The American Dream has long promised that hard work leads to stability. But for teachers who dedicate themselves to preparing the next generation, long hours in the classroom aren’t translating into financial security.
Over half of K–12 teachers report that they are just “getting by” financially—with one in five reporting they find it difficult to live on their present income, according to a new study by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. That financial strain has forced many educators to do what’s increasingly common across the workforce: pick up a side gig.
About 62% of educators are taking on additional work connected to education, like coaching or tutoring, but one in three work second jobs that have nothing to do with teaching, like driving for Uber, working in food service, or running a small business in the evenings or on weekends.
The financial pressure is hiding in plain sight. Public school K–12 teachers earn average salaries of $72,030, according to the National Education Association—more than the median annual wage of all workers of $49,000. But when adjusted for inflation, teachers make on average 5% less than 10 years ago, and 9% less than the peak in 2009–10. Many are also carrying significant debt: About 45% of educators have taken out a student loan to fund their education, with an average balance of $55,800.
And the financial strain doesn’t stop there. Some 94% of teachers take money out of their own pocket for their students, according to the U.S. Department of Education—shelling out upwards of thousands of dollars for everything from pencils to food to winter jackets.
Gen Z sees teaching as AI-proof—but the reality is complicated
In today’s uncertain job market, finding a stable, AI-proof job has become a top priority for many Gen Zers—and teaching has emerged as a solution. Interest in the profession has surged in recent years, offering a reprieve from the teacher shortage that plagued schools in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Over the past three years, Teach for America (TFA), an education nonprofit, experienced a 43% surge in incoming corps members (full-time teachers), according to the organization’s data, confirmed by Fortune. The appeal is intuitive: job security, summers off, and a sense of purpose that’s hard to find in a cubicle.
But paired with lackluster financial support, young educators have found that teaching Gen Alpha in an era of TikTok and ChatGPT can sometimes feel like a nightmare.
“I’m actually leaving the profession. I am quitting. Friday is my last day,” said one young teacher who went viral on TikTok after quitting her high school English teacher job.
Over half of educators—55%— said in 2022 that they were considering leaving the profession earlier than planned.
While the pandemic thrust teaching into the national spotlight and spurred changes like expanded social-emotional support and online learning, many say the job has only grown more demanding. Teachers are no longer just instructors—they’re often stepping in as de facto therapists, social workers, and guardians, even as test scores indicate students are still struggling academically.
Side gigs are becoming the new norm—fueled by financial strain and Gen Z redefining the workforce
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said educators taking on second jobs has “unfortunately” been the “norm, not the exception” for many generations.
“Educators did not take a vow of poverty when they entered the classroom,” she said in a statement to Fortune. “They should not be forced to drive for Lyft, deliver food, or find odd jobs just to make ends meet. Educators, who make every other profession possible, should be entitled to a decent wage that paves a pathway to the middle class.”
But really, teachers aren’t the only ones feeling the squeeze. Across industries, Gen Z is rewriting the rules of work—and the side hustle has become a defining feature of young people’s careers across the board.
Nearly two-thirds of young people ages 18 to 35 say they have either started a side gig or plan to, according to a 2024 survey from Intuit, and nearly half say their primary motivation is simply to be their own boss.
“In contrast to past generations who sought stability and long-term corporate careers, Gen Z and millennials are pursuing their own paths, ones that prioritize personal fulfillment, diverse income sources, and creative independence,” wrote Marissa Cazem Potts, a consumer trends expert at Intuit, in a blog post about the findings.
The shift isn’t slowing down. A report from Ogilvy Consulting predicts that half of the developed world’s workforce will be part of the gig economy by 2027.
For teachers, though, the extra work is less about entrepreneurial ambition or creative freedom—and more a warning sign of how educators are adapting to make ends meet.
