The best-paying side hustles in Australia
Side hustles are helping Australians pocket a bit of extra cash. Photo: Getty
With the cost of living being so high, it’s not surprising that many people have been seeking out or looking into side hustles to get a bit of extra cash to help them get by.
According to online language learning platform Preply, there’s one side hustle that stands out among the rest, with people able to earn up to $96 per hour.
Preply said more than 955,000 Australians are working another job on the side, which is about 6.6 per cent of employed workers.
Preply analysed the hourly wage of various side hustles to figure out which paid the best and it turns out removalists are paid most, making $96.15 per hour on average.
Driving for Uber did make the top 10, but sits in eighth place.
Delivery drivers can make just under $70 per hour, while freelance writers could make just over $45 an hour.
The thought of working more hours on top of a full-time job might be a little overwhelming for some and pose the question on whether or not it is worth it.
Taking the average salary of side hustles across Australia ($52.60) and assuming people are spending no more than 10 hours a week working a job on the side, Preply worked out people could make $27,352 a year.
Top side hustles and the average wage per hour
- Removals, $96.15
- Delivery driver, $69.71
- Freelance writer, $45.67
- Handyman, $38.46
- Dog walker, $34.62
- Gardener, $33.65
- Cleaner, $33.65
- Uber driver, $28.85
- Freelance designer, $28.85
- Blogger, $24.04.
Driving for Uber is another popular side hustle, but it’s not the best.
The most lucrative city for side hustles
You might assume a capital city would be the best place to start a side hustle, but Preply’s research indicates Geelong in Victoria, west of Melbourne, is the highest-paying city for side hustles, with an average hourly wage of $85.
About 100 kilometres from Geelong, you’ll find the city that pays the least on average for side hustles, Ballarat, with an average of $41 per hour.
In terms of the states, Queensland is the most lucrative for having a side gig, coming out on top.
The best way to make money on the side in the Sunshine State is by working as a personal trainer, which has an average hourly rate of $61.67.
South Australia is the lowest-paying state in terms of side hustles, according to Preply.
The best-paying gig there is working as a plumber, where people can pocket $38.73 an hour on average.
