3 Reasons to Teach in Alabama

1. Rich in landscape, easy on the wallet

Living in Alabama affords the opportunity to explore the state’s hiking trails, rivers, beaches, and campsites when you have free time. This vibrant state is rich in culture and community, and it’s affordable.  

It boasts one of the lowest average monthly rents of all our regions, with corps members paying about $400-$800 per month. Experience more financial freedom with a salary range comparable to some of our larger urban locations. First year teacher salaries range from $43,358 - $57,664 per year.  

2. Advanced education options

There are many options for you to grow professionally in the education field. Depending on the grade level you teach you may need or want to get a Master’s degree. Additionally, Alabama makes certification a little easier by making it available to you both in-person and online. Whichever path you choose, you can use your AmeriCorps award to help cover the costs. 

3. Extra help

To incentivize more teachers to come to Alabama, corps members will receive an Alabama background check, up to 2 Praxis test attempts, and one study book—all free of charge. 

3 Reasons to Teach in the Delta

1. A place to pour your heart into

There is no place like the Delta. We like to say “here, if you know someone, you know everyone” and it’s true. This community is vibrant, connected, historic, and tight-knit. If you grew up here, you know. If you’re new to town, you won’t be for long. This is a place to build a life and a chosen family forever. 

2. A historic art and music scene

This is the birthplace of blues. If you love art and music, you’ll find no shortage of it here. Take a weekend visit with your fellow corps members to the Mississippi Museum of Art, or take in an exhibit or independent film with the Delta Arts Alliance. Jam out at the Juke Joint Festival and many other musical events, not to mention the B.B. King Museum.

3. Spend less. Save more.

The Delta has the third lowest average rent of any of Teach For America’s regions, and an overall low cost of living on essentials like groceries and gas. You can optimize your opportunities to save by choosing where within the region you’d like to live—corps members teach in both rural and small urban school districts from Little Rock to Lake Village and Holly Springs to Jackson—and average rents can be as low as $475 per month.  

Certification costs for Delta corps members are also less than $500 total, so you can put the rest of your AmeriCorps award to paying down student loans or advancing your education.  

3 Reasons to Teach in Miami-Dade

1. Financial flexibility and support

Certification in our Miami-Dade region costs under $500. That means Miami-Dade corps members can put almost all of their AmeriCorps award (nearly $14K over two years) to paying off student loans or pursuing an advanced degree! 

Florida also has no state income tax, which puts more of your paycheck into your pocket. And Miami-Dade's average first year teacher salary is greater than 3/4 of other Teach For America regions. Miami-Dade is also pleased to offer corps members support in their housing hunt, helping ensure you get a great place, location, and price that fits your budget.  

2. A vibrant community and network

Living here, you'll find many different cultures and backgrounds within the corps and in your community. Our region has the largest alumni network of any other area in Florida, giving you access to connections and collaborations.

3. Advanced education

Miami-Dade partners with the University of Miami to offer corps members the option of earning a graduate degree in education and social change by the time they finish their corps commitment. Corps members who choose this option can use their AmeriCorps award toward tuition and start the program in the spring of their first year. By the summer of their second year, they're graduating with a Master's in hand.

3 Reasons to Teach in Ohio

1. More money to grow

Our Ohio region offers corps members one of the lowest certification costs in the country, totaling just $80. This means more money to grow professionally and financially. You will be able to put your entire AmeriCorps award toward paying off student loans or advancing your education at the University of Cincinnati. Thanks to TFA’s partnership with the university’s Teacher College, you will get 25 percent off tuition.

2. Countless options to live

Teach For America Ohio has five different communities to choose from, and you get to decide what works best for you: Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, and Covington, KY. The state offers both an urban or rural vibe, with access to the Great Lakes, sports teams, and countless breweries.

3. A statewide community

Because our region covers so many communities in the state, we also have a large alumni base. Corps members join more than 1,100 alumni living here who can be a support system during your time in the classroom and help you explore future career opportunities. Beyond the TFAmily, you’re part of a larger network of business, community, sports leaders, families, and students who are invested in Ohio and its future.

3 Reasons to Teach in Oklahoma

1. Financial savings

The cost of living in Oklahoma is 43 percent below the national average, making it a very affordable place to call home. And because Teach For America is a certifying agent in the state, the costs to become a certified teacher are very low. Teaching here means being able to put the majority of your nearly $14,000 in AmeriCorps awards (awarded over two years) towards student loans or advancing your education. Plus, corps members in Oklahoma get a $1,500 first-day-of-school bonus, thanks to our community partners. 

2. An invested network

Greater Tulsa corps members have an immediate and much-needed impact in the classroom. Thirteen of our corps members and alumni were selected as the Teacher of the Year on their campuses last year, and three of the past seven TPS district-wide Teachers of the Year were TFA alumni.

TFA Greater Tulsa is positioned to support our teachers with one of the lowest corps member to teacher coach ratios (15:1). In addition to one-on-one coaching, corps members are a part of a community of learners engaging in ongoing professional development lead by staff, alumni, and community members to support each other to be effective in the classroom.

3. Cities on the rise

Choose to live in one of these two rising cities: Oklahoma City or Greater Tulsa. Living in an up-and-coming city means access to amenities with a hometown feel. Our friends at Tulsa Remote describe the city as a “Tight-knit community meets a population large enough to support world-class music and theater, sports venues, and one of the most impressive park systems in the country."

3 Reasons to Teach in San Antonio

1. Teachers are paid well

First-year teachers in San Antonio earn one of the highest starting salaries of all Teach For America locations, coming in at $54,000 per year. Even though the salary is higher than most places, the cost of living is also very affordable, with rent ranging from $1,000 to $1,250 per month. With so much good local food (like breakfast tacos), you’ll want that extra spending money in your pocket. 

2. Dive into the city culture

San Antonio is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It has a true community feel with the trappings of a culturally vibrant city and small-town feel. It’s a city that loves to celebrate year-round with festivals like Dios De Los Muertos and Fiesta. With its rich Mexican heritage, corps members and alumni talk about the dining experiences that will keep you coming back for more.

3. Find connection

The network is comprised of people from all different backgrounds and places. The city is home to over 400 TFA alums who remain in the classroom, serve on school boards, manage local nonprofits, and lead schools as principals and administrators. Because of this, the local community is well connected, making it easier to move the needle for kids. This is a city that welcomes leaders like you, and you will easily find exactly where you fit.

3 Reasons to Teach in South Carolina

1. A friend down the hall

One hundred percent of South Carolina corps members are clustered together. That means that wherever you teach, there will be other people from your corps cohort and our alumni network in your building. While you’ll build relationships with all the educators and faculty in your school, having that foundation of folks you’ve gone through summer training with will start you off with a sense of belonging from day one. 

2. The pace of life that you like

In South Carolina, you get to choose between the Low Country, Midlands, or Pee Dee River Valley as the place you’d like to teach. Whether you want nearby access to top restaurants and museums, an easy stroll down the beach, or the comforting feel of a rural small town, the choice and the pace of life are up to you. 

3. And a cost of living that works

With such a wide variety of placement communities, you can also make financial choices that make sense for you. Overall, our region’s cost of living is below the national average, and you’ll find even more flexibility within each of our different communities. Explore living near your placement school or in a more urban area—there are many options to choose from. 

Even better, certification costs only $400 in South Carolina. That means almost the entirety of your AmeriCorps award can go towards paying down your student loans or advancing your education.