4 side hustles for recent college graduates: One can pay as much as $85 per hour - CNBC

Summary

Millions of college graduates are preparing to enter the job market in the coming months, but some may find their first entry-level salary doesn't pay as much as they'd like. According to ZipRecruiter's Job Market Outlook for Grads, the two most common industries grads go into right out of school are food and beverage (where restaurant workers make an average of $13 per hour) and retail (where salespeople make an average of $12 per hour).

If you're a recent grad yourself, wherever you end up, it might be worth considering a side hustle. While everyone's life circumstances are different, you might have a bit more free time now that you've completed your studies.

Millions of college graduates are preparing to enter the job market in the coming months, but some may find their first entry-level salary doesn't pay as much as they'd like. According to ZipRecruiter's Job Market Outlook for Grads, the two most common industries grads go into right out of school are food and beverage (where restaurant workers make an average of $13 per hour) and retail (where salespeople make an average of $12 per hour).

If you're a recent grad yourself, wherever you end up, it might be worth considering a side hustle. While everyone's life circumstances are different, you might have a bit more free time now that you've completed your studies.

There are many benefits to having a part-time gig. It can help improve your existing skills or teach new ones to put on your resume. It can help grow your network of potential employers. And it can give you an "extra cash flow," says Marguerita Cheng, a certified financial planner and CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth. "That cash flow can be used to pay off debts, build an emergency fund, maybe [make] a down payment on a car."

Depending on your hustle, you could end up earning "$25 an hour or more," says Kathy Kristof, founder and editor of Sidehusl.com.

Here's how to find your best hustle and dive in.