16 Best Jobs For Retired Teachers (Offline & Online Job Ideas!)
As a retired teacher, you probably have a lot of skills that can transfer over into a new job.
Depending on what you used to teach, what qualifications you have, and how much experience you have, you could easily find a post-retirement job.
All of these options are suitable for almost any teacher, professor, or even teacher’s assistant.
So today, we're covering some of the best side hustles and ways to make money online if you want to earn income as a retired teacher.
These 14 jobs for retired teachers can all put a bit more cash into your pocket every month!
The Best Jobs For Retired Teachers
1. Private Tutoring
Private tutoring is an excellent way to keep those teaching skills sharp and put them to use with students who really need the help.
And, as a private tutor, you can probably make your own schedule and most parents are willing to pay in cash.
Depending on the subjects you taught previously, you can likely charge an hourly rate of $20 to $30, or even more if you're helping students with advanced topics or things like SAT prep.
Plus, if you prefer to work online, you can also consider online tutoring or using websites that pay you to do homework and conduct your private tutoring sessions over Zoom.
There are also numerous online English teaching jobs or companies like Preply where you can make money teaching several different subjects to students around the world.
A lot of online tutoring gigs pay between $15 to $25 per hour, so private tutoring is likely more lucrative.
Either way, tutoring is one of the most natural jobs for retired educators, so it had to be number one on our list!
- Pros: Uses prior teaching skills, flexible schedule, decent pay.
- Cons: It can take a while to find clients.
- Average Pay: $20 to $30 per hour isn't unrealistic, even for beginner private tutors!
2. Food Delivery Apps
Thanks to the rise of gig economy jobs, it's easier than ever before to start a side hustle and to make extra cash every month on your own schedule.
So, if you're looking for some part time jobs for retired teachers, you could always sign up for a few gig jobs and work as many hours per week as you please.
Some of the highest-paying jobs are driving gigs that pay, and you definitely have a lot of options here.
For example, you can try grocery delivery jobs like Instacart and earn anywhere from $10 to $25+ per hour as an Instacart Shopper.
Similarly, you can also deliver food for DoorDash or become an Uber Eats driver and make money in your spare time.
A lot of gig economy workers sign up for multiple apps so they can deliver for whatever company is busiest or paying the most that day.
Ultimately, this is one of the best jobs for retired teachers since it's flexible and can pay above minimum wage.
Plus, you get to spend time outside and get some exercise in, especially if you're delivering groceries for Instacart and have to do a lot of grocery shopping!
- Pros: Easy to find work, speedy application process, and it keeps you active!
- Cons: You generally need a car or bike for food delivery gigs, and the work can be tiring.
- Average Pay: $10 to $25+ per hour.
Extra Reading – How Much Can You Make With DoorDash Per Week?
3. Blogger
If you're looking for careers for retired teachers, you can always consider creating your own source of income by starting a blog!
A blogger is someone who writes about various topics in their specific expertise for viewers to learn from and enjoy.
And, while it might sound like a strange job for a retired teacher, there are so many ways to grow your blog and make money with it.
For example, once you grow your blogging audience, you can monetize it with strategies like:
- Advertisements
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling your own products or courses
- Sponsored posts
Granted, it takes months or years to scale your blogging income, but it's possible if you learn the basics of search engine optimization and write consistently.
For example, WebMonkey made $22,000 in 2020, but it's on track to double that amount in 2021.
Plus, the cost to start a blog in the beginning is pretty low.
All you need to do is get hosting, pick a domain name, learn a bit of SEO, and start producing high quality content on a consistent basis.
You can start your own blog with a hosting provider like SiteGround and pay around $7 per month to run your blog; hardly a restrictive startup cost!
Just remember to pick a blog niche and to play to your strengths.
As a retired teacher, you can start an education-based blog of course, or even a blog that relates to previous subjects you taught.
But nothing stops you from starting a food blog, or a parenting blog, or picking a niche that's a hobby of yours, so don't be afraid to get creative!
- Pros: Extremely high earning potential and you learn new digital skills.
- Cons: It takes a long time to grow your blogging income.
- Average Pay: Blogs can easily generate thousands of dollars per month, but it takes time.
4. Academic Supervisor
Academic supervisors (or academic advisors) help students make better choices for their future, whether that’s related to colleges, picking the right classes, or finding extracurriculars.
So, this is a pretty natural job for retired teachers since you've probably worked in education for enough time to give valuable advice to young students.
And, the pay for this job is also pretty solid, so you can make very good money even if you don't work full-time.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary is around $50,000 with the top earners making close to $75,000.
- Pros: Uses prior teaching skills, great pay.
- Cons: Not always possible to find part-time jobs for teachers.
- Average Pay: $26 per hour according to ZipRecruiter.
5. Substitute Teacher
If you’re looking for a very laid back job as a retired teacher, consider becoming a substitute teacher!
As a substitute teacher, you don't have to work nearly as much as a full-time teacher, and you can probably find work at your previous school!
The average salary for substitute teachers is around $30,000, so don’t expect this job to fully cover your previous job.
Plus, you might get less opportunities to sub at the start. But as you work your way up, you’ll receive more and more inquiries to fill in.
The best part about being a substitute teacher is that you already have all the qualifications and know your subjects well enough to teach!
- Pros: A natural fit for retired teachers and you can probably find work at your old school board.
- Cons: You're not trying anything new.
- Average Pay: Around $30,000 per year.
6. Freelance Writer Or Editor
Another one of the most popular jobs for retired teachers is to become a freelance writer or editor.
Teachers generally have good communication skills or know how to write, and this is especially true if you're a retired English teacher or creative writing teacher.
Typically, freelance writers work for publications and specialize in a certain niche. Your previous teaching subject is a great niche candidate!
It might take a while to land your first few clients, but don't be afraid to write a few articles on your own, publish them on Medium to create a portfolio, and then pitch several publications you'd like to write for.
It can take a while to land clients, and your starting rate isn't always high (think around $0.05 per word.)
However, you can steadily raise your freelance writing or editing rates over time as you gain experience, expand your portfolio, and get better clients.
With a few clients and a decent rate per word you could be making nearly $1000 – $2000 per month!
If you're curious about how to land this job for retired educators, you can check out Tom's video on how to become a freelance writer.
The process is pretty similar for finding freelance editing gigs, and a lot of freelancers actually make money with both services.
As an editor, you would be looking over articles that have already been written and checking for spelling mistakes and making SEO changes.
If you don’t know SEO, learning it will help you land more gigs and potentially grant you higher paying work.
- Pros: High income potential and a great second career option!
- Cons: It usually takes time to find clients and increase your rates.
- Average Pay: It depends on your niche and experience level, but making six figures is possible.
Extra Reading – The Best Remote Job Sites To Find Freelance Work.
7. Adjunct Professor
An adjunct professor is essentially a part-time professor who has a bit more flexibility in their schedule.
You can choose to take on just one class per semester or fit in as many as you’re allowed to. In other words, you’re not a main part of the faculty at the school.
You should note that most adjunct professors have a master’s degree or a doctorate. Some universities will let a bachelor’s degree slide, however.
The average salary varies depending on how many hours you teach, but many adjunct professors earn around $$66,000 per year according to ZipRecruiter!
If you have a higher degree and want to give university a try, definitely consider this as one of the best jobs for retired teachers.
- Pros: Uses your previous teaching skills and is very well paid.
- Cons: This is a tougher job and still requires teaching at a very high level.
- Average Pay: $32 per hour according to ZipRecruiter.
8. Consultant
Have a valuable expertise that people would pay for? Try consulting for clients!
It may require a lot of pitching and forming a presence online, but consultants can get paid some serious cash.
For example, if you’re an expert chemist and taught chemistry as a teacher, some pharmaceutical companies might highly value your opinions on products.
The same goes for other subjects as well, especially if you taught an incredibly specific course in college or university and are a bit of a subject matter expert.
The point is, whatever you’re an expert at will always be valuable to businesses.
Some consultants make over $100,000 per year, with an average salary of around $70,000.
You can work on your own or join a consultation company where you’ll get paid an hourly rate to help the business’s clients.
- Pros: Incredibly high earning potential.
- Cons: You generally need to specialize in something to become a consultant.
- Average Pay: Can easily reach six figures or hundreds of dollars per hour.
9. Airbnb Host
While this isn't an obvious employment option for retired teachers, if you prefer passive income, becoming an Airbnb host is one of your best bets.
There are plenty of things you can rent out for money, and renting out a spare room in your house is one of the most lucrative.
As an Airbnb host, you can likely make several hundred dollars per month by renting out a room in your house.
And, other than arranging bookings and cleaning your place before and after guests arrive, there really isn't too much work involved with this side hustle idea.
Of course, you have to be comfortable with strangers staying in your home, so this isn't the best fit for everyone.
But again, there are other rental-based passive income ideas you can try, so you're not limited to Airbnb.
For example, you can rent out spare storage space in your home with Neighbor, the Airbnb of storage.
Similarly, Turo lets you make money by renting out your car to people, so there are numerous ways to earn residual income as a retired teacher!
- Pros: Semi-passive income and you control your listings.
- Cons: Variable income and you have to be comfortable with having people in your home.
- Average Pay: Varies depending on your property and how many bookings you get.
10. Textbook Author/Editor
Textbooks are written, updated, and reviewed every single year.
And, the people who develop these educational textbooks are always looking for the brightest teachers to write them.
So, if you have a bachelor’s degree in any high level subject, you can apply to be a writer/editor for new textbooks.
The most common writers have a degree in English, communications, or technical writing, but many other subjects are acceptable.
The average salary for a textbook writer is around $75,000 per year. You can stick around and work on multiple textbooks or just help write one book and cash in your check.
You don't have to work full-time either and can likely make decent money working on a few textbooks per year rather than working 40 hours a week.
This is another natural fit for a job for a retired teacher, especially if you have a knack for writing and want to create content for future teachers to instruct from!
- Pros: Uses your prior teaching skills and knowledge and high pay.
- Cons: Not always possible to find part-time work.
- Average Pay: $26 per hour according to ZipRecruiter.
11. Career Coach
Career coaches help others identify personal goals, improve their skills, and review resumes or other job qualifications.
In other words, you’re essentially helping someone find higher paying jobs, get promotions, or advance as an entrepreneur.
If you have any experience with this (perhaps from looking over resumes as a teacher) then you could make some decent money with this job.
The average hourly rate for a career coach is around $200 with the average salary being around $60,000.
You can find work as a freelance career coach on websites like Fiverr or even looking for jobs on Upwork.
Similarly, you can branch out and look for career coaching jobs at companies that specialize in recruting, scouting, and HR work.
You can obtain certain coaching qualifications to build credibility. This is especially useful if you don’t have a relevant degree on this subject.
- Pros: High hourly rate.
- Cons: Can be difficult to find your first clients.
- Average Pay: Rates can range from $50 to $200+ per hour.
12. Technical Writer
A technical writer helps transfer information between 2 or more parties for certain industries.
In other words, your job will require things like communicating instructions to people who don’t fully understand a subject.
For example, you would have to write instructions on how to build a mechanical arm (maybe you have an engineering background) by making the information easily digestible for others.
The job is not easy, but it is incredibly rewarding.
You can expect to make an average salary of around $58,000. Technical writers are also in high demand for the software space.
Use your expert writing skills and comprehensive ability to understand subjects to make an excellent living wage!
- Pros: High hourly pay and can use your prior teaching knowledge.
- Cons: Not always possible to find part-time work.
- Average Pay: $58,000 per year according to Indeed.
13. Nanny Or Babysitter
If you’re a retired teacher, you’re likely good with kids considering you spent years in the classroom keeping them under control!
So, unsurprisingly, a common job for retired teachers is to become a nanny or babysitter and to look after kids.
This is a great part-time job for retired teachers, especially if you're a bit older and don't want a very strenuous workload but still want to make a bit of extra money on the side.
You can also find babysitting jobs online with websites like Care.com or Sitter City, and applying to jobs is very speedy.
Your other option is to work through word of mouth and find customers on your own. Either option works, but joining a platform might be a bit more consistent.
Try combining your teaching skills with babysitting to become a “nanny tutor”. Help kids with homework while also keeping an eye on them at night!
The average babysitter makes around $20 per hour, depending on their experience. Expect to make a little extra in tips (some parents are kind enough to throw in a bit extra).
- Pros: A more relaxed job and you get paid in cash.
- Cons: It can take time to find regular clients.
- Average Pay: Expect to earn $15 to $25 per hour.
Extra Reading – The Best Under The Table Jobs.
14. Pet Sitter
Another great gig economy job for retirees is pet sitting, dog walking, or pet boarding.
If your friends or people in your neighborhood have pets, you can offer your services directly to them.
Alternatively, you can use platforms like Rover to make money watching someone’s pet or even by offering dog walking services!
Rover lets you set your own rates and availability as well, and a few dog walking and pet sitting clients is all you need to bring in some meaningful extra income.
The average part-time salary for Rover workers is around $10,000. It’s not going to break the bank, but it’s an easy way to help pay off some monthly expenses!
- Pros: Perfect if you like animals and you set your own hours and rate.
- Cons: It can take time to find clients.
- Average Pay: Many dog walking or sitting gigs pay $15 to $25 per hour.
15. Museum Guide
To all the retired history teachers, you’re going to enjoy this one!
Becoming a museum guide is a great way for you to share your vast history knowledge, engage visitors, and meet new people.
The average salary is around $30,000 with the hourly rate being nearly $18.
Degrees in archeology, anthropology, communication, and museum studies are also valuable for landing a job as a museum guide.
Your daily duties would be leading tours, greeting visitors, providing extensive background knowledge on pieces in the museum, and more!
- Pros: Great for retired history teachers.
- Cons: You might have to work weekends.
- Average Pay: $18 per hour.
16. YouTuber
If you're looking for a creative way to make money as a retired teacher, you could always try making money on YouTube.
Like blogging, YouTube has immense potential as an income source, and you can make money through advertisement views and affiliate deals.
Granted, it takes a while to get your YouTube channel up and running, and you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time to monetize your channel.
However, it can turn into a decent income stream fairly quickly.
For example, Tom started a YouTube channel in 2020. After about a year and a bit, that channel has earned nearly $9,000!
YouTube isn't pure passive income, and there is a learning curve to filming and editing videos.
However, if you want to make money online and run your own channel, you can always give YouTube a try!
- Pros: Very high earning ceiling and you learn new digital skills.
- Cons: It takes time to monetize your channel.
- Average Pay: Depends on how many monthly views you get but earning thousands of dollars per month on YouTube is possible.
Extra Reading – The Best Work From Home Jobs With No Phone Calls.
Tips For Finding Jobs As A Retired Teacher
Now that we've covered some of the best jobs for retired teachers, let's cover a few tips to help you with your job search!
- Update Your Resume: Even though you might have decades of work experience, it's important to have an up-to-date resume that you can use to hit the job market.
- Set An Income Goal: Do you want to replace most of your previous income, or just earn a few hundred dollars per month? Set a monthly income target so you can find an ex-teaching job that makes financial sense.
- Ask Your Network: So many jobs get filled internally or through word-of-mouth, so don't be afraid to ask former colleagues or people you know who are still working if they know of job opportunities.
- Be Your Own Boss: Don't be afraid to start an online business, or to turn to the gig economy, to make extra money as a retired teacher. You don't have to follow a traditional career path to keep making money after you retire!
This last point is an important one.
There are so many ways to boost your monthly income. It doesn't matter if you're selling stuff on Etsy or making money as an Instacart Shopper; just get out there and hustle!
Extra Reading – How To Start An Etsy Sticker Business.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Is A Good Second Career For A Teacher?
The best second career ideas for retired teachers usually involve education since this plays to your strengths.
So, some great careers for retired teachers include:
- Librarian
- Guidance counselor
- Educational consultant
- Textbook writer or editor
- Technical writer
- Curriculum specialist
- Teacher trainer
2. How Do Retired Teachers Make Money?
Retired teachers earn income in a variety of ways, and one of the main ways is to earn money from a state pension fund.
Every state is different, but many school boards still provide pensions for teachers, so you can benefit from this if you pay into it during your employment and retire at the right age.
Other ways retired teachers make money include:
- Starting new side hustles
- Starting an online business
- Investing in dividend paying stocks
- Investing in real estate with companies like Arrived
- Finding a second job or part-time work
All of these options highlights why it's important to set income goals so you know what you're looking for before starting your job search!
Final Thoughts
Hopefully these jobs for retired teachers have given you a bit of inspiration for your next career choice.
A lot of these careers are fun and have flexible options for those who’d rather work part-time or remotely.
Plus, most of the salaries averaged at least $40,000!
Remember to look for jobs that already want a degree that you have. If you’re looking to stay away from education, you might find the gig economy jobs to be your best bet.
Happy job hunting!
Looking for other ways to make extra money? Checkout:
- The Best Get-Paid-To Websites To Earn Extra Money.
- How To Make $100 In PayPal Cash A Day.
- The Best Low Stress Jobs For After Retirement.
