Best Side Hustles for Teachers To Supplement Income (2024) – Shopify South Africa

According to a report by the National Education Association, teachers in the United States make 5% less on average than they did 10 years ago when you adjust for inflation. Today, the average starting teacher salary sits at $44,530 per year.

In this landscape, teachers are exploring side hustles to earn money on top of a standard teaching salary. With entrepreneurship on the rise and one report projecting there will be more than 86 million freelancers in the US by 2027, side hustles have never been more popular. Learn more about the best side hustles teachers can pursue to make extra money.

Side hustles for teachers

Here are some side hustles for teachers that can provide extra income outside of a primary job:

Sell lesson plans

If you’ve developed educational materials during your time spent teaching, consider making more money from those materials outside of your teaching job.

Teachers can sell lesson plans, presentations, worksheets, flashcards, and other original educational materials to other teachers through online platforms like Sellfy, Classful, and Teachers Pay Teachers. These educational materials can range in price depending on the size, topic, and quality of the materials.

Create online courses

You can also channel your teaching skills into online classes for paying customers looking to develop new skills. For example, a math teacher could produce a video course about statistics, or a history teacher could develop an online course in the form of a podcast exploring a specific time period in history. Teachers can set their own rates and sell their work on platforms like Thinkific, Udemy, and Teachable.

Offer tutoring services

Another way for teachers to make money outside of their standard teaching positions is to offer private tutoring services to paying clients. Pay varies widely for tutors based on what they’re teaching and where, but tutoring rates can typically range anywhere from $15 to $80 an hour.

For example, you could teach English to adult clients who primarily speak a foreign language or help high school students prepare for standardized tests like the SAT. Tutors can work with local clients in person or find potential clients online through platforms like Wyzant, Preply, and Tutorly.

Administer tests

Teachers can pick up a second job overseeing standardized tests at schools in their area to earn additional income. Test proctors manage and supervise tests like the ACT or SAT, final course exams, and even licensing tests for a variety of industries like construction, real estate, architecture, engineering, and law. Test proctors make roughly $15 to $20 an hour, depending on the type of test and their location.

Become a freelance writer

You can apply the writing skills you’ve developed as a teacher to freelance writing. Copywriters can create a variety of written materials for individuals and businesses, including blogs, website copy, advertisements, newsletters, and technical manuals.

Freelance writers can earn anywhere from a few hundred dollars a month to more than six figures per year, depending on the number of assignments and quality of clients. Freelance writers can use platforms like Upwork or Fiverr to connect with clients and build their writing portfolios.

Work for a summer camp

If you love the outdoors, consider making some extra cash during school breaks by working as a summer camp counselor. Camp counselors organize and lead outdoor activities and supervise campers to make sure they’re safe and enjoying their experience. Teachers can lend their skills at day or overnight camps to earn extra money while school is out.

Teach summer school

Similarly, you may consider working as a summer school teacher to earn more outside of the traditional school year. Summer school teaching salaries depend on the specific subject, age range, and school district. Teachers can apply for part-time or full-time positions at local private and public schools, online teaching programs, and colleges or universities looking for adjunct professors during the summer.

Run after-school programs

If you have time after the school day ends, you can research what after-school programs are available in your school district. Consider applying for a part-time job helping sports teams, coding programs, or videography or drama classes.

For example, a high school teacher could pick up a side job as a coach for a soccer team at the same school where they work. Having an existing connection with the school or district may make it easier for them to find openings and build connections with hiring managers, who may already be familiar with their work. The pay for helping with after-school programs varies widely based on the particular school district and program.

Become a virtual assistant

Teachers wear many hats, and their organizational and multitasking skills can make them well suited to being a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants help clients with tasks ranging from scheduling and email management to data entry and general administration.

There is a huge market for virtual assistants, and teachers can access a range of potential clients through platforms like Fancy Hands, Zirtual, and Indeed. A virtual assistant position can be a flexible part-time job to supplement a teaching salary; the average pay is roughly $25 an hour.

Write a book

If you have unique insights about a subject and are looking for a creative outlet, you may want to consider writing a book. Teachers often have specialized knowledge in a particular field, which can make their books—whether academic or literary—informative. For example, a physical education teacher could use their unique skills and perspective to write a book about fitness and health.

You may then decide to go the route of traditional publishing or choose self-publishing an ebook. Although making money from an ebook takes time and marketing effort, it can bring in extra income from sales through a platform like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

Pick up odd jobs

If you want to generate a little extra cash while choosing your own hours, explore platforms like Taskrabbit, Handy, and Thumbtack. Clients post odd jobs on these platforms that range from pet sitting and dog walking to house cleaning and furniture assembly. As a teacher, you can pick up odd jobs at your own pace to make money outside of your primary job, with rates varying depending on the specific job.

You can also choose to work for a delivery or rideshare service, which allows workers to make their own schedule. Other side hustles may include renting out extra space, earning money through affiliate marketing programs, or even using an online platform like Shopify to launch an ecommerce store.