15 Side Hustles for Engineers To Earn Supplemental Income

If you're an engineer who wants to earn some money outside of your regular job, consider exploring some potential side hustles. Starting a side hustle can be a good way to supplement your income while still maintaining the benefits of a full-time position. If earning some additional income could help your financial situation, then reading about some side hustles for engineers might be worth your time.

In this article, we discuss 15 potential side hustles for engineering professionals.

15 side hustles for engineers

Depending on your area of focus, you might be qualified for several types of side hustles. Finding the right side hustle for you can depend on how much time you want to spend on the project and how much you want to earn. Here are 15 examples of engineering side hustles to explore:

1. Create online courses

Designing online educational courses is a common side hustle for engineers. Depending on your engineering specialization, you can design a series of online lectures or instructional videos that help students learn. You might also want to design courses that help newly graduated engineers learn how to handle their professional responsibilities. To make money creating these courses, you can sell them to prospective students or host them on popular video sites that have built-in monetization.

Related: FAQ: What Is a Massive Open Online Course (Mooc)?

2. Become a part-time tutor

Tutoring is similar to designing online courses, but you work directly with students rather than just recording videos. Depending on your schedule, you can teach in-person classes or conduct your lessons with the use of videoconferencing software. As a professional engineer, you may have the qualifications to teach a wide range of mathematical or science courses for multiple grade levels, including undergraduate or high school students. If you want to make money as a part-time tutor, consider posting an advertisement online or working with a tutoring agency.

3. Work as a repairperson

If you're an engineer who repairs small electronics or large machines professionally, consider working as a repairperson in your free time. Fixing broken phones, computers or other types of electronics can be lucrative if you understand how these devices work. If you want to get started repairing devices in your free time as a side hustle, consider working part-time at a phone repair store that already has a lot of customers.

Related: Starting Your Own Computer Repairing Business (With Benefits and Tips)

4. Take on contractor jobs

There are many companies that need help with addressing technical issues or developing software but don't want to hire an engineer full-time. These companies often post contractor jobs online, so finding these opportunities can be a good way to use your professional skills to make money on the side. If you're a software engineer, you might find companies that need help creating their app. Designing these apps in your spare time can be a great way to make money on the side while leveraging your professional skills.

5. Create products and sell them online

If you have the technical expertise to create technological products, you might sell them online. There's often a significant demand for custom-built computers, keyboards and other types of hardware online. Since it can be challenging to construct these devices, clients might pay you to build them. Building these products can be a lucrative way to take on commission work that earns you extra income in your spare time.

Related: Selling Services vs. Products (And Examples of Services for Sale)

6. Offer consulting services

Working as a consultant can be a lucrative way to earn money with your professional qualifications. When companies or private individuals need technical assistance, they often reach out to a consultant. Small companies might not be able to afford to hire full-time consultants, so they often rely on private contractors to help address technical issues. If a company has a technical issue that you're qualified to solve, working as a consultant is an effective way to earn money during your free time.

7. Start a blog

Starting a blog can be another effective way to earn additional income. If you're able to start a popular blog, you might connect with companies that would pay to advertise their product on your site. Consider starting a blog that provides your readers with information on how to be successful in the engineering industry. Outside of your professional experience, you may be able to start a blog that discusses relevant hobbies, like video game development.

Related: How To Write a Blog Post (Plus Template and Example)

8. Work as a freelance technical writer

Working as a freelance writer can be a great way to make money on the side. There are many websites online that post technical content that require experts on various topics. If you have the technical expertise and proficient writing skills, working as a technical writer gives you an opportunity to make money on your own time. As a freelancer, you can also accept projects when you have spare time and don't have to commit to additional work if you become too busy.

9. Become an app tester

Before developers release their apps to the public, they need people to test the software. As an engineer, you might be qualified to provide the type of testing these developers need to find bugs in their code. Working as an app tester makes a great side hustle because you can test apps from home on your private devices. If you want to become an app tester, consider posting an ad online or looking at popular job boards for any developers who're hiring.

Related: How To Write a Bug Report Effectively in 10 Steps

10. Perform remote data entry

Companies that rely on large amounts of data to run their business often need professionals to perform data entry tasks. Working as a data entry professional usually involves analyzing large sets of information and inputting it into the company's central database. If performing data entry sounds like a good side hustle, you might be able to find available positions online. Emailing a company directly can also be a good way to find work opportunities.

11. Become a substitute teacher

Becoming a substitute teacher for a math or science subject is another effective side hustle. If you enjoy teaching or working with children, consider becoming a certified substitute teacher. The qualifications to work as a substitute teacher can vary based on your location, so doing some research before committing to this side hustle is a good idea. Once you're certified, you can find work as a substitute teacher at nearby schools or other educational facilities.

Related: How To Become a Substitute Teacher

12. Join a ride-sharing app

If you want to earn some money on the side and own a car, then becoming a driver for a ride-sharing app is another potential option. Working as a driver for one of these applications typically allows you to set your own schedule and work whenever you want. To get started as a driver, go to the application's website and see if there are instructions for becoming certified. Once certified, you can pick up riders in your free time to earn some additional income.

13. Perform freelance CAD work

If you're an engineer who's familiar with computer-aided design (CAD), then you can probably find some freelance work on the side. Computer-aided design uses advanced modeling software to generate 3D models. These models can be essential to creating new systems or streamlining a company's operations. Businesses might hire you as a freelancer to help design these models if you're already familiar with how the software works, so consider exploring these types of job listings online.

Related: Careers in 3D Design: What To Expect and Jobs To Consider

14. Create your own app

If you're a software engineer, another potential side hustle could be creating your own app. Helping companies improve their apps can be an effective way to earn money on the side, but if you want to work on projects that you're passionate about, then you might be able to monetize your own program. Creating a popular game or utility application can be a good way to generate additional revenue, as these apps can attract external advertisers.

15. Build websites

Many companies want to establish an online presence, but some smaller businesses might not be able to afford to pay a full-time web developer. If you're able to design websites, then you can probably earn money by creating websites for local businesses. To earn some additional income with your web development skills, it can be a good idea to reach out to these companies directly, either in person or over the internet. Working with local companies can be a good way to help your community, but you might be able to find more job opportunities online.