Top 7 Side Hustles for Accountants That Pay for Your Skills

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The most popular side hustle for accountants is teaching online and on-site
A good high paying option for accountants would be working as a Tax Consultant

Teach Part-Time Online or On-Site

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Part-time teacher	Medium	High	Low to medium	$30 to $50

Accountants can teach part-time at community colleges or online platforms, putting their technical knowledge to direct use. Community college roles pay better than most online platforms and average around $1,000 a month for roughly 25 hours of work.

Teacher organising textbooks on a table · May, 2025

A teaching licence and proof of professional credentials are typically required. The ability to communicate technical subjects clearly matters as much as subject knowledge.

Take On Online Bookkeeping Gigs

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Online bookkeeping	Easy	Low to medium	High	$20 to $25

Bookkeeping requires organisation, legal knowledge, and adherence to business accounting standards. Freelance platforms like Upwork offer the most flexibility, with most gigs running around five hours a week at $20 an hour.

For higher volume, part-time bookkeeping roles outside a full-time job typically run 10 to 15 hours weekly. These are usually listed on Indeed or LinkedIn.

Work as a Tax Preparation Specialist

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Tax preparation specialist	Medium	High	High	$40 to $60

Platforms like TurboTax, H&R Block, and ExpatFile hire part-time tax consultants in the months leading up to tax season. Pay runs up to $60 an hour for work that lasts only a few months per year.

Tax preparation checklist on a desk · May, 2025

Freelance platforms are an alternative for accountants who prefer working independently. Demand for tax assistance is high around filing deadlines, and rates are comparable to platform roles.

Work as a Financial Advisor Assistant

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Financial advisor assistant	Hard	High	Low	$40 to $60

Financial advisors regularly look for part-time assistants, and an accounting background is one of the most in-demand qualifications for the role. Pay runs $40 to $60 an hour, with performance bonuses common at higher-end firms.

Most advisory roles run standard 9-to-5 hours, which makes them difficult to combine with a full-time job. A freelance arrangement is easier to manage if schedule overlap is a concern.

Wells Fargo Advisors, Morgan Stanley, and Chase Bank Advisors are good starting points for finding open roles.

Offer Audit Services as a Freelancer

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Audit services	Hard	Low to medium	High	$10 to $30

Part-time audit gigs are available on platforms like Fiverr and Freelancer, and most core accounting skills transfer directly. Part-time roles pay around $30 an hour; freelance offers run lower, sometimes closer to $10, with engagements of 10 or more hours.

Finding a well-paid audit gig takes time, but the work is flexible and the transition from general accounting is straightforward.

Create and Sell Accounting Courses Online

Side Hustle	Ease of Entry	Earning Potential	Flexibility	Average Hourly Rate
Online courses	Easy	High	High	$40 to $50

Platforms like Udemy let you publish a course once and earn from it continuously, making this one of the strongest passive income options for accountants. Courses can sell for up to $120 each, with earners typically bringing in $1,500 or more per month from sales alone.

Expect around 15 hours of upfront work to produce content worth purchasing. Once live, the income runs without additional effort.