Top 10 Perks of a Teaching Career

Discover the best benefits of being a teacher

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By Kate Halstead

While everyone would agree that one of the best benefits of being a teacher is the opportunity to help children and change lives, you don't hear much about the other perks and benefits to an education career.

If the thought of a typical office job leaves you wondering whether there's more to life, you may be one of those out-of-the-box type people who will find a teaching career rewarding for many reasons.

Why Pursue a Teaching Career?

Check out this list of the top ten perks to an education career:

10. Solid Paychecks

While teaching is not a get-rich-quick profession, starting salaries are in line with other graduate professions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, public teachers are actually paid about 11 percent more than the average professional worker. Teaching careers also offer opportunities for advancement and increased pay over time.

9. More than Just an Apple a Day

Important benefits, such as health insurance and pension plans, are becoming scarce commodities in many professions, but you can count on both as a teacher. Most teachers have their premiums fully paid by their school districts and their health, dental and vision benefits are among the best when compared with other industries. Teaching also offers additional benefits such as sick days and tuition reimbursement, so you'll find that teaching actually pays a lot more than you think.

8. Love Your Education Career

Joseph Campbell's "Follow your bliss" recommendation is universally echoed by career counselors. If you are happy at work, you'll be more motivated, energetic, successful and confident—and the other people in your life will benefit from your outlook. If the idea of teaching invigorates you, that's a great reason to pursue a teaching career.

7. Nix the Nanny

With a work calendar synched to your kids' school calendar, an education career allows you to eliminate most childcare expenses. Even though you're earning a paycheck, you'll have the flexibility to be home with your kids before and after school.

6. Become an Expert

There's an old adage that it takes three years of teaching to master a subject. The best way to learn a topic is to teach it—students' questions make you dig deeper and learn more until you know the subject inside and out.

5. Realistic Hours

With students in school just six hours a day, teachers often spend much less time on the job than their corporate counterparts. With the 8-hour workday rapidly becoming the 10 to 12 hour day in other occupations, you'll find a teaching career leaves you with more time for family, friends and other interests. Sure, you'll have some long days—plan on time for parent-teacher conferences, grading homework and attending (or leading) after-school activities—but overall, your work days will leave you with a life outside of your job.

4. Share your Passions

Did you have a teacher that got you so excited about a subject you started putting in extra time and work? That's what happens when you share your excitement and enthusiasm. Sharing your love of the subject matter with students is one of the best benefits of being a teacher.

3. Can't Beat the Job Security

In many communities, teachers are a scarce commodity. While requirements may differ from state to state, once you've established yourself as a good teacher, you'll find there are always jobs available. And, unlike many industries, layoffs and downsizing are rare occurrences in education. For information on the most high demand subjects and areas, see our teacher shortage article.

2. Serious vacation time

If the idea of having more than a two-week vacation once a year appeals to you, you might want to become a teacher. With a couple weeks off for winter holidays, another couple weeks for winter and spring breaks, and most of the summer months off, you have the opportunity to invest in other interests:

• Pursue your obsessions – You'll have chunks of time to climb mountains, visit exotic lands, join an expedition to climb Mt. Everest, spend a month eating your way around Europe or jump into a series of music workshops.
• Summer moonlighting – With summers off, it's easy to develop a fun, seasonal career. For example, you'll often find teachers working as docents in our national parks each summer, a classic case of having your vacation and getting paid for it too!
• Doctor in the house – Teachers often devote their vacation time to furthering their own education and professional development. If adding PhD to your name is part of your life plan, but not your budget, teaching can help you find the time, and the money, to make it happen.

And, the number one perk to a teaching career?

1. Knowing all the answers on the test!