27 Best Side Hustles for Teens to Make Money (2023)

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Side Hustles for High Schoolers

Whether you’re looking to save up for college or just want a little extra spending money, there are plenty of side hustles out there that can help.

If you’re a high schooler, though, it can be tough to know which ones are the best options. We’ve put together this list of the best side hustles for high schoolers. So regardless of your interests or skills, there’s something here for everyone.

For even more ideas, please see our list of 150+ side hustle ideas.

Best Side Hustles for Teens and High Schoolers

1. Online Surveys

One of the easiest ways to make extra cash or a gift card is by taking online surveys. It doesn’t require specific skills or experience, anyone can do it, and you can do the work from anywhere with an internet connection. If you have a few minutes to spare, you can take a survey on your phone and make some money.

While you won’t make loads of money from online surveys, it provides extreme flexibility. You can do as much or as little as you want, and you can do it whenever it’s convenient.

Although there are many websites and apps for paid online surveys, some of them require you to be 18 years old to participate. However, two of the best sites, Swagbucks and Survey Junkie, have a minimum age requirement of just 13 years old. Signing up for both sites is a great way to get started with online surveys.

2. Blogging

If you enjoy writing, starting a blog or niche website could be an excellent side hustle for teenagers to earn money. Starting a content-based website is a good fit for someone looking to build an online business, but it’s not ideal if you need to start making money immediately. Most blogs and niche websites earn very little for the first 6-12 months, so you’ll need patience if you go this route.

However, that patience can pay off in a big way once your site has grown. If you’re interested in starting a business that you can run after high school or something that will be a profitable side hustle for years to come, you should consider this option.

There are a few different ways to make money from blogging. The most common is through advertising and affiliate marketing. You can also sell digital products, like e-books or online courses. And if you have a large enough audience, you could get company sponsorships.

To be successful at making money from blogging, though, you need to be willing to put in the work. It takes time to build up an audience, and you’ll need to produce high-quality content regularly. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be a very rewarding side hustle.

3. Design and Sell Printables

Printables are digital products that people can download and print out at home. They could be anything from planners and organizers to checklists and worksheets. These digital products are relatively simple to create, thanks to Canva. These types of low-priced digital products provide an ideal way to get started with online business and e-commerce.

Designing printables is a great way to make extra money because you can sell them repeatedly. Once you create a printable, it’s yours to sell forever. You don’t have to worry about inventory or shipping costs. And setting up a website to sell your own printables is easy, thanks to platforms like Podia.

To market your printables, it’s a good idea to take a niche-specific approach and create printables for a specific target audience. For example, you could create printables for busy moms or college students. Once you know who your ideal user is, you can find ways to promote your site to that audience.

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4. Social Media Influencer

If you’re active on social media, you could make money online by becoming an influencer. An influencer is someone who has a large following on social media and promotes products or brands to their audience.

Most high schoolers are already active on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, so this could be a good fit. Although it sounds like a lot of fun (and it is), it’s not easy to have success as an influencer.

To be an influencer, you need to have a sizable audience engaged with your content. Once you’ve built up your following, you can start working with brands to promote their products or services.

This is a great way to make extra money if you already have a large following. And it’s also a perfect side hustle for high schoolers since you can do it from your phone.

5. YouTube Channel

If you’re creative and enjoy making videos, starting a YouTube channel could be the best side gig. It’s one of the most popular ways to make money online, and it’s perfect for high schoolers since most teens are already very familiar with YouTube.

Many young YouTubers have had success making money, including the most profitable YouTuber of all, Ryan Kaji of Ryan’s World.

To be successful on YouTube, you need to produce high-quality content that people want to watch. You also need to be consistent with your uploads and promote your channel to grow your audience. Once you’ve built up a large enough following, you can start monetizing your videos with ads through the YouTube Partner Program.

You can also work with brands to promote their products or services in your videos or make money with affiliate marketing. There are countless products and services you can promote by adding affiliate links to your videos and descriptions.

Like blogging, this is another good side hustle for high schoolers who want to build a legit online business. It will take to time to reach success, but it can pay off down the road.

6. Podcasting

Podcasting is similar to blogging and YouTube in that you need to produce high-quality content regularly. But it’s different in that you’ll be doing it in audio form instead of written or video (some podcasts are available in video format as well).

If you enjoy talking and have something valuable to say, podcasting could be a great side hustle. It’s perfect for those who want to build an online business that can generate money for years.

To start a podcast, all you need is a laptop with a built-in mic. You can use the free software Audacity to edit your audio files, so there’s no expensive equipment needed. A higher-quality mic will produce better sound, but you can always start to upgrade your gear after you’re making some money.

To learn more about this opportunity, please see A Practical Guide to Creating a Podcast.

7. Graphic Design

If you’re creative and have experience with design software like Photoshop or Illustrator, you can start offering your services as a graphic designer and make extra cash. There are many different things you could design for small businesses and non-profit organizations, including brochures, flyers, business cards, labels, signs, social media images, and more. You can find online graphic design work on sites like Fiverr or promote your services in your local area.

This is the perfect way to make extra money if you’re good at design and enjoy working on creative projects. And if you’re interested in studying design in college or pursuing a career as a graphic designer, getting some real-world experience now could be incredibly helpful later.

To learn how to get started, read How to Start a Graphic Design Side Hustle.

8. Web Design

If you have some experience with websites, you could make money by designing or setting up websites for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations. Today, it’s not even necessary to have coding skills to create custom websites. With the help of no-code website builders like Divi, you can use a drag-and-drop editor to design custom layouts without any HTML or CSS.

There are many businesses out there that still have very poor websites or no website at all. You could look for these businesses and organizations in your local area and approach them by offering your services to help them get set up.

Even though anyone can build a website on their own with today’s technology don’t know where to start and don’t have time to figure it out on their own. As a result, you can make good money by helping them with this task.

To learn more, see my article How to Make Money as a Web Designer.

9. Social Media Manager

As a high schooler, you’re probably very comfortable with social media. You could use your skills and experience to work as a social media manager for businesses that need some help with their own social presence. This online job involves creating and posting content, engaging with followers, monitoring comments and messages, and growing the account.

Many businesses are now hiring social media managers to help them with their online presence. And since this is something you can do from anywhere with an internet connection, it’s perfect for high schoolers who want to make extra money.

Most of your clients will be ongoing, so you might have an excellent side hustle with just one or two clients. You can charge a monthly fee to create a certain number of posts for the client each month.

And like graphic design, this side hustle is perfect if you want to study marketing as a college student or pursue a career in marketing. The experience you get will likely become far more valuable than the money you’ll make.

10. Design T-Shirts

If you’re creative and enjoy coming up with designs, you can start a business selling t-shirts online. This is a great way to make some extra money, especially since you can do it on your own time.

There are many different print-on-demand companies that will print and ship your shirts for you once someone buys them. This means you don’t have to worry about inventory or fulfillment. You simply design the shirts and upload them to the print-on-demand site. When someone buys one of your shirts, the print-on-demand company takes care of everything else.

To get started with print-on-demand, you could use sites like Redbubble and CafePress. If you want to build your own business for the long-term, you could start your own e-commerce website with Shopify and integrate it with a print-on-demand supplier like Printful.

For many high schoolers, this side hustle would be a lot of fun. You can use your creativity to come up with designs, and you can even wear your own t-shirts as a way to promote your business.

To learn more, see How to Start a Print-on-Demand Business.

11. Create an Online Course

Another excellent online business model involves creating and selling online courses. These courses are usually in video format, but a text-based course is an option too.

Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to be a world-renowned expert to create a successful course and make good money. You just need to be more knowledgeable on this subject than the people taking the course.

Creating an online course requires some time and effort upfront to develop the content. But once it’s created, you can sell it over and over again for passive income. And since it’s digital, there are no inventory or shipping costs.

To get started, you could use a platform like Teachable or Podia to create and host your course. These platforms make it simple to create a course that works well for you and your students.

To learn more about making money with courses, see Online Course Masters.

12. Play Video Games

Twitch is a live-streaming platform that’s primarily used by gamers. But Twitch isn’t just for people who like to play video games. It’s also for people who like to watch others play video games.

If you’re a Twitch streamer, you can make money online from Twitch through donations, subscriptions, and advertisements. The more popular you are, the more money you can make.

Getting paid to play video games would be a dream come true for many people, but Twitch helps to make that dream a real possibility. Of course, it’s not easy to succeed, but it is possible.

To get started on Twitch, you only need a gaming console or PC, a webcam, and a Twitch account (Twitch requires users to be at least 13 years old). Once you have those things set up, you can start streaming your gameplay.

Many gamers who are successful with this side hustle have chosen to specialize in a very popular game or a niche or genre. Some streamers take a generalized approach and play all kinds of games, but they’re in the minority.

13. Stock Photography

If you like taking pictures, you could make money by selling your photos as stock photography. This involves submitting your photos to a stock photography website like Shutterstock or Depositphotos, and people can then license the photos for their own use.

There are a few things to keep in mind regarding stock photography. First, your photos need to be of high quality. Second, they should feature subjects that are in demand. And third, you’ll need to submit a large number of photos to have a good selection to choose from.

With millions of photos already on the leading microstock marketplaces, making money with stock photography is not as simple as uploading a few photos and sitting back. It’s a competitive market, and it’s difficult to stand out. However, if you’re interested in studying photography in college or pursuing a career as a photographer, this is a great side hustle that will help you to gain some valuable experience. It’s also possible that you’ll make a few hundred dollars per month from your efforts.

14. Flea Market Flipping

Have you ever gone to a flea market or garage sale and found an item that you knew was worth more than the price tag? If so, then you could make money by flipping items for a profit.

To be successful at flea market flipping, you need to have an eye for finding valuable items. You also need to know where to sell the items that you find. For example, some items may do better on eBay while others might do better on Craigslist or the Facebook Marketplace.

It takes time and effort to learn how to flip items successfully, but it can be a great way to make some extra income on the weekends. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

You don’t need much money to get started. Head out to some yard sales with $20 to spend, and you should be able to find your first few items to flip. If you keep reinvesting your money for a while, you’ll wind up with many items for sale and the chance to generate a more significant income.

15. Start an Etsy Shop

If you’re creative and you enjoy making handmade items, then you could start an Etsy shop. Etsy is an online marketplace for handmade goods, vintage items, and craft supplies. It presents a great opportunity to make money as a teenager.

To get started, you’ll need to create an Etsy account and set up your shop. Then, you’ll need to start listing your products. Each product will need its own listing, including at least one photo, a description, pricing information, and shipping details.

It’s important to note that Etsy allows teens to sell, but you’ll need a little assistance from a parent or guardian. Each teen seller must have an adult who agrees to take responsibility for helping the teenager and assuring that Etsy’s policies are followed.

Etsy charges some small fees for listings and sales, but they also provide access to millions of buyers who are looking for certain types of products.

16. Dog Walking and Pet Sitting

If you love animals, becoming a dog walker or pet sitter could be a great way to make some extra money. Dog walking is a perfect side hustle for high schoolers since it’s usually an after-school job and doesn’t require any experience.

You may know some pet owners in your neighborhood who could benefit from the help of a dog walker. Maybe they have busy schedules that prevent them from walking their own dogs, or maybe they have physical limitations that make long walks difficult. You can offer your services to these people and start making money immediately.

You can also advertise on Craigslist or local bulletin boards at businesses in your area. Once you have a few regular clients, you’ll be able to make extra money each way in your spare time.

17. Pooper Scooper

Do you have a dog? If so, you know that picking up after them can be a pain. But what if you could get paid to do it? That’s where the pooper scooper comes in.

A pooper scooper is simply someone who picks up dog poop for money. It may not sound like the most glamorous job, but it can be a great way to make some extra money as a young person.

Other dog owners in your neighborhood may be happy to pay you to clean up after their dogs so they don’t have to do it.

If you do a good job, you’ll also benefit from repeat clients. As long as your clients have a dog, they’ll need to have their yard cleaned up from time to time.

18. Babysitting

Babysitting is a great way for high schoolers to make some extra money. It’s usually an after-school or weekend job, so it’s easy to make it fit around your school schedule.

Of course, babysitting isn’t for everyone. You need to be responsible, reliable, and patient. You also need to be comfortable around children and know how to care for them.

If you think you have what it takes to be a good babysitter, start by asking your parents if they know anyone who needs one. Once you get a few clients, you can start building up your business by advertising on Craigslist or local bulletin boards. You’ll also pick up a lot of business through word-of-mouth advertising.

19. House Cleaning

There are always people who need help with cleaning their homes because they may not have the time or energy to do it themselves. You can take on these clients and get paid to clean their houses for them.

It’s also worth noting that you don’t need specific skills for this side hustle, just the willingness to work hard.

In addition to cleaning the inside of houses, you could also do outdoor cleaning or organize storage spaces like garages, basements, and sheds.

To get started, talk to your neighbors and other people that you know in your area. You can advertise on Craigslist or local bulletin boards.

20. Clean Swimming Pools

For a summer job, cleaning swimming pools is an excellent option. Maintaining a pool can be a lot of work, and many people simply don’t have the time to do it themselves. By hiring a high school student, they can save a lot of money compared to hiring a pool cleaning company.

This would be an ideal option if your family has a pool and you’re familiar with the needed maintenance. However, even if you don’t have experience, learning how to vacuum a pool and clean out a skimmer is pretty easy.

Additionally, you could also offer to powerwash patios and decks around the pool or other aspects of cleaning and maintaining all of the outdoor entertaining areas.

21. Lifeguard

Another option for a summer job is to work as a lifeguard. Many local pools need lots of help for the busy summer months.

To work as a lifeguard, you’ll need to be trained in CPR and first aid. You’ll also need to pass a swimming test.

If you’re unsure where to start, you can look for lifeguard training courses at your local YMCA or Red Cross. Once you’re certified, you can start applying for jobs.

Some pools will also require you to have a certain amount of experience before they’ll hire you, so it’s a good idea to start out by working at a smaller pool or waterpark.

22. Yard Work

Mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and doing other yard work are ideal ways to make some extra money. You don’t need a lot of experience, but you need to be willing to do some hard physical work.

You could also offer other services like mulching, leaf removal, and pulling weeds. These are usually one-time jobs, and they are usually seasonal.

To get started, talk to your neighbors and other people in your area who might need help with their yards. You can also advertise on Craigslist or local bulletin boards. With a few regular clients, you’ll be able to make some extra money.

23. Tutoring

If you’re good at a particular subject, you can offer your services as a tutor. This is especially helpful if you’re taking AP classes or college-level courses. You can charge by the hour and schedule tutoring sessions around your other commitments.

You could offer your tutoring services to other students in your grade, or you could tutor younger kids.

To get started, advertise on Craigslist or local bulletin boards. If you know of someone who might be interested, you can contact them directly. You may also be able to find clients through word-of-mouth.

24. Music Lessons

For music lovers, there’s no better side hustle than teaching others how to play. This is a great way to earn some extra money and share your passion for music with others.

To get started, you’ll need to create a lesson plan. Then, you can start advertising your services. You could also talk to your school’s music department and see if they have any recommendations for finding students.

This is a side hustle you can continue to do in the future if you’re interested. You could offer music lessons throughout college and even after college. It’s possible that it could grow into a full-time business, or you can continue doing it part-time to make money from your interest in music.

25. Wash Cars

Washing cars is a great way to make money, especially in the summer. You can do this for your neighbors or whoever else is interested in getting their car washed.

To get started, you’ll need to gather supplies like soap, sponges, and buckets. You’ll also need a hose and a place to wash the cars. It could be at your house, or you could go to the homes of your customers.

Then, you can start advertising your services. You could put up flyers in your neighborhood or post on Craigslist.

26. Work at a Grocery Store

Many grocery stores are always hiring, so this is a great option if you’re looking for a job at a local business. You could work as a cashier, bagger, or stocker. It’s an ideal part-time job for high schoolers during the school year or summer.

27. Fast Food

Another common part-time job for high schoolers is to work at a fast-food restaurant. You could work as a cashier, cook, or in customer service.

This is a great option because it’s usually pretty easy to get hired, and there are often multiple locations near you. You can also typically get flexible hours, which is ideal for high schoolers.

The Benefits of a Side Hustle for Teens

There are a lot of benefits that come with having a side hustle in high school. For one, it can help you develop good work habits. It can also teach you time management skills and budget your time wisely.

In addition, a side hustle can give you some extra spending money. You can use this money to save for a car, pay for college, or just have some extra cash to spend on weekends and nights out.

Finally, having a side hustle can help you stand out when you’re applying for jobs or colleges. Employers and colleges are always looking for students who are well-rounded and have experience working. So, if you can show them that you’ve started your own business or have held multiple jobs, it will make you a more attractive candidate.

Final Thoughts on Side Hustles for High Schoolers

There are a lot of great side hustles for high schoolers. If you’re looking to make some extra money, then consider one of these options. From tutoring to fast food, there’s sure to be a side hustle right for you.


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