The 21 Best Side Hustles for Engineers: $1,000 a Month or More

The most effective facet hustles for engineers flip your technical expertise into earnings by yourself schedule.

Software program engineers can train AI models for $70–150 an hour, mechanical engineers can build prototypes for inventors, and virtually any engineer can tutor engineering students.

Some concepts repay in a giant method: Nate Dallas earned $300,000 by licensing a product idea to Mattel.

Engineers already earn a median salary of $99,520, however a facet hustle can add earnings you management. Brad Rice turned his Salesforce experience right into a consulting side hustle incomes over $200,000 a 12 months part-time.

Beneath are 21 real looking facet hustles for engineers, plus a fast information to one of the best choices in your self-discipline.

Notice: Earlier than you begin, verify your employment settlement, since many engineering employers have guidelines about exterior work and who owns the innovations you create.

Finest Aspect Hustles by Engineering Self-discipline

Mechanical Engineers

• Create product prototypes with CAD and 3D printing for inventors
• Fix stuff and film it, just like the mechanical engineer who turned bike repairs right into a YouTube enterprise
• Sell 3D printer designs
• License your product ideas to established firms

Civil Engineers

• Become an expert witness for development and accident instances
• Invest in real estate, the place your eye for constructions and web site situations is a bonus
• Sell spreadsheets and calculation templates
• Tutor engineering students

Electrical Engineers

• Create an online course
• Make video tutorials
• Write sales copy for technical merchandise
• Repair and refurbish electronics

Software program Engineers

• Train AI models for $70–150 an hour
• Build small apps that cost a month-to-month subscription
• Software consulting
• Resell white label software

Chemical and Different Engineers

• Freelance technical writing
• Tutoring
• Expert witness work in your specialty

1. Product Licensing

The most effective facet hustles I’ve come throughout is changing into a modern-day inventor.

With product licensing, you promote your product concepts to massive firms, who in flip pay you royalties for each sale they make from that concept. You don’t have any upfront manufacturing or advertising and marketing expense, and might faucet into the large distribution of current manufacturers.

For instance, Nate Dallas earned $300,000 from Mattel after licensing them an idea for a Pictionary spin-off!

2. Tutor Engineering College students

With a nationwide concentrate on STEM classes, engineers are well-suited to assist college students enhance their understanding in science, know-how, engineering, and math.

The truth is, one Aspect Hustle Nation reader reported incomes $1,000 a week with his part-time tutoring business that targeted on ACT check prep.

Platforms like Wyzant assist join college students with tutors. As a tutor, you get set your individual charge (sometimes between $20-60 per hour) and availability.

This facet hustle could possibly be a rewarding method to assist the up-and-coming technology of engineers.

3. Buyer Interviews

Many firms use buyer interviews to get suggestions on new merchandise.

User Interviews and Respondent.io are a pair of cool companies that facilitate these interviews on-line and over the cellphone.

The most effective half? The typical compensation is $50-150 an hour!

Software program engineers and different technical professionals are positively in demand for these kinds of paid market research studies.

4. Educating On-line

Whereas one-to-one tutoring may be rewarding and even fairly profitable, it’s nonetheless buying and selling time for cash.

One facet hustle with slightly extra scale is to show an internet group class by means of a platform like Outschool.

The peer-to-peer schooling market focuses on college students ages 3-18, and has programs on practically each subject possible.

On The Aspect Hustle Present, Jade Weatherington shared how she was incomes $10,000 a month on the platform, primarily instructing center faculty English writing lessons.

If we take a look at the science class, there are many topics you’re in all probability already a grasp of, together with:

• physics
• biology
• chemistry
• and extra

With slightly creativity, you may take the information you have already got and create a enjoyable class for youths.

5. Create an On-line Course

Jacques Hopkins give up his electrical engineering job and targeted on his on-line course enterprise full-time.

What does he educate?

Surprisingly, he truly teaches a singular method to learning piano, and does round $30,000 a month in sales.

Clients join with him by means of Google or YouTube, and a sure proportion funnel by means of to his paid course.

6. Software program Consulting

Is there a software program device you’re an professional in? One one you’re an early adopter of?

One fashionable facet hustle is to “piggyback” on the recognition of a specific software program device, and supply coaching and help for it. My pal Brad Rice does this with Salesforce and earns over $200k a 12 months part-time!

As extra individuals and corporations use the software program, there’s a rising demand for certified coaching.

Plus, new software program comes out on a regular basis, which suggests even in the event you don’t have a software program in thoughts immediately, it could possibly be a facet hustle concept for you down the street.

Try this free challenge to see if the same path is best for you:

7. Promoting Spreadsheets

Do you know individuals purchase spreadsheet templates on-line?

This could possibly be your new facet gig as an engineer — I do know you want your spreadsheets 😜

Emily McDermott focuses on selling budgeting spreadsheets in Excel and Google Sheets — and bought over $250k value in her first couple years!

As an engineer, you in all probability have already got half a dozen spreadsheets in your pc that others would possibly pay for. Flip to platforms like Etsy to seek out your first clients.

8. Actual Property Investing

Actual property investing is likely one of the oldest and hottest facet hustles within the books. An engineer pal of mine loves to research property offers, and in the end purchased a pair leases.

The draw back is homes are costly!

Fortunately, new platforms like Arrived make it simple to spend money on income-generating properties—with as little as $100. 

The corporate swimming pools cash to purchase rental properties, manages them, after which distributes the money movement each month.

Meaning you may get pleasure from the advantages proudly owning property, whereas spreading the danger round. (And with out having to deal with vacancies, upkeep, or tenant points your self!)

9. Video or Audio Tutorials

By day, Bryan Orr helps run an air con firm in Central Florida, and by night time he’s a father of 10.

But in some way he’s discovered the time to create the super-popular HVAC School podcast in his spare time.

Tasked with coaching technicians at his day job, he had the thought to place the fabric into an on-demand audio format. On a whim, he determined to publish the content material on-line and make it obtainable to a wider viewers.

“It simply exploded. I by no means thought there can be an viewers just like the viewers that I discovered,” Bryan mentioned.

As his viewers grew he began negotiating sponsorship offers with massive firms within the HVAC area of interest.

In below a 12 months, he’d constructed an e mail listing of over 7500 subscribers, generated greater than 500,000 podcast downloads, and was incomes $11k a month in sponsorship income.

10. Freelance Technical Writing

One other frequent facet hustle for engineers is freelance writing. Most freelance writers receives a commission on a per-word foundation, with charges starting from $0.05-0.35 per phrase. That provides as much as round $50-$350 per 1000-word article.

(This text, for the sake of comparability, is round 2,000 phrases.)

I sat down with Georgia Austin, who discovered clients for her content writing service on Fiverr. As demand elevated, she raised charges and in the end employed different writers to assist fulfill all of the work!

To be taught extra, try this free information from the American Writers and Artists Institute:

11. Gross sales Copywriting

Daniel Throssell was {an electrical} engineer working 12-hour shifts on a distant island off the coast of Australia.

He stumbled upon copywriting as a side hustle, and landed his first jobs on Upwork. “As a result of I had no expertise, I simply resolved to out-prepare my competitors, and overdeliver on all my jobs,” Daniel defined.

Inside a 12 months, he was charging $200 an hour for his work — and left the engineering job behind.

12. Prepare AI Fashions

AI firms want skilled engineers to make their fashions higher at writing code, fixing technical issues, and reasoning by means of designs.

Mercor has a standing itemizing for software engineering experts that pays $70–150 an hour, with charges set by venture. You’ll evaluate AI-generated code, write mannequin options, and create real looking issues for the fashions to work by means of.

It’s distant and project-based, so the work is available in waves. However when you have skilled expertise transport software program, it’s one of many highest-paying methods to make use of your expertise by yourself schedule.

13. Create Product Prototypes

Scott Tarcy, a mechanical engineer and longtime member of the Aspect Hustle Nation neighborhood, runs a 3D printing and design shop.

Inventors and early-stage product entrepreneurs rent him to assist deliver their concepts to life. In lots of instances, one of many first steps is making a easy prototype. CAD design and 3D printing may be an reasonably priced technique to get a pattern of their arms.

When we spoke, Scott was charging $50 an hour for his experience.

Might you begin the same service?

14. Construct Apps with AI

Constructing software program used to imply months of coding. Now AI instruments can take a easy app from concept to working prototype in a matter of hours.

Pete McPherson isn’t even a developer, however he’s earned $100,000 building small web apps with AI. His method is to unravel one very particular downside for one very particular buyer, then cost a recurring subscription.

As an engineer, you have already got a head begin. Search for repetitive duties or clunky spreadsheets in your individual trade, and construct a easy device that fixes them.

15. White Label Software program

Software program companies are a number of the most worthwhile on this planet, however it’s difficult to try to create your individual software program from scratch.

The choice is to become a software reseller, like Chris Lollini. The self-proclaimed “recovering engineer” reported incomes multi 6-figures a 12 months white labeling reputation management software program to native small companies.

The way it works is you purchase “seats” to a software program product at a reduced or wholesale charge, and resell them at retail costs. Begin with an trade you’re aware of and see what frequent ache factors could possibly be solved with current software program instruments.

The benefit of this facet hustle is you might have virtually no upfront threat or expense.

16. Repair Stuff (and for Further Credit score, Movie It)

Matt Bochnak is a mechanical engineer in Chicago. His unique facet hustle was a motorbike restore service he ran out of his storage.

The enterprise was going properly, incomes round $500 a month very part-time. Then Matt had the good concept to movie himself doing the repairs.

That led to over 100,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and created several new streams of income, together with:

• Promoting digital merchandise (full-engine rebuild movies)
• Sponsored content material
• Affiliate commissions
• YouTube advert income
• Growing his personal bodily product

Once we final caught up, his enterprise was as much as $20,000 a month in income!

17. Pictures

That is my wife’s side hustle, which she does on the facet from her mechanical engineering job. The pictures work is way extra artistic, however her engineering expertise of group and course of documentation assistance on the enterprise facet of issues.

She and her companion specialise in weddings, household images, senior portraits, reunions, and personal events.

As your portfolio grows, you may improve your charges.

One other technique to generate income with pictures is by promoting your pictures on-line. Corporations like Shutterstock and Adobe Stock present a platform to achieve potential patrons. Excessive-quality pictures are all the time in demand, and photographers earn cash for every license or copy bought.

18. Answering Questions

Websites like JustAnswer supply a versatile facet hustle for engineers, the place you may earn $2,000-$7,000 per 30 days.

When you apply as an professional, JustAnswer connects you with individuals who have engineering questions. You’ll be able to set your individual hours and the kinds of questions you’re best-qualified to reply.

You’ll receives a commission for every buyer you assist, however the large benefit is that JustAnswer does all of the advertising and marketing for you.

19. Self-Publishing

Self-publishing on Amazon is one in all my longest-running facet hustles, and my portfolio of titles has earned over $84,000. 

You’ll be able to write about your space of experience, or you may a completely totally different path, like product engineer Tim Johnson did.

Tim created a sequence of dual-language children’s books that includes a lovable Bosley the Bear. Once we related, the sequence was incomes over $1,000 a month.

20. Promote 3D Printer Designs

You’ll be able to promote 3D printer design information on-line to different 3D printer homeowners. They’re on the lookout for cool stuff to print, and are sometimes keen to pay for it.

What sort of designs are individuals shopping for? The most well-liked classes are:

• miniatures / fashions
• sport items
• cosplay gadgets
• instruments
• spare components
• jewellery

In case you have some design expertise and luxuriate in perfecting new tasks, this could possibly be an effective way to make extra cash from the work you’re already doing. A number of the hottest marketplaces are:

• Cults3D – Set your individual costs and earn 80% of the gross sales value at any time when your designs promote.
• CGtrader – Claims to be the world’s largest 3D mannequin market, and designers earn 70-80% royalties on their work.
• Pinshape – You set your required value for every design, and Pinshape provides 30% to the tip buyer.
• MyMiniFactory – Expenses $24.99 a month to create a storefront. After that, you retain 92% of all gross sales.
• Turbosquid – Earn 40-60% royalties at this long-running 3D mannequin market.

21. Develop into an Skilled Witness

When a product fails, a constructing collapses, or an accident occurs, attorneys want engineers who can clarify what went fallacious, they usually pay properly for it.

As an professional witness, you would possibly evaluate paperwork and proof, write a report on the technical trigger, and generally testify in a deposition or at trial. In response to charge knowledge from the Skilled Institute, engineering consultants common round $250 an hour for case evaluate and near $290 an hour for depositions and court docket testimony.

Most attorneys search for engineers with years of expertise and a PE license within the related subject. You will get began by becoming a member of an professional witness referral community.

What’s the Finest Aspect Hustle for Engineers?

Like most issues, the best side hustle for engineers relies on your pursuits and long-term targets.

Nonetheless, I’m assured you’ll draw some inspiration from this listing and have the ability to select a facet hustle that’s best for you. Cheers!

In search of Extra Aspect Hustle Assist?

• Start Your Free $500 Challenge. My free 5-day e mail course exhibits you add $500 to your backside line.
• Join the free Side Hustle Nation Community. The free Fb group is one of the best place to attach with different facet hustlers and get your questions answered.
• Download The Side Hustle Show. My free podcast shares make extra cash with actionable weekly episodes.

Continuously Requested Questions

Can engineers have facet hustles?

Sure, however learn your employment settlement first. Many engineering employers have moonlighting insurance policies, and invention-assignment clauses may give your employer rights to merchandise or software program you create, generally even by yourself time. In case your facet hustle includes stamped drawings or different work that requires a PE license, additionally ensure you have the fitting legal responsibility protection.

What are one of the best distant facet jobs for engineers?

Coaching AI fashions is likely one of the highest-paying distant choices, with software program engineering tasks paying $70–150 an hour. Websites like JustAnswer pay engineers $2,000–7,000 a month to reply technical questions, and freelance technical writing pays round $50–350 per 1,000-word article. All of those may be finished from dwelling by yourself schedule.

What are good facet hustles for engineering college students?

Tutoring is essentially the most pure match, since you may assist different college students with lessons you’ve already handed, sometimes for $20–60 an hour. Paid customer interviews pay $50–150 an hour for sharing your opinion on tech merchandise. In case you have entry to a 3D printer, you can even design and promote printable fashions.

How can engineers discover freelance engineering work?

Begin with your individual community, since former employers, colleagues, and native companies are sometimes your greatest first shoppers. Specialised gigs like constructing prototypes for inventors, serving as an professional witness, and technical writing all allow you to promote your engineering expertise by the venture. Upon getting a couple of glad shoppers, referrals are likely to observe.

What are one of the best passive earnings concepts for engineers?

Digital merchandise are essentially the most pure match. Emily McDermott bought over $250,000 value of spreadsheet templates in her first couple of years, and engineers can promote 3D printer designs or self-published books. For an even bigger swing, product licensing will pay ongoing royalties: one inventor earned $300,000 from a single concept he licensed to Mattel.

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