Teacher Residency Financial Overview
Whether you pursue the Certification-Only track or the Master’s Degree + Certification track, it’s important to understand the financial aspects of your teacher residency journey. Each pathway comes with its own set of costs and supports, including tuition, testing fees, and other program expenses. The Educator Academy provides a variety of financial supports to make the residency year possible, such as bonuses, relocation assistance, and access to federal aid, scholarships, and grants. Many of our school partners also offer higher pay for teachers who hold advanced degrees, creating clear long-term earning potential for those pursuing the master’s track. Below, you’ll find a detailed overview of costs and supports for both pathways.
Teacher Residency
Financial Aspects of the Certification Only Track
The Educator Academy is a financially competitive option for receiving your teaching certification. Too often, finances keep well-qualified individuals from joining education, so we work to make the financial components of our teacher training program as reasonable as we can.
Financial Supports
Relocation Assistance: Moving to Kansas City to join us? We’ll support with your moving costs, travel expenses for Selection Day, and more!
Other Benefits: The EA provides textbooks for all residents during the residency year. Costs of Program
Resident Fee: Not to exceed $4,500.
Certification Costs: Residents are responsible for a background check and the cost of certification test. Costs vary depending on the content area of certification and the number of testing attempts. Assistance with certification costs may be available.
Teacher Residency
Financial Aspects of the Master’s Degree + Certification Track
The Residency Program provides you with the opportunity to pursue a Master’s degree. Residents on this track pay for tuition through the University of Missouri-Kansas City for the master’s degree, and are therefore eligible for federal student aid, scholarships, and grants. The Master’s Degree + Certification track gives access to additional education and development, particularly in the second year, along with access to higher earning potential at many of our partners, who have a graduated pay scale for teachers who hold a Master’s. This pathway comes with additional benefits and costs, outlined below.
Financial Supports
Relocation Assistance: Moving to Kansas City to join us? We’ll support with your moving costs, travel expenses for Selection Day, and more!
Other Benefits: The EA provides textbooks for all residents during the residency year.
TEACH Grant: This is an optional grant managed by the Federal Government that many residents choose to pursue to help cover the cost of their tuition, providing grants of up to $4,000 a year. The requirements for the TEACH grant are separate from and beyond the EA commitment.
Higher Earning Potential: Many of our school partners have a salary schedule that includes higher wages for individuals with an advanced degree. Teachers who have an advanced degree can make more over the life of their career.
Costs of Program
Resident Fee: Not to exceed $4,500.
Certification Costs: Residents are responsible for a background check and the cost of certification test. Cost vary depending on the content area of certification and the number of testing attempts. Assistance with certification costs may be available.
Master’s Degree: Program participants who pursue a Master’s complete their Master of Arts in Teaching through our partnership with the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC). This program consists of 36 credit hours completed over 6 semesters. The tuition rate is set by the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) and may vary depending on state residency. For year 2 of the master’s program, individuals must purchase any needed textbooks.
Financial FAQs
- What are the matriculation and testing costs for?
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This includes the cost to take the PRAXIS certification exam, background checks that are required, as well as ordering all official transcripts. The exact costs vary based on the number of transcripts you have, the type of certification you are pursuing, and the number of testing attempts you make. Typically this cost is $150-$300
- What is the TEACH grant?
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The TEACH Grant Program is a federal program that provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing or plan to complete coursework needed to begin a career in teaching and are committed to teaching for at least four years after receiving the grant. This grant can be used toward tuition or student loans. Participants pursuing the Master’s degree would be eligible for this grant. While many participants in the Master’s + Certification track choose to utilize the TEACH grant, this grant program is not facilitated by The Educator Academy. You can find more details at: studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program.
- How do I figure out what my tuition rate will be for the Master’s degree?
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Tuition rates for the Master’s degree through UMKC vary depending on where you live. There are 36 credit hours in the Master of Arts in Teaching. The tuition rates per credit hour are listed on UMKC’s Cashiers Page (umkc.edu/cashiers/tuition-fees) and are as follows for 2024-2025 school year.
- Missouri resident and Graduate Metro Rate: $512.40 (Atchison, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, Osage, Shawnee and Wyandotte Counties)
- Midwest Student Exchange Program: $768.60 (Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
- Nonresident: $1,286.25
- In addition to the tuition due, you can expect additional fees to be included each semester.
Ready to be a Teacher?
Are you ready to earn your teaching certification and master’s degree while receiving coaching and support in a hands-on classroom environment? Then we want you to apply for the most innovative teachers training programs in Kansas City.