45 of the Best Teacher Bags to Keep You Organized and Stylish in 2023

Back to school shopping applies to teachers, too. It’s so fun to treat yourself to something special before you dive head first into another year of teaching.

Plus, there’s enough stress in teaching without having to haul around an uncomfortable, disorganized bag.

Carrying the best teacher bag for your personality and needs can help make life easier, and that’s what we all want!

Below are a wide variety of the best teacher bags for any budget. After all, some of us are on a shoestring budget, while others just LOVE fashion and are willing to spend a lot to find the right bag to get them through the day.

Many of these below will be available on Amazon, since convenience is also a factor for many teachers.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that I earn pennies on the dollar when you click. Don’t worry – I’ve carefully researched every bag on the list!

1. Best Teacher Bag with a Wire Frame Zipper

This Cascade Backpack from Portland Gear has a wireframe top for easy access and two huge water bottle pockets. It will stand up easily and you should be able to see all the way to the bottom. This is just a quality backpack for school and reviewers say it’s truly waterproof for those of you in rainy climates.

2. Best Laptop Bag with a Detachable Bottom

I love this Beis convertible laptop bag, especially for teachers who visit the gym before or after school. The bottom part just zips right off, so you can seal off stinky items. When you remove the bottom portion, it no longer looks like a work bag and is perfect for happy hour. Here’s another bag with a wireframe top. The downside is that it only comes in 3 colors.

3. Best Funky Throwback Colorblocked Bag

I chose this bag for my 80s lovers who enjoy a bright color block! It’s super affordable but still gets amazing reviews on Amazon. Finally, it has a built-in USB port (power bank not included) and a decent sized pocket for your water bottle. One downside is that some reviewers expected more support from the backpack straps in terms of support.

4. Best Wipeable Designer Teacher Bag

This Consuela bag is the one I carry to school and it’s perfect for me! I work at a dual language campus, and all the Consuela totes have a bit of Latin flair. This bag doesn’t have specific pockets for water bottles, but it easily holds my laptop and tons of other junk in the main compartment, and the bag is fully wipeable for when I have a spill. These bags are colorful and so fun! But it was definitely a splurge purchase for me.

5. Best Budget Friendly Monogrammed Multipurpose Tote

Some folks just can’t resist a monogram, so here’s a multipurpose teacher tote bag for all your teacher gear at a very budget-friendly price. I actually dislike having lots of pockets since I never am organized enough to use them anyway. The perfect bag for me is wide open, so perhaps you’ll like this one, too. On the weekends, you can dump it out and schlep it to the grocery store!

6. Best Budget-Friendly Classy, Leather Laptop Bag

This is a generously sized laptop bag with a classic design. It will work best for teachers with a very professional aesthetic with its clean lines and brass hardware. You can’t shove lots of bulky items in it, but if you’re mostly carrying a laptop and some files, it will work great. It comes in 8 different colors and has metal feet to protect it from getting dirty.

7. Best Leather Teacher Laptop Bag with a Stylish Pop of Color

I think this bag is so cool because it’s got those little accordion folds on the side, each in a different color. It comes in 14 colors, has several different compartments, a belt-style adjustable shoulder strap, and a top handle for carrying lighter loads. I especially love any bag with exterior pockets that will allow you to easily tuck away your mobile phones without having to dig into the whole bag.

8. Best Real Leather Laptop Bag

Reviewers of this bag say that the quality far exceeds the price point. While it’s a simple leather bag, the bag seems to have some heft, with nicely made heavy hardware on the zippers. The green version is especially pretty if teachers are looking for something a bit unique. It should easily last you the whole school year or more.

9. Best Mid-Priced Structured Laptop Bag

I like the boxy style of this bag. While it’s not a great choice for teachers who haul a bunch of stuff back and forth to campus, this may be perfect for more seasoned professionals who don’t need to bring much home. They can easily fit a 15.6-inch laptop, and the stitching is a gorgeous detail at a not-too-crazy price.

10. Best Convertible Budget-Friendly Laptop Bag

This is a hugely popular bag that’s been highly reviewed on Amazon. I particularly love the unique stitching on it, and it’s great that it comes in two sizes. So whether you only like to travel with essential items or you’re a new teacher who is traveling with everything but the kitchen sink, this can probably work! I also appreciate that it converts to a backpack if that’s easier on your back.

11. Best Convertible Bag for Oversized Laptop

This one has a pretty businessy style, but I appreciate that it can accommodate a 17″ backpack. It’s got 4 external pockets and it can be used as a briefcase, backpack, or shoulder bag. Reviewers say this bag fits EVERYTHING.

12. Best Budget Friendly Diaper Bag for the Classroom

A lot of our teachers use diaper bags as their teacher bag, whether they have kids or not! Many times, a diaper bag works well for teachers because of all the organizational pockets and insulated areas that would normally hold baby bottles (but might be perfect for your leftovers). This particular bag is carried by 3 of our teachers!

13. Best Western Design on a Budget Friendly Laptop Bag

As a west Texan, I love the subtle western design on this laptop bag. It’s similar in design to the one above, so you won’t want to have tons of personal items in there. Instead, use this if you’re moving around the building frequently with a laptop, files, and slim books. There are no exterior pockets, but that’s part of what makes the design seem a bit more sophisticated.

14. Best Backpack with USB Charging Port and Color Options

This backpack is pretty popular at our campus, and I think it’s because it’s super affordable, comes in lots of fun colors, and has lots of functional elements for teachers. Some teachers like the USB charging port on the bag, too. Here’s some information from the Q&A on Amazon: “I have my laptop, planner, lesson plan book, and other items in it. Very roomy. I love mine!! Favorite teacher bag I’ve ever had!!”

15. Best Vintage Style Teacher Backpack with USB Charging Port

This backpack is similar in functionality to the Himawari one above, but the styling is a bit more vintage. Here’s what one teacher said: “This was a great purchase for a teacher and a busy mom of three! It is a great size and plenty of pockets for storage. My laptop fits inside the padded pocket and is safe from scratches! Would buy again!”

16. Best Mini Bag for Carrying School Supplies

This little bag from Get Your Teach On won’t hold everything you need for school, but it’s a handy little organizing pouch for your school supplies! Tuck it into your larger bag, or carry around the absolute minimum like the seasoned veteran you are!

17. Best Fossil Brand Laptop Bag

Some people just love to stay true to their favorite brands, and Fossil has a loyal following. This bag is on the smaller size, but some reviewers loved the softness of the leather and the fact that it can be a backpack. Pay close attention to the size before you depend on this one to haul your laptop back and forth.

18. Best Petite Leather Laptop Backpack

This laptop backpack is absolutely gorgeous. It’s pretty small, but it can definitely hold your 13″ Macbook if that’s what you use for your teacher laptop.

19. Best “Cute Girl” Backpack from Get Your Teach On

I can’t say how functional this bag might be because it doesn’t show any pockets on the interior or provide a description. I’m also a bit skeptical of the ivory color, because mine would for sure get yucky in a hurry. However, this brand is so popular with our teachers that I just had to include it. It’s awfully cute!

20. Best Bag for Science Teachers

Oooh! What’s more fun than matching your backpack to your content area? I love this idea. The bag is very inexpensive, but the reviews are quite positive. There are also 23 different patterns at the time of publishing.

21. Teach Love Inspire Canvas Bag

This canvas bag is just great for teachers because it’s got a decent sized water bottle pocket, a nice open pocket for your laptop, but it also has a sleeve for a 10″ tablet in the front. If you like a bag with a cute font and cheerful expression about your chosen career, this is the bag for you! I like the contrasting straps, too. Lots of people seem to give this to their favorite teacher. If you need a couple of teacher gifts, this might be an affordable option.

22. Best Slim Leather Briefcase

This bag has a really streamlined profile, so I think lots of teachers will like that. It should level up the classiness of any outfit, unless you’re a hoodies and jeans kinda teacher like me.

23. Best Bag for High School Math Teachers

Here’s another fun content area bag for the proud math teachers out there. This backpack is a bit smaller than average, so it’s not a great choice for teachers who like to haul around multiple binders or a heavy laptop with other supplies, as well.

24. Best Bag for Teacher Moms

You should probably give due consideration to the idea of using a diaper bag as your teacher tote, because it’s got so many handy small pockets and insulated areas for your lunch box. This would be our top pick for moms with babies, because when this bag starts to wear out over time, you can easily turn it into a second diaper bag and have a bag packed for any occasion.

25. Best Spacious Messenger Bag with Casual Styling

This dotty pattern is showing up all over our campus – on our desktops, on laptop cases, and even in our fashion. Teachers love abstract dots, particularly in neutral colors. I wonder how long it will last? This messenger bag would match just about any outfit, whether you’re super casual or like to occasionally dress up. One teacher says, “Love this bag. I am a teacher and it fits my laptop, binders, notebooks, planners, chargers, and my giant water bottle. Very handy.”

26. Best Bag for Happy Hour and Date Night

I chose this bag for those school days when you’re excited to transition from the last hour of the school day to happy hour or date night. It just looks good but holds all the work essentials, too!

27. Best Leather Tote in a Wide Range of Colors

This leather tote caught my eye initially in mustard yellow. But the key thing about this bag is that it comes in 28 colors! So whatever your “signature shade” might be, there’s a bag here for you. The leather gets good reviews, and the strap usually adds a fun detail. Reviews are hit or miss as to whether or not this works well for a laptop bag. Some reviewers think it’s perfect for an iPad and a few like it for their laptop. If your school-issued laptop is a brick, I’d go for something larger!

28. Best Lightweight Floppy Tote for Librarians and English Teachers

This probably won’t be your main bag for school because it just doesn’t have enough structure to it. But you can toss a few extras into this lightweight bag and it will serve you well. These bags just have one large compartment and no interior pockets. But something like this can be perfect for a field trip day or any of those times when you don’t want to haul around ALL the things.

29. Best Lightweight Colorblocked Bag

This bag is for those teachers who love easy access to their smaller items because it’s loaded down with side pockets. You can put electronic devices and headphones in them, quickly find your keys or your badge, and even a lipgloss or two. It holds a large laptop, and has 11 total compartments and organizers.

30. Best Versatile Rolling Bag

I really love all the options you get with this bag. It can be anything you need it to be! It’s actually meant to be a convertible between a for air travel, toggling between an overhead carry-on and a personal item to slide under the seat in front of you. But it could easily be perfect for a new teacher who is taking home a lot of work, or a teacher who travels between campuses for small group support.

31. Best Backpack for Kindergarten and First Grade Teachers

Where are my K-1 teachers? This bag is a fun choice for those primary grades where everything is about mastering letter names and sounds.

32. Best Simple Yet Stylish Backpack for Teachers

These Herschel bags are really great for teachers and students. They’re lightweight and waterproof, and a decent size for laptops and books. Herschel bags of all kinds are pretty popular bag right now.

33. Best Mid-Priced High Fashion Backpack

This backpack is STYLISH. Most people use it for travel, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t be great for teachers. One reviewer said, “I love that it looks very slimline while you’re wearing it, even if you have it full of stuff. It holds a lot. I put my computer, several textbooks, a couple notebooks, and my lunch bag in the mail pocket. The lower front pocket is perfect for the unwieldy mac power brick and cable. The side pocket just fits my 32 oz water bottle (it’s not very wide). Great bag!”

34. Best Kawaii Style Messenger Bag

Kawaii means “cute” in Japanese, and it’s a very specific style that’s popular in Japanese culture. Lots of Americans love anything “kawaii” and this definitely fits the bill. This bag is SO inexpensive. If you try to use it for your primary bag at school, it may or may not last more than one year.

Some reviewers said it’s smaller than they expected, so it probably can’t carry your school laptop. It measures 14.8 * 4.8 * 11. On the other hand, this one is so unique, fun, and affordable that I had to put it on my list – maybe it will work for a few of you! It also comes in 22 colors; some are monochrome and others are 2-toned.

35. Best Functional Backpack for Back Problems

This backpack looks more like something a hiker would carry, but sometimes teachers need a hefty bag like that! Reviewers say this one can support a lot of weight and still not cause back pain.

My husband and I are almost 40, and he’s been carrying the same North Face backpack throughout his life since he got it for college. It now goes with us on all our flights to carry diapers, toys and tablets, so I know they are high quality and the laptop compartment is squishy. It does have only two zipper pockets, so that may bother the most organized teachers. The Jester is available in 22 colors: both solids and patterns.

36. Best Mid-Priced Customizable Backpack

This backpack is really sleek looking, has several add-ons to customize the bag, and has a very structured rectangular shape. It’s never going to look overly bulky because it holds its shape so well. The organization of the different pockets looks VERY handy for teachers, because there are separate spaces for your lesson plans (if you’re still a paper person), small items, and laptop. It appears to have a pretty large capacity.

37. Best Backpack for Large Laptops and Customized for Women

I’m a little skeptical, but this backpack is supposedly customized for a woman’s frame in terms of comfortable carrying. At first glance, this bag looks petite, but it actually holds 3 more liters than the other North Face backpack I’ve included. The shoulder straps are apparently very supportive as well.

38. Best Tote Designed by Teachers and for Teachers

I’m really hoping someone support this small business because it’s designed for teachers, by teachers! The brand is actually called “The Teacher Tote.” I’m betting they’ve done a fantastic job with it. This company even has a little video on their website to help you figure out whether or not your laptop will fit. There’s also an insulated lunch compartment.

39. Best Unstructured Canvas Tote

One teacher said, “I had been looking for a bag that could work as a purse and a bag for a while! I am a daycare teacher and also a teacher at my church so I always carry many different types of things around with me. This bag makes it super easy to carry everything at once. I love this bag! I got the blue one but eventually plan to buy one in every color!” Some people think an unstructured tote makes a great teacher bag.

40. Best “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink” Tote Bag

This tote bag is specifically billed as a teacher tote in Amazon’s product description. It’s got lots of compartments and a wire frame top, which I really like for being able to easily see to the bottom of the bag.

One teacher said, “I am SO happy I bought this bag!! I work in several different classrooms and this is perfect for carrying around my computer, books, pens & markers, my large water bottle, and MUCH more! I would absolutely recommend this bag to my colleagues!!” However, another teacher complained that the lining tore within her first month of schlepping it around the building.

41. Best Budget Friendly Zip Top Tote

This Pursetti bag reminds me of the 31 bag I used to have. It has 6 exterior pockets plus two big water bottle pockets. I don’t love the patterns, but someone else might! It’s definitely a great bag for teachers who need plenty of space but also tend to lose their keys and badge in the bottom of the main compartment. This should solve that problem for you.

42. Best Vera Bradley Tote Bag for Teachers

Some folks just love a Vera Bradley bag! Here’s their tote bag. One reviewer said, “It’s as beautiful as it is functional. I got this bag for work – I’m a teacher. I love it. It’s great for hauling my computer, planner, and papers to grade. It’s study, lovely, and perfect.”

43. Best Vera Bradley Backpack

My coworker uses this bag and absolutely loves it. She also has a matching bag in the same print for her breast pump and supplies. Vera Bradley is great if you want a matching set for a couple different essentials.

44. Best Mid-Priced Rolling Briefcase

This rolling backpack could work great for teachers with back problems who still need to haul a bunch of stuff back and forth to school. The floral print may really appeal to some!

45. Best Rolling Bag for Professionals

This bag is a better style for teachers who really prefer to maintain a very professional look. This one goes great with your favorite blazer! Here’s one teacher’s review: “It holds my 13 inch MacBook, my iPad Pro, and several books. I’m a teacher and I’ve used it for 2 years now daily and it’s still going strong. Love it.”

46. Best Mid-Priced Rolling Backpack

Here’s one teacher’s review: “As a PreK teacher, I tend to drag A LOT of stuff back and forth to school each day. Once I had shoulder surgery, I knew I needed one of these rolling carts and was sort of dreading it. This bag really surprised me! It has a streamlined shape but can hold 24 file folders, a laptop, various charging cords, my purse, and random art supplies. It pivots very smoothly. The handle locks in place when you want to pull it or use the strap to carry it on your (good) shoulder. I’m very happy with it- it’s worth the money!”

47. Best Budget-Friendly Rolling Duffel Bag

This bag has a slightly different design, so some teachers may like the concept of a smaller rolling duffel bag.

48. Best “City Girl” Neoprene Backpack

I call this the “City Girl” backpack because my sister-in-law lives in DC and first introduced me to this brand several years ago. It’s water-resistant, spacious, and has the most buttery-soft feeling to the fabric. It’s spendy, so it won’t be the first choice of many teachers, but it’s a really great splurge if you’ve got the money for it!

49. Best Tote Bag for Super Organized Teachers

This tote bag has 14 exterior pockets in the large size, plus an extra 10 on the inside! If you’re one of those teachers whose mantra is “A place for everything and everything in its place,” this is the bag for you! It also comes in 14 patterns and stands up on its own without falling over. It can accommodate a laptop up to 16 inches.

50. Best Oversized Crossbody Carryall

This Landon Carryall bag by Dagne Dover can hold your 16″ laptop plus a lot of other stuff, too! Again, this brand is expensive, but if you’re looking for something a little extra special as a treat to yourself, this may be a great purchase. I have the Dagne Dover makeup bag and it’s very nice to the touch. It has so many unique features that might be handy for a teacher.

Concluding Thoughts

Just like there are all kinds of teachers, there are many different preferences for what makes the perfect teacher bag. I hope since I’ve included 45 different ideas, you can find something that suits your personal style and budget perfectly! Happy teaching!