One important way to gain financial independence and retire early is having a side hustle. Side hustles allow you to make extra money and save it, possibly knocking years off your working career. I stumbled upon my side hustle by accident five years ago and it has since become my main hustle. I connected with my alma mater’s Computer Science department at an alumni happy hour and ended up teaching their Computer Science Capstone course. Let me tell you why teaching at a university is such a nice side hustle.
University Teaching is Flexible
I teach at UW-Madison one night a week and I set my own schedule. Your course must meet a certain number of in-class hours per the number of credits students receive, but you can pick when and how those hours are fulfilled. You’re also in charge of the content you teach. There’s more to teaching than showing up for class. You must prepare, answer student questions, host office hours, and develop assignments, but you can schedule all of that during a time that suits you.
Extra Money
Will you get rich teaching at a university? Um, no. Especially if you are a highly-paid professional, the money you make at the university will seem like peanuts compared to your regular salary. However, extra money is always nice and you can make a solid amount per course that you teach. I was originally offered $12k my first semester and I negotiated a lot more than that given all the work that needs to go into a course and my specific expertise. That said, teaching is really not about the money. It’s one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done and that leads me to my next point.
Teaching is Fun & Fulfilling
I am blown away by how much I truly enjoy teaching. Because I teach an experiential course that gives the students access to partner companies like Google, Amazon/Shopbop, and CapitalOne, my students are typically incredibly grateful to receive the opportunities they get in the Capstone course. They recognize how valuable it is not just to work on a “real world” project, but to learn about effective interviewing, presenting skills, and a lot of other soft skills we don’t always teach our software engineers.
If you’re someone who likes to talk at conferences and it makes you feel good to share your knowledge, you get to do that every, single week at a university. Students bring a kind of energy (optimism??) to every class that is fun to be a part of. They will email you years later telling you stories about how you changed their lives. What could be better than that?
457 Accounts
I stand by the idea that teaching is not where the money is, but there are some distinct benefits to teaching. Many university, government, and K-12 employees get access to a second retirement account called a 457b. 457s act like a 401k or 403b account in that employees can set aside pre-tax dollars. However, with the 457 account, you are able to start withdrawals as soon as you leave your employer. You do not have to wait until you are 59.5 years old. Furthermore, the amount you put into a 457 account does not count against the amount you set aside in your 401k or 403b. In 2025, you can set aside $23,500 in a 457 and another $23,500 in a 401k or 403b. That means you can double your pre-tax contributions and reduce your total taxable income by $47,000.
That is a huge deal if you make a lot more in your day job. I was able to put away the maximum allowed in my 401k for my full-time employer and then turn around and contribute the same to my 457 account at the university. It has saved me thousands of dollars in taxes and will someday be part of my early withdrawal strategy when I leave the university.
Great Networking Opportunity
Universities are rich with connections—not just with students, but with fellow faculty, guest lecturers, and in my case, partner companies. Teaching can plug you into a powerful academic and professional network. You may meet future collaborators, mentors, or even potential business partners. If you’re trying to shift your career direction or build a name in your industry, the classroom is a valuable visibility platform. I’ve also been able to use my connections to help students find jobs. Who knows, maybe I’ll find one because of my university connections someday too?
Publishing and Thought Leadership Opportunities
Being affiliated with a university—especially if you’re teaching a specialized course—can help you establish credibility in your field. This opens doors for publishing opportunities, speaking engagements, and even media interviews. There have been a number of articles featuring the Capstone course. But, most importantly, I published my first book, Agile Discovery & Delivery, because of the content in my Capstone course. That’s gotten me invited to speak at numerous workshops and conferences, provided another steady stream of income, and was just plain fun to work on! If you want to publish in academic journals, you’ll need to have a university credential as well.
Future Employment Opportunities
Right now, I purposefully only teach one section of the Capstone in both Fall and Spring, but I’ve been invited to increase my hours and do other things with the university that I may someday end up doing. Last May, I quit my full-time job after reaching financial independence. Now, I get my health benefits, part of my living expenses, and an infusion of status, fun, and socialization through my university position.
Finding University Opportunities
There are a number of ways to find university teaching gigs. Look at the posted jobs for your local universities, but don’t stop there. Reach out to the relevant department chairs and find out what they’re looking for, what gaps they have in their curriculum, and kick around ideas for filling those gaps. Also, don’t forget about the power of networking. I got my teaching job by going to an alumni happy hour and asking a simple question to our new department chair: “What are you doing to teach students about agile software development? I’m trying to hire them and they know nothing.”
Teaching the Capstone course has been one of the best, unplanned parts of my career and it’s been a darn good side hustle for me. If you’re thinking about starting a side hustle of some kind, consider what you might be able to teach at the local university. After years of working in an industry, you have a lot to teach students, even if you don’t realize it yet.