9 in 10 Teachers Consider Quitting in 2025: The Hidden Cost of Passion

As schools across the U.S. struggle to retain educators, new data from MyPerfectResume reveals a profession at a breaking point. In a March 2025 survey of 800 K–12 teachers, 58% said they frequently consider quitting, and 90% now work second jobs to stay financially afloat.

Even more striking? Nearly all respondents (97%) said they’d still choose to be a teacher if given the chance again. This gap between passion and reality exposes the growing strain on America’s educators—and the systems failing to support them.

Key Findings

Teaching for Love, Not Money

Most educators didn’t go into teaching for the paycheck. The top reasons they entered the profession reflect a deep emotional and personal commitment to developing teaching skills and educating students of all ages: 

• 44% cite a passion for working with students
• 33% want to make a difference in their communities
• 19% are motivated by a love for their subject

Only 5% said they chose teaching for job stability or benefits. Yet nearly all teachers are feeling financial pressure:

• 90% work side gigs—55% of them year-round
• 91% spend personal money on supplies; 20% do so monthly or weekly
• 66% spend between $100–$250 annually on classroom needs
• Only 7% have no plans to pursue extra income

Burnout Is Boiling Over

Teachers are working well beyond their contracted hours, often without extra pay:

• 49% spend 5–10 extra hours a week on school-related work
• 44% spend more than 11 hours weekly on grading, planning, or admin tasks
• 27% work over 45 hours per week in total
• 67% say the job has gotten harder since the COVID-19 pandemic

Top factors pushing them toward the exit:

• 51% say high workload and unpaid overtime
• 42% point to a lack of support from the administration
• 37% cite student behavior and discipline issues

An Exodus in Motion

The desire to leave the profession is turning into real action:

• 70% say better pay or career growth would convince them to stay
• 70% are seriously considering reskilling or pivoting careers
• 91% are willing to retrain in under a year
  • 57% would commit three to six months
  • 34% would invest up to a year

While 54% say there are advancement opportunities within education, most view those options as inaccessible or poorly compensated.

Still Passionate—But Losing Patience

Despite the mounting challenges and worker burnout, most teachers still feel connected to their work:

• 97% say they would choose the profession again
• 94% report being satisfied with their careers overall
• 69% rate their work-life balance as “excellent,” though 30% say it’s only “fair”

Here is a visual representation of the data above: 

What keeps them going? The most valued aspects of the job include:

• Health and retirement benefits (55%)
• Summer and holiday breaks (51%)
• Job security (46%)
• Personal fulfillment (46%)

Top-Paying Supplemental Opportunities for Teachers

According to WeAreTeachers.com, many educators do side work to supplement their income. These roles allow teachers to use their high-income skills and expertise outside the classroom, during the school year or over summer break:

High-earning opportunities

• Educational consultant: $50-$100/hr
• Online class instructor: $35+/hr
• Private tutor: $30+/hr
• Summer school teacher: $30/hr
• Homeschool support: $30/hr

Mid-range opportunities

• ESL or foreign language teacher: $20-$30/hr
• Curriculum designer: $20-$30/hr
• Test prep tutor: $20/hr
• After-school program director: $20-$25/hr
• Babysitting/nannying: $20/hr

Project-based income

• Summer camp instructor: $400-$600/week
• Sell lesson plans on Teachers Pay Teachers: $5-$500+ per month

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether you’re staying in education or exploring new opportunities, a standout resume makes all the difference. MyPerfectResume offers tailored resume templates and expert tips to help you showcase your skills and land your next role—inside or outside the classroom. Explore recent hiring outlook survey data for key insights into hiring and resume trends. 

For press inquiries, contact Nathan Barber at nathan.barber@bold.com.

Survey Methodology

The findings are based on a national survey conducted on March 3rd, 2025, with 800 U.S. K–12 teachers. The survey was conducted via MTurk and included multiple-choice, scaled, and open-ended questions exploring job satisfaction, workload, compensation, and systemic challenges in the education field.