Courses for Michigan Teachers
We have helped thousands of Michigan teachers renew their licenses, increase their salaries, and advance their careers.
How Can We Help You?
We've carefully selected Nationally Accredited University Partners so you can earn graduate credits recognized across the country for salary advancement and license renewal.
Moving across the salary schedule is one of the most impactful financial decisions you can make as an educator. With our courses you can maximize your annual and lifetime earnings through salary advancement by completing graduate-level, professional development courses. Whether you are looking to move across the salary schedule or deepen your classroom expertise, our programs are designed to provide the highest return on your educational investment.
Explore Salary Advancement CoursesAdvance your Salary with our Master's Degree Option
Accelerate your career with a Master's Degree. We offer a selection of fully remote, graduate-level courses that can be applied directly toward a Master of Education (M.Ed.) through our partner, Colorado State University Pueblo. Earn high-quality graduate credits toward your Master's degree without stepping out of the classroom.
Note on District Approval: We recommend reviewing your district's master agreement regarding salary advancement credits. Most Michigan districts accept our graduate-level courses for lane changes. Check if your district accepts our credits →
📄 Renew My Michigan Teaching Certificate
Michigan Standard Teaching Certificates are valid for 5 years with unlimited renewals. To renew, you must complete 6 semester credit hours of education-related coursework from a regionally accredited college or university — or 150 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs). 6 semester hours with Credits for Teachers covers the full 5-year renewal requirement. Credits are entered into MOECS (Michigan Online Educator Certification System) prior to applying.
🕐 Credit Conversion Reference
- 1 semester hour of college credit = 25 SCECHs
- 6 semester hours of graduate credit = 150 SCECHs (full 5-year renewal)
✅ Renewal Requirements
- 6 semester credit hours appropriate to the content and grade level of your certificate from a regionally accredited college or university
- Credits must be earned since the issue date of the most recent certificate or renewal
- Credits must be entered into MOECS prior to applying for renewal
- Official or unofficial transcripts submitted with the renewal application
- Apply for renewal beginning January 1 of the certificate's expiration year
For the most up-to-date information or further details regarding Teaching Certificate Renewal in Michigan, please visit the Michigan Department of Education Website.
Explore Michigan Certificate Renewal CoursesNeed to submit courses to your district or state for approval? Download our free Course Approval Form (PDF) — a fillable form you can send directly to your administrator or certification office.
The Michigan Teacher Salary Schedule: What You Need to Know
Your salary in Michigan is determined by two factors: your years of experience (steps) and your education level (lanes). Steps advance automatically each year. Lanes only move when you take action — by earning graduate-level credits. The table below compares the BA lane to the MA+30 lane using the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) 2024–2026 salary schedule.
| Step | BA (Lowest Lane) | MA+30 (Higher Lane) | Annual Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | $55,000 | $60,300 | +$5,300/yr |
| Step 3 | $59,800 | $66,300 | +$6,500/yr |
| Step 6 | $67,000 | $75,300 | +$8,300/yr |
| Step 9 | $74,200 | $84,300 | +$10,100/yr |
| Step 12 (Max) | $81,400 | $93,700 | +$12,300/yr |
Source: Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) DFT Salary Schedule 2024–2026. Individual district schedules vary — check your specific district for exact figures.
Critical insight most Michigan teachers miss: Moving from the BA lane to the MA+30 lane adds $5,300–$12,300 per year at every step of the schedule. At the maximum step, the MA+30 lane pays $12,300 more per year than the BA lane. Over a 25-year career, that adds up to over $307,500 in additional earnings — and the same courses that move your lane also count toward your 5-year certificate renewal.
Curious what your specific numbers look like? Use our free tool to find your personalized salary roadmap.
📈 Calculate My Salary Potential →Why Starting Early Changes Everything
Salary advancement works like compound interest. The sooner you move across lanes, the more years you earn at the higher rate. Here are illustrative 25-year career totals based on the Detroit Public Schools 2024–2026 salary schedule.
The rule of thumb: Every year you delay a lane change is a year of higher salary you can never recover. Teachers who start in years 1–5 consistently find it easier to complete courses than those who wait — and they earn more for every remaining year of their career.
📈 Find Your Personalized Salary Roadmap: Not sure how much you could earn by advancing lanes? Use our free Salary Calculator to see exactly how much more you could earn based on your current lane, district, and years of experience.
Our University Partners
We've carefully selected Nationally Accredited University Partners so you can earn graduate credits recognized across the country for salary advancement and certificate renewal.
Note on District Approval: We recommend reviewing your district's master agreement regarding salary advancement credits. Most Michigan districts accept our graduate-level courses for lane changes. Check your district →
Invest in Your Career. Maximize Your Earnings.
The investment you make today pays dividends throughout your entire teaching career.
📈 See Your Personalized Numbers: Every teacher's situation is different. Use our free Salary Calculator to discover exactly how much more you could earn based on your current lane, years of experience, and Michigan district. Moving from BA to MA+30 can add over $307,500 to your 25-year earnings.
Three Steps to Advance Your Career
The process is straightforward. Our team is with you at every step.
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Browse and Select Your Courses
Choose from our catalog of graduate-level, self-paced online courses. Select the university partner and credit option that best fits your goals — whether you're pursuing a lane change, certificate renewal, or a full Master's degree.
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Complete Your Coursework Online
All courses are 100% online and self-paced. Complete them on your own schedule — evenings, weekends, or summer break. Most teachers finish a 3-credit course in 4–8 weeks while continuing to teach full-time.
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Submit Credits to Your District or State Portal
Upon completion, request your official transcript from our university partner. Submit it to your district HR department for a lane change, or log in to MOECS to enter your credits toward certificate renewal. Our team is available to help guide you through this process.
Everything You Need to Know
Still have questions? Our team is happy to help.
To renew your Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate, you must complete 6 semester credit hours of education-related coursework from a regionally accredited college or university — or 150 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) — since the issue date of your most recent certificate. Credits must be entered into the MOECS system prior to applying for renewal. You can apply beginning January 1 of your certificate's expiration year.
Yes. Graduate-level courses from Credits for Teachers and our university partners are earned from regionally accredited institutions and count toward Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate renewal. Just 6 semester hours covers the full 5-year renewal requirement. You will submit your official transcript as part of the renewal application through MOECS.
Most Michigan school districts accept our graduate-level courses for lane changes on the salary schedule. You can use our District Credit Approval Tool to quickly find out if your specific district accepts our credits. We also recommend reviewing your district's master agreement or contacting your HR department to confirm that the credits will apply to your situation. Our team is happy to help you verify district acceptance before you enroll.
The number of credits required to advance to the next salary lane varies by Michigan district. Many districts use lanes based on total graduate credits beyond the bachelor's degree, meaning every 15 graduate credits you earn can move you to a higher-paying lane. We recommend checking your specific district's salary schedule or using our district lookup tool for exact requirements.
Yes. Through our partnership with Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo), you can earn a fully accredited Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum & Instruction. The total program is 38 credits — 18 of which you complete through Credits for Teachers at just $131/credit, and 20 through CSU Pueblo. The total program cost is $11,764, a fraction of a traditional Master's program. In Michigan, a Master's degree moves you to a higher salary lane — and you can earn lane changes from the same courses before you finish the degree, meaning your salary increases as you go.
What Educators Are Saying
Thousands of teachers have used Credits for Teachers to advance their careers and increase their salaries.
"I had no idea lane changes could make such a difference. I completed two courses over the summer and moved to the next lane. My salary went up noticeably the following school year. I wish I had done this sooner."
"The courses were genuinely interesting and I could do them on my own schedule. The university credit was accepted by my district without any issues. Highly recommend to any teacher who wants to maximize their salary."
"I was skeptical at first — it seemed too easy. But it's completely legitimate. I've now done three lane changes over five years and I'm earning significantly more per year than when I started."
We've partnered with Affirm to offer flexible payment options. Split your course costs into manageable monthly payments that fit your budget. For licenses and disclosures, see affirm.com/licenses.
PLEASE NOTE: The content provided on this page is solely provided for informational purposes and does not exempt users from their responsibility to ensure that our courses meet their state's continuing education requirements. Please check with your state certification agency for up-to-date policies for teacher certification renewal/continuing education.