5 Ways Teachers Can Earn Extra Money

The average salary for K-12 teachers is about $45,000 per year, according to PayScale. That can leave some teachers looking for extra work outside of school.

Summer, weekends and holidays are chances to work side jobs that can use skills teachers are excellent at —teaching and having a rapport with young people. Here are five such side jobs for teachers:

Tutor
Whatever your area of expertise as a teacher, there are parents looking for tutors for their children.

Check with your school to make sure it allows its teachers to tutor students there, and let your department head know you’re available to tutor. They may be getting frequent calls from parents and don’t know where to send them.

You can also post on Craigslist and in community newsletters, or start your own website or search for sites such as Tutor.com to work for.

Test Preparation
This is similar to being a tutor, but focuses on helping high school students prepare for the SATs or ACTs in math and English. You can also help them study for advance-placement exams so they can earn college credit.

Create a website and work for yourself or join a test-prep firm such as Sylvan Learning or Kaplan Test Prep.

Test Scorer
A teacher’s skills can be used in scoring essays, short answers and math solutions that must be written out on standardized tests and for state and district exams.

Teachers can also work a side job as a test proctor. It requires verifying identities, giving test instructions and monitoring students during the test.

Museum Educator
Museum visits increase during the summer when many teachers aren’t working, providing the perfect opportunity for them to work in their specialty.

Science teachers can check the closest aquarium, nature center or science museum to see if they need a teacher for courses or to give tours. History teachers are a natural fit at museums and historical sites.

College Professor
Community colleges and universities can have difficulty filling staff positions for all the courses they offer. If your specialty is in high demand and limited supply, such as in high tech or a foreign language, then you could be an adjunct professor for a summer course or a night class during the school year.

A master’s degree or doctorate may be required. Start searching at HigherEdJobs.com, or look for part-time openings at your local college.