The US Online Earnings report: A deep dive into Gen A and Gen Z ‘side hustle’ data

Gen Z and Gen A have grown up with the internet, and today, more than half are using it not just for connection, but to make money online.

Online side hustles are not only a way for young people to earn some extra cash, but also the first step towards building a business and sustainable income.

To explore the scale of young US citizens’ earnings through digital channels, such as social media, online marketplaces, or gaming, we have gathered data from 2,002 US teens and early career starters between the ages of 12 to 28. 

We uncovered a network of young, ambitious entrepreneurs — and you’ll find everything we learned in the 2025 US Online Earnings Report.

Following our 2024 Digital Earnings report, we’ve not only revisited and updated our findings, but also broadened the scope to include a greater breadth of data.

In our 2025 report, we dive deeper into the career aspirations of Gen A teens, explore how Gen Z entry-level career starters are turning side hustles into main hustles, and examine how young people are using digital channels to generate income.

Contents:

• Gen A online ‘side hustle’ earnings: Entrepreneurship from the next ‘impact’ generation
• Gen Z online ‘side hustle’ earnings: How much are entry-level employees in the US hustling a second living?
• Regional insights: In which US cities are the next generations young entrepreneurs cutting their teeth?

Key findings

• Nearly half of Gen A (47.1%) are actively earning income through online side hustles, a 15% percentage point increase compared to last year
• Gen A teens earn an average of $14 ($13.92) per hour when actively working on digital side hustles — nearly double the federal minimum wage in the USA!
• 52% of Gen A’s with an active digital side hustle plan to make it their ‘main hustle’ and primary source of income in future
• A fifth (20.3%) of Gen A’s screen time is spent on side hustle activity, earning money through their digital channels. 
• Gen A spend 3.5 hours less on screens than Gen Z for entertainment or relaxation per week, avoiding ‘brain rot’ screen time
• Gen Z’s plan to escape the workplace, as 55% intend to leave their job to pursue their side hustles 

Gen A online ‘side hustle’ earnings: Entrepreneurship from the next ‘impact’ generation

Nearly half of Gen A (47.1%) are actively making money with digital side hustles, including selling vintage clothing, video game streaming, and through social media. 

Teens are increasingly building their hobbies into digital empires outside of their education hours, with a 15% jump in the number of Gen A’s earning through side hustles compared to last year.

The number jumps to 72.3% when asked if Gen A knew anyone making money online, showing just how common digital side hustles are in Gen A circles.

How much are Gen A earning from digital side hustles? 

Data reveals that Gen A teens earn an average of $14 ($13.92) per hour, when actively working on digital side hustles*

This makes digital side hustles more attractive than many part-time or summer jobs for teens, as it’s nearly double (+92%) the federal minimum wage in the USA^[1] of $7.25 p/h, and higher than 37 of the US state minimum wage laws.

In fact, when calculating based on the average hourly earnings, Gen A teens are making a full time ‘annual salary equivalent’^[2] of $28,000 with digital side hustles, all from the comfort of their own home! 

This comes close to meeting the average earnings for US teens working full time employment^[3] between 16 to 19 years old of $33,000 per annum.**

How much are the top earners making?

Looking at true income figures, we see that there’s a small group of top earners across age groups leading the way in building success through online earnings. For Gen A alone, 3.2% earn enough to put them in the five-figure annual salary bracket.

With this level of digital earnings, they earn more online across a year than an average US salary for under 19’s. As a result, the classic after-school or summer break job is no longer needed.

This number rises to one in twenty five (4%) of both Gen A and Gen Z side hustlers already earn five-figure income annually through digital side hustles. At the very top end, 1.7% of Gen A and Gen Z digital earners took home an average of over $40,000 last year.

They earn enough with their online activity to not go into the workplace, earning the equivalent of the average US salary for their age bracket*.

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Are Gen A moving away from doomscrolling brain rot?

There’s a lot of conversation about the impact of ‘brain rot’ on Gen A, with the Oxford University Press even naming the term their word of the year for 2024^[4].

“OVER HALF OF GEN A INTEND TO MAKE A CAREER FROM THEIR SIDE HUSTLE.”

However, our data finds that teens are actually bucking this trend. We found that, on average, Gen Alpha spends 3.5 hours less on screens than Gen Z for entertainment or relaxation per week. 

So what are Gen A filling this time with?

We found Gen A teens spend a fifth (20.3%) of their screen time on side hustle activity, earning money through their digital channels. This is a percentage point higher than Gen Z, who spend 19.5% of screen time is spent on digital side hustles.

This motivation is seen in their overall career goals, with over half (51.5%) of Gen A intending to make a career out of their side hustle.   

What’s motivating Gen A’s online side hustling?

We set out to identify what motivates Gen A when it comes to earning through side hustles, and looking to their future careers.

As with any teen looking for part time work, Gen A are looking for financial independence — 48.3% say the goal for their side hustles is to earn money without needing to rely on their parents.

The next most popular reason is to save money for a big experiential or product purchase, with 41.5% saving for travel, tech, or a car.

What goals do Generation Alpha want to achieve in their side hustle?

What does it tell us about what Gen A wants for their careers?

Many Gen A’s are already thinking ahead to shaping their working day in future careers. Even more so than thinking about saving for a college education in parts: 

• 27.7% use wanting to be in control of their working hours as motivation for their digital side hustle
• 23.9% also say that they want to be able to work remotely, from home or flexible locations

Then there’s teens motivated by seeing the wealth of financial content available online, fast becoming the next generation of budding investors.

Our data finds that 16.6% of Gen A respondents intend to invest in assets like crypto or stocks with their money earned from side hustles. 

Gen Z online ‘side hustle’ earnings: How much are entry-level employees in the US hustling a second living?

Gen Z have now firmly entered the workspace, with the majority of the age bracket officially being adults and filling entry level corporate positions. But is this new cohort of employees satisfied with the corporate lifestyle? 

“OVER HALF OF GEN Z AIM TO DITCH THEIR JOBS AND PURSUE THEIR HUSTLES FULL-TIME.”

Our data suggests otherwise:  

• Building income through side hustles: 68.2% of Gen Z is actively earning through a digital side hustle.
• Plans to leave the office: Over half (55%) of side hustling Gen Z's intend to turn their back on the workplace and make their side hustle their main source of income.
• Earning through online side hustles a common practice: When networks are factored in, this figure rises to five in every six (83.3%) of Gen Zers who either have a side hustle, or know someone who has.

When we asked Gen Z what goals they had for their careers, many see the side hustle as a pathway to control working hours (31.1%), flexible work location (28.1%), and to pursue entrepreneurship by turning side hustles into a career (20.7%).

How much are Gen Z earning through side hustles?

Gen Z (entry level employees / young professionals) earn an average of $102 per hour through online side hustle activity — this is 5 times higher than the average earnings for young professionals, as many young professionals target a life outside the traditional 9-5 office grind.

The top 4% of Gen Z earning online are already set to avoid the workplace, and earn more than the average US salary for the age bracket in the latest year.

While 8.7% of Gen Z’s who are active in online side hustles are already earning a five-figure salary. 

What are the most popular online side hustles for young people?

One in five (20.1%) young digital earners, of both Gen A and Gen Z, are earning money by trading new or vintage clothes online. This is the most common digital side hustle.

Many are actively earning through gaming, by streaming video games (14.1%) or taking part in tournament prizes (13.1%).

This is a fast growing market, with eSports alone predicted to reach nearly $2 billion in revenue in 2025, and the overall gaming market projected to exceed $691 billion by 2029.^[5]

Social media is a channel used by many young digital earners, as it opens up a number of possible income streams.

One in ten (10.5%) are earning through social content creation or ‘clipping’ videos. Whereas 9.1% are actively using their audience to attract investment from brands, earning through brand sponsorship deals for their social media accounts.

Regional insights: In which major US cities are the next generations young entrepreneurs cutting their teeth?

Looking at regional differences in estimated ‘annual salary equivalent’, the West US region leads the way.

Young people are set to earn $39,660 per year on average through online side hustles — nearly 60% more than the lowest-earning Midwest region. 

Region: Average ‘annual salary equivalent’ earning through online side hustles

Las Vegas is far and away the city with the highest earning young side hustle entrepreneurs, with earnings the equivalent of a $92,312 per year full time salary. 

Numbers show that 23.5% of Las Vegas respondents earning through digital side hustles are in the highest earning bracket, making on average over $20,000 actual income per year. As the host city of the annual CES tech conference, there’s clearly some magic rubbing off on the locals!

City: Average ‘annual salary’ earning through online side hustles

Digital-first generations are building the future of entrepreneurship 

As Generation Alpha begins to shape their future ambitions and Generation Z takes the first steps on the early career ladder, it’s clear that younger generations aren’t waiting for permission to rewrite the rules of earning.

Having grown up with digital platforms as a part of everyday life, Gen A sees online entrepreneurship as the natural way to create connections and build toward financial goals.

In a time where financial independence, flexible work, and purpose-driven careers matter more than ever, these young entrepreneurs are redefining what it means to build a business. 

If you want to join the growing number of people making money online through digital side hustles, check out Whop.

Sources & data notes