Side hustles for teachers
Side gigs and side hustles for teachers
that use your experience.
You explain hard things simply, plan learning step by step and keep a room of people engaged. Those are skills people pay for outside the classroom. Here are the best side hustles for teachers, online and in person, during the school year and over the summer.
Free · No card needed · Results in a few minutes
Why teachers
Your experience is worth more than your salary.
Many teachers look for side gigs because they're underpaid and overworked, not because they lack skills. In fact, years in the classroom build exactly what parents, companies and adult learners pay for: subject knowledge, clear explanations, lesson design and patience.
The best teacher side hustles use those skills directly. They pay better than generic gig work, fit around the school calendar, and some of them can grow into a business of your own.
Your options
9 of the best side hustles for teachers.
From quick extra income to side gigs that can become a second career.
1. Online tutoring and test prep
One-to-one or small-group tutoring in your subject, or exam and test preparation, through tutoring platforms or your own clients.
- Best for: subject specialists and exam-year teachers
- Online or in person, evenings and weekends
2. Selling lesson plans and resources
Sell the materials you already create on marketplaces like Teachers Pay Teachers, or from your own website.
- Best for: teachers who make great worksheets and units
- Slow to start, but earns while you sleep
3. Teaching English online
Teach English to learners abroad, online. Some platforms ask for a teaching qualification or a TEFL certificate.
- Best for: English and language teachers
- Check time zones: many lessons are early morning
4. Curriculum writing and instructional design
Freelance for education companies, publishers and training providers that need people who know how learning works.
- Best for: teachers who enjoy planning more than presenting
- Also a strong path if you're thinking of leaving teaching
5. Online courses for adults
Teach your subject, or a skill you're known for, to adults in a short online course or a live workshop.
- Best for: teachers with a subject adults want to learn
- The side hustle most likely to grow into a business
6. Corporate training and workshops
Companies pay for people who can teach. Run onboarding, communication or presentation workshops for local businesses.
- Best for: confident presenters who like adult audiences
- Higher rates than tutoring, fewer sessions
7. Education consulting for parents
Help families with learning plans, homeschooling support, school choices or applications.
- Best for: experienced teachers and special education teachers
- Builds on trust and word of mouth
8. Writing and editing
Educational articles, textbook reviews, proofreading and editing for publishers and education websites.
- Best for: teachers who write clearly and spot every error
- Flexible, deadline-based work
9. Summer camps and holiday programs
Run or teach at summer camps, holiday clubs or intensive summer courses in your subject.
- Best for: teachers who want income in the holidays only
- Book early: places fill in spring
Not sure which side hustle fits you?
The free Reset Profile looks at your experience and shows which skills people would pay for, who needs them, and a first offer you could test.
Fit it around the calendar
Teacher side hustles for the school year and the summer.
During the school year
- Online tutoring, a few hours a week
- Selling resources you're already making
- Writing and editing with flexible deadlines
- Teaching English online, if the time zones suit you
Over the summer
- Summer camps and intensive courses
- Curriculum writing and instructional design projects
- Building an online course for adults
- Corporate training, when companies plan for autumn
Before you start
Three rules to protect your teaching job.
Check your school's policy
Many schools and districts have rules on outside work. Read them, and ask if anything is unclear.
Don't tutor your own students
Paid tutoring of students you teach or grade is usually seen as a conflict of interest. Keep the two separate.
Use your own time and tools
Work on your own devices and accounts, outside school hours, and check how side income is taxed where you live.
Step by step
How to start a teacher side hustle this month.
Find your strongest skill
Your subject, your grade level, or the thing colleagues ask you about. The free career assessment helps you choose.
Pick one side hustle
Choose one option above that fits your skill and your calendar. One, not three.
Set a clear price
Check what others charge for the same thing locally or on the platform, and don't start at the bottom.
Find your first three clients
Friends, parents from other schools, local groups. Word of mouth is the strongest channel for teachers.
Collect reviews
Ask every happy client for a short review. It's what brings the next ten.
Start with step 1 today
Find out which of your skills people would pay for. Free, in a few minutes.
What comes next
From side gig to something of your own.
For some teachers, a side hustle stays a welcome extra income. For others, it's the first step out of the classroom. If you're thinking about leaving teaching, see our guide to jobs for former teachers.
If you'd like to turn your teaching skill into a small online business of your own, read about freelance side hustles for experienced professionals or a career change at 40.
Silvio Paiva · Founder, The 40s Reset
Who wrote this
Why I wrote this guide.
I'm not a teacher. I spent over two decades in enterprise B2B sales and consulting, where I saw how much companies pay for people who can teach and explain.
I built The 40s Reset to help experienced professionals, teachers included, see the value in what they already know and turn it into income of their own.
Free career assessment
Your years in the classroom are worth more than you're paid.
Find out which of your skills people would pay for, who needs them, and what your first side hustle offer could be.
Free · No card needed · Results in a few minutes
Questions
Side hustles for teachers: common questions.
What are the best side hustles for teachers?
The ones that use teaching skills directly: online tutoring and test prep, selling lesson resources, teaching English online, curriculum writing, online courses for adults, corporate training, education consulting, writing and editing, and summer programs.
What are good online side hustles for teachers?
Online tutoring, teaching English online, selling digital resources, curriculum writing and instructional design, and online courses for adults can all be done from home.
Can teachers tutor their own students?
Usually not for pay. Many schools treat it as a conflict of interest. Check your school or district policy, and tutor students you don't teach or grade.
What are the best summer side hustles for teachers?
Summer camps and intensive courses, curriculum writing projects, building an online course, and corporate training, which companies often plan over the summer.
Is selling on Teachers Pay Teachers worth it?
It can be, if you build a catalogue over time. Most sellers earn slowly at first, so treat it as a long-term side hustle alongside something that pays sooner, like tutoring.
Do I need a certificate to teach English online?
It depends on the platform. Some ask for a teaching qualification or a TEFL certificate, others don't. Check each platform's requirements before you apply.