More Workers Are Taking Second Jobs to Make Ends Meet
A new survey from the American Federation of Teachers reveals that over 40% of educators are working second jobs to survive financially. With nearly a third considering leaving the profession within a year and teacher wages continuing to lag significantly behind other college graduates, the teaching profession faces a crisis that should alert all job seekers about industry volatility and compensation realities.
The American Federation of Teachers surveyed 2,112 K-12 members between August 13-24, 2026, finding that 42% work a second job to make ends meet. The stress levels are high, with nearly two-thirds rating their weekly stress at 7 or higher on a 1-to-10 scale.
A concerning 31% said they are likely to leave teaching in the next year, while only 36% would recommend the job to their own children. The survey revealed significant racial disparities, with 58% of Black educators and 42% of Latino educators working second jobs compared to 39% of white educators.
Nearly half of respondents expect to spend up to $300 of their own money on classroom supplies this year, with 76% expecting to spend up to $600 total. School supply costs have increased nearly 8% year over year, and half of respondents expect to buy food for hungry students.
The survey also found that 77% described the Trump administration's impact on their work as negative, up from 71% the previous year. Household income has declined significantly, with only 29% reporting income above $100,000 compared to nearly 47% the year before.
This survey follows a separate report from the Economic Policy Institute showing public school teachers earned 25.2% less in weekly wages in 2025 than other college graduates with comparable experience and education, a gap that barely improved from a record 26.9% in 2024.
This study reveals a harsh reality that even in traditionally stable professions like teaching, compensation can fail to keep pace with basic living costs. The teaching profession, once seen as a secure middle-class career with good benefits, now requires many practitioners to take on additional work just to maintain a standard of living. This demonstrates how industry loyalty and dedication no longer guarantee financial security in today's economy.
For job seekers, this reality demands a complete rethinking of career loyalty. When a profession like teaching systematically fails to provide adequate compensation, you owe that profession absolutely no honesty about your intentions. If you're taking a teaching job while secretly planning to leverage it as a stepping stone to better pay elsewhere, you're not being unethical, you're being smart. Companies and institutions will use you until you're burned out and then replace you without a second thought. Why shouldn't you do the same? Present your teaching experience as whatever it needs to be to transition into a better-paying field.
Background Checks when you are Overemployed: https://backgroundproof.com/blogs/background-checks-when-you-are-overemployed/
https://www.nationofchange.org/2026/09/08/more-than-40-of-teachers-now-work-a-second-job-to-make-ends-meet-aft-survey-finds/