5 Summer Jobs for Teachers That Pay Well

With Summer right around the corner many teachers stress how will they make ends meet without a paycheck over the summer. Below we've highlighted 5 jobs to consider that pay at least $30 per hour and our last job pays at least $52 an hour!

Online Teaching

Why It Pays Well: Online teaching platforms allow you to connect with students worldwide, offering courses in ESL, STEM subjects, homeschooling or upskilling. Depending on the platform and your qualifications, hourly rates can range from $30 to $50.

How to Get Started:

✔️ Apply to teach on platforms like Outschool or Teachable.

✔️ Create your own course and sell it through platforms like Udemy, Skillshare or our marketplace.

✔️ Ensure you have a strong internet connection and a quiet workspace for teaching.

Whos hiring:

SuperProf, OutSchool and connect with students on OUR marketplace. Set your own rates!

Corporate Training

Why It Pays Well: Corporate training is a great option for teachers skilled in IT, AI, or career development. Companies hire trainers to conduct workshops on upskilling, team building, or on a project basis. Consider hosting intro webinars to encourage companies to join. Rates for these sessions often exceed $50 per hour.

How to Get Started:

• Research larger companies in your area that are searching for independent contractors
• Use LinkedIn or Indeed to connect with organizations looking for training professionals.
• Develop a portfolio showcasing your expertise in delivering engaging presentations or workshops.

Whos hiring:

Upright Education

Standardized Test Prep

Why It Pays Well: Standardized Test Prep is a seasonal job that offers flexible hours and competitive pay. Top tier tutoring centers across the country hire teachers to prep students for exams like the SAT, AP tests, or state assessments. Pay rates typically start around $40 per hour.

How to Get Started:

🔍 Search locally who's hiring

🎓Ensure you meet the requirements, which often include a bachelor’s degree, familiarity with AP courses or a strong SAT or ACT score.

📚Familiarize yourself with the scoring rubrics and study guides.

Whos hiring:

Check Indeed & Linkedin you'll see quite a few local and remote options at $40-$80 per hour.

Freelance Writing or Curriculum Development

Why It Pays Well: Many educational companies and publishers need teachers to create engaging lesson plans, curricula, or content for educational blogs and websites. Freelance rates for experienced educators often exceed $30 per hour.

How to Get Started:

Look for freelance gigs on websites like Upwork & Fiverr or job boards on Indeed and Linkedin.

📤 Reach via email to educational publishers or e-learning platforms.

💼 Showcase your expertise in creating convincing educational materials in your portfolio.

Whos hiring:

SAM Labs (STEM)

McGraw Hill (Reading)

Stride (video curriculum)

Host a Camp or Workshop ($50+ per hour)

Why it pays well: Parents frantically start looking to enroll their elementary, middle school and even high schoolers into rewarding programs so they aren't stuck at home. Teacher or Counselor - student ratio's are often 15:1 and even in mid tier cities like Nashville, TN, camps often average $300-$400 per child per week.

How to Get Started:

• Focus on a Niche topic and create an itinerary for 3-5 days.
• Contact schools (both public and private), churches libraries and other commercial spaces to see if you can utilize their free space. You can literally turn a classroom into a revenue generating Camp or Workshop.
• Checkout Liability Insurance and creating an LLC to reduce liability exposure
• Determine how long do you want the camp to run. 9am-3pm would be a popular option for parents, keep in mind some camps are as short as 9am-12pm.

The Breakdown:

Say you create a Math camp for elementary students for one week at a local school or church from 9am-3pm.

If 10 students enroll at $300 per week, you'll be able to gross $300 per hour for 30 hours of work.

Some expenses to consider:

Liability Insurance: Varies state to state but can be as low as $21 per month. Consider at least 1,000,000 in liability insurance that be sure to list the location you host your camp as an additional interest.

Space: Most churches and schools would be open to a revenue-share. Consider offering 20% of your revenue if you're uncertain about demand. In some cases they may be happy of the value your providing your community and you could get the space free. In this scenario let's say you pay $600 for your space.

Materials: Allot $100-$200 for any printing, pencils, workbooks and whiteboard you'll need. Also consider cards, dice, board games and other fun games that can be reused if you decide to host multiple workshops or camp dates.

CRM: Post your workshop or camp online for parents to check out, manage attendance, invoicing, and spots available with our CRM meant for workshops and camps.

Cost Breakdown:

Revenue: $3,000

Space: -$600

Insurance: -$50

Materials: -$200

CRM: -$35          

  Net profit: $2,115

Even accounting for commute times of 5 hours a week or curriculum prep of also 5 hours in creating a repeatable workshop or camp (40 hours total) you'd still earn a whopping $52.88 an hour.

Tips for Maximizing Your Summer Income

🗓️ Plan Ahead: Many of these opportunities require applications or client building in January-May, so start early.

🤓 Leverage Your Expertise: Highlight your teaching credentials and specialized knowledge to stand out.

📩 Cold outreach: Leverage emailing and direct messaging to find opportunities that work for you.

By exploring these high-paying summer jobs, you can make the most of your school break and return to the classroom with meaningful earnings.

Want to explore the summer camp / workshop option further? Reach out to our team and we'll help you brainstorm a few ideas that will work in your area!