65% of 2020s students have embarked on a side hustle or part-time job – survey

Students in the 2020s are nearly twice as likely to have a “side hustle” as those who studied in the 1980s, a survey indicates.

More than a third (38%) of people surveyed who were students in the 1980s said they had a side hustle or part-time job while they were studying, according to the research commissioned by Aviva.

Among people who were or are currently studying between 2020 and 2025, 65% have a side venture.

While the retail and hospitality sectors have remained a common choice for students over the decades, the research found that creating content or online tutoring and delivery or driving jobs are also helping recent or current students to earn extra cash.

Selling via online shops is also helping to support around 30% of people studying between 2020 and 2025.

Some of the more unusual side hustles reported in the survey include dressing up as a football mascot at weekends; standing in a queue for other people; and painting film backdrops.

While the majority of people said they had a side hustle for financial necessity, some said they wanted to develop new skills or make money out of a hobby.

Nearly a third (32%) of 2020s students with a side hustle said they work 11 hours per week or more on it, down from 44% of 1990s students who said they did this, according to the survey of more than 600 past or current students carried out across the UK in September and October by Censuswide.

Alistair McQueen, head of savings and retirement at Aviva, said: “The pandemic has reshaped how many people engage with work, and students are no exception. For some, greater flexibility has opened the door to new business ventures and for others, financial pressures have made earning extra income a necessity. What’s clear is that students are showing great initiative and talent – qualities that deserve recognition.

“As students continue to balance academic responsibilities with income-generating activities, the side hustle is no longer an afterthought for many, but a building block for their long-term financial wellbeing.”