College-Educated Workers Flock to Side Hustles Amid Unsteady Labor Market

More middle-class Americans and college-educated workers are taking on second jobs in an effort to boost their income and stability.

A recent analysis from the Richmond Federal Reserve found that before the pandemic, low-, middle-, and high-earners worked multiple jobs in roughly equal proportion. However, since then, the trend has shifted, with middle-income earners being much more likely to hold multiple jobs than lower-earning counterparts.

The number of college-educated workers holding multiple jobs has also increased significantly, from around 35% in the 1990s to over half by 2024. Additionally, women have been increasingly taking on side hustles, with a widening gender gap in multiple jobholding. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest employment data, more women, especially those aged 20-24, are working in several roles.

The share of Americans holding down a side hustle has increased from 19% in 2017 to 27% in 2025, per a Bankrate survey. The rising trend is attributed to the growing need for multiple income streams in an increasingly unsteady labor market.