How to Become a Music Teacher Without a Degree

Yes, you can absolutely teach music with no degree in music or education. However, you won’t be able to teach music in private or public school settings (regardless of the age level) since these jobs generally require at least a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certificate. There are also certain benefits to having a degree.

Jessica Peresta, an experienced music teacher, taught piano both before and after getting her degree, and she says one of the key differences she noticed after graduating was in her confidence.

“I understood musical theory in a deeper way, had learned musical pieces from a variety of composers, genres, and styles, and had a better understanding of how to teach by learning from my own teachers,” she said. She also added that it was a lot easier to get jobs once she had her degree in hand since “a lot of parents look for teachers who have a degree in music.”

Thankfully, you don’t need to teach in a school to be a music teacher. You still have several options for teaching music without a degree, as long as you have the skills necessary to be a good music teacher.

Required skills

Even though you can teach music without a degree, you’ll still need certain skills and knowledge to attract students or employers. Below are the key skills you’ll need to be a good music teacher:

• Ability to play at least one musical instrument
• Basic knowledge of musical techniques and theory
• Basic knowledge of educational practices
• Patience
• Communication skills
• Organization skills
• Ability to create lesson plans

It also goes without saying that you need to have musical skills that are above the level you plan to teach. For example, if you’re an intermediate musician, you’ll be better off trying to teaching beginners.

Being a music teacher at a school isn’t the only way to profit from passing on your musical knowledge. Here are a few alternatives that any skilled musician can try out.

1. Start your own music teaching business from home

Starting your own private music teaching business can be incredibly lucrative. Some would even say it’s the best way to earn money as a music teacher since you get to keep 100% of your earnings—although your pay will fluctuate depending on how many students you have at a given time.

Working from your own house or apartment is both convenient and can lead to higher per-hour earnings since you won’t have to factor in commuting time. Nevertheless, offering private lessons comes with a lot of responsibility. You’ll need to shoulder all the admin work, including building a client list, managing your own schedule, handling tough conversations with clients, and requesting payments.

You should also avoid relying too much on any one student as a source of income. According to Peresta, “it’s important to keep in mind your paychecks might fluctuate month to month depending on who’s quit, moved, or didn’t pay that month.”

How to set up your lesson space

You’ll need to set up a dedicated space to hold your music lessons if you’re teaching in person. Here are a few tips Peresta picked up from her time as a private piano teacher that can help you establish your own home lesson space:

• Find someplace quiet: It’s essential that your lesson space not have outside noise interference. “A couple of great options that I’ve used before are a corner in your living room or a dining room,” Peresta added.
• Use wall dividers: You can create a sense of separation by using wall dividers to separate your music studio space from the rest of your home.
• Think about seating: Not every instrument requires the same seating arrangement, so think about what you need. If you’re giving private piano lessons, you need to have a bench. If you’re teaching another instrument, like guitar, you’ll need one chair for your student and another for yourself.
• Gather the necessary supplies: In addition to having the instrument you’re planning to teach, you’ll also need certain accessories. These may include music stands, sheet music and method books, and bookshelves to hold your materials.
• Give parents a comfortable space to wait: If you’re teaching children, you should have a comfortable place for parents to wait. This could be as simple as a couch, but it’ll make a big difference.

2. Get a teaching job at a music store or studio

Drop by music stores and studios in your area and check whether they’re looking for music teachers to offer lessons. The employment terms and working conditions may vary, but it may be easier to get a consistent work schedule going this route than working completely independently.

Music stores

Some stores that sell musical instruments and equipment also have a practice studio in the back. These shops are often willing to hire music teachers to conduct private lessons.

As a teacher working at a music store, you may be self-employed, which has tax implications. Moreover, although the store may advertise for you and handle scheduling and payments, they may also take a cut of your pay or ask you to advertise some of their products.

Music studios

Similar to music stores, music studios sometimes hire music instructors to teach on-site. This might involve teaching a class and delivering group lessons or hosting one-on-one private sessions. Depending on the studio, you could be an employee on a payroll or an independent contractor.

Peresta started teaching at a music studio when one of her friends told her about giving lessons there and she saw an opening available for a piano teacher. “I was hired as an employee with fixed hours and had the same number of students each week. After starting out with around 10 students, I worked my way up to around 30 students per week,” she said.

Although Peresta didn’t need to audition for the position, she had to answer fairly extensive questions during the application process. These included questions about her teaching background, her experience with her instrument, and the number of students she would like to take on.

You might also find a private studio owned or rented by someone just like you who’s running their own music teaching side hustle and wants to expand their client base. To share their space, you’ll probably need to sacrifice a cut of your profits.

3. Offer private music lessons online

Becoming a virtual music teacher could be a good option for you if you live in a remote area without many teaching opportunities or your home isn’t well equipped for hosting lessons.

You can teach music online by joining a dedicated education website like Lessonface or Varsity Tutors, find new students on freelance or regular job platforms like Thumbtack, or build your own website to advertise your services.

Regardless of which route you choose, you’ll need to have a computer or laptop and good audio and video equipment.

4. Get a job teaching an ensemble in your community

Depending on your skill level, where you live, and what instrument(s) you play, you may be able to get paid to lead a group ensemble in your community, such as a choir, orchestra, or other musical group.

Finding these types of jobs is as simple as checking local openings posted on job sites like Indeed. Use keywords like “[your instrument] section leader.” Many job opportunities are advertised by churches, colleges, and cultural and art centers. Since you’re not working in a public school setting, a college degree is completely optional.

Peresta worked as a piano accompanist for a local children’s choir, and she says she didn’t even need to be enrolled in college. “In fact,” she added, “a lot of choirs, soloists, and ensembles are always looking for pianists who can play for them and as long as you can play and/or read music, you can get the gig.” However, she did warn that there wasn’t a whole lot of teaching involved in this role.

We’ll walk you through some shortcuts for how to start on your journey as a music teacher with no education or teaching experience.

Learn how to teach

It may seem obvious, but it’s worth stressing: to be a good music teacher, you need to be able to both play an instrument to a high level and pass on your knowledge to others. While plenty of people can do one or the other, doing both is harder than it sounds.

You can be an outstanding musician who’s clocked thousands of hours in studios or onstage and still struggle to get through to your students. A big mistake among musicians looking to earn extra money from music teaching or tutoring is underestimating the importance of basic teaching skills.

There are plenty of free resources available online to help you understand what makes a good teacher and how to apply best teaching practices. For example, Peresta recommends Top Music Education (a website with free lesson plans, sheet music, and webinars) and pianoTV (a YouTube channel with instructional videos).

You can also watch videos of other music teachers for inspiration and take note of what techniques they use. Ultimately, though, like the case with learning to play an instrument, practice is key.

Peresta got her first teaching gig while she was still in college, before she’d gotten any formal teaching experience or education. She prepared by finding teaching materials:

“Before teaching my first piano lessons, I needed to know what method books I would be using. I decided on the Faber and Faber books because I thought they were well laid out and covered the basics in an easy to understand way.” She says she also made sure to prepare warm-ups, decide on the songs and musical theory she would cover in the lessons, and look at recital pieces her students would work on.

Getting teaching experience

If you’ve never taught before, then you’ll want to get some firsthand teaching experience. This will have the dual benefit of establishing both your teaching skills and a track record of satisfied clients (who may also help you get future jobs through referrals).

The easiest way to get some hands-on teaching experience right away is to volunteer or offer free lessons. This could be a free consultation, free first session, or free ongoing sessions for a friend. While it may seem counterintuitive, this can actually help you make more money in the long run.

Potential students, clients, and employers may be hesitant to hire you if you don’t have any prior tutoring or teaching experience, but they’ll be much more inclined to give you a chance if you offer a free consultation or free first teaching session.

Decide what type of students to teach

Think about what age group or skill level you plan to teach. Do you want to teach kids or adults? Would you be comfortable teaching at an intermediate or advanced level, or would you prefer to teach beginners? Deciding that now will help you market your teaching services effectively.

If you play more than one instrument, think about which instruments you want to teach. You should also decide whether to do one-on-one private lessons or teach small groups.

Brush up on the fundamentals of playing your instrument

To be an effective teacher, you need to revisit basic skills and exercises. This is especially important if you’re an advanced musician who’s teaching beginners.

Always bear in mind that students don’t necessarily know what they need to be taught—it’s up to you as the teacher to identify the skills they need to develop or improve and how you can best help them achieve their goals.

Browse practice books targeting the skill level you plan to teach or look through lesson plans created by other music teachers to get an idea of what techniques and topics to focus on.

Highlight your musical experience

To get business as a beginner music teacher, you need to identify your selling point. This is especially important if you haven’t got any formal teaching experience or qualifications since you’ll need to convince others that they should choose you for private music lessons over someone who teaches music as a full-time career.

If you’re struggling to figure out how to advertise your services, ask yourself these questions:

• What practical, hands-on experience do you have as a musician?
• What are unique or rare skills you have that you can pass on to your students?
• What are some achievements you’ve made that showcase your musical talent?

It’s also a good idea to take a look at music teachers in your area to see what rates they’re charging. When setting your rate, make sure it aligns with your skills and experience.

Connect with other music teachers

Networking can be a huge help with any side hustle or side business, including music teaching. Speaking to other music teachers can help you seize teaching opportunities and learn tips and tricks from people who have already established success in the industry.

Try attending events or conferences for music teachers or simply reaching out to local music teachers in your community. You could ask to shadow them, ask for tips on finding students, or offer your contact details in case they end up with more students than they can fit into their schedule.

Whether you’re still actively performing and taking on gigs or you’re a retired musician, teaching music can be an incredibly satisfying and enriching side hustle.

Here are just a few perks:

• Chance to strengthen your musical skills: Plenty of teachers will tell you that students aren’t the only ones who gain knowledge during a teaching session. Planning lessons, revisiting the basics, and getting fresh perspectives on your instrument from your students can all help to enhance your musical ability.
• High earning potential: Your earnings will often be tied to your skill level and where you teach. If you’re an outstanding musician or you teach out of your own home, you could end up earning more from teaching than from shows or concerts.
• Opportunity to get paid doing what you love: This is perhaps the biggest plus to being a music teacher. It’s rare to be able to make a living from your passion, and as a music teacher, you’ll get paid to play your instrument and talk about music.

When we asked Peresta about the pros and cons of teaching music, she said “One of the things I love most about teaching music is the joy that music brings to the lives of children. Seeing their faces light up when they get to experience playing an instrument and knowing how hard they work to push to the next level is so exciting.”

However, she said it’s not all fun. “One of the things that can be unenjoyable about teaching music is the back to back lessons that can become tedious.” She added that even when lessons are only 30 minutes long, it can seem a lot longer if you’re working with a child who won’t practice between lessons.

How hard is it to teach music?

If you’re a musician who’s never taught before, you’ll need to understand your role and obligations as a music teacher and acquire some basic instructional skills before you start looking for students. Your teaching skills are just as important as your music knowledge.

We spoke to David Andrew Wiebe, a professional musician who taught guitar as his first ever music side hustle, and he warned that music teaching is a pretty big time commitment. “Even if you’re only working 20 to 30 hours per week as a music teacher (you can earn a decent income this way), you should not expect to have a lot of time on the side to work on your music. Much of your time will be spent learning and preparing for your students,” he said.

To succeed with music tutoring or teaching, you need to be willing to prioritize your students. “Some musicians are lit up by this, but others find they burn out quickly. Becoming a music teacher is a calling as much as anything else,” Wiebe added.

How much do music teachers make?

Teaching music can be incredibly lucrative, even if you don’t have an education degree. However, your salary will depend on the type of music teaching gig you take on.

While one source claims that employed music teachers can make as little as $16 per hour, another says that private music teachers can generally charge anywhere in the range of $30–$100 per hour. 1 2

You may earn more or less if you open your own studio, teach music online, or take a job working for a music shop or community group. Your earnings will also depend on other factors, like your experience level and where you live.