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Do teachers get paid during the summer? Get all the details!
As a high school Math teacher, I always get asked tons of questions about my job. These can range from how I keep my teenaged students disciplined and in check, to personal questions about how much I get paid.
By far, one of the most popular questions over the years is “Do teachers get paid in the summer?” I guess everyone wonders if teachers get paid during their much needed vacation time.
Perhaps you’re considering the option of becoming a teacher yourself? Or maybe you’re just curious. You have all these burning questions but they’re too personal to ask your teacher friend?
“How do teachers get paid?”
“How much do teachers get paid?”
“Do teachers get paid over the summer vacay at all?”
Don’t worry, I’ve got all these answers for you!
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It’s no secret; many teachers choose a teaching career because of the flexible schedule. Personally, apart from making a difference, I chose to become a teacher because I loved the working hours and the vacations. It meant that I could be a mom that was present and I didn’t need to find child care for evenings, weekends and school breaks.
I could drop off and pick up my kids and enjoy the holidays with them. But did all these school breaks mean a break from paychecks too? I know we couldn’t get a break from bills and the mortgage! Can we?
I always wondered what do teachers do in the summer?
Well, according to the National Education Association, almost one third of new teachers take on second jobs!
Do teachers get paid in the Summer?
Technically, teachers do not get paid in the Summer. Teachers are only paid for the ten months that they work per year. However, the answer to this question is not so simple. Even though teachers only get paid for the ten months that they work, they can choose to spread their annual salary across the entire 12-month period. This means that they can opt to receive a paycheck during the summer months, but are not actually getting a paid vacation.
Payment options for teachers vary from state to state, and even from district to district. Most teachers are given a choice and a say in how they would like to be paid. Most common are the 10-month, 11-month and 12-month options.
No matter which payment plan is chosen, the same annual salary will be received. For example, a teacher whose salary is $50 000 per year will receive $50 000 no matter what payment option he chooses. The only difference will be how much money he receives monthly.
Let’s say Miss Lucy chooses the 12-month option, her monthly income will be:
Lucy’s Annual salary = $50 000
Lucy’s Monthly income = $50 000 ÷ 12
= $4 166.67
If Miss Lucy chooses the 11-month option, her monthly income will be:
Lucy’s Annual salary = $50 000
Lucy’s Monthly income = $50 000 ÷ 11
= $4 545.45
If Miss Lucy chooses the 10-month option, her monthly income will be:
Lucy’s Annual salary = $50 000
Lucy’s Monthly income = $50 000 ÷ 10
= $5 000
So, do teachers get paid in the summer? The answer is no! Teachers are not paid for the summer, but can choose to spread their paychecks in a way that will allow them to receive income during those months!
How do teachers make money during summer break?
For those who chose to receive their paycheck over a 10-month period, it means that July and August are two months with no incoming income. Similarly, those who opted to spread their salary over the course of eleven months, have no income for either July or August (it depends on the school district).
So what do these teachers do? How do these teachers survive during the summer? How do these teachers make money during the summer break? Well many teachers who don’t receive a paycheck during these months have become side hustle specialists by now.
Teachers make money during the summer break by:
• Tutoring
• Hosting Summer Camps
• Becoming Uber Drivers
• Other related Odd Jobs
What do teachers do in the summer?
Teachers have summers off. This is their personal time and what they choose to do with it will vary from person to person.
Some teachers use the summer vacation to rest, relax, reflect and recharge. It is much needed after a long semester/term. During this time, teachers may choose to travel to other countries, visit family out-of-state, spend time with friends, have pool days, or enjoy long, relaxing days in bed with a book (this is me!).
The teachers who choose to do this usually have a plan for how their bills will be covered during the summer months. These may be persons who opted to receive an income for the twelve months, or even those who save consistently over the 10-month period to be able to cover payments for the summer months.
Other teachers use their summer free time to side hustle their way to becoming debt-free and to financial freedom. Even if they have managed their money well to be able to cover their payments during the summer months, these teachers realize that time is money, and they want to use these school breaks to increase their wealth!
It is also important to know that some teachers can also be asked to work during their summer break. This can be to help with programs in school, summer school teaching etc. If a teacher does any extra work during the summer break, he will be paid extra for this.
Teachers can also be asked to attend teaching workshops. Many may even use some of their vacation period to plan lessons, organize paperwork, make teaching aids and worksheets, prep the classrooms and brainstorm ways to improve the delivery of the curriculum. These are all tasks that cannot be done during the regular workday, and so, spill over to late nights, weekends and vacation periods.
Many people do not realize how many extra hours (outside of the classroom) go into educating our children! So don’t forget to thank a teacher today!
FAQ: How many weeks do teachers get off?
During the summer break, teachers get about 6 weeks off. However teachers get a total of around 13 weeks off over the course of the entire school year. This includes all the school breaks and holidays.
Many teachers do not consider these as “weeks off” because much of this time is spent planning lessons and grading assignments.
What jobs can teachers do in the summer for extra cash?
We now know that the answer to our Do teachers get paid during the summer question is NO, so what jobs can teachers do in the summer for extra cash?
If teachers prefer to use their summer free time to side hustle, there are many lucrative options. Here are a few:
1. Tutoring
The most common side job for teachers is to become a private tutor. You can have one on one sessions, small classes with individual attention, or even large classes to increase your income.
If you’re already a great teacher in the school system, you’ll have no trouble getting referrals and growing those classes.
Online tutoring is also a great option with sites like VIPKid becoming popular these days. What’s better than being a teacher who goes to school and makes a difference in their kids’ lives? Being a teacher who makes a difference at home in PJs on her couch, of course!
2. Hosting Summer Camps
For the fun and adventurous teacher, summer camps are always a good way to make money! Working parents are always looking for vacation camps that are educational and enjoyable for their children.
Remember that many working parents need to find safe and reliable child care for their school-aged children during the school break. And this is where your summer camp will help! Being a teacher, you’re already at an advantage. You have what it takes to host the best summer camp in town and make some good money too!
FAQ: How much do teachers get paid a year?
How much teachers get paid can depend on many factors. It depends on the state, their education level, their teaching level (e.g. high school vs elementary) and the number of years they’ve been teaching.
A recent study in New York found that the average annual salary for teachers with a bachelors degree and 10 years of experience ranged from $35 479 to $89 830. That’s a big difference. Similarly, this figure can look different for other states and school districts.
3. Get Paid to Write
You’re a teacher, why not use your skills to get paid to write? Didn’t know you could do that? Well you absolutely can! There are several avenues you can take.
If you’re looking for quick money, you can choose to become a freelance writer and offer your writing services on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. You can even scan related Facebook Groups for paid writing work. Websites are always looking to outsource writers.
You can get paid around $300 for a 2000 word article. Just get your topic, write an epic piece and get paid! The more you write, the more you’ll earn! What a great way to make extra cash during the summer (and rest of the year too!).
If you’re looking for a long term writing side hustle that can even surpass your day job income, consider starting your own website. I promise that it’s easier than it sounds! I started this very site a few years ago and it now makes me passive income every single month. It’s a great addition to my teaching salary.
This step-by-step tutorial explains how to start your own money-making website if a writing side hustle sounds like it’s right up your alley.
FAQ: How do teachers survive the summer?
Since teachers do not get paid for the summer break, they need to find innovative ways to make certain that the bills are covered. Some teachers choose to stretch their annual salary over the 12-month period to guarantee a steady flow of income every single month. This lowers their overall monthly income but is a huge advantage to surviving the summer months.
Other teachers who only get paid over a 10-month period will be on a strict budget which sets aside money to cover bills and to ensure survival during the summer!
Let’s not forget that it’s quite easy to splurge while you’re on vacation from work. To make up for the loss of income during the summer break, and to be able to indulge in fun activities during this time, many teachers opt to take on a second job.
4. Use your phone to Make Money
You know how as a teacher, when you’re on school break, sometimes you just want to lie in bed scrolling your phone, reading random facts, watching videos and playing games? AHHH, good times.
Well, what if you can get paid to do just this? Yes, please! Sign me up.
If you want to use your phone to make money, all you have to do is sign up for a profile with Swagbucks and get paid to do all those random tasks. Use your free time to get paid to watch videos, complete surveys and more! It’s so simple.
You might even be interested in playing games that will pay you cash instantly (via PayPal). I like to think of our phones as little money making machines! Cha ching!
5. Uber Driver
Another great summer job for a teacher who wants to side hustle his way to an extra paycheck is to become an Uber driver. The greatest advantage of this is that you are in control of how much you work.
You can choose to work as little or as often as you’d like. You can enjoy the best of both worlds as a teacher on summer break!
6. Food Delivery Driver
Similarly, as a food delivery driver, you can choose to deliver when you have time. It’s another great option for making a supplemental income during those dry summer months.
7. Make Items to Sell
Teachers can choose to use their summer break to make things to sell for extra cash. This can range from making candles to sell, selling printables on Etsy or even making lunches to sell. The opportunities are limitless and teachers may soon find that their entrepreneurial adventures may far exceed their day job income.
Honestly, this list of summer jobs for teachers could go on and on. There are so many ways for teachers to get paid in the summer. Some may prefer doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, while others may prefer waiting tables. Some may choose lower paying jobs in a related field that can complement and improve their resume instead.
It’s all up to the individual. Just know that there are numerous legit ways for teachers to make extra cash in the summer!
Do Teachers get paid during the Summer? – FAQs
– Do teachers actually get the summer off?
Yes. Teachers get the summer break off. However, much of this time is often used to prepare lessons, mark assignments, complete reports, enter data and other school-related duties.
There is sometimes very little time left to get some much needed rest, or to side hustle for some extra cash!
– Do teacher assistants get paid during Summer?
No, teacher assistants do not get paid during the summer. Since teachers do not work during summer, teacher assistants also get this time off. As such, they are also not paid for the summer break.
– Are teachers only paid for 190 days?
Teachers are only paid for the days that they work. So whether that is 180 days, 190 days or 198 days (the actual number varies), a teacher will only be paid for these days.
– How do teachers earn money in the summer?
Since teachers are not paid in the summer, they may resort to making a side income to cover bills and other payments. Technically, a teacher can choose to stretch the annual salary over the 12 months. However, it’s still a good idea to use whatever free time to side hustle. Teachers can earn money in the summer by tutoring, doing odd jobs, working online etc.
– Do teachers get paid in summer break?
Teachers are not paid in the summer break. They are only paid for the 10 months for which they work. However, they can choose to stretch their annual pay across the 12-month period, so that they can receive a paycheck in the summer break.
– What do teachers do during the summer?
During the summer, teachers can choose to do anything with their free time. Some choose to rest and relax. Others may choose to work on prepping their classrooms and planning lessons. Others choose to do extra work to receive a paycheck during the break.
– Do teachers get paid overtime?
No, teachers do not get paid overtime. If a teacher stays late to work on lesson plans, supervise extra-curricular, or performs any teaching-related duties on a weekend, they will not get any overtime income.
However, it’s important to note that if they are required to work for the school during the summer break, they will get a stipend.
– Do school staff get paid during the summer?
Schools have other staff like secretaries and custodians. These persons do not get paid unless they are required to work. For example, depending on the school district, and their tasks, some school secretaries may need to work for the entire year, and so, will get paid for all 12 months.
Others may work for one extra week after teachers leave, and will return the week before teachers do. These secretaries will get paid for these two additional weeks. However, school staff will not paid for weeks that they do not work.
– How do teachers get paid?
All teachers get paid for 10 months of work. Some choose to receive this over a 10-month period while others choose to stretch it over a period of 12 months. Overall the annual salary is still the same. (See example higher up).
– How often do teachers get paid?
This varies by school district. Some teachers get paid monthly, whilst others get paid fortnightly or biweekly. Some get paid on the 5th and 20th of each month. Others get paid every other Friday. It really just depends on the school and the district.
– How many days a year do teachers work?
The actual number of days that teachers work will vary from state to state, or even by school district. However, it ranges from 180 – 200 days in total (officially), and a much higher number than this, unofficially.
– Do teachers have to work in the summer?
No, technically teachers do not have to work in the summer. However, many are forced to use this time to work on lesson planning, classroom prep, attending workshops, grading of assignments, data entry etc. This is because the typical instructional work day doesn’t allow enough time for these tasks to be done.
Teachers already have to engage their students during the day, attend PTA meetings, conferences, after-school activities on evenings and sometimes weekends. Often, teachers have no choice but to work during the summer too. Of course all of these will be unpaid hours of work.
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Final Thoughts on Do Teachers Get Paid in the Summer
Now that I’ve answered the “Do teachers get paid during the summer” question, and more, hopefully you feel like you have enough information to help you decide if a teaching job is for you after all.
So what do you think? Is teaching for you? Share with us in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
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Do Teachers Get Paid in the Summer? Everything you Need to Know!
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