1 in 20 side hustles now make over $10,000 per month

A side hustle is often viewed as a way to make a few bucks to help pay the bills. However, some people are turning their side job into big business, earning an enviable income that’s well above the $62,088 median pay Americans earned in the first quarter of 2025.  That’s based on new research from Side Hustle Nation. 

So, just how much are Americans making with their side gigs — and how can you turn your part-time gig into big bucks?

How lucrative are most side gigs?

Side Hustle Nation’s data clearly shows that some hustlers are far more successful than others. While 5% of people working these part-time gigs hit that coveted five-figure monthly income, most people make far less. In fact, here’s how much most workers are earning on a monthly basis:

• 44% make between $101 and $500 
• 21% make $501 to $1,000
• 25% make $1001 to $5,000 
• 5% make $5,000 to $10k
• 5% make over $10k 

These numbers are a little disappointing, as the data shows that many hustlers aren’t doing very well at all.

In fact, the average wage comes out to about $16 to $23 hourly — well below the overall average of $36.06 that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports all private sector earners make. Still, that’s not a terrible wage for flexible side work, especially given that many available part-time jobs have low barriers to entry and require minimal skills, so most people can find something to do for a few hours a month to earn some extra cash.

How can you make the most of your side job?

So, what if you want to be among the 1 in 20 workers earning $10K per month or more? This is a hard feat to accomplish, but there are techniques you can use to try — or, at least, to increase the amount your side job does end up putting into your bank account. Some of the best ways to maximize earnings from a side hustle include the following:

• Focus on your specialized skills: If you have valuable talents or abilities, try to turn those into a part-time job. For example, you may be able to make a lot more money doing home repairs or tutoring students than driving for a rideshare company. 
• Consider starting your own business: It’s fast and easy to get on an app and pick up a few hours of work, but there’s often a limit on how much this can help you earn. You may be able to make far more if you go out on your own, rather than just becoming one of many people on an app — and having to give a big cut away to the app’s creator. 
• Research your target audience and come up with a marketing plan: You can’t just be good at what you do and expect to earn a lot of money. You need to understand how to market yourself so potential customers can find you. This could include doing things like using Social Media marketing or building a customer base through outreach in your local community. 

It’s also important to know that when you do start earning money from a side gig, this can have a major impact on your tax liability since you typically won’t have an employer withholding your taxes on this income from your second job. You should strongly consider talking to a financial advisor about how to structure your business, what your IRS obligations are, and how to make the most of the money your side hustle earns you. 

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