What Is a Teacher Discount?

A teacher discount is a special price reduction businesses offer to educators at all levels – from kindergarten to college. Both active and retired teachers can benefit from such discounts, which extend to many products, services, and memberships. 

For example, there are teacher deals for school supplies, educational resources, clothing, technology products, and more. Some savings can be more significant than others. However, they all help educators to minimize their expenses for classroom materials and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• Many businesses provide teacher discounts as a sign of appreciation for the work of educators.
• Various types of discounts are available – including discounts for classroom supplies, clothing, technology, books, travel, and more.
• Educators can maximize savings by staying informed about exclusive teacher offers and memberships.
• All types of teachers can benefit from these discounts – such as K-12 teachers, college professors, and teaching assistants.
• Some teacher deals can be used together with other promotional offers too, leading to even higher savings. This varies from company to company though.
• Teachers also have access to discounted memberships for some educational materials, wellness tools and gyms.
• Nation-wide businesses who offer special discounts for teachers include Target, Verizon, Apple, AT&T, Costco, Staples, Michaels, Alamo, and more.
• Companies should offer special deals for teachers because they help educators on a tight budget, attract more business from teachers, and also act as great general branding (we all love teachers!).

Are you a teacher and want to start saving? Check out 180+ popular teacher discounts.

What Are Teacher Discounts?

Discounts for teachers are incentives provided to educators by various retailers and service providers. They’re a form of appreciation for their work. These discounts can significantly lower costs, enhancing teachers’ personal and professional lives.

If you’re a teacher, you should look for discounts from businesses such as Target, Verizon, Apple, AT&T, Costco, Staples, Michaels, Alamo, and more. Note that you must verify that you’re an active or retired teacher (details below).

If you’re a business, you should explore the option of offering this type of discount for 3 reasons: 

1. Help educators: many teachers face budgetary constraints both in their personal lives, as well as the classroom. For example, it’s not uncommon for a teacher to bear the cost of classroom supplies, which makes managing household finances harder.
   
2. Drive more business: even if a discount lowers the amount you get for a single transaction, it makes shopping from your business much more appealing. By offering discounts, you make your business a go-to choice for teachers.
   
3. Great branding: we all love educators and the amazing work they do in shaping the generations of the future. Teacher discounts will both attract more educational personnel to your business, as well as people from other professions who appreciate your efforts.

Can Teacher Discounts Be “Stacked” with Others?

“Stacking” discounts refers to using multiple promotional offers at once. 

• Some businesses allow teachers to stack their discounts with other promotional codes or offers. This is likelier if the business has ongoing discount codes.
• However, other businesses treat educator discounts as exclusive offers that can’t be stacked with regular promotions or coupons.

For example, think of creating a new account on a website like Amazon. By signing up, you might have a “15% off for your first order” offer. However, you could also find an unrelated “5% off your entire cart” coupon code that you want to use. 

If the business allows discount stacking, then you could use both offers at once at checkout, for a total discount of 20%. The ability to stack discounts varies from business to business though. The specific policy of each company should outline how discount stacking works.

Eligibility Criteria for Educator Discounts

To qualify for most teacher discounts, a person must fall into one of the following categories:

• K-12 teachers: individuals employed by kindergarten through to 12th grade institutions.
• College professors: teachers working in higher education institutions.
• Teaching assistants:those assisting with teaching duties, often in K-12 and higher education settings.
• School administration: such as K-12 principals.
• Speech pathologists: those specialists who diagnose and treat communication disorders.

Generally, teachers must be employed at a registered educational institution to access discounts. Discounts for retired educators may also be available, but this varies from business to business. Another important factor can be whether a teacher works for a private institution or a public one. 

For example, Alamo offers car rental discounts for teachers, but they must be federal government employees.

Verification Process for Discounts

Gaining access to teacher discounts typically involves confirming one’s educator status through documentation or institutional affiliation. Companies mainly seek the following to verify an educator’s identity:

• A valid school email address: this is often required for initial verification, serving as proof of current employment at an educational institution.
• A school ID or teacher ID: this is checked against a recognized institution’s records.
• An official badge or document:sometimes, additional official documents may be requested to strengthen the evidence of an individual’s educator status.

Once documentation is provided, companies generally use third-party verification services or their own internal processes to confirm discount eligibility.

Easier Verification for Teacher Discounts

Teachers can use a FREE service like ID.me, eliminating the need for individual verification with each business. Many businesses support it, including Verizon, Nike, Adidas, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and others. ID.me works the same as a physical ID, but all relevant information is stored digitally.

Teachers only need to log into their ID.me account when they’re purchasing from a partner website, and they become eligible for a teacher discount. Setting up an ID.me account can be done either via teacher records, or uploading images of official teacher documents.

The following groups are eligible for verification via ID.me:

• Public, private, and charter school teachers
• Teacher aides
• Teaching assistants
• Educational assistants
• Teaching credential holders
• College professors
• Speech pathologists
• School administration

Where Do Teachers Get Discounts?

Discounts for educators are available for a wide array of products. We’ll go a bit into what stores give teacher discounts to give you a general idea. If you want specific deals though, check out 180+ discount offers for teachers.

Classroom and Learning Essentials Deals

Teacher discounts can be found for a wide array of classroom and learning supplies to facilitate an effective teaching environment. For example:

• Joann: offers teachers a 15% savings on every purchase with a Joann Teacher Rewards account.
• Target: teachers can join the Target Circle for 15% savings and 1% earnings for each purchase.
• Staples:the store offers 5% back for purchases, plus an additional 5% back in rewards when buying teaching & art supplies.
• Michaels: by joining the Michaels Rewards program teachers get 15% off.

Teachers can use these discounts for items such as stationery, educational kits, and storage solutions. The reduced prices help educators create dynamic learning spaces without straining their budgets.

Tech and Software Deals

Technology is pivotal in today’s educational landscape for teachers keeping up with the times. Some tech vendors offering specific teacher discounts include:

• Apple: offers special Apple Education Pricing for teachers of all grade levels for Macs, iPads, and curated accessories for Apple devices.
• CyberLink: offers 40% off on specific software purchases, enabling teachers to use professional editing and multimedia tools.
• AT&T:provides a 25% discount on eligible unlimited wireless plans. The company also offers teachers a Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy Watch6 with an eligible trade-in.

Tech deals enable teachers to acquire laptops, phones, software, and more at a lower cost than the retail price. These tech products are great for both improving classroom experiences and modernizing their personal lives.

Apparel and Lifestyle Deals

Educators can also enjoy teacher discounts on personal and professional attire and lifestyle products. Savings opportunities include:

• J.Crew: teachers get 15% off of purchases up to 4 times a month.
• Banana Republic: offers 15% off of full-price items with a valid teacher ID.
• Reebok: provides a 50% discount for both active and retired teachers.
• Madewell: offers a 15% off discount, available for one year after sign up for eligible products.

These discounts provide financial relief for teachers when upgrading their wardrobe, from casual wear to special occasions.

Maximizing Savings with Teacher Discounts

Teacher deals are a practical way for educators to enhance their purchasing power. If you’re a teacher, here are a few tips to remember so you can enjoy significant savings for many products and services.

Budget with Discounts in Mind

Budgeting with discounts in mind means being aware of exclusive deals. Before committing to a purchase, check if there’s a discount available. Even if an offer isn’t available at that store, you could find a discount at a similar retailer.

We advise tracking and incorporating discounts into your monthly financial plans. This will guarantee that you’re spending less.

Combine Coupons with Teacher Discounts

Teacher discounts can sometimes be combined with coupons or seasonal offers to unlock additional savings. For example, Books-A-Million has a free Educator Card Program. The program gives a 20% discount on all purchases, plus free shipping on eligible orders.

Besides this permanent discount, the business has additional savings during special events, like their annual Educator Week. Discount stacking is not a universal practice though. The policies vary widely from business to business and it’s always recommended to look into the policy of specific companies you want to shop from. 

To leverage these deals together with additional offers, you should also stay updated about a store’s ongoing campaigns. One way of doing this is by subscribing to their newsletter.

Seasonal and Clearance Sales

During occasions like “back to school”, many businesses offer special discounts and promotions. While they can differ from year to year, all back to school offers are tailored to help teachers, parents and students to prepare for the new school year. For example:

• Target tends to offer teacher discounts on school supplies, backpacks, clothing, and electronics. They also have a free shipping deal for orders over $35.
• Staples also offers discounts on their office / school supplies, technology, and organizational items products.
• Apple are known to provide discounts for MacBooks and iPads, whilst also throwing in free AirPods for qualifying purchases.

Teachers can combine these seasonal deals with available educator discounts to optimize their savings.

Exclusive Services and Memberships for Educators

Teachers have access to a variety of exclusive services and memberships. These benefits range from educational resources to travel accommodations and health programs. Here are a few examples of teacher discounts for services.

Educational Resources and Subscriptions

Stay informed about current events without breaking the bank with offers from publications like The New York Times. This newspaper provided a free subscription for teachers, high school students and administrators in the US in 2021. Looking to learn a new skill? For example, Canva, an online graphic design apps, is 100% free for verified teachers and students at eligible schools.

Travel and Accommodation Benefits

Teacher discounts include reduced rates on hotel stays, less expensive car rental offers, and more approachable prices for fuel. These are often essential for attending conferences, educational seminars, or simply creating better budget management. For example:

• Amoco offers 10 cents off per gallon to teachers, professors, and other school employees.
• AmericInn has an up to 20% off discount as they’re partners with the American Federation of Teachers.
• Budget Car Rental helps teachers save up to 35% when renting a car.

Health and Wellness Programs

Educators have access to special deals for dedicated wellness programs. These range from mental health offers to gym memberships. For example, Headspace is a wellness app that helps with meditation, sleep, stress and mindfulness. The business offers free access to K-12 teachers and supporting staff.

Teacher deals are also available for gym memberships, but these can vary based on location. Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitnessand 24 Hour Fitness are known to have offered deals for teachers in the past, but specific terms vary by the exact gym you choose.

Looking for Teacher Deals?

If you’re an educator and want to save money by finding exclusive teacher discounts, check out 180+ popular deals for teachers. You’ll find offers for Apple, AT&T, J. Crew Factory, Lululemon, Michaels, Peloton, Rothy’s, Staples, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and many more.

Teacher Discounts FAQs

What Is a Teacher Discount?

It’s a special price offered to an educator at all levels – from K-12 to college. This discount can apply to school administration personnel too. Discounts for teachers are a token of appreciation for the hard work of teachers in educating youths. Sometimes, this special offer can be used with other seasonal discounts as well, leading to even higher savings.

Where Do Teachers Get Discounts?

A variety of businesses offer special offers for teachers. These range from clothing, to school supplies, technology products, educational resources, travel services, wellness services and more. 

Does Apple Give Teacher Discounts?

Yes! Apple offers their special Apple Education Pricing offer to teachers for Macs, iPads, and other accessories for Apple devices.

What Stores Give Teacher Discounts?

Some businesses that offer teacher deals include Target, Verizon, Apple, AT&T, Costco, Staples, Michaels, and Alamo.

How is a Discount for Teachers Used?

Teachers can benefit from special prices and offers by verifying their identity via documentation or institutional affiliation. Depending on the business, they might want to check one or all of the following: the existence of a valid school email address, a school or teacher ID, an official badge or document.

Verification can also be simplified through a service such as ID.me, which is supported by many companies, including Verizon, Nike, Adidas, Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft. 

After verification, teachers get access to the special discount.