North Carolina Teacher License Renewal & Salary Advancement

Earn official, regionally accredited graduate-level semester hours.

Our self-paced online courses help you satisfy NCDPI renewal requirements while moving up the North Carolina salary schedule.

Browse Graduate-Credit Courses

No Hidden Fees

$240 per 3-credit course. Period.

100% Asynchronous

Courses designed for the busy teacher. No portfolios - just practical implementation.

Accredited

Graduate-level credits provided through UMass Global.

NCDPI Aligned

Specifically curated to meet North Carolina Continuing Professional License (CPL) requirements.

Get Started

Course Selection & Approval

Confirm requirements and approval with your district administrator and select your courses.

Graduate-Level Courses

Checkout & Earn Rewards

Complete the checkout process on this website and you will immediately be enrolled in our loyalty program. Refer friends and take multiple courses to earn Upward Rewards!

Complete Coursework

We'll email you your welcome packet, and you're all set! Complete coursework between one and six months (not earlier or later) from the date of your registration.

Graduate Level Courses

View all

Renew Your North Carolina Educator License & Upgrade Your Salary

Navigating NCDPI requirements and district-level salary schedules can be complex. At Upward, we provide North Carolina teachers with a streamlined, university-accredited path to satisfy your CPL renewal and hit your next salary step simultaneously.

Satisfying North Carolina CPL Renewal

North Carolina mandates 8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for license renewal every five years. Our 3-credit graduate-level courses provide 4.5 CEUs each -- take two Upward courses, and you're done!

Accelerating Your North Carolina Teacher Salary

Moving up the North Carolina teacher salary schedule often requires verified graduate-level credits.

Complete your Upward course and order your official university transcript from UMass Global.

Pro Tip: Confirm your course selection with your district administration prior to registration.

Earning Credit

  1. Email your completed coursework to support@upwardteachers.com
  2. Upward evaluates your coursework within one week of your submission, and submits your grade to UMass Global (our accredited university partner)
  3. UMass Global posts your grade within five business days of receiving Upward's assessment
  4. You login to your UMass Global account to order your transcriptsNote that the university is an entirely separate organization from Upward, and any questions on your transcript or university account can be emailed to exed@umassglobal.edu
  5. Celebrate your achievement, and sign up for more Upward Rewards!

North Carolina Teacher FAQ: License Renewal & Salary Advancement

Are Upward courses accepted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)?

Yes. Upward partners with UMass Global to provide official, regionally accredited graduate-level semester hours.

North Carolina school districts and the NCDPI accept official transcripts from regionally accredited universities to satisfy professional development requirements for Continuing Professional License (CPL) renewal.

How do I know if these courses count toward my specific district’s salary schedule?

Salary reclassification policies are set at the district level. Because our credits are official graduate-level semester hours, they are widely recognized.

We recommend that you confirm your course selection with your district to confirm that these credits will apply to your specific salary step increase (syllabi available by request).

Can I use one course for both license renewal and salary advancement?

In many cases, yes. Many North Carolina teachers use our graduate-level courses to simultaneously satisfy their 8-CEU NCDPI renewal requirement and accumulate the total graduate credits needed for a salary reclassification.

Please verify your district’s specific policies on how they count semester hours toward salary advancement.

How does the 1.5 CEU conversion rate work for my renewal?

The NCDPI recognizes a conversion of 1.5 CEUs for every 1 graduate-level semester credit hour.

Since our courses are 3-credit graduate courses, each course provides 4.5 CEUs.

By completing just two courses (9 CEUs total), you comfortably exceed the state’s 8-CEU requirement for CPL renewal.

Why should I choose graduate-level credits over local district PD workshops?

Graduate-level semester hours are the "gold standard" for educators. Unlike district-specific professional development hours, which may not be portable if you switch districts or apply for national board certification, our graduate credits are officially transcripted by UMass Global.

Our courses are completely portfolio free, with an emphasis on practical implementation over paperwork.