9 Legit Side Hustles for Teachers [$5k+ Per Month]

Below, we’ve broken down nine of the best side hustles for teachers—a few being related to teaching and a few not. You can manage these side hustles remotely, allowing you to fit them around your work schedule seamlessly.

1. Teach Virtual Classes on Outschool ($26 per hour)

Outschool is an education marketplace connecting curious students with virtual teachers. As a teacher on the platform, you can offer just about any course—from music to science to health.

Here are a few examples of popular courses:

• Let’s Cook Dinner! An Ongoing Cooking Club
• Squishmallow Drawing Club
• Survival Skills with a Marine
• Chess for Beginners
• 1:1 Math Tutoring

Most teachers earn around $32 per hour on the platform, although some report earning a few hundred dollars per class. This depends largely on the type of class you offer, how much you charge, and how many students you allow in the class.

For example, if you charge $11 per class, you might make less with a preschool audience given the need for smaller class sizes to keep students engaged. On the other hand, a class of 18 middle schoolers would earn you much more.

2. Teach English as a Second Language Classes ($26 per hour)

On average, English as a Second Language (ESL)  teachers make $26 per hour. While this isn’t the most competitive pay, many educators find joy in helping students work through the challenges of learning a new language.

Platforms like Preply, VIPKid, and Cambly are great places to start. Some platforms require a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, while others don’t.

3. Teachers Pay Teachers (Varies)

As a teacher, we might be preaching to the choir with this one. But just in case you haven’t heard of it yet, Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) is an online marketplace for educational resources. Teachers can sell their educational materials to make extra cash, and other teachers can purchase them to assist with their teaching.

On TPT, teachers sell worksheets, lesson plans, printables, assessments, and more. These range in price, from free to around $75, although most resources are under $10. How much you earn on the platform varies depending on the quality of the resources you sell, the price, and how much you sell.

Here’s what we estimate a few teachers have made from just one of their products:

• Erin Waters’s First Grade Writing Prompts → $124,200
• My Teaching Pal’s Read and Find Phonics I-Spy Worksheets → $3,148
• Amber from TGIF’s Multiplication Arrays → $9,450

4. Create and Sell an Online Course or Digital Product (Varies)

Abigail Peugh, a social media creator and digital product seller, made over $1 million in sales in 2023 from her products alone. Regardless of the subject you teach, you have something to offer. Why not package that into a profitable course or digital product?

One of the best parts—you don’t need a massive audience on social media to sell courses or other digital products. You can get started right away.

5. Become a Virtual Assistant ($35 per hour)

If you’d prefer your side hustle isn’t related to teaching—we get it. Side hustles can and should be fun. And sometimes, when they’re virtually the same as our day job, the fun gets sucked right out of it.

That said, teachers bring a unique skill set to what they do. You’ve learned to problem solve, manage multiple tasks at once, and think on your toes. This makes you the ideal candidate for virtual assistant positions.

As a virtual assistant, you’d provide administrative, technical, or creative support to clients. You may assist with tasks like:

• Administrative → Scheduling appointments, managing email inboxes, making travel arrangements
• Technical → Manage social media presence, basic data entry
• Creative → Copywriting, light video editing, basic graphic design

Virtual assistants in the United States earn around $35 per hour, making it one of the highest-paying side hustles without a degree requirement.

6. Help Businesses with Bookkeeping ($30 per hour)

If you’ve got a system in place for managing the hundreds of worksheets, permission slips, and lesson plans you’ve got, bookkeeping might be the side hustle for you.

As a bookkeeper, you’d help clients manage their financial records. For some bookkeeping roles, you’ll need a quick certification, but for others, you just need familiarity with accounting software like QuickBooks. Regardless, online bookkeepers earn an average of $30 per hour.

7. Create TikTok Content (Varies)

If you enjoy being on camera and testing new products, this side hustle is for you. As a TikTok content creator with access to TikTok Shop, you can make videos sharing your thoughts on products you purchase through the app. When a viewer purchases that same product via your link, you’ll earn a commission. This earns some creators upwards of $15,000 per month.

8. Become a Freelance Writer (Up to $85 per hour)

If you enjoy writing, delve into the world of freelance content writing or copywriting. You can choose any topic you’d like to write about—from finance to health to pets. Then, create a quick portfolio showcasing some of your work. Apply for opportunities on sites like Pangea, Contra, and LinkedIn. On average, freelance writers earn anywhere from $20 to $85 per hour.

9. Launch an Etsy Shop ($5,000 per month)

Some Etsy sellers earn more from their shops than their full-time roles. With a bit of research, grit, and patience, this can become your reality, too.

Etsy is an online creative marketplace for selling and buying unique goods. While the platform was designed for handmade, physical goods, it’s broadened over the years. Now, you can sell digital products and print-on-demand items, which don’t require holding an inventory or hand making an item.

While you can make teacher-focused items, like printable classroom posters or print-on-demand teacher gifts, you don’t have to. There are endless possibilities with digital and print-on-demand products.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make an Extra $1,000 a Month as a Teacher?

If you want a teaching-related side hustle, teach online classes or sell products on Teachers Pay Teachers. If you’d prefer a non-teaching-related side hustle, launch an Etsy shop, become a freelance writer, or become a virtual assistant. All can earn you $1,000 per month.

What’s the Best Passive Income Stream for Teachers?

The best passive income source for teachers is an Etsy shop. With a digital or print-on-demand product, you can sell items in the background passively.

What Are Some Good Side Hustles for Teachers During the Summer?

Teaching on Outschool is a great side hustle for teachers during the summer. Students are on school vacation, and many parents head to Outschool to find engaging classes to prevent their children from losing what they learned during the academic year. With high demand, Outschool teachers can charge more for their classes, earning them a stable income over the summer.