The need for teachers of geography at all levels has risen dramatically in recent years.  Wayne State College offers teacher certification programs where students may earn either two Subject Endorsements (one of which may be in geography) or one Field Endorsement (e.g., the social sciences field endorsement includes geography classes).  Larger school systems (in and out of Nebraska) lean toward hiring students with subject endorsements.  Smaller schools sometimes (though not always) prefer students with the broader social sciences field endorsement, and new hires may be asked to teach a broader variety of topics.

  Secondary School Teacher
A great many new teachers will be needed in the next ten to fifteen years to teach geography.  For secondary school teachers, geography may be taught by itself or as part of a larger social studies curriculum.  Geography alliances sponsored by the National Geographic Society in all 50 states involve college professors and K-12 teachers in furthering geographic education.  You can also learn more at the About.com Geography Education and Teaching Geography Page

  Overseas Teacher
There are lots of teaching jobs in foreign countries, particularly in places where large numbers of American military personnel or business people are based.  The Department of Defense maintains K-12 English-language schools in such places as Germany, Greece, the United Kingdom, Guam, South Korea, and Japan.  Also, large U.S. corporations are finding that they must offer educational opportunities to the dependents of employees working in foreign nations.  There are also independent American schools in many large cities the world over.  The benefit you will always receive from teaching overseas, of course, is the opportunity for travel and cultural exploration. 

  College Professor
As the number of geography courses in high schools expands, more students are pursuing geography as a major in college.  This keeps college geography departments busy, and these departments employ a number of geography professors.  Professors have as many specialties as there are disciplines within geography.  They conduct research and teach courses, from introductory classes for freshmen to advanced seminars on a specialized subject for upperclass and graduate students.   To be a college professor, you definitely need a graduate degree, usually a Ph.D.

Additional information provided by Richard G. Boehm, Careers in Geography, National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C., and The Association of American Geographers