If you are a teacher looking to earn some extra money through a side hustle? Teachers have so many skills that can be used to generate some additional income so today we are going to look at 18 of the best side jobs for teachers to supplement their salary.
The side hustles below are all ways that teachers can hustle to make some extra cash at weekends and evenings to allow them to obtain the income they deserve.
It is no wonder many people in education are looking for the best side jobs for teachers given their current skills and pay.
Table of Contents
1. Teaching Online
Teaching online is a great way to supplement your income and build your teaching portfolio. You can teach many different subjects, including English, Spanish, history and maths. This is one of the best side jobs for teachers because you have the skills and experience and do this as your normal job. The only difference is you can do it online as a side hustle to earn extra money.
Online tutors are in demand all over the world because they allow students who can’t afford expensive private lessons or time off from work to have access to expert teachers at their convenience.
As an online tutor, you can choose how much time you want to invest each week and how much money you want to make. If you’re looking for more flexibility than traditional teaching offers or want to build up your teaching skills before starting another career path altogether, this could be the perfect side job for teachers like yourself. This is why working online is one of the best side jobs for teachers.
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2. Virtual Tutor
Virtual tutoring is a great side job for teachers because it allows you to work from home, on your own time. You can pick up and put down your clients as you see fit, so this can be a good option for those who want to take extra time off during the summer or winter break without losing out on any income.
To get started as a virtual tutor, all you’ll need is:
- A degree in education or equivalent experience working with children/adults
- A reliable internet connection
- Some knowledge of the subject you’ll be teaching so if teaching English you will need to know about grammar and tenses.
3. Get paid to be a virtual assistant
If you’re looking for a side hustle that will pay, consider becoming a virtual assistant. This type of “work from home” job can be done from anywhere in the world and is ideal for people who want to make some extra money while still working their full-time job as teachers.
Whether you choose to work with one client or many, there are plenty of ways to get started as a virtual assistant. The first step? Starting your own business! You can do this by connecting with clients through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter or by creating an online presence on sites such as Fiverr and Upwork.
Once you have some clients, it’s time to start doing what they need done so they can focus on other things (like teaching!). Some common tasks include:
- Email correspondence (responding quickly with quick answers)
- Phone calls/Zoom or Teams calls (answering questions related to their business)
4. Selling Handmade Products on Etsy
If you’re a teacher who handy with a needle then one of the best side jobs for teachers like yourself is Etsy. It is a great place to sell your handmade products. Etsy is an online marketplace where thousands of people from all over the world come to purchase unique and vintage items. The site has a large customer base of buyers who are looking for handmade goods, so it’s easy for sellers to find customers for their goods.
The best part about selling on Etsy is that it’s free to open an account and start listing your products right away (though if you want more exposure in search results and have the money available, you can choose between three paid plans). You don’t need any prior experience selling online or making crafts; just set up shop as soon as possible!
5. Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is a great side hustle for teachers because it’s low-commitment, flexible and can be done from anywhere! Many people who write for a living do so in their spare time or while they commute to work.
To get started with freelance writing, you need to set up your profile on a marketable website like Fiverr and Upwork. These sites offer some of the best side jobs for teachers so it is definitely worth spending time looking around them for money making ideas and suggestions.
Both these sites will help you find jobs and clients by matching you with people looking for writers like yourself. You will also have access to learning materials on how best to write effectively as well as an online community of other freelancers who are working towards similar goals.
According to Indeed freelance writers can make over £21 an hour. As always some will make more money and some will make less depending on their skill levels but it is a reasonable reward for a side hustle using your skills as a teacher.
If you are looking for some of the best side jobs for teachers that pay well then you can check out different pay rates on Indeed quite easily.
6. Host an Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows people to list and book unique accommodations around the world. Airbnb hosts can make up to a £1,000 per month—and sometimes even more than that!
To be an Airbnb host, you must:
- Be at least 21 years old and have a valid credit card
- Have a place with at least one bedroom—but it doesn’t need to be your primary residence
- Be willing to host guests for at least one night (usually no longer than 30 days)
7. Get Paid to Grade Tests Online
Have you ever graded tests? If so, then you know how tedious and boring it can be. That’s where online test grading comes in.
You get paid to grade tests (usually through a platform like Amazon Mechanical Turk or Upwork) by taking an online test and choosing the right answer from the options given. Sometimes there are multiple answers that could be right, but if students have to guess between two answers—which is often the case—your job is to pick which one makes more sense according to the rest of the passage or question.
There are many companies that hire people as online test graders for short-term projects (usually lasting about 30 minutes). The rates vary depending on your experience level and location but typically require a bachelor’s degree or higher.

8. Make money as a Translator
If you have a good command of English and Spanish, you can make money as a translator. You can translate articles, books, and even contracts. You’ll need to be patient as it may take some time for your work to be published.
Translating is one of the best side jobs for teachers who teach foreign languages at school as you are using the same skills but getting paid to do a service in your spare time for providing it.
There are several sites that hiring translators on an ongoing basis: Translators Café, Hire Translators, Translation Directory, and numerous others that can be found online.
9. Pet Care
Pet care is a great side hustle for teachers because it’s a way to make extra money, build your resume, and help people. If you love animals and have a few hours a week to spare, this could be the perfect option for you.
Dog walking is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise after being stuck in the classroom all day. If you would like to discover how to make money dog walking then simply click the link to find out more.
Pet sitting is an easy way to earn some extra cash without having to leave the house or take on any major costs. It’s also something that can easily turn into a full-time job if you want it too (which we do!). You don’t need any special training or certification—just some enthusiasm and good communication skills!
Not only will pet care give you some extra cash each month but it will also allow people who are unable to look after their pets on their own optimal time away from work or school commitments because they have access to someone who loves animals just as much as them!
10. Wedding celebrant
If you are looking for something a bit more unusual then a retired teacher found working as a wedding celebrant her ideal job in retirement. Thankfully you do not need to be retired to become a wedding celebrant.
It is however a good example of how you can make use of the transferrable skills you have developed as a teacher such as planning, listening, and speaking in front of groups of people to a money-making side hustle.
A wedding celebrant is a person who performs and officiates wedding ceremonies and vow renewals. A celebrant will spend time getting to know their clients allowing them to choose the vows the couple want, the music they want, and any readings they would like. This allows the couple to have as much or as little religious content in the ceremony as they desire.
Who would have thought that speaking at all those morning assemblies would prepare you for a side hustle as a wedding celebrant!
11. Make money as an exam invigilator
Being an exam invigilator is a side job that can be done at any time, and there’s no limit to how many exams you can work on in one day. As long as you have the right qualifications, you could make up to £100 a day (the average pay for an invigilator).
The qualifications needed for this role include:
- A good understanding of the subject matter being tested. You’ll need to know enough about it so that if students get stuck, or want clarification on something, they can come to you for answers instead of making things up themselves.
- An understanding of how the exams work in general and what standardised tests involve. That way, if students were to ask questions about these things too (which I’ve seen happen), then your knowledge will help guide them through their answers too – which means less stress all round!

12. Get paid to be a referee or umpire
You can make a difference in the lives of young people. If you’re looking for a part-time job that will help keep your skills sharp and provide an outlet for some of your competitive nature, this is a great option. You’ll work mostly outdoors, enjoy flexible hours and get to travel around the country if you choose to do so.
Referees and umpires are in high demand nationwide, so there are plenty of opportunities available across the country—even if you live in a small town without professional sports teams!
This is one of the best side jobs for teachers involved with physical education. The pay is good (especially considering how easy it is), but there’s more than just money at stake here: Refereeing or umpiring gives teachers an excellent opportunity to use their positive influence on young athletes who could really use someone like them on their side sometimes.
13. Make money flipping websites
Teachers with their eye for detail can make money buying and selling websites and domains online to earn extra cash.
Of course, you can’t buy a website without knowing what to look for. If you’re feeling particularly eager, there are websites that will help teach you about the site flipping process. But if not, no worries! There are still plenty of ways to find websites in need of improvement or simply not being taken care of as they should be.
You can go through forums and communities where people with similar interests gather on the web—for example, Reddit’s r/flipping domain has more than 300k subscribers who love talking about everything from how they made their first profit to advice on avoiding scammers and staying safe while buying sites online.
Another option is looking at niche-specific directories like Flippa Market (which focuses specifically on digital assets) or Flippa Marketplace (with listings across all types), but these can get pricey if many listings catch your eye—so instead try searching Google using terms like “Buy Websites” or “Affiliate Marketing” along with city/region combinations.
14. Make money as a musician
One of the best side jobs for teachers who teach music is to make money from playing a musical instrument in your spare time. If you can play a musical instrument well and are passionate about playing then you could make earn some extra money with music. You need to enjoy playing as otherwise, it won’t be fun for you and your audience won’t like it either.
You should also think about what kind of music people are looking for these days – if there’s a demand for jazz or classical music, then focus on those genres rather than rock or pop. If there’s no interest in folk music then don’t even bother trying – no one will hire you! The trick is finding what customers want while also doing something that makes sense with your own unique musical tastes.
If you are not keen on playing in public then you could also teach people to play music from home.
15. Freelance Editing for Magazines & Websites
Freelance editing is a skill that can be used in many different jobs. Find out the best way to get started and where your services will be most useful.
- If you have experience as a teacher, you already know how to run a class or manage students. Editing requires similar skills of organization and time management, so it’s a good fit for teachers who want to stay in the education field but need something part-time or flexible.
- Editing involves reading through text, checking facts, and correcting spelling mistakes; these are all tasks that require attention to detail and careful reading skills—something that comes naturally when you’re an experienced reader yourself!
16. E-book Authoring
E-books are a great way to earn some extra cash. You can choose from a wide variety of topics, including education, business and finance, and health.
You’re in luck if you’re an expert in any of these areas because you can write an E-book on your field of expertise.
If you don’t have any ideas for what type of book to write about yet then here some tips:
- Write about something that people are passionate about.
- Think outside the box when it comes to what kinds of books could make money online. You might be surprised at how many people will buy them!
17. Sell Stock Photos/Videos
Stock photos and videos are a great way to make money while you’re not teaching. You can sell your images or videos on sites like Shutterstock, iStockPhoto, and Adobe Stock. These sites act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, who may be looking for commercial or non-commercial content for their printed materials, websites, and other advertisements.
Other side jobs for teachers
We have listed some of the best side jobs for teachers above but these are only a selection of the side hustles available for teachers.
If you are serious about making additional income as a teacher then you need to carry out some research online and in your local area to decide what services you could offer.