Abby B. Wondering what are some of the best side hustle for engineers? Unsure what you can do on the side with an engineering background? Here are 16 side hustles to consider!
My partner & I have been on the journey of finding the right side hustle for ourselves. While I have a business finance background, he graduated with a Masters in chemical engineering. Although we shared some similar interests and tried doing similar things, we ended up pursuing different side hustles.
Its normal to be confused in the beginning of this journey, because we were ourselves!
In this article, I’ll be sharing 16 side hustle jobs for engineers and recommendations of what you’ll need to start. At the end of the post, you can find more tailored options for different engineering fields.
*This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link!
What Are The Best Side Gigs For Mechanical Engineers?
The best side gigs for mechanical engineers include offering CAD related services and running a 3D printing business. Mechanical engineers can find side gigs on sites like Upwork, CAD Crowd and Kolabtree. Rates vary from $10 to $50 per hour depending on expertise and project requirements.
Side Hustle For Engineers: 16 Practical Ideas
1. Consultancy services to other businesses
An experienced engineer should have a great network of friends, colleagues and clients. With the engineering expertise that you have, think of a consultancy service that you can provide to others in your industry.
Consultancy is less hands-on and takes less time compared to operational partnerships, making it possible for you to do it freelance or as a side hustle. Best if you have a business partner to complement your skills and knowledge, plus they can keep you motivated!
| What do I need to start? | – Great network within the industry – Strategic thinking – A business partner that complements your skills |
Learn how to promote your consulting business with content online and what you’ll need to start.
2. Career advice for aspiring engineers
If you’re an engineer with great industry experience and working background, you can offer career advice to fresh engineering graduates. LinkedIn itself is a huge market to tap into and you’ll never know what you’ll get from networking!
Start by sharing your personal experiences and takeaways on LinkedIn. Then add a call to action (CTA) at the end of your posts e.g. links, for others to contact you if they need career advice.
I remember being so lost and unsure of how to climb the corporate finance ladder after graduating – if only I could look up to someone.
| What do I need to start? | – Writing skills – Ability to socialize online – A way to communicate with prospects e.g. WhatsApp |
Check out: 17 tips to become a LinkedIn influencer
3. Start an AirBnB business from a spare room
Have a spare room in your house or own several vacant properties? Utilize them by becoming a host on AirBnB. Great for engineers who are always traveling!
If you own a duplex, live in one half and rent out the other half to cover some of your mortgage.
| What do I need to start? | – A vacant room or property – Some home deco make the place rentable |
Check out: The ultimate guide to start hosting on AirBnB
4. Create a YouTube channel for engineering topics
I believe that you can monetize any kind of beneficial information by sharing them on YouTube. It’s free to start as long as you are able to record your videos – I record my vlogs on an iPhone. If you’re home-based, set up a nice desk as your studio and place cameras in fixed positions to start recording videos easily.
Interesting YouTube channels in the engineering niche:
| What do I need to start? | – A camera to record – Portable microphone for better sound – A video editing software |
Read: What I spent for my vlogging gear in first 6 months
5. Build a podcast for engineers
Love sharing helpful information to others but don’t want to show your face? You can create a podcast by recording audio files instead. All you need is audio editing software and a good microphone to speak into.
I personally find podcasts easier to listen to compared to radio or music, especially when I’m doing another task like driving or cleaning the house. Podcasts are great for multitaskers!
Engineering podcasts you can look into:
- The Civil Engineering Podcast
- The Engineering Career Coach
- Soft Skills Engineering
- Data Engineering Podcast
- 99% Invisible
| What do I need to start? | – Good desk microphone – Set of quality earphones – An audio editing software |
If you’re hesitant on creating YouTube videos or starting a podcast, you can become a blogger by sharing written content on your own website. Blogging in a specific niche e.g. software engineering topics, is a great way of making passive income in the long run.
Just like YouTube and podcasts, it can take years before you are able to make a good income with blogging. If you’re not looking to make a quick buck, it’s one of the best side hustles to start today – start with this course right here. It’s the only course I spent on in my first 6 months of blogging!
Not looking to invest in anything yet? Check out my article for step-by-step guide on how to set up a blog. I’ve listed everything I did from A-Z to get this site running!
| What do I need to start? | – A WordPress Website – Domain name & hosting – Passion to write for a specific niche |
Read: Why I invested in a blogging coach before doing anything else
7. Learn photography and sell photos online
Love taking photographs with your phone? Why not invest in a professional DSLR camera, pick up photography skills and sell your photos online?
Selling on stock websites is relatively easy compared to doing photograph gigs for events and clients. It may not make a lot in the beginning but it’s a passive source of income as your photos can be sold any time even as you’re asleep.
Big companies are always looking for trending photos hence depending on the niche you’re going, the demand for your photos can be seasonal. Some evergreen recommendations are generic street photography, landscapes and buildings with unique features.
Stock websites you can join to start:
| What do I need to start? | – A good camera – Photo editing skills – Consistency to upload photos frequently |
8. Handyman services to houses in your area
Have a knack for repairing things around the house or are interested in offering renovation work? Quite a fraction of handyman offer repair and renovation work as a side job. Plumbing, mowing the lawn and fixing housing appliances are among the easiest to make money with as almost everyone tries to outsource these.
You can start offering door-to-door services around your area by sharing your contact details in community groups.
| What do I need to start? | – The right tools for your chosen expertise – Promote your service to your community |
9. Become a freelance writer for engineering topics
A freelance writer can make up to $100 per article and even more if they’re specialized in a topic or niche. Engineering blogs are always on the lookout for new writers to scale their websites faster. If you’re good at writing educational info, you can become a freelance writer in the engineering field.
This beginner freelance writing course is the one I took myself to start my writing career. It’s basic but has everything you need to start tomorrow and earn from clients all over the world. Includes how to pitch to clients for a topic they can’t resist!
| What do I need to start? | – Writing skills – Good command of English – Promote your freelance writing service |
10. Sell products online for other engineers
A lot of people talk about dropshipping but the dropship market is huge so why not specialize? As a start, you can sell products for other brands to know what sells and what doesn’t. Once you’ve collected enough data, source products yourself and sell under your own brand name.
Small ecommerce businesses have a greater edge in marketing by focusing on selling one winning product instead of 1000 kinds. Pick a product, create an online sales funnel and run Google/Facebook ads to bring the right traffic to your site.
| What do I need to start? | – A winning product to sell online – A website or online store on Shopify – Skills to run Google/Facebook ads (or outsource) |
Check out: 23 Physical Engineering Tools You Should Know About
11. Teach others online with paid courses
Not interested in selling physical products? You can sell digital ones instead like paid online courses. The usual price points for a single payment short online course are $30, $47 and $67. This entirely depends on the course module and how much your clients can benefit from taking the course.
Before you get into selling courses, identify your niched audience. Selling to the right people from the start will keep you far from underselling your courses. Always know the value you’re providing! I love investing in my knowledge and find courses a worthwhile expense.
Some sites you can host online courses on:
| What do I need to start? | – A niched course idea – Well thought out module – Tools to record your lessons e.g. screen record, microphone |
Creating courses is too much work for you? Here’s a list of digital products you can make to sell on easy platforms like Etsy. I’ve made a quick guide on how to make these products too!
12. Provide CAD and 3D modelling services
Have experience in using software like AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Maya, 3ds Max or CATIA? You can monetize your skill by offering services on sites like CAD Crowd. Engineers can provide services like CAD drafting, 3D modelling, rendering, animation and design.
CAD Crowd works similar to Fiverr and Upwork but it’s specialized in CAD and 3D work.
Other ways to promote your CAD services:
- Kolabtree
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- PeoplePerHour
- Indeed
- TikTok (because anything can go viral here)
- Build your own website
| What do I need to start? | – Skills for engineering software listed above – The software you wish to work on installed – Your hourly rate charge |
Check out: 5 tips to get more clients as a freelancer CAD drafter
13. Pet sitting for friends and neighbors
Love staying at home on weekends and want to find something you can do at home? Pet sitting for your friends and neighbors can make you real money.
Pet sitters typically make $15-20 per visit and usually take more than 10 visits in one day. That’s easily $400-600 in a single weekend!
People are traveling more these days and would need someone they trust to take care of their furry besties over the weekend. Highly advisable for those with a bigger home and have their own pets so you’re pretty much used to it.
Services you can include with pet sitting:
- Walking
- Home boarding
- Sleepovers and night care
- Training
- Bring to vet
- Basic grooming & care
- Travel trips
| What do I need to start? | – Good skills with pets e.g. dogs, cats – Tools for the service you want to offer – Socializing to get clients |
14. Drive others with Uber or Lyft
Ride sharing has become increasingly popular as people move towards remote working. They find no real reason to purchase their own vehicles and resort to paying others for a ride instead. I sold my car for the same reason!
If you’re looking for a side job that does not require much thinking and is pretty straightforward, driving with Uber or Lyft is a great option.
Don’t want to face people outside your full-time job? Deliver packages or food instead with Amazon Flex or Uber Eats.
| What do I need to start? | – A vehicle to drive – Smartphone to receive ride orders |
15. Rent out your vehicle or become a mover
If you have an underutilized vehicle at home, rent it out to earn extra income. Great for commercial vehicles like vans and trucks, as people generally pay more to bring a bigger load.
Alternatively, offer transportation services for people moving homes or office items within your area. You can drive the van/truck yourself or find someone who’s willing to do the job part time for an hourly rate.
| What do I need to start? | – A commercial vehicle – Part time driver cum mover – Equipment for easy move e.g. trolley, boxes |
16. Start a print on demand business
Want to start an ecommerce business with minimal handling of day-to-day operations? Print on demand is a great dropshipping option that focuses primarily on merchandise such as t-shirts, phone cases, tote bags etc. All you need to do is upload your designs to products on sites like Printify or Printful and sync them to your ecommerce store (Etsy, Shopify, Amazon).
Not sure how to create winning designs? Buy ready designs on creative marketplaces like Creative Fabrica, Envato Elements or Creative Market. You can start selling tomorrow.
| What do I need to start? | – Basic designing skills – A laptop to work with – An initial niche and product |
Not sure what kind of product is best for print on demand? Check out my guides before you decide!
- Tote bags for print on demand
- Tumblers for print on demand
- Phone cases for print on demand
- Posters for print on demand
- Leggings for print on demand
- Jewelry for print on demand
- Candles for print on demand
- Doormats for print on demand
- Hoodies for print on demand
- Pet products for print on demand
- Socks for print on demand
- Pajamas for print on demand
- Blankets for print on demand
- Baby clothes for print on demand
- Wrapping paper for print on demand
- Puzzles for print on demand
- Stickers for print on demand
- Athletic wear for print on demand
- Hats for print on demand
- Journals for print on demand
- Greeting cards for print on demand
- Mugs for print on demand
Side Hustle For Chemical Engineers
These are some ideas of side hustle for chemical engineers experienced in the field:
- Create handmade natural soaps & scents
- Safety consultant
- Alternative energy expert
- Process control consultant
- Sustainable waste & recycling business
Side Hustles For Civil Engineers
Wondering what are best side hustles for civil engineers you can explore?
- Land surveyor
- Supply of building materials
- Construction site cleaning
- Building maintenance
Side Hustle Ideas For Mechanical Engineers
In need of side hustle ideas for mechanical engineers to make extra income?
- AutoCAD services
- 3D printing business
- Become a repairman
- Car repair service
- Safety consultant
Side Hustles For Software Engineers
These are popular side hustles for software engineers in today’s world:
- Mobile app creator
- Coding classes for kids and beginners
- Build interactive websites
- Provide IT support
- Become a SAAS programmer
Side Hustle For Electrical Engineers
The best side hustle for electrical engineers starts from home!
- Handyman
- Repair home appliances
- Wiring services
- Alternative energy expert
- Electric vehicle expert
Which Side Hustle Should I Choose?
Unsure which side hustle for engineers you should go for? Here are the top 6 things to consider when deciding which side hustle is best for you.
- How much time can you commit to it?
- Consider how much time you can set aside for your side hustle for weekdays and weekends
- What type of income are you looking for?
- Do you want to make income actively or passively while you sleep?
- What sparks interest & passion in you?
- Choose a side hustle that aligns to your personal goals and interests as it keeps you motivated
- Are you an extrovert or an introvert?
- Different side hustles requires different level of communication with the outside world, are you comfortable meeting new people every day?
- What is your current partner or friend up to that you can leverage on?
- Doing something with a friend or partner makes things easier and more manageable
- How soon do you need to make extra money?
- Not all side hustles make the same amount of money in the same pace, do you need money today or in a year’s time?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Engineers can do part time jobs such as providing consultancy services, building an engineering podcast or even becoming a freelance photographer. This depends on the field of engineering expertise, time able to spare outside a full-time job and interest an engineer has.
Engineers make passive income with dividend stock returns, building an ecommerce business and selling online courses. Passive income is possible by diversifying streams of revenue outside an engineer’s full-time job and putting in the work ahead of rewards.
Making money online as an engineer is possible by just sharing traditional engineering expertise. This can be done in different ways including building an online store for products engineers use, creating a YouTube channel for engineering topics and selling courses to teach engineering to others.
Bottom Line
I know, imposter syndrome can make it difficult for you to start anything but the key is to discover yourself step by step. You may explore one of the side hustles I’ve listed above and find yourself loving another – that has worked for me and my partner!
You will never know if you like something until you truly immerse yourself into it and even if you don’t, it’s okay.
Here are 16 best side hustle jobs for engineers:
- Consultancy services to other businesses
- Career advice for aspiring engineers
- Start an AirBnB business from a spare room
- Create a YouTube channel for engineering topics
- Build a podcast for engineers
- Share your experience with a personal blog
- Learn photography and sell photos online
- Handyman services to houses in your area
- Become a freelance writer for engineering topics
- Sell products online for other engineers
- Teach others online with paid courses
- Provide CAD and 3D modelling services
- Pet sitting for friends and neighbors
- Drive others with Uber or Lyft
- Rent out your vehicle or become a mover
- Start a print on demand business
I’m not one to brag, but blogging has changed my life. I’ve been able to earn an income passively while on a coffee date and traveling with my family. With everything, it takes time to learn and not an overnight success – to speed things up, get yourself a blogging coach before starting.
These are my blogging resources to help you out:
- Step-by-step guide how to start blogging in your free time
- Why you need a blogging coach right from the start
- Worried of exposing yourself? You can blog anonymously
Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash
