Education

Just over a decade ago, parts of Canada faced a surplus of teachers, but this is far from the reality today. Thanks to factors like an aging workforce, teachers leaving the profession during the pandemic and a steep decline in teacher college enrolments, education graduates are entering the workforce at a time when the system is projecting a massive teacher shortage in the years ahead. In Quebec, there were more than 4,000 unfilled positions at the start of the 2025–26 school year. Ontario’s Ministry of Education predicts that its lack of teachers—which is already causing daily shortages in more than a third of the province’s secondary schools—will worsen in 2027. Educators with credentials to teach French and technology courses will be in particularly high demand. 

Starting salaries for most public school teachers are in the low 40s to high 50s, depending on location. These figures increase significantly for teachers with more experience, with salaries reaching $90,000 to $100,000 in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Salaries for teachers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut start in the high 80s and can exceed $100,000. 

In an era when the expectation in many professions is to work far beyond 40 hours per week, teaching offers a stable schedule and precious benefits like summers off, union protection and the option to retire early with a decent pension. That’s not to say that teaching is easy work. A report released in the spring of 2024 by the Alberta Teachers’ Association revealed that more than 50 per cent of teachers had experienced violence or bullying incidents in the classroom. Teaching is an intense, multifaceted job; going into education requires a true passion for working with kids.

Typically, becoming a teacher in Canada requires a four-year bachelor’s degree, followed by a one- or two-year education degree that meets provincial requirements. While this is still the most common path, students now have more options. Increasingly, students can enter a bachelor of education program right after high school. There are also concurrent education programs, which combine a bachelor of education with another discipline—like psychology, French studies, kinesiology or science—giving graduates a double major in five years. This approach is ideal for students who want both teaching qualifications and a specialization in another field.

Another key decision education students make is whether they will pursue elementary or secondary teaching streams. Elementary programs emphasize strategies for teaching young children and focus on literacy and early math and science skills. Secondary programs focus on delivering subject-specific content, and prospective high school teachers are generally expected to have a minor or specialization in one or more commonly taught disciplines. Some programs prepare educators to teach in specific environments, such as the International Baccalaureate, or IB, program, Indigenous education that incorporates knowledge from local Elders or STEM-specialized streams that integrate advancements in tech and artificial intelligence.

Bachelor of education programs prepare students to step into vital roles—not only as classroom leaders but also as administrators, education consultants, curriculum developers and policy makers. As education as a profession continues to evolve, the demand for skilled teachers will persist for generations.

Standout Education Programs

Our standout programs are based on research by our team of journalists who speak to industry experts, educational consultants and others to develop a selection of programs worth considering. This is not a ranked list.

Western University

Degree: Bachelor of education
Practicum: 18 weeks  

In an effort to get teachers into the classroom sooner, Western University recently condensed its two-year program into a consecutive 16 months. Courses in the first eight months are in the classroom, while the second eight months are online. Three practicums spread through the four terms are done in person and allow for hands-on experience, while an eight-week alternative field experience gives students time in the community outside a classroom.

University of Toronto

Degree: Master of teaching
Practicum: 16 weeks

At U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, or OISE, students work toward a master of teaching that prepares them to work in schools at all grade levels, while also receiving advanced lessons in educational theory and an opportunity to conduct research. Students study Indigenous education, ethics, equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as human development, educational technology, lesson planning and instructional design.

University of British Columbia

Degree type: Bachelor of education
Practicum: 12 weeks, plus regular one-day school visits

The bachelor of education at UBC can either be taken as a postgraduate degree or completed concurrently with another bachelor’s degree. UBC offers a number of options within its program including the West Kootenay rural teacher education program, which offers a full B.Ed. but is based in Nelson, B.C., and focuses on teaching in small and rural school settings. The Indigenous teacher education program prepares students to teach in First Nations communities. UBC also offers an International Baccalaureate, or IB, program stream. Students who are interested in education but aren’t sure they want to teach can minor in education as part of their bachelor of arts degree.

Brock University

Degree type: Bachelor of education
Practicum: 16 weeks

Brock’s education programs are offered at both the school’s main St. Catharines campus and at a campus in Burlington, Ontario, providing students with more options for school placements. Students can enter the concurrent program after high school and study education along with another undergrad degree, or apply to the two-year after-degree program. The school’s technological education program prepares students to teach one of 10 technology subject areas in Ontario high schools, such as communications technology, green industries, health care, construction technology and hospitality and tourism.

University of Alberta

Degree: Bachelor of education
Practicum: Minimum 14 weeks

High school students can apply directly to the four-year bachelor of education program at U of A. Students can also apply after completing an undergraduate degree, or transfer mid-undergrad with required credits. U of A also offers an Aboriginal teacher education program—on campus or online, full-time or part-time.

Queen’s University

Degree: Bachelor of education
Practicum: 18 weeks

At Queen’s, students can take the bachelor of education after their undergraduate degree, or concurrently with another bachelor’s degree. Students choose a focus area; possibilities include at-risk adolescents and young adults, educational technology, Indigenous teacher education and more. Students also have the option to pick a program track—a concentration that comes with additional special events and courses—in the arts, Indigenous teacher education, technological education, outdoor education and French as a second language.