Does Achievement First pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Achievement First employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Achievement First. This rating has decreased by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Achievement First?

35% of Achievement First employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Achievement First 2.6 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.1 for culture and values and 3.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Achievement First?

Teacher (267) , Lead Teacher (34) , Academic Dean (20) , Teacher In Residence (20) , English Teacher (18) , Student Services Manager (17) , Math Teacher (14) , Dean (13) , Dean of Students (13) , Middle School Math Teacher (12) , Special Education Teacher (12) , Middle School Teacher (9) , Director (8) , Office Coordinator (8) , Associate Director (6)

What are the pros of working at Achievement First according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is good and beneficial" ((in 69 reviews)); "You meet some really great people at this organization and form relationships for the rest of your life." ((in 46 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 42 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 35 reviews)); "Teachers and educational staff are great" ((in 25 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Achievement First according to real employee reviews?

"No work life balance and a high" ((in 103 reviews)); "Long hours and overly tolerant of negative student behaviors." ((in 78 reviews)); "Misalignment from network level down to teachers and incompetent leadership at some schools/staff shortages" ((in 36 reviews)); "Long hours (9 hours a day required for teachers)" ((in 19 reviews)); "Poor management." ((in 13 reviews))

What are employees saying about Achievement First layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Achievement First layoffs and their outlook for job security at Achievement First in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Achievement First locations?

Brooklyn , New York , New Haven , Providence , Hartford , Bridgeport , Bushwick , Crown Heights , Cranston , East New York , North Providence , Binghamton , Queensbury , Stanfordville , Tempe , Hamden , New Orleans , Warwick , Miami , Boston , Savannah , Grand Chute , Brooklyn , Brownsville

Achievement First reviews

3.0

35% would recommend to a friend

(999 total reviews)

Fatimah Barker

39% approve of CEO

21% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Achievement First has an employee rating of 3.0 out of 5 stars, based on 999 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Achievement First employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

999 reviews

3.0

Jun 9, 2021

Decent Place to Work, but...

Summer programs and special projects manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

In my role, I'm lucky to have as many personal days (20) as I do, but for the amount of work this company is always pushing you to do, I'm not sure that I am getting paid my worth, commensurate with my education background (Masters) and experience. My salary was fine starting out but the pay increase is not in line with inflation in NYC, along with the annual increase in health insurance that comes out of your check, you begin to actually lose money/take home less over time.

Cons

No real opportunities for growth/moving up within company, so you're essentially stuck in this role until you're ready to move on or if someone happens to leave their job and you've been preparing independently for said position.

1.0

Jun 8, 2021

Teacher

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The school is fun to work at

Cons

Sometimes the days are long but I enjoy it.

4.0

Jun 7, 2021

Training Facility

English teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Tons of training, tons of feedback, will make you a great classroom manager

Cons

Long hours, less autonomy, fairly strict

Viewing 748 - 750 of 999 Reviews

Jobs at Achievement First

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean-History/Science

CT College Counselor-Hartford 2026-27

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean -Math

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean

RI 2026-2027 Academic Dean