More than a Third of Workers Have a Second Source of Income
More than a Third of Workers Have a Second Source of Income
Highlights
Side hustles are now mainstream: More than a third of U.S. workers (35%) have a side hustle or multiple jobs, and the trend cuts across age, income, and occupation.
First-time job seekers are leaning on side hustles to break in: Nearly 6 in 10 first-time job seekers (59.2%) have a side hustle — more than double the rate among those with prior work experience (28.4%). For many, it’s the only way to get real experience on a resume.
Side hustles give job seekers bargaining power: Job seekers with a side hustle are far more likely to reject a job offer (49% vs. 32.2%) and to say they’d quit without another job lined up (46.9% vs. 23.6%).
Workers are using side hustles to hedge against uncertainty: Over half of workers who think the job market will improve significantly (52.3%) already have supplemental income, suggesting multiple income streams may fuel confidence.
High earners are the most likely to have a side gig: Workers making more than $150,000 a year are the most likely to have supplemental work (44.8%), outpacing workers earning under $25,000 (30.6%) or $25,000–$50,000 (30.8%). For many high earners, side income is less about paying bills and more about accelerating wealth, status, and career momentum.
More than a third of U.S. workers (35%) currently have a side hustle or hold multiple jobs, according to a recent ZipRecruiter survey, and the practice now cuts across nearly every corner of American working life.
Younger workers are nearly twice as likely as those over 45 to have supplemental income. Veterans, union members, and high earners are all above average as well. But the motivations are far from one-size-fits-all. A side hustle can be a lifeline for those stretched by rising costs, an on-ramp for first-time job seekers facing barriers to traditional employment, or a ladder for those trying to move up faster. Understanding who has one, and why, reveals a workforce that is more financially creative and more financially pressured than employment figures alone suggest.
First-time job seekers are using side hustles to get a foot in the door
Among first-time job seekers, 59.2% have a side hustle—more than double the 28.4% rate among those who have worked before.
With job openings falling and job growth slow-moving, breaking into the labor market is as challenging as ever. Side hustles often have lower barriers to entry, which can open doors for new workers and give them concrete experience to add to their resume.
Even if someone has never had a formal job, a side hustle can provide a base of work experience that helps close the gap for the 1 in 5 first-time job seekers (20.1%) who struggle to put together a resume.
But side hustles don't just help people get hired — they help people say no
Toward the end of the job search, having that independent income stream also gives job seekers more confidence and stability to be selective.
Job seekers with a side hustle are significantly more likely to have rejected a job offer (49% vs. 32.2%), and nearly twice as likely to say they would quit their current job without another one lined up compared to those without a side hustle (46.9% vs. 23.6%).
The financial cushion matters too. Job seekers with a side hustle are far more likely to have at least one month of savings on hand (81% vs. 69.5%).
The data shows that job seekers with a side hustle are prepared and making strategic moves, giving them real leverage to hold out for the right opportunity rather than take the first available one. But many of them say the opposite.
Job seekers with a side hustle—despite having more savings and being strategic about their search—are more likely to say they feel financial pressure to take the next offer they receive compared to those without a side hustle (64.9% vs. 57.1%). This shows how economic challenges shape decision-making, even for those on firmer financial footing.
Workers use side hustles to hedge against uncertainty
The relationship between economic anxiety and side hustles cuts in both directions. According to survey data on U.S. workers, those with an optimistic outlook on the broader economy are the most likely to already have supplemental income from a side hustle or multiple jobs:
52.3% of workers expecting the job market to improve significantly have supplemental income, compared with 24.8% of those expecting the job market to worsen. Having multiple income streams may give workers greater optimism about the market as their own financial situations improve.
For workers who don’t yet have supplemental income, fears about broader economic conditions might drive future behavior: 18.5% of workers expecting a layoff want a side hustle but don't yet have one, nearly three times the rate of workers who feel secure in their jobs (5.6%).
Side hustles are not just about making ends meet
But concerns about economic conditions are not the only factor in deciding to take on a side hustle or a second job. If they were, lower-income workers would likely be doing the most supplemental work, as they have the greatest fear of layoffs and worsening economic conditions. But that’s not the case.
Workers earning under $25,000 a year are nearly three times as likely to fear or expect an upcoming layoff as workers making over $150,000 (24.8% vs 8.6%).
Yet workers earning over $150,000 are the most likely to hold supplemental work (44.8%), compared with 30.6% of workers earning under $25,000 and 30.8% of those earning $25,000 to $50,000.
Research has long shown that beyond a certain income threshold, more money does little for day-to-day happiness. Kahneman and Deaton's landmark study pegged that plateau at around $75,000 in 2010 (around $112,500 today), yet higher earners keep reaching for more. For many, supplemental income is less about covering bills and more about staying on an upward trajectory, closing the gap between a strong paycheck and the wealth and status they hope will come with it.
Methodology
Survey data in this research are sourced from the following:
ZipRecruiter surveyed 1,500 employed individuals across U.S. businesses of various sizes and industries from January 5-14, 2026, to learn how they are engaging with side hustles and multiple jobs.
ZipRecruiter surveyed 1,500 job seekers across the U.S. from February 7-23, 2026, to learn how they engage with side hustles and multiple jobs.