Summer jobs are an excellent opportunity for teachers to explore new passions, gain new skills, and make extra cash. It’s also a great opportunity to test the waters of other potential career paths. So, if you’re wrapping up this year feeling the effects of burnout or itching for a change, it’s okay. It’s not uncommon for teachers to feel stagnant in their career, unsure of the next step.
After working with thousands of teachers, I’ve realized that uncertainty—and accompanying fear—is a huge roadblock. These top summer jobs for teachers are a great opportunity to dip your toes into something new—if that’s what you want! But if you’re looking to simply make some extra cash with more teaching opportunities, there are summer jobs for that too. It’s your summer. Spend it doing something that makes you happy. (While adding a little extra cash to your wallet too.)
Why Do Teachers Get Summer Jobs?
Unfortunately, the end of the school year often signals the end of a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck. But you don’t have to settle for “just getting by” during those summer months. Yes, you might need some time to de-stress and unwind for a crazy year. Luckily, summer jobs are a great opportunity for teachers to make extra money doing something they enjoy while dipping their toes in new experiences. There are plenty of full and part-time summer jobs for teachers that can boost your bank account, build your transferable skills, and help you rediscover your passions.
The best part? When the summer comes to an end, these summer jobs allow you to easily slip back into your career. (If that’s what you want.)
If you’re a teacher considering a summer job but don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. Continue reading to learn about some of the top summer job opportunities for teachers. These are top summer job options for teachers looking to stay in the classroom or transition to a new career.
Top Education-Based Summer Jobs For Teachers
As you begin your summer job search, consider what aspects of teaching you love most. What types of jobs are out there that require that skill? Summer jobs for teachers are a great time to leave the less favorable aspects of teaching behind and focus on what fuels your fire.
Here are a few of the top education-based summer jobs for teachers.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Tutor
Tutoring continues to be one of thetop summer jobs for teachers and you can do it online or in person. For starters, you’re already experienced and highly qualified. In fact, your teaching experience can lend itself to higher hourly rates. In addition, parents are willing to pay a higher price for a tutor well versed in education best practices or subject-specific knowledge.
As you get started, decide if you want to set up your tutoring as general help or subject-specific. From there, you can be your own boss, determine your schedule, and set your own rates. According to tutor.com, tutors can expect to charge anywhere from $25 to $80 per hour. However, for test prep tutoring, you can charge as much as $100 per hour. Not bad. Not bad at all!
Websites like VarsityTutors or Care.com have plenty of opportunities for online and in-person tutoring. There are also tutoring centers that look for helping hands in the summer months. Heck, you might find you already have a list of potential clients you can reach out to in your community. Just because the school year ended doesn’t mean the learning stops. The opportunities are endless, making it one of the top summer jobs for teachers.
Related: Learn tips for starting your own tutoring business with Molly Wheatley.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Summer Camp Worker
Summer camps are another great place to look for summer jobs for teachers. Not only is it seasonal work, but, as a teacher, you’ll be a highly qualified candidate! Whether you’re looking to be a camp counselor, run a specialized class, or oversee the program, there are many options. You are already well-versed in connecting with and managing a youth audience. Summer camps can be a way to provide ongoing enrichment or simply have fun in the sun.
While there may be local summer camps run by your community, school, or local offices, (think YMCA) there are camps that specifically look to hire educators for these summer jobs. (And, in some cases, year-round!) For example, Galileo camps look for educators to help develop innovative thinkers and problem-solvers. They run both in-person and online camps, covering everything from coding to digital design to culinary. Additionally, Catapult Learning employs over 5,000 educators to help bridge learning gaps for at-risk students and provide enrichment opportunities for gifted learners. Or you can join in on encouraging interdisciplinary and problem-based learning at the Summer Institute for the Gifted, or SIG.
You can even take your summer camp session on the road! Join AmeriCorps for 8-10 weeks as a summer associate with their VISTA programs. It’s a great way to build your leadership skills and get involved with an impoverished community. (You’ll receive a living stipend as well.)
With summer camp jobs, you can do everything from organizing games outside to structuring and overseeing curriculum. You can find a summer camp position that’s more laid back and focused on extracurricular activities. Or you can seek out positions at camps providing extending learning opportunities and interventions for students of all kinds.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Online Instructor
If you’re looking to continue teaching throughout the summer beyond your district’s summer school, there are plenty of opportunities . You can teach two-week courses or a full summer’s worth of curriculum. Now, this is only recommended as a summer job for teachers who truly love what they do—and want more of it! If you know you’re in need of a break from teaching, that’s okay too! If so, just keep scrolling to the next job description.
There are plenty of online educational institutes that look for educators to run their summer courses. You can teach test-prep courses, subject-specific, or skill-based courses. For example, AoPS online academy offers advanced math and language arts focused courses. Courses run for two to four weeks. The best part? The curriculum is created for you! You just get to show up and do what you love best: teach! Additionally, programs like those at the Institute of Reading Development look for certified educators to help carry out their mission too.
Looking for something a little different? You can earn $14-$26 an hour teaching English online without leaving the comfort of your own home (or vacation rental, no judgment) with companies like VIPkids and Magic Ears. Teaching English online is a great opportunity to build your experience with ESL learners. Moreover, most programs offer engaging curriculum, flexible hours, and free training resources.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Museum Educator
From history to science to art—and everything in between—museums offer great summer job opportunities for teachers looking to keep the learning going! As a teacher, you’ll be the perfect fit for a role involving leading educational tours and developing a hands-on curriculum for school-aged children. Depending on the museum, you may be asked to work with adult audiences and even handle some front-desk-type duties as well.
Museum education jobs are all about engaging the audience by bringing the exhibition materials to life. This might mean designing and scheduling camp programs, activities, and events. However, these jobs might have a variety of titles, listed as Museum Educator, Program Assistant, or Director of Learning and Experience. And there are a variety of museums out there with summer jobs for teachers, so check out the museum in your area to find one that fits your particular interests.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Curriculum and Assessment Writer
This is another great summer job opportunity to leverage a skill you already have. As a teacher, you have hands-on experience with creating curriculum materials and assessments. So, you can lend a helping hand to education companies writing and reviewing their materials. They are always looking for contract-based curriculum consultants, writers, and copyeditors to help create and improve their materials. And who better for the job than a teacher? (No one.) You’re already an expert when it comes to aligning assessment materials with learning goals. Duties might include creating or reviewing quiz questions and writing prompts for formative and summative assessments.
Looking to step outside of traditional education? You can help in other industries looking for a hand in writing and revising their training and PD materials as well. While the information might be different, the concept is the same. Regardless of the industry, you’ll be responsible for breaking down large, potentially complex topics or processes into easy-to-understand pieces.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Educational Consultant
As a teacher, you can offer important insights and insider knowledge to help educational companies reach their target audience. You know the ins and outs of their target audience. You can anticipate their biggest pain points, questions, and concerns. As a consultant, you have a say in materials used with students or even in training other teachers! You might find contracts not only with education-based companies, but private, charter, and public schools as well.
Love what you teach? You can position yourself as a subject matter expert in the area(s) you teach and collaborate with members of their design team to create high-quality presentations, materials, and even courses. You can offer a critical eye throughout the design and implementation process, ensuring accurate, cohesive, and high-quality content to match the intended learning objective.
Listen to my story of working as an educational consultant here.
Other Top Summer Jobs For Teachers
Now, some teachers need a break from education or simply want to try something new. Those top summer jobs mentioned above would make you some money but might lead to burnout. Or they wouldn’t feel like the break you need after a long school year. No worries. There are summer jobs great for teachers that allow you to take off your teacher hat too!
Consider your skills and passions. Are there particular skills or passions that you can’t apply in the classroom? Maybe you teach middle-school social studies but have an eye for design. Or perhaps you teach high school math but love to read and write. You might teach literature but love to garden or code.
Whatever your skill or passion is, summer is a great time to make some money putting it to work with these top (non-educator) summer jobs for teachers!
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Freelance Writing
One of the most lucrative freelancing summer jobs for teachers is writing. Teachers are inherently good communicators and are skilled at breaking down complex subject matter into digestible bits. Both of these skills come in handy when it comes to freelance writing. Companies across various industries, from finance and business to healthcare and human resources, are in need of quality written content. There are opportunities for writing website content, training materials, presentation documents, and more.
You can also position yourself as a subject-matter expert or even write education-specific content. There are even freelancing writing opportunities specifically looking for teachers. (That’s how I snagged my former-teacher copywriter.) (It’s true!) Think of an education software company or learning app that needs materials written to capture a younger audience. If you have experience working with a youth audience and know how to capture their attention, you’re the ideal candidate! Or maybe there’s an education company looking to sell to a teacher audience. Who better than a teacher themself?
Freelance Writing Opportunities
There are even opportunities for writing more education-specific content, from educational content for kids to resources for teachers. Platforms like The STEMtaught journal pay $100 (plus a cool T-shirt) for STEM-based article submissions geared toward an elementary audience. Teachers and Writers magazine has a variety of prompts they’re looking for submissions for. You can make between $50 to $350 for articles geared toward teaching creative writing and sparking the imagination in the classroom. You could even write blogs on SEL or curriculum rooted in social justice!
Don’t know where to start? There are platforms specifically for freelancers, like Upwork, where you can find or post freelance gigs. Once you determine your niche, you can create a profile and get started on that summer job! The best part? Due to the flexible nature of freelancing, you can continue doing it when school is back in session.
Who knows? Your summer job might just be the beginning of a lucrative side-hustle. (Or a future full-time career.) You can learn all about getting started with freelancing in this interview with freelancing expert Jay Clouse.
Other Freelancing Opportunities
In addition to writing, there are freelance opportunities that make for great summer jobs for teachers. Opportunities range from virtual assisting to graphic design to educational consulting. For example, if you’re the type of teacher who loves staying organized, being a virtual assistant is a great summer job opportunity. With online businesses on the rise, plenty of people are looking for VAs to help keep things running smoothly. You might be asked to create graphics and post on social media. You might have to respond to emails and schedule meetings. There may be some writing or data entry involved as well. It all depends on your clients’ needs. This is true for many freelancing roles. Make sure you fully understand the goals and scope of the project before applying or accepting.
Maybe you only want to work 5 to 10 hours a week? No problem. Freelancing is a flexible summer job with plenty of part-time opportunities. As with writing, these freelancing jobs can be found on sites like Upwork as well. You’ll find freelancing opportunities for social media management, instructional design, podcast and video editing, scriptwriting, proofreading, and more! Freelancing is a great summer job for the teacher looking to control their hours and set their schedule to meet their financial goals. You can work with as many or as few clients as you wish to meet your needs! Talk about a flexible summer job!
Once you find your niche in the freelancing world, you’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to pay for your services. Gather client testimonials to help build your bank of experience. The more experience you gain, the more you can charge for your work.
Summer Jobs For Teachers: Event Planning and Staff
The event industry always seems to pick up in the summer. From weddings and showers to reunions and cookouts, there’s always something going on. This could be your chance to capitalize on those organizational skills you’ve sharpened over the years. Teachers are also proficient when it comes to communication, problem-solving, and simply working with others.
So, if you’re the type of person who loves throwing parties and organizing events, there are plenty of established planning firms or catering groups looking for helping hands in the summer months. It’s a great opportunity to make some money while learning about a new industry. By next summer, you’ll have both experience and contacts to help you branch out on your own if you desire.
Maybe you have a friend or family member who’ll pay you over another planner to organize their baby or bridal shower. Putting yourself out there is the only way to gain experience and build your portfolio of successful events.
Use Your Summer to Start a Side Hustle!
Are you looking to tap into your inner teacherpreneur? The summer is also a great time to consider starting that side hustle you’ve been sitting on. While side hustles can take time to build, establish credibility, and bring in steady cash flow, it’s a good gig once you get going. Side hustles are especially great for those looking to explore a passion and potentially turn it into passive income. Many teacher side-hustles begin as summer jobs!
So, here are some great side hustles you can begin this summer.
Create a Digital Course
Digital courses are all the rage right now. You can teach everything ranging from gardening, pottery, painting, cooking, organizational hacks, you name it! Teachers are already skilled at breaking down big concepts into bite-sized bits. Creating a digital course is your opportunity to apply that skill to any topic you love. Platforms like Udemy are chock-full of a variety of courses created by people just like you! You can also branch out on your own just like I did with the Teacher Career Coach course. Regardless, once you build out your online course you can enjoy passive income year-round.
Start by thinking about something you are particularly skilled at. Then, consider how you would break it down for a more novice audience. Write out your course and bam! Start making money. Okay. So it’s a little more involved than that, but it’s a start!
Open a TPT Store
We’ve all scrounged the web looking for inspiration and quality teaching resources. But did you know you can make money selling your own curriculum and assessments? It’s a great way to make money and help other educators. Now, it’s not as easy as simply uploading the documents you use in the classroom, and voila! It takes a lot of time and effort to build a successful store on TPT. But, if creating curriculum, lesson plans, and other learning materials is a passion, you can make serious cash on TPT. After creating it in 2018, my TPT store now brings in a few thousand dollars a month. And that’s totally passive income, meaning there’s not much upkeep involved to continue earning revenue. Again, the work here is done upfront. Is it worth it? I’d say so.
Here’s how selling on Teachers Pay Teachers works. You set up your store, upload your materials, and set your rates. Teachers Pay Teachers helps with processing orders and customer support. (Huge win.) You earn 55% to 80% on each sale you make, depending on your membership. (Basic membership is FREE!) You can sell complete units, one-off lesson plans, digital printouts, and more.
Related: Learn more about setting up your Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Sell on Etsy
So, you spend your summers crafting? If it’s something you love to do anyway, why not make some extra cash while spreading the joy? Homemade gifts and supporting small businesses are all the rage. Etsy has quickly become a go-to place for crafty teachers to make extra money. You can sell everything from jewelry, candles, cards, home decor, and more. You can even sell digital files on Etsy, saving you a trip to the post office.
Another great thing about Etsy is that you can sell your products all year long and continue making passive income! Let’s say you’ve started making soy candles and successfully selling them on Etsy. You can use the summer months to create products in bulk. Then, you can just ship them out over the course of the school year as orders are placed! But be sure to do your research first, ensuring there is demand for your product. You don’t want to sit on a pile of inventory that no one is buying.
The best part about teachers starting side hustles? Side hustles are a great (potential) stepping stone into a new career. I’ve worked with teachers and former teachers alike who have turned a part-time side hustle (as a summer job) into a successful full-time career!
Using Summer Jobs as a Career Change Stepping Stone
If you’ve gotten this far and are thinking, “I don’t have the energy to even look for a summer job,” it might be time for some personal reflection. Why are you feeling so burned out? Is it from a particularly busy year? Or is it from unrealistic expectations, an unhealthy work environment, or a never-ending to-do list?
Summer jobs are great for teachers and all. But if you’re suffering for major burnout and you haven’t already considered exploring other career opportunities, this might be a sign that you should. No job should come at the cost of your physical, mental, or emotional well-being. So, if you’re at your breaking point going into the summer, do you really want to start all over again in the fall? Or is it time to consider a career transition?
If it’s the latter, I want you to know you are not alone. The Teacher Career Coach community was created to bring together those seeking a transition away from the classroom. More so, the Teacher Career Coach course helps teachers through every step of the career transition. If you are considering leaving the classroom, you are far from alone. A summer job might be just what you need to realize what other opportunities are out there.
A Final Word On Summer Jobs For Teachers
Regardless of why you’re searching for these top summer jobs for teachers, I hope you enjoy the next few months. Whether you’re working, off on an epic adventure, or chilling by the pool, soak it all in. And be sure to take some time for yourself this summer as well. We both know you deserve it.
