To become a music teacher, you should first obtain a bachelor’s degree. You could get your degree in education or music, or you could pursue a more specialized degree, which some schools offer – such as the Music Education degree from Roberts.
After getting your bachelor’s, you’ll likely need to get a certification for the area you’re aiming to teach in. In New York State this involves passing some exams. The B.S. in Music Education from Roberts leads to certification in New York to teach vocal and instrumental music in kindergarten through grade 12 and is accepted in most states.
Some states (including New York) require you to obtain your master’s degree after a certain amount of time, as well.