In an economic environment where many of us are cornered into living paycheck to paycheck, a side hustle may not be so much a choice as it is a must. According to recent research from MarketWatch Guides, 54% of Americans say they’ve picked up a side hustle to supplement their primary source of income in the last 12 months.
As with any other job, every side gig entails its own skills and duties — and some pay better than others. And, of course, some are more popular than others. Which side hustles are people most keen on pursuing?
New research from Creativa Fabrica, which analyzed national and local search volume trends related to 21 different categories of “side hustles” to determine where in the U.S. interest in various side hustles is strongest and weakest. To do this, they measured search volume for 64 different search terms indicating interest in a certain type of side hustle and discovered the 14 most popular side hustle searches in the U.S.
Babysitting is hardly a new thing (it’s probably been around since the cavemen days), but it’s holding strong as a side hustle of interest and is the number 15 most searched side gig in the U.S. based on this data. The average hourly rate for babysitting in the U.S. is $18 an hour, according to ZipRecruiter . It’s said that the more years of experience you have working with children and the more flexible you can be with your hours, the better a chance you have at getting paid more. References will also play a big role here as parents want to be sure they can trust you with their children.
Perhaps the most glamorous side hustle on this list: Makeup artist. These professionals use makeup, hair styling and sometimes prosthetics to create images and characters, according to Indeed . They may work in film, theater or in live photo shoots, to name just a few areas.
Makeup artists are among the highest earners on this list. Also according to Indeed , their average base salary is $31.50 per hour.
Etsy Shop Owner or Crafts Seller
Monthly search volume: 5,110
In recent years as e-commerce has continued to boom, people are looking to turn hobbies into hustles. Thousands of folks are looking to sell their crafts and launch an Etsy shop to carry out orders and sales. How much you’ll make on Etsy selling crafts depends on what you’re selling and how long it takes you to fulfill an order.
Event Planner
Monthly search volume: 5,500
If you’ve ever attended an event that left you wowed, chances are high that a savvy and innovative event planner (also known as an event manager, event coordinator or event executive) was behind the scenes. As explained by LinkedIn , these professionals are responsible for planning and overseeing events of various kinds. According to Indeed , the average base hourly pay for an event planner is $23.95.
Dog Walker
Monthly search volume: 6,380
Most dog owners think of their canine companions as family, according to Psychology Today . As such they’re often willing to invest in dog-walking services so that their pups can get the exercise and potty time they need. According to Dogster , the average dog walker makes about $14.85 per hour.
Online Store Owner
Monthly search volume: 8,150
An online store owner can mean many things. Maybe you’re selling T-shirts you design to sell to consumers or maybe you’re making business products to sell to other businesses. Given the vast variety here, it is impossible to place an average salary for this side hustle.
Amazon Dropshipping
Monthly search volume: 8,450
Dropshipping is a fulfillment model that allows you to outsource handling and shipping products to a third party, as explained by Amazon. This fulfillment method has become wildly popular with Amazon and interest in doing Amazon dropshipping is hot. According to ZipRecruiter , the average hourly pay for Amazon dropshipping is $21.
Yoga Teacher
Monthly search volume: 8,560
As a practice, yoga is over 5,000 years old , but it’s perhaps never been as trendy as it is today. Many people who have never even done yoga know what a downward dog pose is, for example. Yogis are looking to bring their passion for the practice to the next level by becoming yoga instructors. This profession pays an average of $37.87 per hour, according to Indeed — the highest average pay on this list.
Photographer
Monthly search volume: 11,590
Photography is still an art form that is best taught, but it’s also a field that has seen huge change since the advent of cell phone cameras. More and more people are taking presentable photos with their smartphones, which may be why so many folks are looking to become photographers in their side hustle . According to ZipRecruiter , the average hourly pay for a photographer is $20.
Food Delivery Driver
Monthly search volume: 11,640
Food delivery driver jobs are exploding in growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected that delivery driver jobs, including food delivery drivers, may grow by 12% between 2021 and 2031. The average wage for this job is $18 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter .
Life Coach
Monthly search volume: 15,400
Ever felt like you had potential you couldn’t unlock? Or like you needed some guidance not only professionally, but for your whole life? You may have thought about hiring a life coach. These professionals help clients get focused and reach personal development goals. You can become a life coach without certification, though you may find you’ll earn more with certification. According to ZipRecruiter , the average pay per hour for a life coach in the U.S. is $18.
Virtual Assistant
Monthly search volume: 17,520
You may be wondering the difference between a personal assistant and a virtual assistant. The key distinguishing factor comes down to the fact that a virtual assistant is a self-employed worker who works remote, rather than in-person and for one person or business. But they do most of the same tasks as a traditional assistant, including bookkeeping and managing emails.
According to ZipRecruiter , the average pay for virtual assistants is $24 per hour.
Personal Trainer
Monthly search volume: 18,140
If you’re a fitness maniac who has a knack for working with others on their fitness goals, you may want to consider this popular side hustle: personal trainer. These professionals technically don’t need certification , but some organizations require it. A high school diploma is also a common requirement, as explained by PT Pioneer.
Personal trainers make an average of $28.96 per hour, according to Indeed .
YouTube Content Creator
Monthly search volume: 19,510
As social media becomes increasingly popular — and powerful in terms of how it shapes consumer behavior — more and more people are interested in cashing in on the action. Many are specifically eyeing “YouTube content creator” as a side hustle.
This side hustle can be quite lucrative. Some YouTube content creators pull in thousands of dollars per month. Others make very little, if anything. It’s all about how many subscribers you have and whether brands partner with you, according to Teachable .
Rideshare Driver
Monthly search volume: 30,950
When you think of “side hustle,” the now-classic image of a rideshare driver may come to mind. This data suggests that this gig is still the most popular one to pursue or at least think about pursuing, as close to 31,000 people a month are searching for information about it.
If you work for Uber, the market dominator in the rideshare space, your pay will depend on where you’re located, the type of car you’re driving, the time of day,and how much time you put into the job. According to research from The Rideshare Guy, you could be pulling $25 per hour or you could, less commonly, be making $42 per hour. It really all depends.
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