As a teacher, you’ll be an advocate for future generations, build lasting connections in your classroom and in your community, and grow a meaningful, financially stable career that technology can’t replace. Choosing this path is a valuable investment– for you and your students.
“I have had extraordinary mentors, like my high school debate coach, Fran Berger … She invested fully in me, including taking me to Harvard—the first I’d ever really thought of it—to enter a speech competition. Mrs. Berger believed in me, and, in turn, I believed in myself.”
— Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (1)
Now Playing
Watch the webinar: What Teachers Actually Earn.
A solid daily pay rate, excellent benefits, and big community impact—teachers make a difference while making a living. On June 18, 2026, we gathered experienced educators to answer questions about the rewards and value of being a teacher. Check out some highlights below, and watch the recorded event to get the full picture.
Teachers invest in children.
Teaching is one of the most influential careers for shaping future generations. When we invest in children, we are investing in the future, and teachers play a crucial role in supporting that mission.
“Student-centric” teachers make an impact on students' lives.
Teachers are on the front lines, addressing the challenges of our education system head-on. They’re people like you, who want to lead, inspire and invest in a better future for all.
As a teacher, you’ll awaken curiosities, solve problems and build powerful relationships with students and colleagues. In short, you’ll change lives and communities.
“You’re teaching for the 'next'- for what happens when a student leaves your classroom.” — LaMorris Smith, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, Director of Teacher Recruitment at UNC Pembroke
Teachers advocate for students.
It’s no secret that students face big challenges across the U.S. Students need dedicated teachers like you, to help them find opportunities and reach their full potential. You get to create the environment where students feel safe, where they feel seen and where they are capable of experiencing success.
“As teachers, we are champions, we are advocates for our students, especially when they are facing barriers. It is our job to create those environments where our students feel safe, where they feel seen, where they are capable of experiencing success.” – LaMorris Smith, Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, Director of Teacher Recruitment at UNC Pembroke
A teacher’s impact goes way beyond test scores.
Education is a fundamentally human-centered profession. Mentorship, emotional support and human connection are essential to student success! As an educator, you can shape students’ lives beyond the tests, and that opens up brighter opportunities for their futures.
Research consistently shows that teachers are the most important factor in students’ future success. (2) And while we often hear about standardized test scores, tests are just one measure of educational opportunity.
In fact, teachers who help build students’ noncognitive skills– meaning things like self-regulation, adaptability and motivation– see bigger gains in students’ grades, attendance and graduation rates than teachers who focus solely on standardized test scores. (3)
“The future of education isn’t going to be less human, it’s going to be more human. We’re going to need more of you in there and more of you thinking student centric.” – Guillermo Carmona, Director of Communications, Gadsden Schools, New Mexico
How teachers invest in communities
Teaching is an investment in yourself.
Teachers invest a lot in their classroom. Did you know that by choosing to be a teacher, you’ve also invested in yourself? Teaching brings in opportunities for you to be successful in life, too!
As a teacher, you will benefit from:
- An AI-proof career
- Financial support for your training
- Competitive starting salaries and daily rates
- Excellent benefits/retirement
- Career growth, in and out of the classroom
“If you stop learning, you stop leading. And so we have to be open to learning. Even, you know, at this stage of my career, I'm still going to professional learning. I'm still going to professional development because I want to continue to sharpen my skills, and so that is something that we have to be open to do, to have that growth mindset.”
–Emily Camarena, Ed.D, Executive Director of Talent Management at Fort Worth ISD
Take Your First Step
Ready to make an impact? Connect with a coach to talk about how you can invest in your students' futures and start your teaching journey today.
What’s next
Explore Teaching (National)
Explore the teaching profession. Educators make competitive salaries, have comprehensive benefits and make a big impact.
Read MoreTEACH Webinar Library
Get advice and inspiration from visionary educators, and learn how you can make change in your community—as a teacher and a leader.
Read MoreArticles
Explore trusted TEACH.org articles on teaching careers, classroom life, certification, pay and career growth.
Read MoreReferences
1. Walsh, Mark. “Ketanji Brown Jackson: 5 Things for Educators to Know About the Nominee and Her Hearing.” Education Week. March 22, 2022. edweek.org/policy-politics/ketanji-brown-jackson-5-things-for-educators-to-know-about-the-nominee-and-her-hearing/2022/03
2. “85% of Teachers Attribute Their Success to Active Student Engagement and Strong Student Connections, New Study Shows.” Education Writers Association. November 3, 2025 https://ewa.org/members-news/press-releases/85-of-teachers-attribute-their-success-to-active-student-engagement-and-strong-student-connections-new-study-shows
3. “What Does the Research Say? Hundreds of independent studies confirm: SEL benefits students.” Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Retrieved July 14, 2026. https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/what-does-the-research-say/
4. Olmstead, Melanie. “How Teachers Can Build Stronger Communities”. September 12, 2025. http://americanboard.org/blog/how-teachers-can-build-stronger-communities/
