More than six in 10 employed U.S. adults are likely to supplement their income with a second job or side hustle over the next year, according to a new Workforce Monitor® survey from the American Staffing Association conducted by The Harris Poll.
The major divisions found in the findings were by;
- Parental Status: Three-quarters (75%) of employed parents with minor children are likely to get a second job or side hustle in the next year, compared with 55% of employed adults without children under 18.
- Generation: Employed Millennials, aged 29–44 (76%), and Gen Z, ages 18–28 (73%), were more likely to get a second job or start a side hustle in the next year than Gen X, ages 45-60 (59%), and Baby Boomers, ages 61–79 (37%)
- Social Media Use: A staggering 84% of employed daily social media users were likely to look for a side hustle or second job in the next year, compared with 65% of both weekly and monthly users and 50% of those who aren’t on social media accounts.
“For growing numbers of Americans, a side hustle can be a good way to build savings, pay off debt, find a new job, or change careers. However, for others, a side hustle means having enough money to make ends meet,” said Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer at ASA. “With economic uncertainty dominating the headlines, it’s not surprising to see Americans looking for ways to create some breathing room in their budgets.”
A significant portion of employed Americans are living with a minimal financial cushion. When asked how long their household could live off of their savings or other income in the event of a layoff
- Just 19% of employees said their savings could support less than one month of expenses, while 32% said their savings could support them for one to five months.
- Nearly three in 10 employed home renters (28%) would have less than one month of current savings to live off if they were laid off today, compared with 14% of employed homeowners.
“With nearly one in five American workers reporting they don’t believe their households could survive a month if they were laid off, there needs to be a renewed focus on ensuring that financial education is required part of every high school curriculum,” added Wahlquist. “Financial literacy is a foundation upon which young adults can build a path to success in life on their own terms.”
Survey Method:
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Staffing Association April 21–23, 2025, among 2,093 adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data are accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.