Your side hustle shouldn’t feel like just another job. By finding easy gigs that pay well, you can have some fun while earning extra cash in the year ahead.
To help you find a good-paying side hustle that won’t wear you out, we’ve compiled a list of easy jobs that pay well. Most of our ideas require little to no formal education. All of them can be learned on your own time, and some may require skills you already have.
We’ll share the average pay per hour (courtesy of Payscale), necessary educational requirements, and additional information you might want to know.
Table of Contents
- Easy Jobs That Pay Well
- 1. Graphic Designer
- 2. Freelance Writer
- 3. Voiceover Actor
- 4. Virtual Assistant
- 5. Real Estate Agent
- 6. Dog Walker
- 7. Administrative Assistant
- 8. Referee/Umpire
- 9. House Sitter
- 10. House Cleaner
- 11. Delivery Driver
- 12. Youth Driver
- 13. House Painter
- 14. Private Tutor
- 15. Nanny
- 16. Personal Trainer/Fitness Expert
- 17. Technical Writer
- 18. Transcriptionist
- 19. Data Entry Specialist
- 20. Handyperson
- 21. Video Game Player/Tester
- 22. Tour Guide
- 23. Web Designer
- 24. Event Planner
- 25. Social Media Manager
- 26. Social Media Influencer
- Final Thoughts
Easy Jobs That Pay Well
The following side hustles and full-time jobs are available in most parts of the U.S., with many of them being able to be done from home.
Choose one or two that might fit your lifestyle while helping you reach financial independence or other goals you may have.
1. Graphic Designer
Average pay: $19.35 per hour
Education requirements: None
Graphic Designers use images and words in combination to help promote concepts. Most graphic designers work via computer, but you can do graphic design by hand.
When applying for work as a graphic designer, you might be expected to start by:
- Designing logos
- Creating website banners
- Designing handouts, brochures, and pamphlets
- Creating designs for t-shirts, mugs, and other products
While there is an option to get a degree in Graphic Design, many people teach themselves.
You can find graphic design jobs on popular job sites that don’t require a degree. In addition, you can offer your freelance graphic design services on sites such as Upwork.
2. Freelance Writer
Average pay: $24.51 per hour (Payscale.com)
Education requirements: None
Do you have a skill for writing? Freelance writers write for blogs, websites, magazines, local papers, and more.
If you like to write and are good at it, you can find success as a freelance writer. I started freelance writing in 2013. When I started, my writing skills at the time were fair.
But as I became a better writer, I found it easier to get jobs. I now support four kids on my own, and about half of my annual income comes from freelance writing.
Freelance writing jobs are available for both fiction and non-fiction writers. Check online websites and inquire at your favorite blogs to see if you can find openings for freelance writing jobs.
The beauty of freelance writing is that you can set your own hours, writing day or night.
3. Voiceover Actor
Average pay: $30.52
Education requirements: None
Do you have a commanding voice? A funny voice? A soothing voice? Can you imitate other people’s voices?
If so, you may consider trying your hand as a voiceover actor. Voiceover actors can be heard on television and radio ads, in video games, in animated films, and more.
While training isn’t always needed, Carrie Olsen’s Voiceover training program can help you to learn the tricks of the trade and find work as well.
You can also search online for voiceover work, but beware of potential scams.
4. Virtual Assistant
Average pay: $17.33
Education requirements: None
Virtual assistants perform various job tasks, primarily in a remote setting. For example, your virtual assistant duties might have you answering and returning phone calls.
Or, you may be asked to send emails to clients or schedule appointments. You might also be asked to manage a website or blog.
Excellent organization, communication (both oral and written), and customer service skills will help you maximize your earnings in a virtual assistant career.
5. Real Estate Agent
Average pay: $24.70 per hour or higher
Education requirements: Varies by state, 60 to 160 hours plus testing
Real estate agents can often make a pre-tax commission of 1% to 3% or more on the sale or purchase of a home. That means that on the purchase of a $300,000 home, you could pocket a minimum of $3000.
And depending on which state you live in, you can obtain your real estate license within 4-6 weeks. Licensing requirements for realtors differ by state, but training is widely available both in-house and online.
Statistics show that 86% percent of homebuyers used a realtor in 2022, offering a large pool of potential customers.
As a realtor, you can also choose your work hours and whom you work with.
I got my real estate license in 2018 and have made an average of $30,000 per year working very part-time in the business, less than 10 hours per week.
If you like working with people, consider obtaining your real estate license.
6. Dog Walker
Average pay: $15.57 per hour
Education requirements: None
If you love dogs and enjoy exercise, you can have fun and stay fit while working as a dog walker.
This is a type of job you can tailor to your life. For example, you can walk one dog at a time or several dogs at a time.
You can work every day of the week or only on weekends. And you can walk big or small dogs, or various sizes and breeds.
Advertise your services on websites such as Craigslist, on neighborhood bulletin boards, or sites such as Care.com or Rover.
7. Administrative Assistant
Average pay: $17.14 per hour
Education required: None
The main difference between a virtual assistant and an administrative assistant is that an administrative assistant is typically an in-person job position.
As an administrative assistant, you’ll perform many of the same duties as a virtual assistant. However, there are some differences. Administrative assistants are often required to:
- Manage the boss’s calendar
- Schedule, cancel, and rearrange appointments
- Complete tasks and errands
- Do data entry tasks
- Order supplies
You’ll likely require a good working knowledge of office programs such as Microsoft or Quickbooks to work as an administrative assistant, and you must be organized and efficient.
8. Referee/Umpire
Average pay: $16.72 per hour
Education requirements: None
If you have experience playing a specific sport, you can make money working as a referee or umpire. Refereeing jobs can pay $20 to $30 per hour or more, and you can be as young as 16, sometimes even younger.
Check for open job positions with your local sports leagues. One downside, expect to work nights and weekends if you choose this job.
9. House Sitter
Average pay: $12.69 per hour
Education requirements: None
House-sitting can be one of the easiest ways to make money. Even though the money may not seem all that great, it’s something you can do while working your other jobs.
Most house-sitting jobs require you to stay at your client’s house while they are away for work or on vacation.
Your job as a house sitter is to occupy the house and ensure everything stays safe, secure, and in working order. You may be asked to take care of pets or water the garden. Otherwise, you can come and go.
10. House Cleaner
Average pay: $15.71 per hour
Education requirements: None
Do you have a gift for cleaning? Why not find work as a house cleaner? You can work for a cleaning service or boost your income exponentially by working for yourself.
It’s not uncommon for house cleaners with their own businesses to make $25 per hour or more.
Of course, you must be thorough and efficient to be successful as a cleaner. Also, you must own your own cleaning supplies unless your customers are ok with you using theirs.
11. Delivery Driver
Average pay: $16.55 per hour
Education requirements: None
Working as a delivery driver is another one of many easy jobs that pay well. And you have several options as to what you deliver and the company you work for.
For example, you could work part-time for a company such as UPS or Amazon Flex and deliver packages.
Or you could work as an independent contractor and drive for companies like Uber Eats or Grubhub, delivering food.
Note that if you work as an independent contractor, you must keep track of your income and file your taxes.
12. Youth Driver
Average pay: Varies; welcome guarantee of up to $50 per ride for 10 rides
Education requirements: 5 years’ caregiving experience
Rather than delivering goods such as food and packages, you could deliver children to school and extracurricular activities.
HopSkipDrive was founded in 2014 by three working moms who were struggling to organize drop-offs and pick-ups for their kids. Today, the program partners with schools, communities, and organizations to take some of the driving stress off busy families and vulnerable groups, such as kids in foster care, experiencing homelessness, or with special needs.
As a driver with HopSkipDrive, you get to make your schedule and choose the rides that work best for you, up to seven days in advance. Through the app, you can review where you’re driving, an estimate of how much you’ll earn, and rider information.
Note that to apply for HopSkipDrive, you will need to undergo a background check and be fingerprinted.
13. House Painter
Average pay: $19.24 per hour
Education requirements: None, but having previous experience can be helpful
Painting houses, inside or outside, can be a very lucrative side hustle. As you can see, the pay is attractive at $19.24 per hour, and no formal education is required.
It might be helpful to learn a bit about paint colors, such as the different sheens, warm colors vs. neutral vs. cool, and so on.
The good news is that all of this information is easily found online. Advertise your services on social media and buy and sell sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
14. Private Tutor
Average pay: $19.28
Education requirements: None, varies
Do you have a gift for working with people? Are you proficient in any particular school subjects? If so, you could find an attractive job working as a private tutor.
People hire private tutors for any number of reasons:
- Teaching children of all ages in specific school subjects or helping with homework
- Teaching English as a second language
- Helping adults brush up on specific school subjects, such as math
If you’re working independently as a tutor, you may find that you don’t need experience besides proficiency in what you’re teaching.
Conversely, if you’re working for a tutoring company, you may need to provide a degree or evidence via a test that you are proficient in the subject you wish to teach.
You can find tutoring jobs online or advertise your services on local bulletin boards. Tutoring is one of many online jobs you can work from home.
15. Nanny
Average pay: $16.30 per hour
Education requirements: None
Do you like interacting with children? If so, working as a nanny may be the perfect job for you. The job requires a lot of responsibility, and the income will vary depending on your skills and experience.
You can work part-time as a nanny, but some people prefer a live-in or full-time nanny who can spend a lot of time with the children.
Of course, live-in and full-time nannies typically get much more than part-time nannies. Look for jobs at FlexJobs, search local buy and sell websites, or advertise your services on a site like Care.com.
16. Personal Trainer/Fitness Expert
Average pay: $19.70 per hour
Education requirements: No formal education is required
Personal trainers and fitness experts can make money by holding classes or scheduling individual training sessions.
For example, consider starting a weekly running club or renting a room at a church to hold a Saturday morning yoga class. You can also train individuals at their homes as they seek to become healthier and fitter.
The key to success in the personal fitness business is knowing your subject matter and being able to motivate others. If you’re not well-versed in the sport you’re teaching, you could risk injury to your clients or yourself.
17. Technical Writer
Average pay: $25.64
Education requirements: No formal
Technical writers complete tasks such as writing training manuals and writing instructions for programs.
While you can get a degree in English, Communications, or Technical Writing, it’s not always required to work in the field.
You might have a natural gift for technical writing that supersedes the need for a degree. Or you may already possess a Communications or related degree.
A strong working knowledge of the subject you’re writing about is vital to working as a technical writer.
For example, if you’re a computer programming expert with strong writing and communication skills, you could find work as a technical writer in the computer field.
18. Transcriptionist
Average pay: $15 per hour
Education requirements: None
Transcriptionists, who are often paid by the word, are responsible for transferring audio data to a written document.
This means that the faster you transcribe, the more money you’ll make. The best transcription jobs go to good listeners with excellent typing skills.
Note that there are online training programs that can help you become a great transcriptionist.
19. Data Entry Specialist
Average pay: $15 per hour
Education requirement: None
Data entry specialists are hired to input information into documents. The job can pay well if you’re a fast typer and have a high accuracy rate. In addition, many data entry jobs let you choose your own work hours.
Work any time of the day or night and as many or as few hours as you want.
20. Handyperson
Average pay: $24.67
Education requirements: None
If you have handyperson skills such as home repair skills, furniture assembly skills, or the ability to do minor mechanical work, you might want to consider offering your services to make some extra cash.
You can advertise on Craigslist and similar sites or sign up for a referral service such as Taskrabbit or Dolly. Dolly is a service that helps people with heavy lifting.
Note that you should be able to lift at least 50 pounds. In fact, Dolly requires that you be able to lift at least 70 pounds.
Dolly Helpers need to own a truck or cargo van to move items, while Dolly Hands help with packing and loading.
21. Video Game Player/Tester
Average pay: $16.25 per hour
Education requirements: None
If you like playing video games, consider becoming a video game tester. It’s just one of the many ways you can make money playing video games.
Video game reviewers, beta testers, and tournament players can earn a decent living. You can find jobs by contacting game manufacturers or becoming an expert at video games you love and being noticed by the manufacturers, though I recommend taking action to find work.
For example, I know someone who was hired to play video games professionally at 18. The company that hired him offered him $150,000 per year. His situation is rare, like getting hired to play in the NFL, but the opportunities are out there.
22. Tour Guide
Average pay: $15.44 per hour
Education requirements: None
Do you know a lot about the city you live in or about a neighboring city? If so, why not become a tour guide?
You can make the average pay listed above if you work for a company that offers tour guide services or make more money by providing your own tour guide services as an independent tour guide.
You can take customers on walking tours, drive them around in a van or get creative and use a trolley or other alternative method of transportation.
Advertise your services on tourism sites.
23. Web Designer
Average pay: $21.11 per hour
Education requirements: None
Do you have a gift for website design? If so, you can find work as a website designer, either as a W-2 employee or an independent contractor.
Use your skills to help people get websites up and running, design and customize themes, plugins, and more.
24. Event Planner
Average pay: $19.60 per hour
Education requirements: None
If you have a gift for planning a great party, you might enjoy working as an event planner. Event planners work on everything from birthday parties to weddings to corporate events.
While you can obtain a degree in event planning, anyone with the necessary planning, organization and communication skills can learn the job if they’re willing to put in the time.
Advertise your services at event venues, wedding fairs, and bridal shops or online.
25. Social Media Manager
Average pay:$17.36 per hour
Education requirements: None
Do you have a gift for social media interaction? Businesses everywhere are hiring social media managers to connect with current clients and gain new ones.
You’ll need a good working knowledge of all social media sites to gain work in this arena. Marketing, strong personal skills, and an ability to form relationships easily will also help.
You can look for work on sites like Upwork and FlexJobs.
26. Social Media Influencer
Average pay: $17.96 per hour
Education requirements: None
As an influencer, you’ll use social media outlets to influence and teach people about products, services, fashion, and more.
Influencers primarily get paid via affiliate links, brand sponsorships, and coaching. The key to a healthy income in this field is to grow your audience.
You can do this by connecting on social media, soliciting followers, and forming relationships with influencers with the same target audience.
Also, choose to market a subject in which you have a great deal of knowledge or are willing to share your experience.
Final Thoughts
It’s not difficult to find easy jobs that pay well, as long as you’re willing to put in the effort. The trick is to find a job that matches your skills and interests and fits your schedule.
It’s okay to try out a few different side hustles until you find one that’s right for you. My best advice is to get started. We often waste time reading books and doing research, activities that may not be moving us forward.
So, use the skills you have right now to your advantage and get started on that side hustle you’ve been thinking about!
