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 4% 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 66 reviews)); "You meet some really great people at this organization and form relationships for the rest of your life." ((in 43 reviews)); "Competitive salary depending on number of years and education Day to day truly depends on the specific school" ((in 41 reviews)); "Good Professional Development" ((in 32 reviews)); "Great coaching during live teaching and documented summary provided." ((in 30 reviews))

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

"No work life balance and a high" ((in 107 reviews)); "Long hours and overly tolerant of negative student behaviors." ((in 72 reviews)); "Misalignment from network level down to teachers and incompetent leadership at some schools/staff shortages" ((in 34 reviews)); "Long hours (9 hours a day required for teachers)" ((in 22 reviews)); "Poor management." ((in 15 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

(998 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 998 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

998 reviews

4.0

Feb 10, 2015

Hard work, long hours, but personally fulfilling

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I have been at AF for 5+ years in the Network Support office, and was a teacher at a NYCDOE school prior to that for three years. I have never worked in a place with such committed and dedicated individuals. Everyone is working toward the same goal, and that is inspiring and fulfilling. I have had a weekly coaching meeting every week since I started and feel that my manager and teammates are all very invested in my growth and development.

Cons

You need to find a way to get to your own work/life balance as every person defines it differently - the Network is not the type of place to say "no emailing on the weekends" for example - you need to set your own boundaries.

1.0

Feb 8, 2015

Demoralizing CMO to work for, can open up doors for opportunities, but not worth the personal cost

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Students, (some) co-workers, mission statement

Cons

No work life balance, company makes a point to make you feel incompetent, not living out mission statement, culturally unaware leadership/CMO management.

3.0

Feb 3, 2015

Great for a short term commitment, terrible for more than that.

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great professional development opportunities, but expect to do the work yourself. Sometimes the PD was more catered to beginners than I would have liked.

Cons

Patronizing HR practices, no semblance of work-life balance, terrible culture among staff.

Viewing 958 - 960 of 998 Reviews

Jobs at Achievement First

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean -Math

RI Academic Paraprofessional (2026-27)

2026-2027 (NY) Academic Dean

RI 2026-2027 Academic Dean

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