
You spent years perfecting lesson plans, managing 30 different personalities, and somehow making fractions interesting to 8-year-olds. Now you're burned out, underpaid, and wondering if those skills translate to anything outside a classroom.
They do. And they're worth a lot more than your district is paying you.
At Remote Job Assistant, we analyze thousands of remote job postings monthly—and former teachers are among the most successful career changers we track. Among RJA users with teaching backgrounds, we consistently see the fastest conversions into customer success, instructional design, and corporate training roles. The communication skills, patience, and ability to explain complex concepts that made you a great educator? Companies pay $70,000 to $140,000 for those exact abilities.
This guide covers 15+ remote jobs that value your teaching background, the companies actively hiring former educators, and exactly how to position yourself for roles paying 50-100% more than your teaching salary.
Why Teachers Make Exceptional Remote Employees
Before diving into specific roles, let's address something most career guides skip: why your teaching skills are genuinely valuable in remote work.
Teaching isn't just about content delivery. It's project management (every lesson is a project), stakeholder communication (parents, administrators, students), performance assessment, and crisis management—often all before lunch.
Here's how your skills translate:
| Teaching Skill | Corporate Translation | Remote Roles That Value It |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson planning | Project management, curriculum design | Instructional Designer, Program Manager |
| Parent communication | Client relationship management | Customer Success Manager, Account Manager |
| Explaining complex topics | Technical writing, training | Corporate Trainer, Content Developer |
| Classroom management | Team leadership, conflict resolution | Operations Manager, Team Lead |
| Differentiated instruction | Personalized learning experiences | Learning Experience Designer, EdTech Specialist |
| Data-driven assessment | Analytics, performance tracking | Learning Analytics Specialist, QA Analyst |
The difference? These corporate roles typically pay $60,000-$140,000 instead of $45,000-$65,000.

Quick Guide: Which Path Fits You?
| Path Type | Best For | Roles | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Paying Corporate | Teachers ready for a full pivot | Instructional Designer, Customer Success Manager, Project Manager | $80K-$140K |
| Education-Adjacent | Teachers who want to stay connected to education | Curriculum Developer, Educational Consultant, Learning Experience Designer | $55K-$95K |
| Flexible / Transitional | Teachers testing the waters or wanting part-time | Online Tutor, Test Scorer, Virtual School Teacher | $40K-$80K |
Note: Remote arrangements vary by company. Some roles below are fully remote, others are remote-first (occasional in-person), and some offer remote as an option. We've focused on roles where remote is common—always verify with the specific employer.
According to a 2025 RAND survey, 16% of U.S. K-12 teachers plan to leave their roles this year. You're not alone in wanting something different—and the job market knows it. Companies are actively recruiting former educators because they understand the value you bring.
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15 Best Remote Jobs for Former Teachers
1. Instructional Designer
Salary Range: $75,000-$120,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You've been designing instruction your entire career. Now you'll do it for corporate training programs, eLearning courses, and employee onboarding.
According to Glassdoor's 2025 salary data, instructional designers typically earn between $75,000 and $120,000—with senior roles at top companies reaching $147,000 in total compensation.
What You'll Do:
- Design training programs for adult learners
- Create eLearning modules using tools like Articulate or Captivate
- Work with subject matter experts to translate knowledge into digestible content
- Measure learning outcomes and iterate based on data
Companies Hiring: Amazon, Google, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy
Insider Tip: You don't need to know Articulate 360 before applying. Most companies train on their specific tools. What they can't train is the instructional design thinking you already have from years of lesson planning.
2. Corporate Trainer
Salary Range: $55,000-$93,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You've been training people for years—just younger ones. Corporate training uses the same skills: engaging delivery, adapting to different learning styles, and measuring comprehension.
What You'll Do:
- Deliver virtual training sessions to employees
- Develop training materials and assessments
- Track employee progress and certify completion
- Partner with HR on onboarding programs
Companies Hiring: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoom, Microsoft, ServiceNow
3. Customer Success Manager
Salary Range: $80,000-$140,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: Customer success is essentially teaching clients how to succeed with a product. You'll onboard new customers, conduct training sessions, and ensure they're getting value.
According to Glassdoor data, top customer success roles can reach total compensation above $140,000—making this one of the highest-paying paths for former teachers.
What You'll Do:
- Onboard new customers and conduct product training
- Monitor customer health metrics and proactively address issues
- Build relationships that drive retention and expansion
- Gather feedback to improve the product
Companies Hiring: Notion, Canva, Asana, Monday.com, Slack
EdTech companies like Canvas, Schoology, and Clever specifically seek former teachers for customer success roles. Your classroom experience helps you relate to the educators using the product.
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4. Curriculum Developer / Content Writer
Salary Range: $55,000-$85,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You've created curriculum that meets standards, engages students, and achieves learning objectives. Now you'll do it at scale.
What You'll Do:
- Write educational content for K-12 or adult learning platforms
- Develop assessments aligned to learning objectives
- Review and improve existing curriculum
- Ensure accessibility and differentiation in materials
Companies Hiring: Khan Academy, BrainPOP, Newsela, IXL Learning, Curriculum Associates
5. Learning Experience Designer
Salary Range: $70,000-$110,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: This is differentiated instruction for the digital age. You'll design personalized learning paths and engaging educational experiences.
What You'll Do:
- Design user-centered learning experiences
- Apply learning science to product development
- Prototype and test educational interfaces
- Collaborate with product teams on feature development
Companies Hiring: Duolingo, Quizlet, Kahoot!, Nearpod, Edpuzzle
6. Educational Consultant
Salary Range: $60,000-$90,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: Districts and EdTech companies need people who understand classroom realities. Your hands-on experience is the credential.
What You'll Do:
- Advise schools on technology implementation
- Train teachers on new tools and methodologies
- Evaluate educational programs and provide recommendations
- Support product development with educator insights
Companies Hiring: Discovery Education, Amplify, Renaissance Learning, NWEA
Former Teacher Success Story: Many EdTech companies explicitly hire former teachers. Edmentum states they're "committed to putting educators first" and are remote-first. BrainPOP, ranked as one of the Best Places to Work by BuiltIn, employs several former educators in curriculum and product roles.
7. Technical Writer
Salary Range: $60,000-$95,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You've spent years explaining complex concepts to people who didn't understand them initially. Technical writing is the same skill—applied to documentation.
What You'll Do:
- Write user guides, help documentation, and knowledge bases
- Translate technical information into accessible language
- Create tutorials, FAQs, and training materials
- Maintain documentation accuracy as products evolve
Companies Hiring: Atlassian, Stripe, Twilio, GitLab, Notion
8. Online Tutor (Premium Platforms)
Salary Range: $40-$100/hour (part-time to full-time flexibility)
Why Teachers Excel: You're already certified and experienced. Premium tutoring platforms pay significantly more than classroom salaries.
What You'll Do:
- Provide 1-on-1 or small group instruction
- Help students with test prep, homework, or enrichment
- Set your own schedule and rates (on some platforms)
- Build a client base that can become a full-time income
Companies Hiring: Varsity Tutors, Tutor.com, Wyzant, PrepScholar, Revolution Prep
At $60/hour for 25 hours/week, you'd earn $78,000 annually—often more than a teaching salary, with complete schedule control. Some experienced tutors charge $100-150/hour for test prep.
Decode Any Job Posting
Paste a job description and get instant insights: what they really want, red flags to watch, and how to stand out.
9. Academic Advisor (Remote Universities)
Salary Range: $45,000-$65,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You understand student needs, academic planning, and how to support people through educational journeys.
What You'll Do:
- Guide students through degree requirements
- Help students select courses and plan schedules
- Support students facing academic challenges
- Track student progress toward graduation
Companies Hiring: Western Governors University, Southern New Hampshire University, Arizona State University Online, Purdue Global
10. L&D Specialist (Learning & Development)
Salary Range: $60,000-$90,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: L&D is teaching for the corporate world. You'll help employees develop skills, onboard effectively, and grow in their careers.
What You'll Do:
- Assess organizational training needs
- Design and deliver employee development programs
- Measure training effectiveness
- Partner with managers on team development
Companies Hiring: Remote-first companies across tech, healthcare, and finance
11. Test Scorer / Assessment Specialist
Salary Range: $15-$25/hour (flexible, part-time)
Why Teachers Excel: You've graded thousands of papers. Now you can do it remotely, seasonally, and often at a higher hourly rate.
What You'll Do:
- Score standardized test responses
- Apply rubrics consistently across submissions
- Participate in calibration and quality assurance
- Work seasonally during testing windows
Companies Hiring: Pearson, ETS, ACT, Measurement Incorporated
12. Executive Function Coach
Salary Range: $50-$150/hour (coaching rates vary)
Why Teachers Excel: You've helped struggling students develop organization, time management, and study skills. Executive function coaching is this—professionalized.
What You'll Do:
- Work 1-on-1 with students on organization and planning
- Help clients develop systems for managing tasks
- Support students with ADHD, learning differences, or executive dysfunction
- Build a private practice or work for an established company
Companies Hiring: Beyond BookSmart, ADHD coaching practices, private practice
Getting Started: The Executive Function Coaching Academy offers certification programs specifically designed for former educators transitioning into coaching.
13. EdTech Sales Representative
Salary Range: $60,000-$120,000+ (base + commission)
Why Teachers Excel: You understand educator pain points, speak the language, and know what actually works in classrooms.
What You'll Do:
- Sell educational technology to schools and districts
- Conduct product demonstrations
- Build relationships with administrators and teachers
- Meet and exceed sales quotas
Companies Hiring: Canvas, Clever, ClassDojo, Seesaw, Pear Deck
EdTech sales roles often include significant commission. Top performers can earn $150,000+ by leveraging their educator credibility and district relationships.
14. Virtual School Teacher
Salary Range: $45,000-$70,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: You're still teaching—just without the commute, dress code, or cafeteria duty.
What You'll Do:
- Teach students in fully online K-12 programs
- Deliver live and asynchronous instruction
- Grade assignments and provide feedback
- Communicate with parents and support staff
Companies Hiring: K12 Inc., Connections Academy, Stride Learning, Proximity Learning
15. Project Manager
Salary Range: $70,000-$110,000/year
Why Teachers Excel: Every unit you planned was a project. Every field trip you organized was stakeholder management. Project management is teaching skills applied to business initiatives.
What You'll Do:
- Plan and execute projects from start to finish
- Manage timelines, budgets, and team members
- Communicate progress to stakeholders
- Identify and mitigate risks
Companies Hiring: Available across virtually all industries
Companies That Actively Hire Former Teachers
These companies specifically recruit educators and value teaching experience:
EdTech Companies:
- Amplify (remote-first, K-12 curriculum)
- BrainPOP (learning solutions, ranked Best Place to Work)
- Edmentum (remote-first, "putting educators first")
- Discovery Education (many former teachers on staff)
- Newsela (content development, curriculum roles)
- Khan Academy (mission-driven, education-focused)
Corporate L&D:
- Amazon (instructional design, training)
- Salesforce (enablement, training roles)
- Google (learning experience design)
- LinkedIn (learning & development)
Tutoring & Assessment:
- Varsity Tutors (flexible tutoring)
- Tutor.com (test prep and subject tutoring)
- Pearson (assessment, content development)
- ETS (test development, scoring)
What Teachers Worry About (And Why It's Wrong)
Before we cover the job search process, let's address the concerns we hear most from former educators:
- "I don't have corporate experience"
- "I'm not tech-savvy enough"
- "I'll have to start over at entry level"
- "No one will take my teaching background seriously"
- "I'm too old to switch careers"
Here's why each of these is wrong:
"I don't have corporate experience"
Neither did any of the former teachers now working at Salesforce, Discovery Education, or Amazon. Here's the truth: corporate experience is less important than relevant skills—and you have those in abundance.
In our internal data from former educators, we've found that teachers who frame their classroom experience in corporate language get interview callbacks at the same rate as candidates with traditional business backgrounds. The key is translation, not transformation.
What companies actually care about:
- Can you manage projects? (Yes—every unit plan was a project)
- Can you communicate with stakeholders? (Yes—parent-teacher conferences)
- Can you work under pressure with competing priorities? (Yes—that's every school day)
"I'm not tech-savvy enough"
This concern usually comes from teachers who mastered Google Classroom, Zoom, Canvas, PowerSchool, and a dozen other tools during the pandemic—without any formal training.
Most corporate tools (Slack, Asana, Notion, Salesforce) are simpler than the educational technology you've already conquered. And for roles like instructional design? Companies train you on their specific tools. They can't train the instructional thinking you already have.
If you can troubleshoot a frozen Chromebook while simultaneously redirecting a distracted student, explaining long division, and mentally tracking which parent emails need responses—you can learn Articulate 360.
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How to Position Your Teaching Experience
The biggest mistake former teachers make? Listing "Teacher" and hoping employers connect the dots. Here's how to translate your experience:
Instead of: "Managed classroom of 28 students"
Write: "Led daily operations for 28 stakeholders, maintaining 95% engagement through differentiated approaches"
Instead of: "Created lesson plans"
Write: "Designed and delivered 180+ instructional sessions annually, aligned to measurable learning objectives"
Instead of: "Communicated with parents"
Write: "Managed stakeholder relationships through regular progress updates and proactive issue resolution"
Resume Tip: Use corporate language. "Differentiated instruction" becomes "personalized learning experiences." "IEP meetings" becomes "collaborative planning sessions with cross-functional stakeholders." Same skills, different vocabulary.
The Fastest Path to Your First Remote Role
Based on our analysis of successful teacher career transitions—and what we've seen work for RJA users with educator backgrounds—here's the most efficient path:
Week 1-2: Choose Your Direction
- Identify 2-3 roles that match your interests
- Research companies actively hiring
- Update LinkedIn with corporate-friendly language
Week 3-4: Build Bridges
- Take a free course in relevant tools (Articulate, Salesforce, etc.)
- Connect with former teachers who made the transition
- Customize your resume for your target roles
Week 5+: Apply Strategically
- Focus on EdTech companies first (they value your background)
- Apply to 5-10 targeted positions weekly
- Follow up professionally
Most teachers land their first non-classroom role within 2-4 months of focused searching. The key is positioning your existing skills rather than starting from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need additional certifications to become an instructional designer?
Not necessarily. Many companies value teaching experience over formal certifications. However, a certificate in instructional design or eLearning development (like ATD or coursework in Articulate) can strengthen your application—especially for competitive roles.
How long does it take to transition from teaching to a corporate role?
Most teachers report 2-4 months from first application to offer for entry-level corporate roles. EdTech companies often move faster since they value educator experience. Higher-level roles like Customer Success Manager may take 4-8 weeks with multiple interview rounds.
Will I have to take a pay cut when leaving teaching?
Not typically. Most remote roles for former teachers pay equal to or significantly more than teaching salaries. Instructional designers average $93,000, customer success managers average $141,000, and even entry-level corporate trainer roles start around $55,000—often more than mid-career teacher pay.
What's the best first step if I'm not sure which role to pursue?
Start with EdTech companies in roles adjacent to teaching—curriculum developer, educational consultant, or customer success. These let you use your classroom expertise directly while building corporate experience. Many teachers then transition into broader corporate roles after 1-2 years.
Start Your Search Today
Your classroom skills aren't just transferable—they're in demand. Companies need people who can explain complex ideas, manage multiple stakeholders, and adapt when plans fall apart. You've been doing that for years.
Browse remote customer success positions if you love building relationships, explore project management roles if you're organized to a fault, or check out flexible schedule options if work-life balance is your priority.
Ready to apply? Our auto-apply tools can submit applications to dozens of matching roles while you focus on interview prep. Because you've already spent enough late nights grading papers—let automation handle the job search tedium.
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