Courses for Pennsylvania Teachers
We have helped thousands of Pennsylvania teachers advance their careers, increase their salaries, and fulfill their Act 48 continuing education requirements.
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 Act 48 professional development in Pennsylvania.
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: Salary lane advancement in Pennsylvania is determined by your district's collective bargaining agreement. We recommend verifying with your district HR department that our graduate-level courses will count toward your salary lane. Most Pennsylvania districts recognize credits from our regionally accredited university partners — including University of Massachusetts Global, Valley City State University, CSU Pueblo, and Adams State University. Contact us →
📄 Pennsylvania Act 48 Renewal Requirements
Pennsylvania's Act 48 of 1999 requires all educators holding Pennsylvania public school certification — including Instructional I and II, Educational Specialist, Administrative, Supervisory, and vocational certificates — to complete continuing professional education every 5 years to maintain an active certificate status, whether employed or not.
To satisfy Act 48, educators must complete one of the following each 5-year period: 6 semester credits of collegiate study; OR 6 CPE credits from a PDE-approved provider; OR 180 hours of PDE-approved professional development; OR any combination of these activities. The official conversion is 1 semester credit hour = 30 Act 48 hours.
Important: Even educators holding a permanent Level II (Instructional II) certificate must comply with Act 48. A permanent certificate does not eliminate the continuing education requirement — the certificate itself does not expire, but it will become inactive if Act 48 is not completed on time.
🕐 Act 48 Requirements at a Glance
- 5-year renewal cycle — applies to all PA public school certificate holders, employed or not
- 6 semester credits of collegiate study satisfies the full requirement
- 180 hours of PDE-approved professional development satisfies the full requirement
- 1 semester credit hour = 30 Act 48 hours — two 3-credit CFT courses = 6 credits = full requirement
- Any combination of college credits, CPE credits, and PD hours may be used
- Hours and credits reported through PERMS (Professional Education Record Management System)
- College credits submitted via official electronic transcript to PDE
- Applies equally to Level I and Level II (permanent) certificate holders
How Credits for Teachers Courses Can Help: Our courses are awarded as graduate semester credit hours from regionally accredited university partners. At 30 Act 48 hours per credit, a single 3-credit course generates 90 Act 48 hours. Two 3-credit courses generate 180 hours — satisfying Pennsylvania's full Act 48 requirement for the entire 5-year period. The same credits that fulfill your renewal requirement also advance your salary lane, making them one of the highest-return investments available to Pennsylvania teachers.
For the most up-to-date information on Pennsylvania Act 48 requirements, visit the Pennsylvania PDE Act 48 and PERMS page.
Requirements governed by Act 48 of 1999, 24 P.S. § 12-1205.2. Hours and credits reported through the PERMS portal.
Explore Pennsylvania Act 48 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 Pennsylvania Teacher Salary Schedule: What You Need to Know
Pennsylvania districts use a lane-based salary schedule where your pay is determined by two factors: years of experience and the number of graduate credits you've earned beyond your initial degree. The table below shows real salary data from Lower Merion School District (2025–26) — one of Pennsylvania's highest-paying suburban districts — comparing the lowest lane (Bachelor's degree) against the highest available lane (Master's + 60 credits) at the same experience step. This is the true picture of what graduate credit advancement means for your paycheck.
| Experience Step | BA — Lowest Lane | M+60 — Highest Lane | Annual Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 (1 yr) | $61,776 | $77,656 | +$15,880/yr |
| Step 3 (3 yrs) | $67,164 | $85,521 | +$18,357/yr |
| Step 5 (5 yrs) | $72,645 | $91,835 | +$19,190/yr |
| Step 7 (7 yrs) | $78,572 | $105,944 | +$27,372/yr |
| Step 10 (10 yrs) | $88,382 | $121,454 | +$33,072/yr |
| Step 12 (12 yrs) | $95,589 | $132,886 | +$37,297/yr |
| Step 13 (top) | $99,915 | $139,611 | +$39,696/yr |
Source: Lower Merion School District 2025–26 Professional Salary Schedule. Columns shown: BACH (lowest lane) vs. M+60 (highest available lane). Individual districts vary — use our Salary Calculator to see your personalized numbers.
What this means in practice: A teacher at the top step of the BA lane earns $99,915 per year. The same teacher at the top step of the M+60 lane earns $139,611 — a difference of $39,696 per year. Over just 10 years at the top step, that gap compounds to nearly $400,000 in additional earnings. Graduate credits don't just advance your lane — they permanently raise your salary floor for every remaining year of your career.
The insight most Pennsylvania teachers miss: You don't need a full Master's degree to start advancing lanes. Every 3-credit graduate course moves you closer to the next salary column — and the same credits satisfy your Act 48 requirement at the same time. There is no more efficient investment in your teaching career.
Curious what your specific numbers look like? Use our free tool to find your personalized salary roadmap.
Why Starting Early Changes Everything
Salary advancement works like compound interest. The sooner you earn graduate credits and move across the salary schedule, the more years you earn at the higher rate. The cards below show the Pennsylvania-specific lifetime earnings difference between a teacher who stays in the BA lane for their entire career versus one who advances to the M+60 lane — calculated using real salary data from Lower Merion School District (2025–26) over a 25-year career.
What this means: A Pennsylvania teacher who advances from the BA lane to the M+60 lane earns over $816,000 more over a 25-year career — an average of more than $32,000 per year in additional earnings. And that gap grows every year as you climb the experience steps. The earlier you start accumulating graduate credits, the more of your career you spend at the higher lane.
📈 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 Act 48 professional development.
Note on District Approval: We recommend verifying with your district HR department that our graduate-level courses will count toward your salary lane advancement. Most Pennsylvania districts recognize credits from our regionally accredited university partners — including University of Massachusetts Global, Valley City State University, CSU Pueblo, and Adams State University. Contact us if you have questions about acceptance in your district. Contact us →
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 see exactly how much more you could earn based on your current lane, district, and years of experience.
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, building your Act 48 hours, or working toward 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 and PERMS
Upon completion, your university partner will send an official sealed transcript directly to you. Submit it to your district HR department for salary lane advancement, and submit electronically to PDE through the PERMS portal for Act 48 credit. 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.
Act 48 of 1999 requires all Pennsylvania educators holding public school certification to complete continuing professional education every 5 years to maintain an active certificate status. This applies to all certificate types — Instructional I and II, Educational Specialist, Administrative, Supervisory, and vocational — and applies whether you are currently employed or not. Failure to complete Act 48 requirements will result in your certificate becoming inactive, which means you cannot legally teach in a Pennsylvania public school until you complete the required hours and reactivate it.
To satisfy Act 48 for one 5-year period, you must complete one of the following: 6 semester credits of collegiate study; OR 6 CPE credits from a PDE-approved provider; OR 180 hours of PDE-approved professional development; OR any combination of these. The official conversion is 1 semester credit hour = 30 Act 48 hours. Two 3-credit graduate courses from Credits for Teachers equals 6 credits — satisfying the full Act 48 requirement for the entire 5-year period.
Yes. Many Pennsylvania teachers assume that earning a permanent (Instructional II / Level II) certificate eliminates the Act 48 requirement — but this is incorrect. A permanent certificate does not expire, but it will become inactive if you do not complete Act 48 requirements every 5 years. An inactive certificate means you cannot legally teach in a Pennsylvania public school. Act 48 applies to all certificate holders, regardless of certificate level.
Pennsylvania districts use a lane-based salary schedule where your pay is determined by your years of experience (step) and the number of graduate credits you've accumulated beyond your initial degree (lane). Common lanes include BA, BA+15, BA+30, BA+45, MA, MA+15, MA+30, MA+45, MA+60, and sometimes higher. Every time you accumulate enough credits to cross a lane threshold, your salary increases at every step on the experience scale — permanently. In high-paying districts like Lower Merion, the difference between the BA lane and the M+60 lane reaches $39,696 per year at the top step. You do not need a full Master's degree to start advancing — individual graduate courses move you across lanes immediately.
Salary lane advancement in Pennsylvania is determined by your district's collective bargaining agreement, not state law. Most Pennsylvania districts recognize graduate credits from regionally accredited universities for lane advancement. Our university partners — University of Massachusetts Global, Valley City State University, CSU Pueblo, and Adams State University — are all regionally accredited. We recommend verifying with your district HR department before enrolling. If you have questions, contact us and we'll help you verify acceptance in your district.
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 Pennsylvania, earning a Master's degree moves you to the MA lane on your district's salary schedule, and continuing to accumulate graduate credits after that moves you to MA+15, MA+30, MA+45, MA+60, and beyond — each step permanently increasing your annual salary.
College credits earned through an accredited institution are submitted to PDE via official electronic transcript. After completing a Credits for Teachers course, your university partner will provide an official transcript that you can submit electronically to PDE through the PERMS (Professional Education Record Management System) portal at perms.ed.state.pa.us. Your credits will then be recorded against your Act 48 requirement. Our team is available to help guide you through the submission process.
What Educators Are Saying
Thousands of teachers have used Credits for Teachers to advance their careers and increase their salaries.
"I had no idea how much the lane difference was worth until I actually did the math. Moving from BA+30 to MA changed my salary by over $12,000 a year. I wish I had started doing this in year one."
"The courses were genuinely useful and I could do them on my own schedule. My district accepted the credits without any issues, and I knocked out my Act 48 hours for the next two years at the same time."
"I was skeptical at first — it seemed too easy. But it's completely legitimate. I've now moved three lanes in 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.