It’s no secret that teachers are underpaid, but many are now having a hard time paying the bills thanks to today’s cost-of-living problems. After the final school bell rings, many teachers are clocking in somewhere else. Across the country, more than two-thirds of public school teachers hold at least one side job.
According to a Gallup survey of 2,012 U.S. teachers working in public K-12 schools, conducted with the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Walton Family Foundation:
- Overall, 71% of teachers work additional jobs, and 85% of them do so during the school year, not just during breaks.
- Only 28% say they are living comfortably on their household income, 52% report they are just getting by, and 21% say they are facing financial challenges.
Although teaching comes with school breaks and summers off, and benefits like pensions, strong health coverage, and tenure protections, the majority of teachers with side jobs aren’t waiting for vacation to earn extra money. They’re working nights and weekends simply to stay afloat. Why do so many teachers need extra work? Several factors are driving the trend:
- Pay gaps compared to other professions - The average teacher salary for the 2024 to 2025 school year was just over $72-thousand. Teachers earn about 27% less than other professionals with similar education levels, which is the largest gap recorded since the 1970s.
- Rising cost of living - Higher prices for groceries, utilities, insurance, and housing are stretching household budgets. Even dual teacher households report difficulty saving for major goals like buying a home.
- Side jobs outside education - Nearly one-third of teachers with second jobs work in fields unrelated to education. Some drive rideshare, deliver food, or work in restaurants. Teachers who are struggling financially are twice as likely to take on non-teaching side gigs compared to those who feel more financially secure.
- Burnout and long-term strain - More than half of teachers who find it hard to get by say they feel burned out very often or always. Former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings called it “shocking” how many teachers work second jobs during the school year and said the strain is “at odds with what we say we value.”
Source: CNN
Scott's Thoughts:
- Want to thank a teacher? DO IT HERE.
- Is it surprising to hear how many teachers are working side gigs.
- I understand them doing it during the summer. Afterall, who gets 10 weeks off a year. But WHILE they are teaching. Too much.
- I think teachers are paid fairly well in most of Virginia. But it varies town by town.