MASON, Mich — School is out for the summer, but while students are enjoying the time away from school, teachers like Nathan Johnson are keeping busy with second jobs. Johnson, who teaches at Mason Middle School, spends his summer days working in construction.
- About 15% of U.S. public school teachers take on non-school summer jobs, according to the Pew Research Center.
- Many teachers seek additional income as the cost of living continues to rise.
- Some teachers' summer jobs extend into the school year as they balance both careers.
Johnson has been teaching in Mason for 22 years and has deep roots in the community.
WATCH: Mason teachers' summer jobs: How educators make ends meet
"I teach in the same school district that I went to," Johnson said.
But as students take a break from the classroom, Johnson trades his teaching materials for construction tools.
"The very first summer I worked on a framing crew framing houses," Johnson said.
Construction work is something Johnson has been doing every summer since he started teaching.
"Teachers don't make a ton, so I needed to find something to do," Johnson said.
Now he works as a contractor to earn extra income, and he's not the only teacher who works during the summer months.
"Some teachers are into photography and will do senior portraits. Another guy mows lawns and has the past 20 years," Johnson said.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 15% of U.S. public school teachers take on non-school summer jobs, all while the cost of living continues to rise.
Johnson tells me that he wouldn't necessarily call his summer job just a summer job. In fact, sometimes it carries into the school year.
"I wouldn't even call it a side hustle. It's pretty much full-time," Johnson said.
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