Pi Lambda Theta
Pi Lambda Theta is a 1910-founded nonprofit honor society and division of PDK International that recognizes high-achieving (3.5+ GPA) undergraduate, graduate, and professional educators through tiered membership with graduation regalia, scholarships, and liability insurance benefits.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1910
- HeadquartersArlington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pi Lambda Theta does
Pi Lambda Theta is a nonprofit education honor society founded in 1910 and operating as a division of PDK International (est. 1906). It recognizes outstanding students and professionals pursuing or practicing careers in education, with membership gated by a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The organization serves three primary personas: undergraduate education students (sophomores, juniors, seniors with 30+ credit hours), graduate students in education who have completed at least two graduate courses, and professional educators or education support staff holding a bachelor's degree. More than 185,000 individuals have been inducted nationally since founding.
The core product is tiered membership, priced at $54 for sophomores, $64 for juniors, $74 for seniors, and $74 one-time for graduate/professional lifetime members. Members receive initiation pins, gold honor cords for graduation, downloadable personalized certificates, eligibility for $500–$2,000 scholarships, access to low-cost professional liability insurance through Forrest T. Jones & Company, and a one-year digital PDK Association membership including a Kappan magazine subscription. Distribution is split between a self-service online membership portal and faculty-advisor-led institutional recruitment, with no proprietary technology platform — Pi Lambda Theta is explicitly a membership-based organization that does not develop proprietary tech products. Strategic partnerships with Educators Rising (high school feeder pipeline), GEICO, and New York Life extend the member benefits package without generating direct revenue.
Pi Lambda Theta generates revenue through membership initiation and renewal fees, operating as a nonprofit division within PDK International's seven-division structure. There are no external investors, funding rounds, M&A activity, or public listing. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, supported by social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), email, and institutional faculty advisors. Geographic scope is the United States only. The Membership Showcase Program and annual Educators Rising National Conference participation serve as member-recognition and engagement layers on top of the core membership offering.
Pi Lambda Theta firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pi Lambda Theta
- Legal name
- Pi Lambda Theta
- Website
- https://pilambda.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1910
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pi Lambda Theta is a 1910-founded nonprofit honor society and division of PDK International that recognizes high-achieving (3.5+ GPA) undergraduate, graduate, and professional educators through tiered membership with graduation regalia, scholarships, and liability insurance benefits.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pi Lambda Theta industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Honor Society Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alumni Benefits, Membership & Affinity Programs (EDALAOAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence) (EDAIAOAA)
Keywords
Where Pi Lambda Theta is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pi Lambda Theta business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Pi Lambda Theta generates revenue through tiered membership fees. Undergraduate sophomores pay $54 for initiation pin and one year of membership; juniors pay $64 for educator pin and one year membership; seniors pay $74 one-time fee for graduation cords. Graduate students and professional members pay $74 one-time fee for lifetime membership. Sophomores and juniors must rejoin annually through senior year to maintain membership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate Sophomore: $54 initiation pin + 1 year membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Undergraduate Junior: $64 educator pin + 1 year membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Undergraduate Senior: $74 one-time fee with graduation cords |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Graduate/Professional: $74 one-time lifetime membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pi Lambda Theta product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pi Lambda Theta is a national honor society that recognizes outstanding pre-service and practicing educators through tiered membership (undergraduate, graduate, and professional). Members receive initiation pins, gold honor cords, personalized certificates, scholarship eligibility ($500–$2,000), access to low-cost professional liability insurance, and a one-year digital PDK Association membership with Kappan magazine subscription. Membership requires a minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale and represents a credential of academic excellence for the teaching profession.
Product overview
Pi Lambda Theta is a national honor society for educators offering tiered membership (undergraduate, graduate, and professional) with benefits including initiation pins, gold honor cords, downloadable certificates, scholarship access, and professional liability insurance. The organization, established in 1910 and a division of PDK International, provides members with PDK Association membership and Kappan magazine subscription. Through the Membership Showcase Program, outstanding members are recognized on the website and social media. As an Educators Rising Partner Institution, members gain access to mentorship opportunities at the Educators Rising National Conference. The core offering is the membership itself, with add-on services including scholarships ($500-$2,000), professional liability insurance, and member recognition programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pi Lambda Theta Honor Society Membership National honor society membership for educators with tiered offerings for undergraduate students (sophomores $54, juniors $64, seniors $74), graduate students ($74 lifetime), and professional members ($74 lifetime). Includes initiation pins, gold honor cords, downloadable certificates, scholarship eligibility, professional liability insurance access, and a one-year PDK Association membership with Kappan magazine. Membership is open to individuals with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above who intend to pursue or are pursuing a career in education.
- PDK International Scholarship Program Scholarship awards ranging from $500 to $2,000 available to Pi Lambda Theta members in good standing pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in education. Administered by PDK International and applied for through the PLT Membership Portal.
- Professional Liability Insurance Program Low-cost professional liability insurance coverage for members during clinical observations and preservice teaching, plus access to discounted GEICO auto/motorcycle/homeowners/renters insurance, New York Life term life/accident/disability plans, and ACA-compliant health, dental, cancer, and long-term care insurance, all administered through Forrest T. Jones & Company.
Companies that use Pi Lambda Theta
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pi Lambda Theta technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pi Lambda Theta partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PDK InternationalcorePi Lambda Theta is a division of PDK International, maintaining its name, selective membership standards, and unique mission while operating within the larger PDK ecosystem. PDK International, established in 1906, supports teachers and school leaders through seven divisions whose programs enable public educators to improve schools.
- Educators RisingcoreInstitutions that bring Pi Lambda Theta to their students become Educators Rising Partner Institutions, tying them into the larger Educators Rising network. Educators Rising is one of the largest Grow Your Own Programs at the high school level in the United States and promotes partner institutions to prospective students online, at annual conferences, and through other initiatives.
- Forrest T. Jones & CompanyminorAdministering the Pi Lambda Theta Member Insurance Program, Forrest T. Jones & Company provides access to discounted insurance plans including professional liability insurance, GEICO auto/motorcycle/homeowners/renters insurance, New York Life term life/accident/disability plans, and ACA-compliant health, dental, cancer, and long-term care insurance.
- GEICOminorThrough the PLT Member Insurance Program administered by Forrest T. Jones & Company, members receive access to GEICO auto, motorcycle, homeowners, and renters insurance at discounted rates.
- New York LifeminorThrough the PLT Member Insurance Program, members have access to term life, accident, and disability plans from New York Life at discounted group rates.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights3 records
Pi Lambda Theta competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society: Mortar Board is a national honor society recognizing college seniors for scholarship, leadership, and service, using a similar GPA-gated, regalia-issued, chapter-based recruitment model to PLT.
- Phi Theta Kappa: Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society for two-year college students, sharing PLT's model of GPA-gated membership, regalia, scholarships, and chapter-based recruitment. It is the closest analogous operational model in the US honor society landscape.
- Alpha Delta Kappa: Alpha Delta Kappa is an honor society for outstanding educators that overlaps with PLT's professional membership tier. Both organizations serve practicing educators with recognition, scholarships, and professional networking, targeting the same career-stage demographic.
- Kappa Delta Pi: Kappa Delta Pi is the largest education honor society in the US, directly competing with Pi Lambda Theta for high-GPA undergraduate and graduate education students. Both offer GPA-gated membership, scholarships, and educator recognition regalia.
- Educators Rising: Educators Rising is PLT's core high-school pipeline partner and one of the largest "Grow Your Own" teacher programs in the US. Both target aspiring educators with recognition, networking, and conference programming from high school through college.
- Golden Key International Honour Society: Golden Key is a large international academic honor society operating on the same GPA-threshold, multi-tier membership, and scholarship-access model as PLT. Comparable in structure though broader in academic scope.
Broad incumbents
- National Education Association (NEA): The NEA is the largest US educator professional association, serving teachers and education support professionals. While not an honor society, it represents the broader professional-membership ecosystem PLT operates within for practicing educators.
- ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): ASCD is a large, established educator membership organization offering professional development, publications, and community to K-12 educators. It overlaps with PLT's professional membership segment at a much broader scale.
- Phi Delta Kappa (PDK): PDK International is PLT's parent organization and the broader educator professional association originally founded in 1906. It operates multiple divisions and publications (including Kappan) that overlap with PLT's educator recognition mission.
Others
- National Honor Society (NHS) / NJHS: NHS is the largest US student recognition organization for high schoolers. It is not a direct competitor to PLT's college-level education focus, but it operates an analogous GPA-gated, regalia-based recognition model that influences student expectations of honor societies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pi Lambda Theta social profiles
Digital presencePi Lambda Theta financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pi Lambda Theta leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pi Lambda Theta funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pi Lambda Theta M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pi Lambda Theta
What does Pi Lambda Theta do?
Pi Lambda Theta is a national honor society that recognizes outstanding pre-service and practicing educators through tiered membership (undergraduate, graduate, and professional). Members receive initiation pins, gold honor cords, personalized certificates, scholarship eligibility ($500–$2,000), access to low-cost professional liability insurance, and a one-year digital PDK Association membership with Kappan magazine subscription. Membership requires a minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale and represents a credential of academic excellence for the teaching profession.
Is Pi Lambda Theta a public or private company?
Pi Lambda Theta is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pi Lambda Theta founded?
Pi Lambda Theta was founded in 1910. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pi Lambda Theta based?
Pi Lambda Theta is headquartered in Arlington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pi Lambda Theta make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Fees.
Who are Pi Lambda Theta's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Delta Kappa, Kappa Delta Pi, Educators Rising and Golden Key International Honour Society. Broad incumbents are National Education Association (NEA), ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) and Phi Delta Kappa (PDK). National Honor Society (NHS) / NJHS is listed as an others.
Does Pi Lambda Theta have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pi Lambda Theta.
What industry is Pi Lambda Theta in?
Pi Lambda Theta's product category is Professional Honor Society Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAOAM, Alumni Benefits, Membership & Affinity Programs, with a secondary code of EDADAHAC, Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8600.