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Summer jobs allow teachers to earn income when they may not receive a regular paycheck. There are still many ways to utilize your teaching skills. You can also avoid burnout by pursuing money-making ideas with a flexible schedule while allowing you to work outside the classroom.
Top Summer Gigs For Teachers
Using your teaching skills to earn a competitive wage or pursuing one of your favorite hobbies when you need a break from teaching is possible. There are multiple online and local options to consider.
Here’s a look at summer gigs for teachers.
1. Tutor
Local and online tutoring jobs allow you to help students learn more about your favorite subjects. Summer tutor programs may involve teaching new subjects, reinforcing previous academic topics, and filling knowledge gaps as pupils prepare for the upcoming school year.
You get to provide one-on-one help to elementary, middle, and high school students with personalized plans. Scheduling is flexible as you may meet weekly or several times weekly with short sessions.
Potential Pay: Most private tutors earn $10 to $50 per hour. Pay potential depends on your location, grade, and subject.
2. Test Prep Instructor
Summer is also a popular time for students to prepare for college entrance exams with undivided attention. Drilling students on ACT and SAT topics with exercises and practice tests can help them get a higher score in the fall. You may offer private tutoring or group sessions.
You may help college students with graduate admissions test prep, depending on your expertise. For example, you can help higher education students prepare for medical school, law school, or professional licensing exams. The material is more complex, meaning you can charge more for your time.
Potential Pay: Private test prep tutors can earn between $15 and $50 per hour, with a $30 hourly average. Group sessions can earn between $60 and $125, with a higher potential for advanced exams or in major metro areas.
3. Delivery Driver
Delivery app jobs are easy side hustles with the flexibility of choosing delivery hours and routes. Most delivery gigs are for groceries and restaurant meals that you deliver by car, scooter, or bike. You receive weekly payments and can cash out daily with a small convenience fee.
Since you’re an independent contractor, you can join multiple platforms to access more delivery requests. From there, you’re able to select the highest-paying option. You may also qualify for bonus pay by working during peak hours or completing limited-time challenges.
Potential Pay: Most delivery drivers earn up to $25 per hour.
4. Dog Walking
Animal lovers needing a flexible schedule can get paid for dog walking. You can develop a positive relationship with pet owners who work or travel to develop recurring bookings. You can offer walks, drop-in visits, and play sessions to diversify your income streams.
Pet sitting can compound your earnings if your schedule permits doggie daycare or overnight stays. Consider hosting the animals at your house, although owners may also be receptive to you staying at their place.
Potential Pay: On average, dog walkers earn between $15 and $20 per hour, while pet sitters can earn between $20 and $40 per day per animal.
5. Odd Jobs
Seasonal part-time jobs at stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions are a tried-and-true way to earn a consistent income and have a predictable work schedule. Establishments enjoy hiring reliable and energetic teachers who love interacting with the public and sharing their knowledge.
Some fun non-teaching summer jobs include:
- Bartending
- Greenhouse gardener
- Museum tour guide
- Stadium or theater ushers
- Theme park attendants
- Winery sommelier
There are several more odd jobs for making money during the summer and academic year.
Potential Pay: Most positions earn $10 to $25 per hour and potentially more with customer tips.
6. Freelance Online
There are several avenues to utilize your skills as an online freelancer and earn a competitive rate for one-time and ongoing projects. Online side jobs provide the liberty to work from home or at travel destinations with a flexible schedule.
Teacher-friendly possibilities include:
Joining a freelancer platform is usually the easiest way to apply for open assignments for many niches. I have succeeded with Upwork for several writing and data entry tasks as it’s free to join, and you can bid on assignments instead of waiting for potential clients to find you in a competitive candidate pool. There are also websites specializing in specific tasks.
Potential Pay: Earn between $10 and $25 per hour for entry-level tasks.
7. Summer Camp Counselor
Serving as a counselor or director at day camps and sleep-away camps as a counselor or director. This environment is usually less stressful than a classroom setting and requires less prep work while still being able to interact with students and teach new information.
Different summer camps include:
- Academic
- Adventure
- Band
- Special needs
- Sports
- STEM
- Theater
Extended camps may provide complimentary lodging and food, plus paid time off. You may also receive free training and certifications to qualify for the position.
Potential Pay: Base pay is between $200 and $500 weekly.
8. Summer School Teacher
Many school districts pay a higher hourly rate for teaching summer school than the regular academic year. Additionally, you typically only teach half the day and have substantially less lesson planning and grading to perform in your free time.
Summer sessions are critical to helping students catch up or receive help with challenging subjects. It’s also an excellent time to build experience and test out new teaching strategies. It’s easy to qualify as you work directly with your teaching location.
You can also teach professional students for a change of pace. For example, my mother is a full-time Montessori preschool teacher who teaches college-level summer classes to adult learners seeking a teaching license.
Potential Pay: $25 to $60 per hour.
9. Research Studies
You might be able to work with a local university or science center as a research study participant or research assistant. This opportunity may only be available in select areas, but it can also be an effective way to learn something new and hone your educational curriculum.
CalTeach Berkeley provides summer research fellowships to California teachers, although you may need an independent funding source to qualify. This full-time program offers a stipend in return for a six-week session of lab work and individual research, concluding with a final presentation.
As paid research studies are only present in some communities, online surveys are a viable option with minimal time commitment. You can earn a few dollars for your time with consumer opinion surveys taking one hour or less. Your participation may lead to receiving invitations to higher-paying focus groups.
Potential Pay: Professional research studies provide an approximate $3,000 stipend. Online surveys pay between $0.50 and $5 per study.
10. Transcribing
Audio and video transcription is a rewarding skill. In particular, general and legal transcriptionists typically pay the highest per audio hour. Drafting subtitles and foreign language translations are the most lucrative options for video transcriptions.
Except for a quiet work environment and headphones, you don’t need any special equipment to start as most transcription platforms provide the software and provide formatting guides to format the transcription or captions.
Several freelance platforms offer audio and video transcription jobs. Anticipate starting with short recordings to gain experience and verify your proficiency. Precise and quick turnarounds will help you qualify for higher-paying assignments.
Potential Pay: Receive from $18 to $180 per audio hour.
11. Youth sports coach
Youth sports academies and local governments may be hiring coaches in your area for the summer season. YMCA and Boys or Girls Clubs also need sports assistants and summer camp coaches. Most pay an hourly wage, although you may receive a weekly salary instead.
If your town has a professional sports team, you may see if they run youth sports camps and need coaches. A recent search on Indeed shows that Atlanta United FC is one organization hiring a seasonal coach.
Private coaching is another creative side hustle. You provide one-on-one instruction or help a small group improve their skills. Basketball, football, golf, and soccer are in high demand in many mid-size towns or larger.
Potential Pay: $10 to $25 per hour.
12. Lifeguard
Local pools, youth centers, and beaches need lifeguards during the peak summer season. This position has a flexible schedule, with most shifts lasting five to ten hours and periodic rotations and breaks. It can be a rewarding way to work outside and interact with people.
However, this position has strict fitness requirements and requires first aid training. The hourly pay isn’t necessarily the highest in some states, although it’s competitive with many gig economy jobs.
Also, consider being a summer swim instructor, as many pools offer swimming lessons before opening for public swimming. This option lets you make money before your lifeguard shift starts.
Potential Pay: $10 to $25 per hour.
13. House Sitting
If you’re location-independent during the summer, you may try out housesitting to reduce living expenses, but earning a paid wage is uncommon. However, some platforms still pay for this service. Typically, you live rent-free by caring for local homes or traveling to another city or country while owners are away. You may receive tips or a small allowance for groceries.
It’s also an excellent way to travel on a budget and explore a new area or a favorite destination to relax and reenergize for the next academic year. While you most likely won’t get paid, a free place to stay can be more advantageous than paying for lodging in pricey destinations.
Most opportunities require caring for household pets or small farm animals like chickens and rabbits. You will also perform everyday chores to keep the place tidy and in working order during your stay. Many stays are approximately one week, but a number can extend up to one month.
Potential Pay: Paid stays earn between $30 and $100 per night, although many arrangements offer free housing and food.
14. Flip Items
Flipping items that you find at yard sales and thrift stores can be a lucrative hobby. You can use online and local buy or sell apps to fetch a competitive price and multiple offers.
The options are endless. You can sell almost anything, with baby items, clothing, collectibles, and video games being some of the best. You can be the most successful by specializing in your interests, as you can quickly spot discounted items that you can quickly flip for a profit.
A family friend enjoys buying sports cards from local stores and selling them online to collectors.
Further, consider using your free time to develop teacher printables that you can sell on Teachers Pay Teachers or Etsy. Digital items can be more profitable once you create and upload them. There are no shipping costs, and you don’t always have to be on the hunt for a good deal to replace your inventory.
Potential Pay: Differs by product and sales frequency.
15. English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructor
Temporary summer ESL positions are available online and across the nation. Teaching English online provides the most flexibility as you can work remotely and have a flexible schedule. You can also enjoy a different classroom perspective as you interact with international students from other countries.
In-person teaching opportunities pay more. Participating within your local school district is one option. There are also openings at boarding schools and universities that host international students for summer sessions.
Potential Pay: $10 to $20 per hour for online ESL teachers and $20 to $50 per hour for in-person ESL classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are several suggestions for teachers to compare the best summer jobs.
Teaching and tutoring positions are the highest-paying money-making ideas. They also provide a comfortable work/life balance to relax in your free time. Food or grocery delivery jobs are another popular way to make extra money while maintaining a flexible schedule.
What is the best side hustle for teachers?
Teaching summer school tends to be the highest-paying job for teachers. It offers the flexibility of a part-time schedule and reduced lesson planning times. Summer camp jobs can also offer above-average pay.
How can teachers make money from home?
Freelancing online through writing, transcribing, data entry, or virtual assistant services can earn the highest hourly rate while working from home. It’s also possible to be an online tutor or ESL teacher to connect with students living in the United States and worldwide.
Summary
A part-time side hustle boosts your cash flow whether your school pays you during summer break. Summer teaching and tutoring positions tend to pay the most, but many other well-paying options don’t require being in the classroom.
Ultimately, these summer activities show how teachers can do many different things during the summer.