Conventional wisdom has suggested that increasing the knowledge and skills of teachers through professional development is the primary way to improve schools and student outcomes. Given the massive monetary spending and time devoted to teacher professional development, it is important to understand how this mechanism of change is impacting teachers, specifically their job satisfaction. Teacher job satisfaction has not only been associated with some of the most sought after outcomes, such as student achievement, teacher efficacy, performance, and commitment, but also holds great value for its indication of the treatment, well-being, and happiness of teachers. Based on the 2011-2012 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study examines the relationship between both the quality (usefulness and time) and type of professional development that teachers experience and their overall level of job satisfaction. Using the guidance of Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman's (1959) motivation-hygiene theory as a conceptual framework, this study organizes various factors into those that influence job satisfaction (motivation) and those that do not (hygiene). With teacher professional development conceptualized as a motivating factor, and controlling for hygiene factors, multiple hierarchical regressions with state fixed effects analyzed to what extent the quality and type of professional development was associated with overall teacher job satisfaction. Regarding the quality of professional development, teachers' perceptions of the usefulness of their professional development was predictive of overall job satisfaction as well as the amount of time spent participating in specific types of professional development activities. Also, teachers' perceptions of the hygiene factors of their school leadership, peer relationships, and salary were predictive of higher job satisfaction. These findings may help school leaders and policymakers improve teacher job attitudes through the quality and types of professional development offered to teachers, and provide guidance in regards to the workplace environments best suited to positively influence teacher job satisfaction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]