Looking for the best side hustles for teachers? While there are countless side hustle ideas available to you, here are the best side jobs for teachers and educators to take advantage of to make extra money.
Stuff happens. It's very common for teachers to want to learn how to make extra money in the summer – anything from wanting to make extra money while you have some free time or looking to save up for vacation.
Or maybe you want to increase your monthly income so you can spend it on whatever you want.
For many educators, side jobs for teachers are necessary because many areas don't pay their teachers well enough. According to EducationWeek, 1 in 5 public school teachers is working a part-time or side gig during the school year.
Amber McCoy, a fourth-grade teacher at Kellogg Elementary in Huntington, West Virginia, has 16 years' experience under her belt, but still makes just $44,000 a year. She has worked side gigs and even as a pet walker for Rover to make ends meet.
Whatever your reason for wanting a new side hustle, don't worry. I'm going to show you how to make extra money as a teacher.
Remember how much money you stand to make depends on how much effort you put in, and only you.
1. Teaching English as a second language
If you're looking for teacher side jobs then you can easily earn extra money teaching English. You don't even have to attend a physical class though — you can teach from your house!
The most popular companies that offer teaching gigs are VIPKid (now rebranded as VIPTeacher) and Education First.
Education First (US/UK)
A growing side hustle for teachers is becoming an online tutor with Education First. Teachers with EF enjoy the ability to choose their own work-from-home schedule, bring their own teaching style to a custom-designed classroom, and receive local, US and UK-based support with weekly payment. Teachers with EF can earn around $20/hour, though exact rates vary by region and experience.
VIPKid / VIPTeacher
Another teaching opportunity: VIPKid, which rebranded as VIPTeacher after a 2021 regulatory change in China reshaped its business, still connects English-speaking teachers with students online. Hiring and pay have changed a lot since VIPKid's peak years, users do not need to know a foreign language or have formal teaching experience, but as of 2026, base pay runs closer to $14/hour, with total pay (including bonuses) commonly landing in the $15-22/hour range depending on your booking rate and student load.
Next steps: If you're interested, I recommend you sign up for more information from EF and VIPTeacher.
2. Freelance writing
There are legit companies that pay weekly that will pay you for your writing talents.
As long as you're willing to put in the work, you're able to get paid. If your writing is top-notch then the sky is the limit.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), writers and authors (as a general category) make, on average, $61,820 annually. This sum works out to a little less than $30/hour ($29.72 to be exact.)
According to Glassdoor the average for “freelance writer” comes down a bit to $42,120.
Next steps: To save you time hunting for writing gigs, focus on creating a freelance profile on the best sites like Upwork and Fiverr.
3. Delivering food in your off time
All you need is a scooter or car, a mobile phone, and some extra room in your schedule and you can get paid to deliver food with Uber Eats.
According to Glassdoor, the average delivery driver earns in the range of $15-20 hourly before factoring in vehicle expenses (gas, maintenance, etc).
Delivery fees can vary quite a bit from day to day or hour to hour, and it's often more lucrative to work lunch and dinner rushes in order to earn on the higher end of the pay scale.
Next steps: If you're interested you can read our step-by-step guide on how to become an Uber Eats driver.
4. Get personalized money moves with MoneyAnswers
Not sure which side hustle, savings account, or offer actually makes sense for your situation? MoneyAnswers is a free AI-powered personal finance tool that helps you sort through your options and find offers tailored to your goals.
Just answer a few quick questions about your financial situation, and MoneyAnswers surfaces relevant guidance and curated offers, so instead of guessing which side hustle or money move is worth your time, you get a starting point built around your numbers.
Next steps: Try MoneyAnswers for free and get guidance suited to your situation.
5. Drive for Uber or Lyft
Driving for a rideshare app is one of the most flexible side hustles for teachers, since you can do it entirely around your school schedule.
On-demand ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft let you drive passengers around and get paid, on your own hours.
Both companies periodically run new-driver sign-up bonuses to compete for drivers, so it's worth checking current offers in your area before choosing one. Uber's driver requirements also tend to be a bit stiffer than Lyft's, so factor that in if you're deciding between the two.
Next steps: Read our Uber vs. Lyft comparison to see which one fits your market best, or sign up to drive for Uber directly.
6. List your spare room on Airbnb
Airbnb is a great side business for teachers.
All that you need is a spare room or entire home to share and you stand to make a lot of money by renting it a few days a month.
Don't believe me?
Access Airbnb's free earning calculator to see how much you stand to make.
No matter what kind of home or room you have to share, Airbnb makes it simple and secure to host travelers.
You're in full control of your availability, prices, house rules, and how you interact with guests.
Next steps: Click here to learn more about becoming an Airbnb host and start earning with this side hustle.
7. Invest in real estate with as little as $10
Wouldn't it be great if you could invest in real estate with only $10?
Without having to deal with property management, painting walls, or lengthy confusing contracts?
Now you can with a company called Fundrise.
Fundrise lets you invest in real estate, though like any investment, returns vary year to year and are never guaranteed. Check the platform for its current historical performance before deciding how much to invest.
There is a reason that hundreds of thousands of users use 'em (plus me).
Next steps: If you're interested, I recommend you sign up for more information from Fundrise by clicking here.
8. Get money right now from Upstart
If you actually need money now, a personal loan can help. When you need money in a hurry, Upstart is where to go.
You apply for a loan through the Upstart site, and if approved, they connect you with one of their partner lenders.
You review the loan details and e-sign if you like what you see. There's no risk in checking what offers you'll get. Loan amounts and speed of funding vary by lender and your creditworthiness, but many borrowers see funds as soon as the next business day.
Upstart connects borrowers to lenders through its network. You can check your rate on Upstart here without it affecting your credit score.
Next steps: Get quick cash from Upstart here.
9. Check if you're owed money with FileYourClaim
This is one of the easiest side hustles for teachers that requires the least work, because you're not earning new money, you're just claiming money you're likely already owed.
FileYourClaim helps you track down and file for class action settlements, rebates, and unclaimed funds you may be eligible for, often from companies or products you've already used.
It takes just a few minutes to check current claims, and there's no cost to file.
Next steps: If you're interested, check current open claims and file for what you're owed at FileYourClaim.
10. Join Freecash and claim a $10 bonus
You probably already heard about Freecash, but if you haven't then you're in for a treat.
Freecash pays you for completing offers, testing apps, taking surveys, and playing games, then lets you cash out via PayPal, gift card, or crypto.
Payout amounts vary a lot by offer, so it's worth browsing what's currently available before diving in and joining with a $10 signup bonus.
Next steps: Sign up for Freecash to earn money fast by doing offers, surveys, and playing games.
11. Rip open free bonus packs with ReferralWallet
If you like the idea of easy money for basically zero effort, ReferralWallet is one of the simplest side hustles for teachers on this list.
ReferralWallet is a free rewards directory built around a fun pack-rip mechanic: sign up, open packs, and reveal real sign-up bonuses and offers, no deposit or credit card required to join.
Streaks and vault mechanics unlock better packs the more consistently you check in, and some bonus packs are unlocked simply by confirming your email.
Next steps: Sign up for ReferralWallet for free and start ripping packs for bonus offers.
12. Get paid to test apps with Testerup
Get paid for something you're probably already doing anyway: trying out new apps. Testerup pays you to download and test apps on your phone.
Sign up takes just a few minutes, and new users can grab a $5 signup bonus to get started.
Once you're in, you simply pick an app from the offer wall, download it, complete the requested actions, and get paid, no special skills or experience required.
Next steps: Claim your $5 bonus and start testing apps at Testerup.
13. Search for unclaimed money with Strata
Believe it or not, states across the US are currently holding billions of dollars in unclaimed property, old paychecks, forgotten deposits, uncashed checks, and more, just waiting for the rightful owner to claim it.
Strata auto-detects your state and searches unclaimed property records across all 50 states, so you can quickly check if any of that money belongs to you.
It only takes a couple of minutes to search, and it costs nothing to check or to file a claim.
Next steps: Search your name for free at Strata and see if you're owed money.
How to start a side hustle while keeping your teaching job
According to a recent Bankrate survey, roughly a third of Americans report having some type of side hustle. A meaningful share say they make more than $500 per month from it, proving it is possible to create a profitable side hustle even with a day job. But how?
If you're keen on learning how to start a side hustle even with a full-time teaching job, here's how to go about it:
Passion over profit
When you're already putting in 40+ hours a week at your primary teaching job, it can be daunting to think about adding even more hours to your workday. Plus, choose the wrong side hustle and it can wear you down, in some cases, demotivating you completely. That is unless you find something you really enjoy doing.
Business News Daily shares that, when you love the work you do, you tend to feel more fulfilled, you're more productive, and you have higher rates of success. You push yourself to keep going when others would have given up because you really like the job.
Ask yourself: what are some things I enjoy doing so much that I am willing to spend my off-time doing them? For instance, if you like working on computers, could you offer computer repair services or teach your skills to others?
Research demand
Once you've identified one or two things that you could potentially do as a side hustle, the next step is to research demand. In other words, the goal is to find the skills you like to use and that someone is willing to pay you for.
One way to determine demand is to look around you to see if other businesses are offering the same services in your area. If not, why? Is it that you're the first to market in your area or that the customer base is too small. Alternatively, if the market is saturated with similar businesses, is there enough work to sustain you too?
Another way to research demand is to conduct a survey. Share your idea with others in your community and ask if they'd be willing to pay for it. If so, take down their name and number so you can contact them once you determine that your side hustle is worth pursuing and your business is up and running.
Create your brand
If there is enough interest and demand to make your idea worth trying, you need to create your brand. This will set you apart from others and brand recognition also makes you easier to find.
Part of brand creation involves choosing your business name. Some people use their own name (like John Smith Lawncare) and others take a more creative route. Creating the right logo is important too, and this is something you can do quite easily with an online logo maker.
When developing your brand, it's important to think about how you want others to feel when they hear your name or see your logo. Choose colors and images that elicit those feelings and entice people to want to do business with you.
Get online
The final step necessary for creating a profitable side hustle is to make sure your target market can find you online. This is critical as one BrightLocal survey found that the vast majority of consumers use internet searches to find the companies they want to do business with.
Getting online requires first setting up a website, which you can do yourself if you're inclined. Next, set up business profiles on the social media sites your clients would use most. Start posting and getting the word out that you're open for hire.
Starting a profitable side hustle is possible, as many full-time teachers are already doing this.
How to fail with the best side hustles for teachers
If you made it here, you should have plenty of ideas on the best side hustles for teachers.
But I want you to remember that in the end, the only person limiting your side hustle income is yourself and your mindset. There are countless ways to make cash with side hustles especially when you need it.
The only way you can fail at making earning money is to give up. If you stop trying every time you fail, you're not going to make it.
Don't give up. Keep trying until you make it with these side gigs.
Have you made money with any of these side hustles for teachers? I'd love to hear any strategies I missed.
Thanks for the list. I was on the fence about driving for Lyft on the side, but this article swayed me. I’ll give it a go. Thanks.
I really like the Upwork platform for freelancing. Also, I found some great freelancers to outsource some of my extra works. It is easy to set up profile, post a job and hire the right freelancer from 100s of bids. Hassle-free process.
We found Upwork to be a great resource for outsourcing work to competent workers. I’m surprised I haven’t been using it longer — 100% agree with your comment.
Thanks for sharing these resources. It’s amazing how you can get creative when in a crisis (pandemic)
Agreed, being indoors makes you get creative and try new ideas! Glad you enjoyed them, Shannon!