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Most Popular Ways To Make Good Money in Your State

6 min Read
Laura Bogart Written by Laura Bogart
Chris Cluff Edited by Chris Cluff

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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. 

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

Alaska

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

Arizona

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

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
{{current_month-name}}’s Must-See Offers

Connecticut

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

Delaware

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

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

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

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

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
{{current_month-name}}’s Must-See Offers

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

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

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

North Dakota

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

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
{{current_month-name}}’s Must-See Offers

Pennsylvania

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

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

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

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

West Virginia

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

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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