22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job

PeopleImages / Getty Images
PeopleImages / Getty Images

Earning extra money on the side can be easy when you know what types of opportunities to look for. Whether you want to pay off student loan debt, start saving for a big-ticket purchase or build up a fund for the future, finding one of the best side jobs out there is a great way to reach your goal.

See: 10 Best Lucrative Side Hustle Ideas

Some side jobs pay so well that you might even consider giving up your full-time job to have more time to dedicate to these gigs. If you do these gigs regularly, you can earn a good living while still creating your own schedule and breaking out of the 9-to-5 grind.

Last updated: Feb. 24, 2021

A gardner with a weed wacker.
A gardner with a weed wacker.

Lawn Care Professional

  • Average Salary: $55/hour

Sign up as a vendor with GreenPal, a lawn care service and app that CEO Bryan Clayton describes as “Uber for lawn care,” and make money mowing lawns.“Many of our lawn care vendors are part-timers — some are firemen, some are teachers that use our app in the summer to make extra money; others are college students that work afternoons and weekends, and it is the perfect way for them to make extra money,” Clayton said. “Our average vendor makes around $55 per hour mowing lawns on our system.”

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Young woman holding a jar of Sun-dried tomatoes in supermarket.
Young woman holding a jar of Sun-dried tomatoes in supermarket.

TaskRabbit

  • Average Salary: Set your own rates

Become a TaskRabbit and earn money by completing everyday errands and tasks for people in your area. All it takes is a visit to TaskRabbit.com, where you can select tasks you are willing to accomplish. After getting matched with individuals requesting service, you can proceed to doing the job — and getting paid.

When you pick a task, the website will show you hourly rates for the most qualified taskers. You will then be able to set your own price. All jobs require a minimum time commitment of one hour, and payments are made securely online. According to Time’s profile of elite taskers, TaskRabbits have been paid up to $70 an hour to fold shirts, $65 an hour for heavy lifting and $80 for moving services.

Read: Best Side Hustles for People Over 50

Portrait of a beautiful woman traveling by plane and sleeping during the flight - travel concepts.
Portrait of a beautiful woman traveling by plane and sleeping during the flight - travel concepts.

Frequent Flyer Specialist

  • Average Salary: $80 to $150/project

The side gig of frequent flyer specialist is perfect for those who travel often and understand how to maximize frequent flyer miles to receive the best deals. If this sounds like you, consider using your skills to help other travelers plan their itineraries. Experienced frequent flyer specialists can charge clients up to $150 for planning just one itinerary, according to a profile of a frequent flyer specialist on Budgets Are Sexy.

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Happy African American insurance agent going through reports while having consultations with a couple during the meeting.
Happy African American insurance agent going through reports while having consultations with a couple during the meeting.

Bookkeeper

  • Average Salary: $30/hour

With this side gig — which typically pays $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs — your duties can include performing bank reconciliations, payroll needs and creating financial reports. Providing bookkeeping services to more than one company at once can increase your earning potential.

See: 45 Jobs That Can Make You a Millionaire Before Retirement

Vintage toned portrait of a young redhead New Yorker woman, walking on a nice and sunny spring day through the streets of West Village, in Lower Manhattan area.
Vintage toned portrait of a young redhead New Yorker woman, walking on a nice and sunny spring day through the streets of West Village, in Lower Manhattan area.

City Guide Writer

  • Average Salary: $40 to $500/project

If you love your city and have a passion for writing, a side gig as a city guide writer might be ideal. According to Business Insider, real estate and tourism businesses often hire local writers to craft city and neighborhood guides. As a city guide writer, you would provide a unique local perspective on the city, statistics about population demographics and insider tips for shopping, recreation, culture, entertainment, activities, public transportation and more.

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Girl video blogger or online foreign language teacher writes a training video for their subscribers to upload to social networks.
Girl video blogger or online foreign language teacher writes a training video for their subscribers to upload to social networks.

Online Instructor

  • Average Salary: $30/hour

Share your knowledge with the world — remotely and on your own schedule — by becoming an online instructor. Computer and IT skills courses are especially in demand, according to FlexJobs.

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Pretty woman suggesting red top for friend while shopping in boutique.
Pretty woman suggesting red top for friend while shopping in boutique.

Fashion Consultant

  • Average Salary: $50 to $500/hour

Fashionistas with an eye for current trends might be able to find side jobs as fashion consultants for high-end shoppers. Some clients are willing to pay top dollar for fashion help and will even ask their personal shoppers to select entire wardrobes for different seasons.

As a fashion consultant, you’ll meet with clients to discover their likes, dislikes, personalities and style goals. According to The Art Career Project, savvy stylers can earn anywhere from $50 to $500 per hour for their work.

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Smiling deaf boy learning sign language.
Smiling deaf boy learning sign language.

Sign Language Interpreter

  • Average Salary: $30/hour

Licensed sign language interpreters are hired by businesses and other entities to facilitate communication for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The average pay is $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs.

Read: What It’s Like To Job Hunt During a Pandemic

Lifestyle home concepts made in Barcelona.
Lifestyle home concepts made in Barcelona.

Curriculum Writer

  • Average Salary: $50/hour

If you’re a teacher looking to start a side gig outside of the classroom, consider becoming a curriculum writer. These professionals are hired to develop curricula and teaching guides. It’s a gig that can pay $50 per hour, according to FlexJobs.

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Unrecognizable businessman  giving his team a business presentation in a board room, making a speech, colleagues listening, rear view.
Unrecognizable businessman giving his team a business presentation in a board room, making a speech, colleagues listening, rear view.

Education Training Specialist

  • Average Salary: $34/hour

This gig involves conducting or teaching workshops, seminars or courses, as well as evaluating participants and developing the curricula for what you teach. According to FlexJobs, the average pay is $34 an hour.

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Smiling busy employee in casual reading notes and writing on notebook.
Smiling busy employee in casual reading notes and writing on notebook.

Executive Assistant

  • Average Salary: $38/hour

It’s possible to find executive assistant positions that are remote and part time if you already have a few years of experience under your belt, according to FlexJobs. Duties can include setting up meetings, responding to emails, tracking appointments and more.

See: Highest-Paying Work-From-Home Jobs

Couple with Insurance agent.
Couple with Insurance agent.

Consultant

  • Average Salary: $100/hour

Turn your area of expertise into extra money in your pocket with consultant work. These professionals are hired by an organization to review its processes and provide advice to improve its performance. According to FlexJobs, IT is a particularly lucrative field for consultants.

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Business people having meeting in conference room.
Business people having meeting in conference room.

Lead Generation Specialist

  • Average Salary: $30/hour

Companies and business-development teams hire these specialists to find, qualify and generate leads. It’s a gig that pays an average of $30 an hour, according to FlexJobs.

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Person using calendar on computer to improve time management, plan appointments, events, tasks and meetings efficiently, improve productivity, organize week day and work hours, business woman, office.
Person using calendar on computer to improve time management, plan appointments, events, tasks and meetings efficiently, improve productivity, organize week day and work hours, business woman, office.

NetSuite Administrator

  • Average Salary: $70/hour

Knowledge of NetSuite — a software program used by companies to manage their business processes in a single system — can prove valuable in terms of side gig potential. NetSuite administrators can perform a number of tasks including creating custom fields, reports and KPIs; developing workflows; and designing and implementing NetSuite solutions. The average pay for this flexible job is $70 per hour, according to FlexJobs.

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Smart business decisions.
Smart business decisions.

Project Manager

  • Average Salary: $65/hour

You don’t need a full-time job to put project management skills to use. Seek out freelance positions that take advantage of these skills, such as overseeing timelines, tracking budgets and coordinating team members. You can make $65 an hour without going into an office every day, according to FlexJobs.

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Two women discussing strategy.
Two women discussing strategy.

Senior Accountant

  • Average Salary: $45/hour

Taking accounting gigs can become a major moneymaker. This job will require preparing statements and audits, documenting transactions and performing end-of-month tasks.

To earn the high salary of a senior accountant, you typically need five years of experience, according to FlexJobs.

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Woman sketching a business plan on a placard at a creative office.
Woman sketching a business plan on a placard at a creative office.

Social Media Marketing Specialist

  • Average Salary: $30/hour

Social media has become a powerful selling tool for businesses and brands, and these companies depend on marketing specialists to make sure their social media campaigns are successful. These individuals create campaigns, develop strategies and write social media content.

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Young serious programmer in eyeglasses concentrating on working with coded data on computer screen.
Young serious programmer in eyeglasses concentrating on working with coded data on computer screen.

Software Developer

  • Average Salary: $55/hour

These developers are responsible for maintaining and updating apps, testing automation design and troubleshooting software issues. This tech side gig pays an average of $55 an hour, according to FlexJobs.

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Closeup side view of couple of mid 20's software developers resolving some issues with the code they're currently working on.
Closeup side view of couple of mid 20's software developers resolving some issues with the code they're currently working on.

Web Designer

  • Average Salary: $32/hour

An eye for design and a background in tech come together with this gig. Web designers will generally need knowledge of platforms such as CSS, WordPress or jQuery, according to FlexJobs.

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A young Hispanic / Latin entrepreneur at her place of work.
A young Hispanic / Latin entrepreneur at her place of work.

WordPress Developer

  • Average Salary: $45/hour

Many individuals and businesses use WordPress for their websites, so having a mastery of the platform can make for a high-paying side job. These developers create and edit themes, set up and utilize plugins, and write code. The average pay is $45 an hour, according to FlexJobs.

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Shot of a female DJ playing music in the club.
Shot of a female DJ playing music in the club.

Disc Jockey

  • Average Salary: $42/hour

Between corporate events, birthday parties and weddings, it’s possible to find enough side gigs as a DJ to make a good living. Although the average salary is $42 an hour, the top 10% of DJs bring in $123 an hour, according to PayScale.

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Everyone do shopping online.
Everyone do shopping online.

Online Reseller

  • Average Salary: $46/hour

Having an eye for a bargain can make you rich as a reseller. Whether your passion is clothes, shoes or something more obscure, selling items for more than what you paid for them on eBay, Craigslist or apps like Poshmark can be a lucrative side gig.

Alexandra Marquez, a thrift store pro who resells the items she finds on Poshmark, told Business Insider that she left her $50,000-a-year corporate job at a marketing company to focus on her reselling business full time. She now makes $5,000 a month.

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Autumn Rose contributed to the reporting for this article.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 22 Side Gigs That Can Make You Richer Than a Full-Time Job