The purpose of this literature review was to gather and examine current research related to the recruitment of precollegiate students into traditional music teacher education programs in the United States. Research has shown that precollegiate students who pursue music education as a career are influenced by their secondary ensemble directors. Further analysis also indicated that there is a limited body of research on recruiting as it pertains to marginalized populations, especially on students of color, indicating a need for a more sustained effort to mitigate such barriers. Additionally, university-affiliated outreach programs have shown great promise in music teacher recruitment and should be replicated and expanded wherever possible. Implications for practice and for further research are provided.