Teachers provide an invaluable service. However, teacher salaries don’t always reflect their contributions, and with the rising cost of living expenses, many people, including teachers, are looking for ways to make extra money.
Fortunately, in today’s digitally connected world, many teachers leverage their diverse skills for additional income. Here are the factors that influence teacher pay and some of the ways teachers can make more money in their spare time.
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Factors that influence teacher pay
There are several factors that can influence teacher salaries, including location, years of experience, and the nature of the position. Here’s more information on the factors that influence teacher pay:
Location
Teacher pay is significantly influenced by school district, city, and state. For example, according to a 2023 study, the average salary for a public school teacher in New York was $92,222, whereas the national US average salary was $66,397. It also matters what kind of institution you teach at: Private school teachers generally earn less than their public school counterparts.
Experience
One of the main factors influencing teacher pay is experience. Teachers with many years of experience are more likely to receive higher salaries compared to new teachers.
Role
Teaching salaries vary depending on the role and title of the position. For example, a teacher who’s also a department head for a specific school district likely makes more than a teacher assistant at the same school. Those in school administrator positions, like vice principals and superintendents, also tend to be on the higher end of the salary range.
Your subject and the students’ age group can also influence your salary. STEM—or science, technology, engineering, and math—teachers often are in high demand and, therefore, better compensated.
High school teachers also tend to command higher salaries, followed by middle school, elementary school, and, finally, preschool teachers.
Education level
In the United States, full-time teachers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree, and those with a master’s degree can earn higher salaries. All states require teachers to be licensed or certified in the grade level they teach.
Unions
Union representation can also influence your teaching salary. Teachers unions negotiate salary and benefit packages with employers to ensure fair compensation, job security, and adequate working conditions for educators.
Ways to make more money as a teacher
- Teaching summer school
- Offering tutoring services
- Selling lesson plans
- Creating online classes
- Working as a virtual assistant
- Coaching sports teams
- Test proctoring
- Freelance writing
- Launching a YouTube channel
There are several ways teachers can earn money outside of their standard teaching job. Here are some ways teachers can utilize their organizational, writing, and teaching skills:
Teaching summer school
Many educators teach summer school to earn additional income beyond the regular school year. Most teaching positions do not pay for the summer months when school is not in session, and being a summer school teacher can ensure that you teachers have a source of income during school breaks.
Offering tutoring services
Teachers can make more money by offering online tutoring services to students across the country, or by targeting local students looking for in-person help.
There’s a huge market for tutoring services in various topics, including English, math, and science. Tutors can also specialize in topics like SAT and ACT exam preparation or English as a second language (ESL).
Selling lesson plans
Teachers can also sell educational materials they’ve developed for their own classes. If you create lesson plans, worksheets, exams, and study guides, you can sell these to other teachers looking for resources.
Creating online classes
Teachers who’ve developed extensive educational materials for their classes can repurpose them and use their teaching skills to develop an online course.
Online courses often combine written, audio, and video content. Though they require a fair bit of preparation, with high-quality material and a good digital marketing strategy, online classes can eventually become an ongoing source of passive income.
Working as a virtual assistant
Busy professionals and companies hire virtual assistants to help with administrative tasks like scheduling meetings, managing email accounts, booking travel arrangements, and maintaining organized files.
Teachers can use their organizational skills to earn extra cash through virtual assistant positions they find online on platforms like Fancy Hands, Zirtual, Upwork, and Belay.
Coaching sports teams
Teachers can coach sports teams in their area to earn more money throughout the year. These are usually part-time positions, either within or outside the school district system.
Read more: 25 Side Hustle Ideas To Make Extra Money in 2024
Test proctoring
Test proctors are paid to oversee standardized tests, confirming the identities of the test takers and supervising the process. If you’re already part of a school system, test proctoring gigs may be relatively easy to find and hassle-free. The advantage is they require limited effort and can be done on an ad-hoc basis.
Freelance writing
Freelance writing is another side hustle option for teachers with a knack for writing. Companies pay freelance writers to create written content for websites, product pages, blog posts, advertisements, email campaigns, social media posts, and technical manuals. If you have a flair for writing, you can also earn extra money by offering ghostwriting services.
Read more: How To Make Money Online: 23 Proven Ideas for 2024
Launching a YouTube channel
Teachers can start their own YouTube channel and post videos related to their areas of expertise. You might offer resources and stories about what it’s like to be a teacher, or tips on how to teach a particular subject or age group.
Although it can take time and energy to garner a subscriber base on YouTube, this can be fulfilling supplementary work that allows you to connect with others interested in your field.
How to make more money as a teacher FAQ
Are there ways for teachers to make money without teaching?
There are plenty of ways that teachers can make money outside of traditional teaching jobs, including selling lesson plans, offering tutoring services, and coaching sports teams.
Can you supplement your income as a teacher?
Yes, teachers can supplement their income by taking on additional jobs like test proctoring, tutoring, freelance writing, or working as a virtual assistant.
How can you increase your income as a teacher?
Teachers can boost their income by assuming administrative roles, earning advanced degrees, teaching in-demand subjects, or working with older students. Additionally, they can supplement earnings through private tutoring, coaching, virtual assisting, or freelance writing, thus leveraging their experience working with children, or their writing and organizational skills.
