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

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (998 reviews)

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

Aug 2, 2014

A Great Place to Learn

Teacher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent professional development opportunities, collaborative work environment, and good salaries and benefits

Cons

You will be burning the midnight oil, feel under appreciated, don't expect to find too many staff of color

4.0

Jun 30, 2014

Awesome place to work and always trying to improve

Coordinator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Working in Network Support, the people I work with are awesome. I've made some good friends here and I'm happy to come to work every day. My managers have been great in my development, in that they actually care that I learn and grow with them. I've been with other companies who never cared about my development, so working here is a breath of fresh air. While we aren't 100% on everything yet, I am happy to see we are a growing organization with the desire to learn and improve. Benefits are better than I've ever had in any job. For Network support, it's 3 weeks of paid vacation days and nearly 2 weeks over the Winter Break - that's fantastic! The job includes health, dental and vision, a 403b and transportation help too (i.e., pre-tax deductions from your paycheck for an unlimited metrocard).

Cons

Work-life balance is tough - a lot of people work too much and sometimes we are made to feel like if you aren't working hard, then you aren't meeting the standard set. I feel that this has been voiced however, and that it's hopefully getting better. Additionally, I feel like promotions are tough, unless you've been with the organization at least 2 years. Not enough credit is given to an employee who hasn't been there that long. If you have the skills to jump up a level, but not the longevity just yet, I think that it's important to show value in that, because it's a great way to retain as well.

4.0

Jun 15, 2014

Amazing development, very exhausting

School based operations

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Formal professional development process which ensures that I rapidly learned many new skills. Everyone at this company cares about kids and doing what's best for them. It is a fun place to work with fun people to work with.

Cons

There are some serious work-life balance issues here. The school is not run efficiently and has an "everything is urgent/important" mindset and too much work for anyone to finish all of it. Everyone is tired.

Viewing 970 - 972 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

CT Building Sub (2026-27)