Washington has no state income tax, a statewide minimum pay for rideshare drivers, a Seattle minimum for app delivery workers, and a summer of Alaska cruise ships leaving from downtown Seattle. Here are nine side hustles that pay in 2026.
1. Local Friend: show visitors Seattle, at your rate#
Visitors see Pike Place, the Space Needle and the rain. A Local Friend shows them the city the way a friend would, by the hour: Capitol Hill, Ballard and Fremont, a ferry to Bainbridge, the waterfront, a Mariners or Kraken game, a day at Rainier or in the San Juan Islands. In summer, cruise passengers with a day before or after an Alaska sailing want exactly this. You set your rate (commonly $30 to $50), Roavi lists you free and takes no commission. Very few are listed in Washington. No licence is needed. How it works in the US.
2. Rideshare under the state pay floor#
Washington sets a minimum pay for rideshare drivers per minute and per mile of engaged time, among the highest in the country. In Seattle that works out at about $22 to $32 an hour of engaged time; the airport and cruise days are busiest.
3. App delivery at Seattle's minimum#
Seattle sets a minimum pay for app-based delivery workers, about $20 to $26 an hour of engaged time after the per-mile component. By bike or car.
4. Alaska cruise-day work#
From May to September, the Alaska ships embark and disembark at Pier 66 and Smith Cove: luggage, transfers, event and hospitality staff, and passengers with a day in the city. Seasonal staffing pays $20 to $28 an hour.
5. Tutoring#
Seattle's tech-heavy suburbs (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland) are a high-paying market: math, science, coding and test prep at $30 to $70 an hour.
6. Pet sitting#
$35 to $70 a night, $20 to $30 a walk; Seattle has more dogs than children.
7. Stadium staffing#
Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, Climate Pledge Arena. $20 to $30 an hour.
8. Interpreting#
Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Somali, Russian and more. Medical and legal interpreting pays $25 to $50 an hour, more with certification.
9. Notary loan signings#
$75 to $125 a signing, evenings and weekends.
What makes Washington different#
The pay floors, which make rideshare and delivery better here than almost anywhere. The cruise season. And no personal income tax: only federal income and self-employment tax; the business and occupation tax applies to gross receipts but very small sole proprietors usually fall under the threshold (check with the Department of Revenue). Set aside 20 to 25 percent.
Live in Washington? Show visitors Seattle at your rate.
Become a Local FriendDown the coast: California. Inland: Colorado. En español: cómo ganar dinero extra en Washington.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best side hustle in Washington State?
In Seattle, the ones the rules made better: rideshare under the statewide driver pay floor and app delivery under Seattle's city minimum, both well above what the apps pay elsewhere. In summer, cruise-day work: the Alaska ships leave from downtown Seattle and passengers have a day in the city before or after. For people who know Seattle, Local Friend, at a rate you set.How much can you make with a side hustle in Washington?
After costs, typical 2026 ranges in Seattle: rideshare $22 to $32 an hour of engaged time under the state floor; app delivery about $20 to $26 an hour under the city minimum; tutoring $30 to $70; pet sitting $35 to $70 a night; stadium staffing $20 to $30; interpreting $25 to $50; notary loan signings $75 to $125; Local Friend at the rate you set, commonly $30 to $50. Outside Seattle, roughly a quarter lower.How are side hustles taxed in Washington?
Washington has no personal income tax, so only federal income and self-employment tax apply to side-hustle profit. The state's business and occupation tax applies to gross receipts, but very small sole proprietors usually fall under the threshold; check with the Department of Revenue whether you need to register. Set aside about 20 to 25 percent for federal tax.What is a Local Friend and how does it work in Seattle?
Someone who lives in Seattle and shows visitors it by the hour: Pike Place beyond the fish throwers, Capitol Hill and Ballard, a ferry to Bainbridge, the Mariners or the Kraken, a day trip to Rainier, the city for a cruise passenger with a day before sailing. You set your rate, Roavi lists you free and takes no commission. Very few are listed in Washington. No licence is needed.