20+ Must-Know Side Hustle Statistics [2023]: How Much Does The Average Side Hustle Earn?

Research Summary: Whether you need to cover childcare or that expensive vacation to France, side hustles are more popular than ever with Americans. In fact, working two or more jobs is more common than ever. But why?

Luckily, we’ve investigated all of the essential facts about side hustles in the US, and according to our extensive research:

• 45% of Americans have a side hustle in 2023.

• The average monthly income from a side hustle is only $483.

• Americans spend an average of 13 hours per week on their side hustles.

• The global gig economy is expected to be worth $455 billion by the end of this year.

For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Demographics | Side Hustler | Earnings | Option

Side Hustle Demographics

While nearly half of all Americans do have a side hustle; certain demographics are more likely to have one than others. To find out more, here are some interesting facts:

• Men are nearly 19% more likely to have a side hustle compared to women.

  In the US, 44% of men say they have a side hustle, compared to 37% of women. While this difference might not seem like a lot, it ultimately equates to hundreds of thousands more men having a side hustle.

• Compared to the average woman, the average man earns $218 more per month working their side hustle.

  On average, men earn considerably more working their side hustle than women do. Overall, the average monthly income for men is $596 a month, while the average for women is only $378.

• Those between 18-35 are most likely to have a side hustle, with 49% saying they do.

  Comparably, those 55 and older are the least likely to work a side hustle, as only 27% reported working one. Generally speaking, the older the demographic, the less likely they are to have a side hustle.

  Age group	Share of side hustlers
  18-35	49%
  35-54	41%
  55+	27%

• Those between the ages of 55-64 earn the most from their side hustles, at $1,061 per month on average.

  O the other hand, those who make the least are between the ages of 18-24, making an average of only $533 per month from their side hustle.

  Age group	Average income from side hustle
  18-24	$533
  25-34	$926
  35-44	$945
  45-54	$892
  55-64	$1,061
  65+	$581

Side Hustler Statistics

There are many reasons why someone might choose to take on a side hustle. To find out just what’s most important to side hustlers, we’ve gathered all of the essential facts:

• 35.4% of side hustlers use the money they earn as extra disposable income.

  While this is the most common way side hustlers spend their money, another 31.3% use the extra income to pay for regular living expenses, and 28.1% put the extra income in a savings account.

  

• 59.7% of side hustlers spend between 5-20 hours per week working their side hustle.

  More specifically, 46.1% of side hustlers work less than 10 hours per week, while 46.8% work more than 11 hours per week on their side hustle.

• 61% of women would struggle financially without their side hustle.

  The majority of women would struggle financially without their side hustle, and things aren’t much better for men. 54% of men (the majority) also agree that they would struggle financially without their side hustle.

• 46% of people start working a side hustle to earn passive income.

  This is by far the more common reason people start working a side hustle. However, other common reasons include: starting for enjoyment (38%) and seeking more diversity in income (33%).

• 73% of workers are actively thinking about quitting their day job.

  Whether someone works a side hustle or not, it’s very common for Americans to want something more out of their work. Often, people find that their side hustle is more enjoyable than their day job and wish they could quit.

Side Hustle Earnings Statistics

Not all side hustles are created equal, with some having more opportunities and paying far more than others. To find out how income varies among side hustles, here are the facts:

• 15% of side hustlers make $1,500 or more per month.

  Finding a side hustle that pays more than $1,500 a month can be difficult, but some examples of these jobs include:

  • Digital marketing services

  • Hobbies and crafts

  • Grocery delivery

  • Dog walking

  • Brand ambassador

  • Tester

  • Virtual Babysitting

  • Online Tutoring

• 56.4% of side hustlers make less than $500 per month.

  The majority of side hustlers earn less than $500 per month, which is why many side hustlers choose to use this income as extra disposable or for savings.

  Monthly income	Share of side hustlers
  Less than $100	17.3%
  $100-$499	36.8%
  $500-$999	18.2%
  $1,000-$1,499	12.7%
  $1,500-$1,999	6.8%
  $2,000-$4,999	5.9%
  $5,000+	2.3%

• The percentage of side hustlers earning more than $1,500 per month grew 2X larger between 2020-2021.

  In 2020, only 5% of side hustlers earned more than $1,500 per month. However, as of 2021, up to 15% of side hustlers earn more than $1,500.

Side Hustle Option Statistics

There are side hustles available across many different industries, but some are more popular than others. According to our research:

• The most popular industry for side hustles is Online and Social Media.

  This category of side hustle work makes up 16.6% of side hustle work, with other common industries including: ridesharing and delivery (15.6%), online shop (13.4%), and freelancing (13.4%).

  Top industries/categories of work	Share of side hustlers
  Online and social media	16.6%
  Ridesharing and delivery	15.6%
  Online shop	13.4%
  Freelancing	13.4%
  Selling crafts and designs	7.8%
  Market research	7.2%
  Software and IT	7.1%

• Being a YouTuber or Influencer is the highest paying side hustle, with potential earnings of over $10,000 per month.

  Of course, keep in mind that very few YouTubers and Influencers actually gain the following necessary to achieve this income, but it is possible.

• Growing business is the biggest challenge side hustlers face.

  This is then followed by Dealing with limited time, having the right idea to move forward with, having motivation, and understanding the technology involved.

Side Hustle Statistics FAQ

1. What percentage of workers have a side hustle?

   45% of Americans have a side hustle in 2023. However, Men are nearly 19% more likely to have a side hustle compared to women, with 44% of men saying they have a side hustle, compared to 37% of women.

   Additionally, young workers are the most likely to have a side hustle, with 49% of those between the ages of 18-34 having one.

2. What is the #1 side hustle?

   Ridesharing is the #1 side hustle. This includes gigs like Uber and Lyft. For the most part, these jobs are popular because they can be performed anywhere at any time, allowing the side hustler to pick up as many hours as they want when they want.

   As far as industries, though, the most common side hustles are online and social media, a category that makes up 16.6% of all side hustle work.

3. How much does the average side hustle bring in?

   The average side hustle brings in $483 a month. However, this number can vary greatly depending on the type of work and demographic. For example, men earn an average of $596 a month, while women earn an average of $378. Similarly, the average 18-24-year-old only earns $533 per month, while the average 55-64-year-old earns over $1,000.

   Overall, there are many factors that go into how much you earn from a side hustle, but 56.4% of side hustlers make less than $500 per month, and only 15% earn more than $1,500 per month.

4. What side hustles can you do when you work full-time?

   There are many side hustles to do when you work full-time, from Uber to Freelance design. Here is a list of good side hustle ideas for full-time workers:

   • Uber/Doordash driver

   • Freelance writing or design

   • Paid online surveys

   • Grocery delivery

   • Transcriptionist

   • Rent your home out on Airbnb

   • Affiliate marketing

   • Photography

   • Online tutoring

   • Affiliate marketing

   • Resell clothing and other items

   • Baby sitting and pet sitting

   • Selling products on Etsy or Shopify

Conclusion

Side hustles have become more popular and profitable than ever before. From 2020 to 2021 alone, the percentage of side hustlers making over $1,500 per month has doubled.

Today, up to 45% of all Americans are side hustlers, with that number reaching as high as 49% for workers under 34. These side hustlers use their extra income to spend freely, cover their bills, and pad their savings accounts.

However, not everyone is created equal in the side hustle economy. Women rely on their side hustle jobs more than men do, just as younger demographics rely on them more compared to older folks. The fact is that many Americans in these groups rely on side hustles more than ever.

References

1. GoBankingRates. “More Than 9 in 10 Working Americans Have a Side Hustle in 2022 — But Is It the Best Way To Boost Income?” Accessed on August 23rd, 2022.

2. Zapier. “Zapier report: 40% of Americans have a side hustle in 2022.” Accessed on August 24th, 2022.

3. Yahoo!Finance. “49% of Americans Under Age 35 Now Report Having a ‘Side Hustle’.” Accessed on August 24th, 2022.

4. Gig Hustlers. “Do Side Hustles Really Work?” Accessed on August 24th, 2022.

5. Insider. “Nearly three-quarters of workers are actively thinking about quitting their job, according to a recent survey.” Accessed on August 24th, 2022.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.