Pew Research: Many of America’s Teachers Are Working Two Jobs — for Survival

In classrooms across the country, public school teachers are grading papers by day — and stocking shelves, serving tables, or freelancing by night. According to new Pew Research analysis, about 1 in 6 full-time public school teachers held a second job during the 2020–21 school year. And it wasn’t just summer work. Roughly 17% of teachers worked a non-school job during the school year, a rate nearly four times higher than the national average for all U.S. workers.

This isn’t a new trend. The data has remained steady since at least 2007–08. What’s changed is the visibility — and the public frustration — as teacher shortages, curriculum fights, and stagnant wages dominate headlines.

The burden isn’t shared equally. Newer, younger, and less-credentialed teachers are more likely to work second jobs, and men are more likely than women to do so — a reversal of the general workforce trend. On average, teachers earned about $6,090 during the school year and $3,550 in the summer from these outside jobs — money that often makes up as much as 12% of their annual income.

The reason is clear: pay dissatisfaction is rampant. In a 2023 Pew survey, more than half of K–12 public school teachers said they were not satisfied with their pay. Yet Americans overwhelmingly agree that teachers deserve more — 74% believe they should be paid more, including 39% who say a lot more.

Our educators shape the future. Yet too many are being forced to work overtime just to keep the lights on. If we truly value our teachers, it’s time to treat them like professionals — and pay them like it, too.