LET Elementary vs Secondary: Which Should You Take?

LET Elementary vs Secondary: Which Should You Take?

The straightforward answer: BEEd graduates take LET Elementary; BSEd graduates take LET Secondary. The license is degree-aligned by default.

But the actual decision is more nuanced. Career-shift candidates (CMO 75 path) can choose either, and even some BEEd/BSEd graduates wonder if they should sit the other level. This post is the comparison framework that helps you decide.

At a glance

Format differences

LET Elementary is structurally simpler:

• Single day, ~6 hours of testing
• 300 items total
• Two subtests with no Major Field

LET Secondary is structurally heavier:

• Two days, ~10 hours of testing
• 450 items total
• Three subtests including the deepest content (Major Field)

The Secondary format demands more endurance. Some BEEd graduates considering taking Secondary as a "backup" underestimate the Major Field depth and the day-2 fatigue.

Weighting differences matter

Elementary skews toward pedagogy:

• Gen Ed: 40% (broader scope but lighter weight)
• Prof Ed: 60% (heaviest single subtest in any LET)

Secondary distributes weight more evenly:

• Gen Ed: 20% (lighter weight, narrower required depth)
• Prof Ed: 40% (still significant)
• Major Field: 40% (your degree's specialisation)

The implication: Elementary review is pedagogy-dominant. Secondary review is subject-and-pedagogy-balanced.

A career-shifter with shallow pedagogy foundations finds Elementary harder than Secondary if their Major Field is strong (because Secondary's 40% Major Field weight rewards subject depth that pedagogy review can't replace in 16 weeks).

A career-shifter with strong pedagogy intuition (e.g., from corporate training) and weaker subject depth finds Elementary more accessible.

Career path differences

Elementary teachers in DepEd:

• Teach Grades 1-6
• Generalist role: teach all subjects to one class
• Class sizes typically 35-50 students in DepEd public elementary
• Most career mobility through Master Teacher ladder + administration (Head Teacher, Principal)
• Specialisation tracks: reading, MTB-MLE, SPED, ICT, early literacy

Secondary teachers in DepEd:

• Teach Grades 7-10 (Junior High School) or 11-12 (Senior High School)
• Specialist role: teach one subject across multiple sections
• Class sizes typically 40-50 students
• Most career mobility through Master Teacher ladder + Subject Coordinator + administration
• SHS teachers often dual-licensed (LET + relevant practice licence)

Salaries are identical at equivalent ranks (same Salary Grade scale).

Subjective comfort matters

Elementary teaching skews toward:

• Patience with young learners (5-12 years)
• Generalist subject competence
• Classroom management of younger children
• Heavy emotional and developmental support
• Working closely with parents of young children

Secondary teaching skews toward:

• Subject specialisation
• Working with adolescents (including their developmental challenges)
• Less hand-holding, more academic rigour
• Career and university preparation focus

Most candidates know which feels right. A BEEd graduate who genuinely prefers older students sometimes regrets being locked into elementary; a BSEd graduate who wishes they were teaching younger children sometimes wonders if they should have done BEEd.

CMO 75 candidates — the real choice

Career-shift candidates entering teaching via CMO 75 (18 professional education units + practicum) can choose either Elementary or Secondary:

• If your undergraduate degree is in a Secondary-major-aligned field (BS Math, BA English, BS Biology, BSBA Accountancy, BS Chemistry), Secondary is the natural fit — your subject knowledge transfers directly to Major Field
• If your undergraduate degree doesn't align cleanly with a Secondary major (BSC Communication, BS Hospitality, BSAg, BS Architecture), Elementary is more accessible
• If you specifically want to teach young children (early childhood interest), take Elementary regardless of degree

The decision often comes down to: which test will you actually pass? Career-shift candidates with strong subject backgrounds typically pass Secondary at 25-35% on first attempt; the same candidates trying Elementary without strong pedagogy foundations pass at 18-25%.

Can you take both?

Yes — there's no PRC rule against taking both Elementary and Secondary in different cycles. Some candidates do this for maximum optionality.

The case for taking both:

• Maximum job market flexibility (eligible for any K-12 position)
• Hedge against career changes
• Demonstrates broader teaching credentialing

The case against:

• Cost: 2x review investment, 2x exam fees, 2x travel
• Time: 32+ weeks of total review time
• Most working teachers focus their career on one level anyway

Most candidates take only one. Take the one your degree aligns with unless you have specific reason to switch.

When to take Elementary even if you have BSEd

Rare scenarios:

• You're certain you want to teach early grades despite Secondary degree
• The DepEd hiring window in your area only has Elementary openings
• You teach in an integrated K-12 private school that wants you flexible across levels
• You're applying for early childhood specialisation roles abroad

In these cases, take Elementary in addition to (not instead of) Secondary.

When to take Secondary even if you have BEEd

Less common:

• You completed BEEd but want to teach SHS (Grades 11-12) — many SHS teachers are BSEd-track
• You're targeting international schools that prefer subject specialists
• You have strong subject expertise (e.g., a BEEd graduate who self-studied to high competence in Math)

For most BEEd graduates, sticking with Elementary makes sense.

Pass rate considerations

LET Secondary's national pass rate (30-50% across cycles) is generally higher than LET Elementary (27-38%). Two reasons:

1. Major Field counterbalance: Secondary candidates can compensate weak Gen Ed with strong Major Field. Elementary candidates have no such option.
2. Self-selection: BEEd programmes admit a wider range of academic backgrounds than BSEd subject-major programmes. Secondary takers' aptitude pool is, on average, slightly higher.

This is a national average; school-level variation is much larger than the Elementary/Secondary gap. A strong elementary teaching school (PNU, BSU) outperforms a weak secondary school dramatically.

Salary comparison

Identical at the same DepEd salary grade. The career trajectory differs slightly:

• Elementary teachers may reach administrative roles (Principal) slightly faster in smaller schools
• Secondary teachers may have more lateral mobility (subject coordinator → academic coordinator → curriculum head)

Long-run earnings are comparable.

Where Super Tutor fits

Super Tutor's LET tracks cover both Elementary and Secondary. The Free tier supports both; the Focused plan (₱49/week, ₱249/month, ₱1,999/year) opens the full content library for the level you choose.

If you're undecided, the diagnostic mock can help — Super Tutor offers diagnostic mocks for both. Compare your scores; the level where you score higher relative to its passing line is the better strategic choice.

What to read next

The LET Elementary 2027 pillar guide covers the Elementary review. The LET Secondary 2026 pillar guide covers the Secondary review. Per-subtest deep dives are in their respective cluster post sets.