Are you a retired teacher looking for a new job or side hustle?
Maybe you need to make some extra cash to pay your bills or you just want to upgrade your lifestyle. As a retired teacher, you have the benefit of being able to work a full-time or part-time job to grow your income. Luckily, there are plenty of careers that are searching for your existing skills.
But before you take a job, you'll probably want to know how stressful it might be, the pay, and anything else that's relevant to you.
In this post, I'll explore the best jobs for retired teachers, how much money you can expect to make, and much more. Let's get started!
- Tutoring
- Substitute teaching
- Freelance writing
- Academic advisor
Best Jobs and Side Hustles for Retired Teachers
Below I've put together some of the best jobs that retired teachers can have to boost their income! While not every job will be suited for every person, there's sure to be something on the list for you.
Work as a Tutor
Tutors are always high in demand – making it a great opportunity for retired teachers to make extra money.
As a tutor, you can also use any of the subjects you previously taught in school. For instance, a computer science teacher would offer private tutoring in that category.
If you loved teaching, but had to retire, tutoring is one of the best jobs for retired teachers. You'll still have an impact on a student's life, while you earn money.
Today, you can even offer tutoring lessons over the internet. Online tutoring makes it even easier to work from home as a retired teacher. You can find students through sites like Tutor.com to get started.
The amount of money you can make will depend on the level of tutoring and the subject matter you are teaching. In some cases, you can make over $50 per hour tutoring.
To find students, you can advertise your services online or in your local community. You could also contact schools directly and inquire about tutoring positions.
Blogger
If you have strong writing skills, you could work as a blogger. Many retired teachers appreciate the freedom this job give them. After all, there's no one counting your time or breathing down your neck.
As a blogger, you can write about any topic you choose. For instance, you could start a blog about teaching strategies, parenting advice, or local events.
Starting a blog costs less than $100 and it can eventually become massive income producing asset if you put in the work.
To start, you'll need to purchase a domain name and hosting. I recommend Namecheap to secure your domain and SiteGround for hosting. These platforms offer affordable services to get your blog off the ground in less than a day.
Once you have your domain and hosting, you can install WordPress on your site to make managing your blog a breeze.
Finally, you can select a theme for your blog and start creating content for the world.
Unfortunately, your work as a blogger doesn't stop there. Just because you publish content doesn't mean it'll get found. You'll need to do work to promote your blog to grow your traffic before you can start making money from it.
Some of the most common tactics include social media marketing, SEO, and email marketing.
Once you start to grow your traffic you can use display ads to make money or promote affiliate links.
It can take several months before you start making any serious money from blogging. But, it is one of the best jobs for retired teachers because it offers the potential to make a lot of money from home.
Substitute Teacher
If you often find yourself missing the school setting as a retired teacher, you may want to consider becoming a substitute.
Substitute teachers only teach when called upon by their school district, usually when the main teacher needs a day off.
Experienced teachers adapt well to this setting. If you want to continue teaching after your retirement, then being a substitute teacher would be a perfect fit for you.
The pay for substitute teaching jobs varies depending on the school district, but usually ranges from $60 to over $130 per day according to Indeed.
This job is in extremely high demand currently, forcing some school districts to pay even more. You can browse local job boards to find openings and inquire about what the pay is in your area.
Virtual Assistant
Working as a virtual assistant is another great option for retired teachers to make money from home.
VAs can do a variety of tasks ranging from posting on social media, to updating website content, and much more.
The pay for virtual assistants is lucrative.
Some VAs can make over $10k a month from their work!
Another added benefit of this side hustle is that you don't have to have any special skills to get started. Most employers will gladly teach you their processes so you can do your job effectively.
Ready to get started but aren't sure where to start? Checkout Carrie's Virtual Assistant Accelerator course to learn everything you need to know to become a successful virtual assistant!
Test Scorer
As a retired teacher, you've probably graded many tests during your career. There are plenty of tests that need experienced, retired teachers to handle scoring their exams. While much of the system is automated today, they can still benefit from having a professional look over the tests.
Former teachers also are required to grade written portions of a test.Computers aren't able to score an essay after all!
A test scorer will need to have an eye for detail and an understanding of the current testing standards.
The pay for this job will depend on your city, but it's possible to make $20 an hour in some cities.
Freelance Writer
If you love writing, but don't want to start a blog, you could become a freelance writer.
Freelance writing is one of the best online jobs for retired teachers because it's a flexible opportunity that can be done from anywhere.
As a freelance writer, you can write for magazines, newspapers, or even blogs.
The pay for freelance writing can be lucrative. Experienced writers can earn over $.50 per word written. For example, a 1,000-word blog post would net them $1,000 in cash.
Even beginner writers can turn their side hustle into a full-time job. Novice writers can make anywhere from $.15 to $.25 per word – which is still a great income for most people.
To find clients, it's best to start networking on social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also reach out to businesses directly and pitch your writing services to them.
Freelance writing is one of the highest paying side hustles and an excellent option for retired teachers to consider. Looking to make money freelance writing? Check out the video below!
Proofreader
Proofreading can be one of the top online jobs that's a great position for retired educators.
With this job, you can work from home, set your own hours, and get paid to help others improve their writing.
There are a couple of different ways you can make money through proofreading.
First is to offer your services on a freelance basis. This means that you will be working with clients directly to help them improve their writing and ensuring their work is free of errors.
You can also work as a proofreader for a company or publication. In this role, you would be working as an employee and would be expected to adhere to the company's guidelines and procedures.
Either way, proofreading can be an excellent option for teachers to make money after retiring. You can work part time, from anywhere in the world, and earn as much as you'd like.
Proofreaders can make anywhere from $20 to over $30 per hour depending on your experience making it one of the more lucrative jobs to consider.
If you're not sure where to start, I recommend checking out the Proofread Anywhere course to understand how you can grow a profitable proofreading business.
Work in Human Resources
Human resources is a great job for retired teachers because you can work with people and help them with their careers – something most teachers strive to do daily.
You can also work in a number of different settings, including corporate offices, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
If you want to work in human resources, you can consider getting a degree in human resources or a related field, but it's not always required.
The pay for human resource workers is lucrative with an average salary of $70,000 per year but some positions paying well into 6-figures.
The job outlook for human resources is good with an expected 10% growth in the next decade.
There are a number of reasons why working in human resources is a great job for retired teachers.
Recruiter
With school teachers being in such short supply, there's a massive demand for people who can recruit them. That's where you come in!
As a recruiter, it'll be your job to find qualified candidates to fill open teaching positions.
This job tends to pay extraordinary bonuses for landing new employees, making it a great job for people who want to make more money.
To be a successful recruiter, you'll need to have excellent people skills. You'll be dealing with a lot of different kinds of people on a daily basis, so it's important that you're able to get along with everyone.
You'll also need to be very organized and detail-oriented. Recruiting can be a very fast-paced and chaotic job, so it's important to be able to keep track of everything that's going on.
Realtor
Working as a realtor can be a perfect job for many retired teachers. With this part-time job, you'll need to show houses to potential buyers and help buyers find the home of their dreams.
The amount of money you can make working as a realtor is quite lucrative. You'll earn a commission for every home you sell or help to purchase. It's common to earn around 1.5% of the homes price. This means a $500,000 home could net you $7,500 in commissions.
Becoming a realtor will require you to take a course and pass an exam but it usually costs less than $1,000 to get started.
If you're a retired teacher looking for a job, consider becoming a realtor to make money.
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Book Publisher
Another low stress job for retired teachers is becoming a book publisher.
This can be done by starting your own publishing company, or working for an existing one.
As a book publisher, you will be responsible for acquiring new titles, editing and approving manuscripts, overseeing the printing process, and marketing the finished product.
You can work from home, making this a perfect job for those who want to stay active but do not want to commute.
If you have a passion for books and enjoy working with writers, becoming a book publisher may be the perfect career for you.
Pet Sitting
Pet sitting can be a fun way to make money if you are an animal friend and have some free time.
Depending on the amount of work you have – some pet sitters can make a full time income from pet sitting alone.
The pay will depend on your location and the amount of time you need to watch over the pets – but it's a great way to build your income when retired. It's possible to make a couple hundred dollars each week with this side hustle.
I recommend signing up with Rover to start pet sitting. Sign up below to get started!
Take Online Surveys
Okay I'll be honest – taking online surveys isn't going to make you rich, but it can be a great way to boost your earnings in the short term.
By completing online surveys, you can make some extra money everyday in your free time. It doesn't require any special skills and it's a simple way to make additional cash.
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Writing Instructor
Many managers today feel that their employees don't have the best technical writing skills. You could provide group training to a corporation, allowing their employees to further succeed in their positions. As a previous teacher, you have the skills required to teach them to write – even outside of a school setting.
After seeing a writing instructor, people feel more confident in their interpersonal skills. Plus, they developed their communication skills to succeed in their career path.
If you enjoy teaching, but can no longer enjoy a traditional teaching profession, being a writing instructor is a wonderful alternative.
Food Delivery
Food delivery can be an excellent job to make money for retired teachers. It's flexible, pays well, and anyone can get started.
To get started, register to drive for Doordash below. Once approved, you can download the app and start making deliveries to earn cash during your spare time.
What I love most about Doordash is the ability to set your own hours. You can work whenever you feel like it.
You will need a vehicle to get started with this side hustle, but most retired teachers will already own one.
So, how much can you make? Some Doordash drivers make $500 a week through the platform. It's possible to make a living with Doordash if you use the right strategies. Depending on your city, drivers can make over $25 per hour. Not too bad!
Grocery Delivery
Another option for retired teachers similar to food delivery is grocery delivery. The concept is identical except you'll be delivering groceries instead of food.
My favorite platform is Instacart. Check out these Instacart hacks to make more money and register below to get started!
You can earn over $20 per hour with this part-time job so it's certainly worth a try whether you want to make $40 a day or earn $3000 a month.
Curriculum Specialist
As an experienced teacher, you'd make a wonderful curriculum specialist or developer. This is another of the best jobs for retired teachers since you likely spent a lot of time figuring out what works in a curriculum – and what doesn't. New teachers could certainly use your help.
Retired math teachers know how to create the best curriculums for their subject. You could offer your teaching materials and expertise to multiple school districts in your area.
With one of these consulting jobs, you would create the materials for other teacher's classes. Many retired teachers find this experience rewarding, even though they aren't the ones teaching the classes.
Educational Advisors
An educational consultant or advisor works with schools to help underperforming teachers. You assist them with professional speaking, using technology in the classroom, and the best ways to teach students. A teaching materials provider can also fulfill the role of an advisor.
Educational consultants need to have leadership skills and developed communication skills. This is one of the best jobs for retired teachers since they assist other teachers in bettering themselves.
Private Tutor
Private tutors are much like other tutors, but work in the homes of students. They come to their location and offer assistance there. You can use teaching methods that work for the student as well. There are many private tutoring jobs for retired teachers, as you can offer online tutoring wherever you are.
Private tutors can also offer SAT or other test preparation. Plus, you get to choose the subjects you want to teach. There is a lot of versatility with tutoring jobs for retired teachers.
Adjunct Professor
An adjunct professor is a hard field to get into, although many retired teachers find the experience very rewarding. This job is usually a part-time position, so you would still have plenty of opportunities to enjoy your retirement. You'll likely need to have a Master's Degree or Doctorate, depending on the courses you want to teach. In some cases, you'll only need to have the technical experience to teach in a school environment.
The amount of money you can make with this part-time job will depend on your experience and the subject you're teaching. It's possible to make over $50k a year with this gig.
Child Social Worker
Many of your teacher skills translate well to social work. You can assist children and offer families the help they need. You may even provide children with basic skills they need to learn.
This is one of the top jobs for retired teachers since you've likely already spend a ton of time working with kids. You know how to speak with them, teach them, and offer them the help and guidance that they need in their lives.
You'll likely need some additional qualifications for this job, but if you already have them it's a great option.
Personal Trainer
Many retired teachers who specialized in physical education become personal trainers. You can work for gyms, private clients, clubs, and more. You'll need to learn how to market yourself and conduct a thorough job search in your area.
If you're passionate about physical education and nutrition, you can help your clients become better versions of themselves.
Translator
If you're a retired teacher with experience speaking another language, you could be a translator. The career transitions between the two isn't that much of a leap. Plus, you can help others communicate effectively with one another.
You can interpret documents, meetings, and other conversations at a business. You also could work as a freelancer and handle jobs on the side. However, you'll need to know how to use your teaching experience to attract clients.
Nanny or Babysitter
Most retired teachers work very well with young kids. You can watch them while their parents are away for some money on the side.
A retired teacher also has a lot to offer young kids – you can provide them with organization skills, communication skills, and more! This job is very fulfilling for many retired educators.
Pay for this position is typically paid by the hour, and you can make over $20 per hour in many cities.
Guidance Counselor
Guidance counselors are always in demand these days. These jobs for retired teachers use many of the skills you've already learned with your teaching experience. You assist students and offer them the guidance they need to thrive in school. Keep in mind that you may need a Bachelor's Degree or possibly a Master's, depending on where you live.
University Academic Advisor
Retired teachers often make some of the best academic advisors. They help their students in every aspect of their educational lives. You would advise them on their grades, offer them assistance with filling out paperwork, and help them choose a career path. Former teachers usually fit into this role very well.
Sports Coach
Next, if you enjoy physical activity, you could teach a sport. Many kids' groups require a coach to teach them and supervise the teams.
Just two examples of this include coaching a soccer team or swim team.
There are so many different sports groups out there, so you can likely find something that fits with what you enjoy.
Life Coach
Retired teachers make excellent life coaches as well. You could advise teachers, young adults, and others going through changes in their lives. You would provide others with a sense of wellbeing as you worked with them. Since many teachers are naturally nurturing, these jobs for retired teachers suit them well.
Corporate Trainer
Corporate trainers teach other adults in a professional setting. You would instruct them on performing technical research, improving their writing, communication, and leadership skills as well. Depending on your experience, you may also teach corporate members through market tutoring services.
Many people in modern businesses need to learn marketing research to get ahead. An experienced teacher would be able to provide them with all the skills they need to move forward.
Museum Guide
If there's a museum in your area, they likely offer many different jobs for retired teachers. You could host educational events and activities. Or, you could teach the community about works of art and artifacts in the museum. If you enjoy this type of setting, you would get to educate many different people from your local area.
Educational Publications
You may enjoy working as an educational writer or editor. You would need to conduct medical research, political research, or legal research to create the documents. Many retired teachers work for educational publications such as websites or magazines. It's an extremely broad field, so you should find something you enjoy discussing.
Career Coach
Most teachers adjust to this job swiftly. You can offer people in various life stages assistance in finding a new career or succeeding in the one they already have.
When your clients make good changes in their lives, you'll feel happy and fulfilled. This job might not pay the most, but it's still a good option for many retired teachers looking to make a difference in peoples lives.
School Administrator
There are many school administrator jobs for retired teachers out there. Since you have experience in how a school runs, you would likely make the perfect fit. Many school admins also work in substitute teaching on the side.
You'll need to know how to communicate instructions accurately and have good leadership abilities. As an admin, you will likely have many responsibilities – more so than a teacher might.
Professional Speaker
Many teachers feel comfortable with public speaking already. You can talk about anything- many people hate public speaking and hire others for important events. As a teacher you naturally spent all day using this skill. Overall, many different career opportunities are available in this field.
Technical Writer
Technical writers need to read complex information and translate it into something that's much easier for people to read. As a teacher, you might even have some experience with this already. You likely had to take scientific research and condense it into forms that kids could easily understand.
A technical writer will usually write user manuals, software guides, legal disclaimers, reports, and more. You can expect to analyze a variety of data in this career.
Researcher
Many former teachers also have plenty of experience in conducting research. Not every person feels confident in doing this, meaning there are jobs available for you. For example, you could conduct medical, scientific, or other forms of research for a group. There are part time opportunities and even online opportunities to work in this field.
Companies might even hire you to help analyze productivity data and present your research to them. You may need to have a Bachelor's Degree at least to get these jobs.
Paralegal
A paralegal works as a lawyer's assistant. You will need to keep files organized and prepare a lot of research for cases. You'll need to be certified and have a Bachelor's Degree for this position.
Many teachers have natural organizational skills, making this job a smooth transition for them. However, some don't consider it since it's not the most traditional form of teaching others.
Sales Representative
A sales representatives convinces people to buy from a company. With your speaking and communication skills, you likely would be a natural at this type of work. Many retired teachers choose to work in this field part time. If you love speaking with people, this would be a great fit for you.
Child Psychologist
Many teachers also find child psychology rewarding for them. You've likely already spent a lot of time learning how children think, play, and learn. As a psychologist, you would be able to help many more kids succeed.
You'll spend a lot of individual time with kids, getting to know them very well. You could work in a school or visit children in their homes. Many kids will come to you with bullying concerns, as well as other problems that they face in their lives.
Textbook Author
If you're an expert in your field, you could create a textbook for other teachers to use. As a former teacher, you've had to explain this material hundreds of times in a way that others could understand. If you want to get out of the classroom, then writing a textbook could be your next job.
Camp Director
Finally, you could be a camp director in your community. You'll work with young campers and prepare the activities for them to do during the day. You'll also work with the counselors there to provide the children with a wonderful summer experience. Many retired teachers enjoy teaching in the outdoors and find it refreshing after spending so much time inside.
Why Teachers Retire Early
Teacher burnout is the leading cause of early retirement. Many public schools are overcrowded and don't have the amount of teachers required. Plus, many are underpaid but still expected to work more than 40 hours every week.
If you're moving out of education, there are plenty of different jobs that you can get into. Some ex-teachers create curriculums, write, or develop standardized testing. No matter what your interests are, there is plenty of work out there for a retired teacher.
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Final Thoughts on the Top Jobs for Retired Teachers and Professors
As you leave teaching, you have plenty of options when it comes to a second career. You could work as an administrator, offer counseling, or work as a sub from time to time.
However, you could also use the skills you developed during teaching in other types of careers. For instance, you may want to try technical writing or public speaking. Some retired teachers even start their own businesses or blogs.
Overall, there are many ways that you can use your teaching skills in other professions. Make sure to check our above list for ideas! You might find something that catches your attention.
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