11 Best Part-Time Jobs for Teachers (From a Former Teacher!)

The question of jobs for teachers is something I’ve thought about a lot. I was actually a teacher before I started this blog, and I side hustled like crazy to pay off my student loan debt.

Teachers having a part-time gig isn’t uncommon at all these days. According to the Pew Research Center, one-in-six teachers hold a second job, and they aren’t just working summer jobs.

It can be a lot of work to hold a full-time teaching job and a side hustle, which is why I’ve put together this list of the best part-time jobs for teachers. There are a surprising number of flexible side hustles for teachers, weekend jobs for teachers, and some great summer gigs.

Second jobs for teachers

This first section includes part-time jobs for teachers that can be done year-round. These are jobs you can realistically work after your teaching day is over and on the weekends. They’re a good way to bring in a steady stream of additional income throughout the entire year.

1. Top Pick: Proofreader

If you cringe watching your students misplace commas or constantly mix up they/their/they’re, proofreading could be a really good part-time job for you. Proofreaders are detail-oriented freelancers who help writers and business owners produce professional-looking content.

Because proofreaders are freelancers, proofreading is a really flexible part-time job for teachers. You can fit it in after work, on the weekends, whenever you have a little spare time. Teachers make excellent proofreaders because you’re detail oriented and organized.

2. Online advertising for small business owners

Running Facebook ads was actually one of the first side gigs I ran after quitting my teaching job to run this site full time. I started small, working with the jeweler that sold me my wife’s engagement ring, but it only took a few months to earn more than I was making as a teacher.

Running Facebook and Instagram ads for small businesses is simply online advertising (aka digital marketing) on two of the largest social media platforms in the world. Because of the massive reach these platforms have, Facebook and Instagram continue to be the best online platforms for small businesses to increase their traffic and visibility. 

You can make around $1,000-$1,500 per month/per client with just a few hours of work each week. And because it only takes a few hours a week to keep your client's ads running, this is a great part-time job for teachers.

3. Tutor

Tutoring is one of the most obvious second jobs for teachers, and it’s a really great way for teachers to make extra cash. As a teacher, you already have the necessary experience and skills to tutor, and many families look for after-school or weekend tutoring for their kids.

What a lot of teachers like about this side job is that it pays pretty well — tutors can make anywhere from $20-$40/hour.

It’s best to specialize in a specific subject and age group. It will help you market your services, especially if you can talk about your experience or history teaching in that niche.

We highly recommend BookNook, which is  an online tutoring platform that connects K-8 students with tutors who can help them develop critical math and reading skills. Tutors make $15-$22/hour and must meet at least one of these requirements:

• 3+ years teaching or tutoring or
• 1 year teaching or tutoring and at least a bachelor’s degree or
• 1 year teaching or tutoring and current enrollment in a teaching credential program

You also must be a U.S. citizen to qualify. The tutoring sessions last 30 minutes, and you will work with 1-4 students at a time. There's no lesson planning involved — BookNook handles this part for you. 

BookNook tutors are paid twice a month via direct deposit.

Another option is to list your services on social media and ask your network to pass along your information. You can also list your services on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or NextDoor.

4. Deliver food

Food delivery is one of the most in-demand part-time jobs that I’m seeing right now. Some of the busiest times for food delivery are evening hours and weekends, which fits really well with a teaching schedule.

Doordash was founded in 2013 and partners with more than 300,000 restaurants nationwide. They focus pretty much exclusively on delivery from restaurants and convenience stores, and DoorDash drivers get paid $15-$25/hour while on delivery.

Dashers (what DoorDash drivers are called) can schedule to drive whenever they want, and there are no minimums or limits to the number of hours you can drive a week. You can even bring someone with you while you're on deliveries.

One of the reasons we like DoorDash is because they offer several promotions to help you earn more, including Peak Pay, when areas of the DoorDash app light-up red because there’s a higher need for drivers in those areas. You can also complete Challenges where you complete so many orders in a set amount of time.

DoorDash Disclaimer: Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries completed, time of day, location, and expenses. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from peak pay, tips, and other incentives.

Read more in our full DoorDash Driver review.

5. Pet sitting

Working with pets might just be the break you need after a long day of working with kids. This is a very flexible side job for teachers, and the sense of responsibility you need to have as a teacher translates into a valuable pet sitting skill.

There are different kinds of pet-sitting gigs depending on your availability and interests. You can board pets in your house — they come and live with you while the pet owner is out of town. You can stay at the pet owner’s house, or go and check on their pets from time to time.

Pet sitters can earn anywhere from $30-$50/day depending on where they live and the kinds of services they need to perform, like administering medication or grooming, for example.

If you’re interested in this great side hustle for teachers, I highly recommend using Rover. It’s free to create an account and list your services, and Rover takes a 30% service fee per booking.

6. Instacart shopper

Another food delivery option is delivering groceries for Instacart. Instacart was founded in 2012 and now operates in all 50 states and parts of Canada.

There are two options for Instacart shoppers:

• Full-service shoppers: You shop for customers' orders and deliver them — you’re technically an independent contractor.
• In-store shoppers: You take customer orders and shop for them, but someone else delivers them — you are considered a part-time employee.

Working as a full-service Instacart shopper will probably be the most flexible option for teachers. You pick the area you deliver for and choose your hours, which are scheduled in the app. Instacart shoppers average $12-$20/hour and keep 100% of their tips.

Like all food delivery services, the sign-up process involves a background check and a clean driving record. It typically takes drivers around a week to start driving after they’ve signed up.

7. House sitter

I’ve always thought that house sitting would be one of the best summer jobs for teachers because it’s something you can easily do in addition to another side hustle. Plus, you can make $25-$50 per overnight stay.

Rover (the pet sitting website) can also be used for house sitting services, or you can find house sitting jobs on Care.com.

Another option, while it doesn’t pay, is looking for out-of-town house-sitting jobs on TrustedHouseSitter.com. Homeowners list houses in the U.S. and different parts of the world, and in exchange for a free stay in a beautiful place, you take care of their house.

8. Virtual assistant

Virtual assistants (VAs) are a huge asset to business owners like myself. They are responsible for all kinds of behind-the-scenes work, and they also keep business owners on task. Because teachers have to be extremely organized and able to juggle several things at a time, working as a virtual assistant is one of the best part-time jobs for teachers. It doesn't hurt that virtual assistants make around $500/month per client.

Here’s a better idea of what virtual assistants do:

• Email inbox management
• Project management
• Publishing blog posts
• Maintaining and publishing to social media accounts
• Making travel arrangements
• Scheduling
• Bookkeeping
• Customer service
• Pinterest account management

Your exact responsibilities can vary from client to client, but this is a fast-paced and flexible option. 

Some companies hire virtual assistants for business owners, and others that match VAs with one-off tasks. But if you want to make the most money, I highly recommend going into business for yourself. The article How to Become a Virtual Assistant explains everything from finding a niche, courses, and starting your own VA side hustle.

9. Flip stuff online

"Flipping" stuff to sell is buying things at thrift stores, garage sales, online marketplaces, etc., and selling them at a higher price to earn a profit. Melissa and Rob of Flea Market Flipper have made a serious living flipping things — they made over $130,000 in side income one year.

Here's an idea of some of the things Melissa and Rob have flipped:

• A bus wash found on Facebook Marketplace for $500 and re-sold for $14,500
• Commercial cleaner bought for $2 and flipped for $35
• Volvo windshield picked up for free and sold for $225
• Teak patio set bought for $100 on OfferUp and re-sold for $900

This could be one of the most fun summer jobs for teachers who wants something that’s more hands-on and doesn’t involve spending their spare time sitting at a computer or staring at an app. A lot of your time is shopping around to find things to flip.

10. Freelance writer

In my experience, teachers make great freelance writers. You’re an excellent communicator, you know how to do research, and you can logically piece together an argument.

There are lots of different kinds of freelance writing work you can do on the side, too. Bloggers are often looking for freelance writers to help fill out their content calendar. You can write sales pages, emails, stock web content, and much more.

Freelance writing work is known for being really flexible, and it’s scalable — so the work fits in easily with your teaching schedule and you can grow your writing business on the side.

Read How to Become a Freelance Writer: The Ultimate Guide to learn how to get started. 

11. Blogger

I can’t talk about side jobs for teachers without mentioning this one. I created this site on the side of my teaching job and eventually left teaching to blog full time.

Blogging is a slow business model overall, but it has the highest overall earning potential for a part-time job. It took me a few months to make anything from this site, but now I’m making a 7-figure income five years later.

Not every blogger will have the same trajectory — a lot of bloggers comfortably make $1,000-$5,000 extra each month.

What I like so much about blogging is that you can build it at your own pace. You’re also in complete control of what you write about and how you monetize your site.

If you’re interested in starting a blog, I recommend:

• Check out my free, step-by-step guide: How to Start a Blog in 2022.
• Start your site with Bluehost for as little as $2.95/month. Bluehost allows you to build a professional-looking blog, and you can get discounted pricing with my exclusive Bluehost link.
• Check out my free service Launch That Blog. This service is free if you sign up through my Bluehost link, and my team will handle all of the technical aspects of building your blog.

Best summer jobs for teachers

Don’t want to teach summer school? Honestly, every single one of the jobs above would work in the summertime, but here are great summer jobs for teachers who want a low-commitment gig for the summer months.

• Work at a museum or zoo: Most museums and zoos have educational centers that look for people with teaching experience. There are also jobs for tour guides, front desk staff, gallery staff, and more.
• Bartender/server: Bartenders and servers make pretty good money once you include tips, and what a lot of teachers like about this job is that you’re completely removed from any of the stress of teaching. The only downside would be running into one of your students!
• Babysitting: If you love kids that much and just can’t get enough of them, babysitting can be a great way to bring in more money. Chances are if you’re a highly respected teacher in the district, your phone will be ringing off the hook for babysitting opportunities, but you have the ultimate say in which jobs you take or don’t.
• Camp counselor: If you miss your students during the summer months, consider working as a camp counselor. Since you already know how to keep track of kids and keep them in line, you’re ready to rock the position and have a little fun with kids in a different way in the summer.

Where to find part-time jobs for teachers

Now that I’ve shared the many places to find part-time jobs for teachers, it’s time to figure out where to find these jobs.

Many of them are just by word-of-mouth or you starting your own gig, such as a freelance writing gig or writing coach. If you start your own thing, share what you’re doing with others including friends and family. Share it on your social media too and don’t be afraid to put up flyers in your area.

If you’re looking for a more structured part-time job, you should use one of the many online resources available including:

FlexJobs

FlexJobs says it's the “#1 job site to find vetted remote, work from home, and flexible job opportunities since 2007.” It's a great platform if you want to find part-time jobs, freelance work, or work-from-home options. There are great filtering tools so can easily search through thousands of jobs on FlexJobs. Learn more in our full FlexJobs review.

It's worth mentioning that FlexJobs charges a fee to use the platform. You're paying for access to an ad-free job site that makes it easy to tailor your search to your exact part-time job needs.

FlexJobs has four different pricing options:

• One week for $9.95: FlexJobs doesn't offer a free trial, so this is the closest you'll get.
• One month for $24.95: The one-month plan makes sense for most people, especially since the market favors job seekers right now.
• Three months for $39.95: This option gives you a little more time to find a job, and breaks down to $3.33 per week.
• One year for $59.95: Better for freelancers who continually look for new jobs and clients, and the year-long membership breaks down to $1.15 per week.

Indeed

Just plug in part-time jobs for teachers in Indeed or the keywords from any of the jobs that interest you above and you’ll see the options available in your area. You can also set up alerts for specific job types on Indeed and they’ll email you if a job becomes available.

Zip Recruiter

Zip Recruiter is another great online job search platform. It’s free to use and you can create searches, save them, and get job alerts for the jobs that meet your criteria. If you’re looking for summer gigs, I suggest you start looking at the start of the year since the jobs fill up fast with teachers looking for summer employment just like you.

Craigslist

It’s amazing the things you can find on Craigslist, including part-time jobs for teachers. If you want to do something like tutoring or coaching, search for those keywords on Craigslist in your area and you may find people looking for your services. You can also create an ad on Craigslist telling people in the area what you offer.

Create a listing at your local library

Ask your local library if they keep a list of tutors, coaches, or anyone else starting a freelance gig in the area. Most libraries keep a book of resources for their customers to look through when they require specific services.

The final word on part-time jobs for teachers

I have so much respect for teachers. Not only did I teach, but my wife was also a teacher, and my mom spent decades working in schools. Sometimes it’s a tough job that extends well beyond the school day.

So when you want a side job, you need legitimate options that pay well and work with your busy schedule.

Online advertising and starting a blog are my favorite picks — it’s what I have experience with and I know many other teachers who have been successful in these areas.

There’s a lot of growth in food delivery, plus it’s not too difficult. Doordash drivers get paid $23/hour national average while on delivery, so that’s worth checking out!

There are lots of great part-time jobs for teachers available. Think about what kind of things you’re interested in doing, your timeline for earning money, and what your end goals are. This will help you pick the best option.