23 Side Hustles For Teachers To Make More Money

Last Updated June 27, 2024 by Davina Kelly

If you work in education and are looking for the best side hustles for teachers, this post is for you!

We know that teachers are often overworked and underpaid, but these side hustles can help you make money on the side.

Earning extra money is always a good thing, especially with the current cost of living crisis.

As someone who has taken on side hustles to make more money while still working my 9 – 5, I will share some of my best ideas along with the pros and cons of each option.

This post is all about side hustles for teachers.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Best Side Hustles For Teachers:

1. Become an Airbnb Host

If you have a spare room why not rent it out and make some extra money? AirBnB is a popular online platform that allows people to rent out a spare room or an entire home to guests.

People use AirBnB if they are on holiday, travelling for work or sometimes for a staycation. It is also popular with international students. If you have a good amount of space and live in a good location that is near public transport you can make some good money.

Getting started is pretty easy, you just need to get your space ready, take some good listing photos, set your price, and let the cash roll in! Read here to learn more about the process.

Once you have your listing up, the platform will take care of the rest, you just need to ensure that you respond to any questions the guest may have. All payments are handled through the platform so you don’t need to worry about receiving payment. Earnings will vary depending on your property and the location, but you can make at least $500 per month.

Being a host is very flexible, it can fit around your busy teaching schedule. You can decide when you want to list your property, for example, if you don’t fancy having guests during the holidays you can make your listing unavailable during that period.

Pros: It is a great way to make extra money using what you already have.

Cons: You will have to share your living space with someone else.

2. Create an eBook

Creating an ebook can be a great way to make some extra money. You could create an ebook to help other teachers create better lesson plans or if you teach a particular subject you can help students to improve their knowledge on the subject.

You can sell your ebook on Etsy, create your own website and sell it there or you can make sales via word of mouth. People will spread the word if your work has given them value which will increase your sales.

Another option is to write an ebook about something else you are passionate about and sell it as a self-published author on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

Getting started with Amazon KDP is pretty straightforward, once you have created your ebook you can upload it and make it available for sale. You can read more about how to get started here.

It will take a lot of initial work upfront to create an ebook. You will need to decide what you want to write about, create your chapters and any supporting resources, and lay it out in a clear concise way. To create your ebook you can use platforms like Canva or Adobe they both have free options. If you market your product well you could make $100+.

Pros: Once the initial work is done you can continue to sell it and make passive income.

Cons: Aside from the upfront work, there are no cons.

3. Create an Online Course

Similar to an ebook you could create an online course to help other teachers or it can be geared towards helping students. Online courses have become a lot more popular over the last few years so this is a great way to share your knowledge and make money.

Creating a course will take a lot of work upfront. You will need to decide on a subject, create an outline, record the chapters, and create the materials to go along with it like workbooks.

The great thing about courses is once you have put in the initial work they can be sold repeatedly without any extra work. This can be a great way to make passive income as a teacher.

Your earning potential will depend on the demand and pricing, but you could easily make $1,000.

You can host the course on platforms like Teachable and Kajabi or you can offer it through platforms like SkillShare or Udemy which already have a large community.

Pros: A good way to help others and make passive income.

Cons: Aside from the upfront work, there are no cons.

4. Photography

If you are a skilled photographer or just enjoy taking photos you can make money through photography. There are a few ways you can do this. You can be a photographer at events, offer photo shoots or you can license your photos to agencies who will sell them as stock photos.

People use stock photos for marketing and advertising and also for their websites or social media. As more people are creating online businesses the demand for stock photos has increased.

It may take a while to build a portfolio of work to show potential clients, but once you do you can make money with whichever monetisation method you choose. Earning potential is $200+

Pros: A good way to make money while being creative.

Cons: It will take some time to earn money while you build your portfolio. If you choose to do events or work with clients it can be more time-consuming.

5. Babysitting

A lot of parents need childcare. They often juggle work, kids and other commitments and could use help, especially during school holidays and on the weekends if they work shifts.

You can choose to work with one family regularly or you can work with different families, choose the option that works best with your schedule.

Facebook can be a good place to look for families or you can let your friends and network of mums know that you are available if they need help. This goes a long way as people who know you are more likely to trust you. You can earn anywhere from $10 per hour upwards.

Pros: It is a fulfilling way to earn extra money.

Cons: It is an active job so you will need to ensure you have the time and energy to do it.

6. Blogging

Starting a blog is a great way to make extra money as a teacher.

You could create content sharing your knowledge and experience as a teacher. If you specialise in a particular subject like IT, your blog could provide information to help aspiring teachers in the same subject.

Or you could write about something else that interests you. I would recommend that you choose a topic you are well versed in and enjoy talking about as you will be writing about it a lot!

You can make money from your blog by placing ads on your sites, affiliate marketing or sponsorships. The earning potential will vary depending on the amount of traffic you have, but you could make anywhere from $500 to $10,000 per month.

Once you get to know your audience you can create products based on their needs like learning resources, ebook guides, etc.

When you start your blog it is super important to set it up correctly, if you don’t it could prevent you from making money.

If you’re a beginner I highly recommend this affordable eBook the Treasure Map To Blogging Success In 30 Days. It will teach you how to set your blog up the right way and give you a profitable road map to understand how to make money blogging.

Pros: A good way to make content to help other teachers and students. It can be very lucrative once you start getting consistent traffic.

Cons: Can take a while to get started making money.

7. Sell Printables

As a teacher, you know what works well with students and you also know what other teachers and parents need to support their students. You can use this knowledge to create printables. Here are some options you can create below.

Lesson plans
A guide on how to structure lessons
Kids activities
Curriculum
Clip art

You can sell them on Etsy which has a big marketplace or you can sell them on your own website. The earning potential is a lot higher on your own website as you won’t have to pay fees for using the platform.

Another option is to sell them on a platform where teachers shop for resources like teachers pay teachers. You could earn $100+ with this side hustle.

Pros: Once you have created the printable it will be a form of passive income.

Cons: Aside from the upfront work, there are no cons.

8. Proofread

As a teacher, you are probably really good with grammar and spelling, why not use those skills to be a proofreader?

The demand for proofreaders is big and there are a variety of jobs like proofreading articles, books, job adverts, scripts, papers and reports.

You can find these jobs on sites such as Fiverr, Upwork, or Indeed. The competition is quite high on these websites so you need to stand out.

Pros: It can be flexible and fit around your busy schedule.

Cons: It can be hard to stand out and attract clients.

9. Start a YouTube Channel

YouTube is a great platform where people can be entertained and also learn. You can create a channel and create content to show parents how to help their kids or you could create content to help children with activities.

Most kids are glued to their devices watching YouTube these days instead of TV so this is a great way to help kids. Once you have built an audience you can make money through Adsense, affiliate marketing or sponsorships.

To make money from YouTube you will need to either have 1,000 subscribers or 4,000 watch hours on long-from videos in the last year. Your earnings will vary depending on your audience size and watch hours, but you could make anywhere from $100 – $1,000 per month.

Pros: It can be a fun creative way to help kids learn.

Cons: It can take a while to build an audience and start making money.

10. Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is a great side hustle to have. You can work with entrepreneurs and provide support in many areas such as.

Booking meetings
Customer Service
Posting on social media
Organising schedules
Planning

Being a virtual assistant is very flexible as you can work from anywhere, all you need is a laptop. This can be a great remote second job for teachers. The amount of time required is dependent on the client’s needs so you need to ensure you can fit it around your schedule.

You can find clients on sites like Upwork and Fiverr or you can use your social media to let your followers know that you are looking for clients. The earning potential is $15 – $50 per hour.

Pros: You can work anywhere which makes it very flexible.

Cons: There can be a learning curve when getting used to using different apps and systems.

11. Teach English

English is the most popular language in the world so why not use your skills to teach English and make some money?

You can help international students or adults who have migrated here and need help to learn the language. You can teach this online through Zoom or face to face. The earning potential is $20 per hour and upwards.

Pros: It can be rewarding to help people to learn and overcome a language barrier.

Cons: It can take up a lot of time and energy especially if you already teach full time. But regardless you will need to be patient and provide support.

12. Coach

You can offer coaching services to other teachers who want to move up in their career or you could coach parents who may need support with helping their kids.

Pros: You can provide a tailored service as everyone will have different needs and you can set your own rates. Also helping others and seeing them improve is very rewarding.

Cons: This option can be time-consuming as it is a service-based business, but you can plan it around your schedule in a way that works for you.

13. Tutor

Tutoring can be a great way to make some extra money while making a difference in a student’s life. Many parents are looking for support to help their kids catch up on work or improve their skills and knowledge.

There are many options for tutoring. You can offer your services on platforms like Outschool or Tutors.com. The amount of money you can make varies based on the subjects you teach. But you could make anywhere from $25 – $50 per hour for online tutoring and $25 – $80 for private tutoring.

If you prefer a more personal approach you could work with one student or several students regularly. You could create your own tutoring business and let your network of mums and teachers know you are available. Or you could advertise on your social media.

Offering this service through your own business will mean you can set your own rates and keep the profits as you won’t have to pay any fees. It will also give you more flexibility as you can decide when you want to work. You can do this virtually via Zoom or face to face.

Pros: A great way to make an impact and give value. Can be flexible and virtual which will give you more freedom.

Cons: Can be time-consuming.

14. Consultant

You can offer consulting services to help other teachers, for example, you can help teachers create more effective lesson plans.

Or you could work with other schools to help them facilitate events and workshops, develop assessment strategies, and create education and career plans. This could be a good part-time job for teachers to do after school so it could work around your full-time job.

The earning potential depends on the location and company or school you work for, but the minimum earning potential is around $20,000 a year (if you worked part-time).

Pros: You can add value and make a difference in students’ lives.

Cons: It can be time-consuming.

15. Prepare Kids For Tests

Taking and passing exams is very important for students, so why not use your teaching skills to help students prepare for exams?

As a teacher you will be well versed in studying for exams and marking them, so you could help to prepare a student to pass their exams. You could work with one or a few students.

You could do this after school or during summer holidays to make it fit around your full-time job. The earning potential will vary depending on the subject, but you could charge $25 per hour minimum.

Pros: It can be rewarding when students pass their exams. It is also flexible so won’t impact your full-time job.

Cons: You will need to make time to prepare and keep up to date with syllabus changes.

16. Resell Items

If you have any unwanted clothes or shoes that are in good condition you could resell them and make some extra money. Or you could buy stuff and resell it for a profit.

Reselling unwanted items is easier as this doesn’t involve spending money, but if you have a good eye for a bargain you could buy items to resell. You can find them at places like an auction, a car boot sale, or an antique shop.

You can resell these items on places like eBay, Vinted, Facebook marketplace or at a car boot sale. This side hustle can make you an extra $100+ a month

Pros: If you have the right items it can be very lucrative.

Cons: Some items may take longer to sell.

17. Be a Pet Sitter or Dog Walker

If you love pets you could be a pet sitter or a dog walker, this can fit nicely around your working hours.

If you choose to do dog walking you can do this in the morning before work, in the evenings, and on the weekends. During the holidays the demand will increase as most families will be travelling.

You can get started by signing up to platforms like Rover to be a pet sitter or advertise locally or through your network of family and friends for dog walking opportunities. The rates you charge per hour could start from $10 upwards.

Pros: It can be flexible and fit well around your full-time job.

Cons: It can be overwhelming having pets in your home.

18. Host Summer Camp

Hosting summer camps can be a great side hustle during the summer holidays. Most areas host these clubs to help provide childcare for parents who work during the school holidays.

It is a good place for children to go and have fun while still engaging in activities. Being a summer camp host may involve some planning, but it won’t interrupt your full-time job as it is during the holidays. You can earn anywhere from $15 per hour upwards.

Pros: It can fit around your work schedule.

Cons: You may not be able to travel during the summer.

19. Become An Examiner

As a teacher you will be well versed in marking exams, becoming an examiner is a great option to make some money.

This can also be a great way to develop a deeper understanding and knowledge of your subject area. You can pass these learnings on to your students to help them prepare for exams.

You can do this virtually which offers flexibility. The earning potential for an examiner ranges from $500 – $1,000 depending on the type of exam you mark.

Pros: It can be done virtually which offers flexibility.

Cons: You will need to make time to prepare.

20. Teach Fitness Classes

If you have a passion for fitness you can teach fitness classes for kids outside of your working hours. You could do this as an after-school club, at the gym, in a local park or recreation centre.

Physical education is really important and the sooner children can learn this the better. With this knowledge, they can start taking care of their health from a young age and make better choices.

You can teach whatever you are passionate about, for example, it could be athletics, yoga or basketball. To get started you can reach out to local establishments or advertise on your social media. Earning can be anywhere from $20 an hour upwards.

Pros: You can help young children have a healthier lifestyle and gain confidence which is rewarding.

Cons: Getting started can be challenging.

21. Sell Products

If you are creative and enjoy making things you can create and sell products online. For example, you can make personalised mugs, stationery, planners, and t-shirts.

You can sell these items on platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or Amazon FBA. Or you can sell them on your own website, this will increase your earning potential as you won’t have to pay any fees for using the platform.

If your products are good and you market them well, you can make at least $100+.

Pros: It can be a fun way to make money on the side.

Cons: Making the products will be time-consuming.

22. Delivery Driver

If you want to make some quick cash during the school holidays or after work, being a delivery driver is a great option. Nowadays, people want the convenience of having things like groceries, takeaways, and books delivered to their door.

This demand brings plenty of opportunities to make money. You have a lot of choices on what you can deliver, the most popular is food and then parcels.

Companies like Deliveroo, Ubereats, and Just Eat are always looking for drivers. For packages, you could try Amazon Delivery. You could earn a minimum of $16 per hour, the more hours you work the more money you make.

Pros: You can make more money from tips and it is flexible as you can do it in the evening or on weekends.

Cons: Wear and tear on your vehicle or bike may leave you with repair expenses.

23. Freelance Writer

Freelance writing is a great side hustle for teachers, it is low commitment, flexible, and can be done from anywhere.

Writing is a great way to express your opinions and share your knowledge with others. You can find jobs on websites like:

Fiverr
Upwork
Linkedin
Indeed

You can write any type of content you want, but if you are an expert in a particular field you could offer niche writing. For example, if you were knowledgeable in biology you could offer writing services to science or healthcare publications. You could earn anywhere from $10 – $50 per hour

Pros: It is flexible and can be done from anywhere. It is also a good way to improve your writing skills while earning money.

Cons: You will earn less in the beginning. Once you build up your portfolio you can charge more.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Earn Extra Money as a Teacher?

There are many ways to earn extra money as a teacher using the skills that you already have. I have listed 23 ideas above that you can choose from. Here are a few more options.

Become a translator
Be an exam invigilator
Children’s party organiser

How Can I Make $1000 a Month Side Hustle?

A lot of the side hustles I have listed have the potential to earn $1000 a month. For example, if you created a course, offered consulting or created a YouTube channel, you could earn $1,000 a month. Here are some other ideas.

Manage social media accounts
Be a graphic designer
Design Thumbnails for creators

What Are The Most Rewarding Side Hustles?

Any side hustle that is helpful and adds value is rewarding. Some examples are tutoring, coaching, and teaching fitness classes. These side hustles all add value to people and help them to improve in some way.

Final Thoughts

There are many side hustle options for teachers. You can be a great teacher, add value, and make extra money using the skills you already have.

Many of the ideas I have shared will show you how to make passive income as a teacher. This is especially helpful when you are working a full-time demanding job.

Have you found these ideas helpful? Which side hustle sounds the best to you?