New Jersey has some of the highest tutoring and pet-sitting rates in the country, Newark airport and MetLife Stadium for rideshare, a summer shore season, and New York City across the river, without the TLC licence. Here are nine side hustles that pay in 2026.
1. Local Friend: show visitors your side of the river, at your rate#
A lot of New York's visitors sleep in Jersey City, Hoboken or Newark to save on hotels and never see where they are staying. A Local Friend shows them by the hour: the Manhattan skyline from Liberty State Park and the Hoboken waterfront, Newark's Ironbound for Portuguese and Brazilian food, the PATH and the ferries, the shore towns in summer, Princeton for a day. You set your rate (commonly $25 to $50 an hour), Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and the money is paid to you directly.
Very few people are listed in New Jersey yet. No licence is needed. How it works in the US.
2. Rideshare at Newark airport and MetLife#
Newark airport, the transit hubs, MetLife Stadium, the Prudential Center and the suburbs, all without the TLC licence New York City requires for pickups. After gas, $18 to $28 an hour, best at the airport and on event nights.
3. Delivery#
DoorDash, Uber Eats, Instacart. $14 to $20 an hour after costs, best in Jersey City, Hoboken and the denser towns.
4. Suburban tutoring#
Bergen, Essex, Morris and Somerset counties are among the highest-paying tutoring markets in the country: SAT and ACT prep, math, science and writing at $35 to $80 an hour in person. A degree or strong scores are enough.
5. Pet sitting and dog walking#
$35 to $70 a night for boarding, $20 to $30 a walk in Hoboken, Jersey City, Montclair and the suburbs that commute into Manhattan.
6. Notary loan signings#
Become a New Jersey notary (application and a short course, about $50 to $100), then a loan-signing agent. Each signing pays $90 to $150 in the north of the state and takes about an hour, evenings and weekends.
7. Stadium and casino event staffing#
MetLife Stadium (the Giants, the Jets, the big tours), the Prudential Center, and Atlantic City's casinos and concerts. $18 to $28 an hour through agencies and the venues, in bursts.
8. Spanish and Portuguese interpreting#
New Jersey's Latin American communities and Newark's Portuguese and Brazilian Ironbound make medical, legal and school interpreting steady, $25 to $50 an hour, more with certification.
9. Shore-season co-hosting#
The shore towns (Asbury Park, Long Beach Island, Cape May, the Wildwoods) rent by the week from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Managing listings pays 10 to 20 percent of bookings. Check each town's rental rules.
What makes New Jersey different#
New York City's rates for tutoring, pet sitting and notary work, without the TLC licence, the delivery minimum or the short-term rental ban. A summer shore season that adds a whole second market from May to September. And a graduated state income tax, from 1.4 percent up to over 10 percent at the top; most side-hustle earners fall in the lower brackets, so set aside about 25 to 30 percent with federal and self-employment tax. If you also earn in New York, you file in both states.
Which fits your hours#
- Evenings and weekends with a car: rideshare, notary signings.
- After school: tutoring.
- Event nights: stadium staffing, rideshare.
- Summer weekends: shore co-hosting, Local Friend.
- You know your town and like people: Local Friend.
Starting as a Local Friend#
Free, ten minutes from your phone, three real photos, a review before you go live. Say which town you live in, what you are good for and which languages you speak.
Live in New Jersey? Show visitors your side of the river at your rate.
Become a Local FriendAcross the river: New York and NYC in detail. En español: cómo ganar dinero extra en Nueva Jersey.
Across the Delaware: Pennsylvania.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best side hustle in New Jersey?
For people with a skill, suburban tutoring: Bergen, Essex, Morris and Somerset counties pay $35 to $80 an hour for test prep and subject help. For drivers, rideshare at Newark airport and MetLife Stadium without the TLC licence New York City requires. For people who know Jersey City, Hoboken or the shore, Local Friend, showing visitors at a rate you set.How much can you make with a side hustle in New Jersey?
After costs, typical 2026 ranges: rideshare $18 to $28 an hour after gas, best at Newark airport and on event nights; delivery $14 to $20; tutoring $35 to $80; pet sitting $35 to $70 a night; notary loan signings $90 to $150; event staffing $18 to $28; Spanish or Portuguese interpreting $25 to $50; shore co-hosting 10 to 20 percent; Local Friend at the rate you set, commonly $25 to $50.How are side hustles taxed in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a graduated state income tax, from 1.4 percent to over 10 percent at the top, on top of federal income and self-employment tax. Most side-hustle earners fall in the lower brackets. Anything over $600 a year from one platform is reported on a 1099. Set aside about 25 to 30 percent and pay quarterly. If you also work in New York, you file in both states; ask a preparer.Can I drive rideshare in New Jersey to New York City?
You can drop passengers in the city, but picking up there requires a TLC licence. Most New Jersey drivers work Newark airport, the PATH and NJ Transit hubs, MetLife Stadium and the Prudential Center, and the suburbs, where no TLC licence is needed.What is a Local Friend and how does it work in New Jersey?
Someone who lives there and shows visitors it by the hour: Jersey City and Hoboken's views and food for people staying there to save on Manhattan hotels, Newark's Ironbound for Portuguese and Brazilian food, the shore towns in summer, Princeton. You set your rate, Roavi lists you free and takes no commission, and profiles are reviewed before going live. Very few people are listed in New Jersey yet. No licence is needed.