Teacher Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Unified's new UTLA contract lifts the starting teacher salary to $77,000 as the new scale phases in by June 2027, and charter networks start credentialed teachers near $68,000 to $71,000. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to earn a California credential.
Current teacher Openings in Los Angeles, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Teacher Work in Los Angeles
The largest teaching employer in the city is Los Angeles Unified, which hires K-12 classroom teachers year-round for schools from the Valley to San Pedro. Charter networks such as KIPP SoCal, Green Dot, Alliance College-Ready and ICEF run their own schools, from KIPP Scholar Academy in South LA to ICEF's View Park High, and the nonprofit Partnership for Los Angeles Schools manages LAUSD campuses in Boyle Heights, South LA and Watts. Catholic schools under the Archdiocese of Los Angeles add a third market.
Demand is strongest in math, science, English, Spanish and special education, and KIPP SoCal is offering signing bonuses of up to $10,000 for science teachers. More than half of Angelenos speak a language other than English at home, so bilingual teachers, especially in Spanish, have a real edge. Classroom teachers at LAUSD are represented by United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA).
Top Los Angeles Employers Hiring Teachers
These school employers had teacher openings in Los Angeles on their own career sites when this guide was checked:
- Los Angeles Unified School District - the city's public school district takes K-12 teacher applications continuously for schools across Los Angeles.
- KIPP SoCal Public Schools - the charter network hires science, math, English, PE and inclusion teachers, with signing bonuses for science roles.
- Green Dot Public Schools California - the charter network hires middle and high school teachers and starts credentialed teachers at $71,085.
- Alliance College-Ready Public Schools - the charter network is hiring English, math, Spanish and special education teachers.
- ICEF Public Schools - the charter network hires teachers for schools including View Park High, starting at $68,000.
- Archdiocese of Los Angeles - Catholic elementary and high schools post teaching jobs from TK classrooms to AP courses on the archdiocese job board.
Teacher Salaries in Los Angeles
- Entry level: about $68,000 to $77,000 a year for newly credentialed teachers.
- Experienced: roughly $85,000 to $110,000 a year for teachers with several years and added units.
- Senior / top of scale: $120,000 to $131,000 a year at the top of district and charter schedules.
These are estimates from published salary schedules and BLS 2025 data, which puts the Los Angeles metro median near $101,000 for elementary and high school teachers. Pay rises with years of service and college units; LAUSD also pays differentials for a master's or doctorate, up to $3,060 for bilingual assignments and a 15 percent boost for National Board certification. Teachers on intern credentials start lower, around $60,000 to $64,000 at the networks that post intern pay.
How to Become a Teacher in Los Angeles
Public and charter school teachers need a credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The Preliminary Multiple Subject (elementary) and Single Subject (secondary) credentials require a bachelor's degree, the basic skills requirement (which the degree itself can now satisfy), subject matter competence through the CSET or approved coursework, the U.S. Constitution requirement and a Commission-approved preparation program with a teaching performance assessment. RICA ended in June 2025; new candidates pass a literacy performance assessment or the Foundations of Reading exam instead. Local programs include the UCLA Teacher Education Program in Westwood, the USC Rossier Master of Arts in Teaching, Cal State LA's Multiple Subject credential, CSUN's Michael D. Eisner College of Education and LMU's School of Education. LAUSD's own Intern, Credentialing, and Added Authorization Program (iCAAP) lets you teach on an intern credential while you finish.
What the Job Involves
Teachers plan lessons aligned to state standards, deliver instruction, grade work and track each student's progress. The day also includes adapting lessons for English learners and students with disabilities, managing the classroom, meeting with families and working with colleagues on curriculum. Expect planning and grading outside student hours, especially in the first years.
Skills Employers Look For
- A California credential or eligibility for an intern credential
- Classroom management and clear routines
- Strategies for English learners
- Bilingual Spanish or another community language
- Using assessment data to adjust instruction
- Communication with families
- Collaboration with grade-level and department teams
Career Path and Advancement
Many Los Angeles teachers start on an intern credential or in a residency, clear their credential in the first years and move up the salary schedule with experience and units. From there the path runs to department chair, instructional coach or mentor teacher, and with an administrative services credential to assistant principal and principal. Moving between LAUSD and the charter networks is common, so compare each employer's salary schedule and benefits before you switch.
Related Careers in Los Angeles
If you want school-office work that uses the same organizing and people skills, these Los Angeles roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
What credential do I need to teach in Los Angeles?
Public and charter schools require a California credential from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Multiple Subject for elementary, Single Subject for secondary, or Education Specialist for special education. You can start on an intern credential while you finish an approved program, and LAUSD runs its own intern program.
How much do teachers make in Los Angeles?
Credentialed teachers start around $68,000 to $71,000 at the big charter networks, and LAUSD's new contract raises its starting salary to $77,000 as the new scale phases in by June 2027. Experienced teachers commonly earn $85,000 to $110,000, and the top of the schedules reaches about $130,000.
Do I still need to take the CBEST and RICA?
Not necessarily. California now accepts several ways to meet the basic skills requirement, including your bachelor's degree, and RICA was discontinued in June 2025 in favor of a literacy performance assessment or the Foundations of Reading exam.
Do Los Angeles schools pay more for bilingual teachers?
LAUSD pays a bilingual differential of up to $3,060 a year for qualifying assignments, and bilingual Spanish speakers are in demand across district and charter schools. Your preliminary credential already includes an English learner authorization.
When do Los Angeles schools hire teachers?
Most hiring is for the fall start, but LAUSD accepts teacher applications continuously and charter networks post openings during the school year. Networks such as Alliance and KIPP SoCal were still hiring math, science, English and special education teachers after classes began.
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