Most Popular Ways To Make Good Money in Your State

Laura Bogart

12 May 2024 at 7:00 pm·7-min read

Unless you’re fortunate enough to strike the Mega Millions, odds are you’ll still have to work for your money, regardless of where you live. Striking it rich does not have to involve luck though.

Sometimes a little strategy can help, like landing a job at a popular employer in your state or taking on a side hustle that pays very well.

Find Out: How To Generate Passive Income With Just $1,000

GOBankingRates has looked at some of the most popular employers in every state based on a survey from Forbes (emphasizing companies with large numbers of employees that are headquartered in those states) while pulling from our own list of prevalent side hustles for the side gig that will get you the most money.

Alabama

Most Popular Employer: United States Department of Defense
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,548 monthly

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Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alaska

Most Popular Employer: United States Department of Defense
Best Paying Side Hustle: Housekeeping (per Preply)

Learn More: I Earn Over $30K a Week in Semi-Passive Income on Amazon – Here’s How

Arizona

Most Popular Employer: HonorHealth
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $6,100 monthly

Michael Warren / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Arkansas

Most Popular Employer: ArcBest
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $3,335 monthly

California

Most Popular Employer: Apple
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $5,424 monthly

Colorado

Most Popular Employer: Arrow Electronics
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,412 monthly

Connecticut

Most Popular Employer: Cigna
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,959 monthly

Check Out: 6 Cheap Hobbies To Start in 2024 That Will Make You Extra Money

Delaware

Most Popular Employer: State of Delaware
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,949 monthly

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

District of Columbia

Most Popular Employer: US Department of Energy
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $3,502 monthly

Florida

Most Popular Employer: Publix Super Markets
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,429 monthly

Georgia

Most Popular Employer: Home Depot
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,810 monthly

Hawaii

Most Popular Employer: Hawaii Pacific Health
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,211 monthly

For You: How To Make Passive Income Just By Moving Money in These Ways

Idaho

Most Popular Employer: JR Simplot
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $3,201 monthly

Illinois

Most Popular Employer: Boeing
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,854 monthly

Indiana

Most Popular Employer: Roche Holding
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,366 monthly

Iowa

Most Popular Employer: Principal Financial Group
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,977 monthly

Kansas

Most Popular Employer: YRC Worldwide
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,672 monthly

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kentucky

Most Popular Employer: Humana
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $3,501 monthly

Louisiana

Most Popular Employer: State of Louisiana
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,192 monthly

EJJohnsonPhotography / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine

Most Popular Employer: State of Maine
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $3,506 monthly

Maryland

Most Popular Employer: Lockheed Martin
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $5,309 monthly

Massachusetts

Most Popular Employer: Schneider Electric
Best Paying Side Hustle: Babysitter, $4,401 monthly

Michigan

Most Popular Employer: Ford Motor
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,580 monthly

Minnesota

Most Popular Employer: UnitedHealth Group
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,837 monthly

Mississippi

Most Popular Employer: University of Mississippi Medical Center
Best Paying Side Hustle: Online tutor, $4,391 monthly

Missouri

Most Popular Employer: Centene
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,334 monthly

Find Out: Robert Kiyosaki Offers 7 Ways To Become Wealthy Beyond the 9-to-5

Montana

Most Popular Employer: Montana State University, Bozeman
Best Paying Side Hustle: Online tutor, $4,502 monthly

Nebraska

Most Popular Employer: Kiewit
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,753 monthly

Nevada

Most Popular Employer: MGM Resorts
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,358 monthly

New Hampshire

Most Popular Employer: State of New Hampshire
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,707 monthly

Explore More: I’m a Self-Made Millionaire — Here’s My Monthly Budget

By Zeete - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131484378 / Wikimedia Commons

New Jersey

Most Popular Employer: Johnson & Johnson
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,495 monthly

New Mexico

Most Popular Employer: UNM Health System
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,234 monthly

New York

Most Popular Employer: JPMorgan Chase
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,167 monthly

North Carolina

Most Popular Employer: Bank of America
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,658 monthly

Christopher Cagney / Getty Images/iStockphoto

North Dakota

Most Popular Employer: University of North Dakota
Best Paying Side Hustle: Dog walker (per Preply)

Discover More: Bill Gates’ $10.95 Million Daily Income — How the Microsoft Legend Spends It

Ohio

Most Popular Employer: Goodyear
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,373 monthly

Oklahoma

Most Popular Employer: Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,634 monthly

Oregon

Most Popular Employer: Nike
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,870 monthly

Pennsylvania

Most Popular Employer: SAP
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,817 monthly

Learn More: I’m a Bank Teller — 3 Times You Should Never Ask for $50 Bills From the Bank

Rhode Island

Most Popular Employer: Care New England
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,015 monthly

South Carolina

Most Popular Employer: Concentrix
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,673 monthly

South Dakota

Most Popular Employer: Sanford Health
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,088 monthly

Crystal Bolin Photography / Getty Images

Tennessee

Most Popular Employer: FedEx
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $5,058 monthly

Texas

Most Popular Employer: Toyota North America
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,606 monthly

Check Out: How Much Does the Average Middle-Class Person Have in Savings?

Utah

Most Popular Employer: State of Utah
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,889 monthly

Vermont

Most Popular Employer: The University of Vermont Health Network
Best Paying Side Hustle: Online tutor, $3,259 monthly

Virginia

Most Popular Employer: United States Department of Defense
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $3,902 monthly

Washington

Most Popular Employer: Starbucks
Best Paying Side Hustle: Virtual assistant, $4,393 monthly

Try This: 16 Tips To Live Well on a Low Salary, According to Dave Ramsey

West Virginia

Most Popular Employer: WVU West Virginia University Health System
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $4,812 monthly

Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Wisconsin

Most Popular Employer: Johnson Controls
Best Paying Side Hustle: DoorDash delivery, $5,056 monthly

Wyoming

Most Popular Employer: State of Wyoming
Best Paying Side Hustle: Dog walker (per Preply)

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Most Popular Ways To Make Good Money in Your State

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