Over Half of Gen Z Work a Side Gig: 8 Best Options for This Generation
Making money on the side is popular among the youngest workforce generation. According to Harris Poll data in late 2025, 57% of Gen Z workers maintain side hustles. Luckily, the world is ripe with opportunities for making extra money.
Gen Zers are digital natives, well-positioned to take advantage of money-making opportunities that involve technology. Avenues like social media and content creation are perfect for discovering lucrative side gigs. From low-commitment opportunities to more involved ones, here are the eight best side hustles for Gen Zers looking to earn more money.
Create Niche Pages on TikTok
“One side hustle that is extremely lucrative and has the potential to grow beyond a side hustle is creating niche pages on TikTok and growing an audience that can be monetized through sponsorships,” said Kyle Dulay, co-founder of Collabstr, an online marketplace to find and hire content creators on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
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“The idea is pretty simple: You pick a niche that interests you and post consistently until you build your audience of over 10,000 followers,” he explained. “The great thing about TikTok is that it’s much easier to grow on there compared to other platforms like Instagram or YouTube. I accumulated over 100,000 users across two pages in less than 12 months. As you grow, it will become much easier to make money off of your page. At first, you may have to reach out to brands manually and pitch them on a potential sponsorship, but as you grow, you’ll begin to get more deals coming inbound."
According to recent industry data reported by SocialBook, TikTok influencers earn an average salary of $122,000. However, the pay range will vary depending on how popular an account becomes and how the creator chooses to monetize it.
Create In-Demand Content
“People of any age can make a sizable income through content creation, but in my experience, Gen Z really thrives with cryptocurrency and e-finance topics,” said Nate Tsang, founder and CEO of WallStreetZen. “Many of the biggest TikTok financial influencers are in their teens and early 20s, and finance companies of all sizes want the clout and digital native skills that Gen Z has in spades."
He continued, “Content creation can extend to blog writing on trending topics, creating TikTok and YouTube videos for companies, graphic design and even podcasting. What brands are looking for is authenticity more than anything else — they can supply the experience and expertise, while Gen Z content creatives provide the engagement.”
The average pay for this side gig will depend on the type of content you create and the platform you publish on, as well as how you monetize it. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a YouTube channel in the U.S. is around $70,000. However, you may not see significant income until you reach a million subscribers, which is when you should make around $60,000 annually.
Create Simple Websites
“One of the easiest side hustles Gen Zers can get into at the moment is creating and selling simple websites and landing pages,” said Drewbie Wilson, former vice president of Break Free Academy and bestselling author of “Crushing the Day: A Simple Guide to Success in Business and Life Through Service to Others.”
According to Indeed, the average pay for a website designer is about $26 an hour or $54,000 annually. You can charge more by picking up freelance projects if you’re looking for a side project — website templates can sell for a few hundred dollars or more.
SwaS (Software With a Service)
“One side hustle I’m excited about right now for Gen Z is what I call SwaS, or software with a service,” said Nick Loper from Side Hustle Nation. “How it works is you piggyback on the popularity of a software tool that already exists, and help companies or individuals use it. On Side Hustle Nation, we’ve seen people run with this strategy for Quickbooks, Asana, Salesforce, Tailwind, ActiveCampaign, Ahrefs and more."
He added, “As a younger entrepreneur, you’re at an advantage, because you could be an early adopter for an up-and-coming software tool that most people don’t know about yet. If you can create video tutorial content about it — introducing yourself as a consultant — I can almost guarantee you’ll have people reaching out and asking for one-on-one help.”
The pay with this side gig will depend on how you implement your marketing strategy. However, if you focus on SaaS sales, you can earn around $40 an hour — a respectable side income if you have the time to devote to it.
Create Digital Products
“The best side hustle for young people is to create digital products,” said Mitchell Stern of SideHustle.tips. “These include fonts, design templates, document templates, Shopify store themes, e-books and music. Unlike traditional jobs, you don’t have to answer to anybody, and you can work at your own pace whenever is convenient for you. Plus, you can work from home and actually make decent money. Creating digital products is the perfect side hustle for anyone with a computer who is looking to earn extra money without having to make any type of commitment.”
The pay range for selling digital products will depend on what kind of items you focus on and the platform that you choose. The average hourly wage for an e-book writer is $39, for example, but this will vary depending on your marketing efforts.
Sell Stock Photos
“For more visually creative Gen Z people, selling stock photos can be another great side hustle,” said Maria Juvakka, founder of Chic Pursuit. “The process is as simple as posting on social media: Upload the photo on Shutterstock, Adobe Stock or another site, and get paid every time someone licenses it. Think about the type of pictures editorials or businesses would need in their articles and content, and upload that type of content. Some examples include famous landmarks from well-known cities and office environments.”
The average pay for selling stock photos fluctuates, but according to a recent survey of stock photographers, nearly half make anywhere from zero to $500 per month, but about 20% earn over $2,000 monthly.
Become a Virtual Assistant
“Hiring a virtual assistant has been one of my best decisions recently,” said Simon Brisk, CEO of Click Intelligence. “It saves up a lot of my time and effort. Almost all the business executives I have met have an assistant, and most of them prefer a virtual setting."
He continued, “There’s a huge demand for virtual assistants ... And most employers prefer younger people for the job. That is because young people are generally more tech-savvy and flexible. Therefore, Gen Z should consider getting into this gig. Apart from the decent compensation, VAs can get the opportunity to work with industry leaders and possibly learn from their experiences and expertise. Not to mention the prospect of getting a permanent job with their employer. My virtual assistant works at $30 per hour, and she is highly skilled at the job."
According to ZipRecruiter, the average national hourly wage is $25, but a top earner in this industry can earn up to $72,000 yearly.
Screenprint and Sell T-Shirts
Mike Nemeroff, CEO and co-founder at Rush Order Tees, said that screen printing and selling T-shirts is a side hustle that’s fairly lucrative for younger people.
“It’s how I got started, and now Rush Order Tees has grown from a one-high schooler operation in the back of my parents garage to over 150 employees,” he said. “A decent screen printing press is less than $200, and the supplies aren’t much more, either. Selling T-shirts at or ahead of major events or with creative designs via Facebook Marketplace can get you back your investment in the first batch of shirts. Take it from me — people love buying from students and will be happy to support your cause, even if your cause is just starting your own small business.”
According to Printful, you can earn $548 monthly if you can sell 100 shirts. The pay will fluctuate depending on your marketing efforts and shirt designs.
Martin Dasko contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice.
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