NEW YORK, October 28, 2026—Teach For America (TFA) today released its annual list of colleges and universities contributing the greatest number of graduates to its incoming teaching corps. This year’s corps of more than 2,200 teachers represents alumni from more than 500 colleges and universities, drawing from an extraordinary breadth of institutions across American higher education. Forty percent are first-generation college graduates, and 63% come from low-income backgrounds.

• Among large schools, the University of Texas at Austin, Arizona State University, and the University of California, Los Angeles contributed the greatest number of graduates to the TFA corps, with 120 graduates combined leading classrooms this school year.
• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Yale University, and Harvard University topped the list of medium-sized schools, contributing more than 80 graduates collectively.
• Among small schools, Spelman College, Barnard College, Williams College, and Macalester College topped the list, with more than 50 graduates collectively joining the corps.

The newest corps expands Teach For America’s network of Ignite tutors, corps members, and alumni to more than 78,000 people working alongside students, families, educators, and community partners to expand access to an excellent education and help prepare every child to learn, lead, and thrive.

Research on Generation Z shows that young people are looking for careers that allow them to put their sense of purpose into action, yet many struggle to find opportunities that meet that need. Teach For America offers a pathway to make a meaningful difference from day one while gaining the skills, experience, and relationships that can shape a meaningful career.

Whitney Petersmeyer, Chief Growth & Program Officer at Teach For America, said, “We are inspired by this rising generation of leaders choosing first jobs that matter most to their communities and our country. And we are grateful to universities that nurture purpose and encourage students to pursue work in proximity to the issues they care most about. Teaching is a profound act of leadership. Teach For America is proud to help this remarkable 2026 Corps bring their energy, creativity, and care into classrooms across the country to develop students as leaders who shape the future."

Teach For America looks for emerging leaders who believe deeply in the potential of every child and are ready to put that belief into action. Corps members bring a commitment to learning, a drive to create meaningful change, an ability to build strong relationships across differences, and a willingness to challenge the status quo in pursuit of greater opportunity for students.

“Young people today want more than a first job. They want the opportunity to do something that matters,” said Darin Lim Yankowitz, Senior Vice President for Recruitment at Teach For America. “At Teach For America, they step into real responsibility, working alongside students, families, educators, and communities while receiving coaching, mentorship, and support. What they learn in the classroom stays with them, whether they build a long-term career in education or take that experience and advocacy into another field.”

Corps members’ commitment extends far beyond an initial two years in the classroom. More than 70,000 Teach For America corps alumni are working across education, nonprofits, government, policy, medicine, law, business, technology, and other fields. Their paths demonstrate how an experience that begins in the classroom can fuel a lifetime of leadership and service, strengthening schools and communities and carrying a commitment to expanding opportunity into nearly every sector.

About Teach For America

Teach For America works in partnership with communities across the country to reach One Day when every child has access to an excellent education. Founded in 1990, Teach For America finds, develops, and supports a growing network of leaders who expand opportunity for children from classrooms, schools, and every sector and field that impacts a young person’s education. Today, Teach For America is a force of over 78,000 alumni, corps members, and Ignite fellows working in pursuit of profound change so that one day every child has the opportunity to learn, lead, thrive, and co-create a future filled with possibility. Teach For America is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network. For more information, visit www.teachforamerica.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Threads.

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