postings and 2025 federal wage data for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro. District pay follows a salary schedule, so years of experience, graduate credits and a master's degree move you up, and extra duties such as coaching add stipends. Contract length matters too: Mesa's teacher contract is 187 workdays. Charter schools set their own pay scales, and district teachers pay into the Arizona State Retirement System.
How to Become a Teacher in Phoenix
District teachers need a certificate from the Arizona Department of Education. The Standard Professional Teaching Certificate requires a bachelor's degree, a board-approved educator preparation program with a student teaching capstone, the AEPA/NES subject knowledge and professional knowledge exams, a course or exam on the U.S. and Arizona Constitutions, and an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. If you already have a bachelor's degree, an Alternative Teaching Certificate lets you teach full time while you finish a program. Local options include the ASU Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the Grand Canyon University College of Education on Camelback Road, and Rio Salado College's Teacher in Residence program, which requires a district job offer.
What the Job Involves
Teachers plan lessons to state standards, deliver instruction to a full class, grade work and track progress in the district's student information system. The day includes supervising students between classes and at lunch, meeting with grade-level or department teams, calling and emailing parents, and adjusting lessons for students with IEPs and English learners.
Skills Employers Look For
- A valid Arizona teaching certificate in the right grade band and subject
- Classroom management with large classes
- Experience writing and following IEP accommodations
- Strategies for English language learners
- Using assessment data to regroup students
- Clear communication with families, including in Spanish
Career Path and Advancement
Many Phoenix teachers start as substitutes or instructional assistants, move into a classroom on an alternative certificate, and convert to a standard certificate within a few years. From there the path runs to grade-level or department lead, academic interventionist, instructional coach and, with a master's degree and an Arizona principal certificate, assistant principal. Special education teachers have the most openings to choose from at every step.
Related Careers in Phoenix
If teaching interests you, these related Phoenix roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a teaching certificate to teach in Phoenix?
District teachers need an Arizona Department of Education certificate and an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card. If you have a bachelor's degree but no teacher training, an Alternative Teaching Certificate lets a district hire you while you complete an approved program.
How much do teachers make in Phoenix?
First-year certified teachers generally start around $50,000 to $56,000, and the metro median sits near $59,000. Veteran teachers near the top of a salary schedule earn $75,000 or more, and Washington Elementary's posted range tops out at $77,420.
Can I teach while I earn my certificate?
Yes. Arizona's Alternative Teaching and Classroom-Based pathways let bachelor's degree holders teach full time while enrolled. Rio Salado College's Teacher in Residence program works this way, but you need a district's recommendation for a contracted teaching job first.
What is an IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card?
It is the background clearance card issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Every Arizona teaching and substitute certificate requires a valid one, so apply for it early, since certification cannot be finished without it.
Is it too late to get hired for this school year?
No. Washington Elementary, Mesa Public Schools and Paradise Valley Unified all posted new teacher openings in the last week of September, and Phoenix Union listed 35 classroom teacher openings. Special education jobs in particular stay open well into the year.
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