A side hustle you can fit between school runs and nap time sounds perfect. The catch is that most lists skip the numbers, and the numbers decide whether it’s worth your evenings. The five side hustles for stay at home moms I looked at pay between $16.82 and $21.53 an hour at the median, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and each one comes with a rule or a trade-off that the headline doesn’t mention.
This guide is for you if you’re home with kids, want income that bends around their schedule, and would like to know what each option pays before you start. Dads are welcome too, since every option here works for stay at home parents. I haven’t done any of these jobs myself, so I won’t quote my own earnings. What I did was read the BLS pages for five jobs, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance on job scams and the IRS rule on self-employment income, then work out what the numbers mean for a few free hours a week.
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Last updated: October 2026. Pay and job rules change, so check each source before you rely on a number.
Key Takeaways
- Side hustles for stay at home moms pay $16.82 to $21.53 an hour at the median. BLS lists childcare workers at $16.82 and customer service representatives at $21.53 (May 2025).
- Tutoring is part-time by nature. BLS says most tutors work part time and their schedules vary.
- Home childcare has a licensing catch. BLS says many states require childcare centers, including those in private homes, to be licensed.
- Home-based transcription is shrinking. BLS projects a 4% decline in medical transcription jobs from 2025 to 2035.
- Never pay for a job. The FTC says honest employers don’t charge for training, certification or directories.
What Are the Best Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms?
The best fit depends on your hours, your skills and how much paperwork you can handle. Here are the five side hustles for stay at home moms I compared, using BLS median pay for May 2025. These are medians for the whole job, so a beginner can earn less.
| Option | Median hourly pay | What you need | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer service from home | $21.53 | High school diploma | Home work is possible at some companies, not all |
| Tutoring | $20.84 | Some college, often | Requirements vary by employer |
| Medical transcription | $19.43 | Certificate, usually | Jobs projected to decline 4% |
| Pet care | $17.08 | Varies by employer | Marketplace fees cut what you keep |
| Childcare at home | $16.82 | High school diploma | Licensing rules vary by state |
My read: none of these is a get-rich plan. They’re realistic ways to turn a few child-free hours into steady money. If you want a wider list, my guide to online side hustles for women covers more ideas.
Is Tutoring One of the Better Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms?
It can be, if you know a subject well. The BLS tutors page lists a median of $20.84 an hour. It says most tutors work part time, that schedules vary and that hours can include evenings and weekends. Entry education is some college, though BLS adds that some employers want no credentials and others prefer a bachelor’s degree.
The catches: the page doesn’t describe online tutoring as a work setting, and it says online software may reduce the need for tutors. Employment is projected to stay flat from 2025 to 2035, with about 34,200 openings a year. About 12% of tutors are self-employed, which matters for taxes later. My Superprof review shows how one tutoring marketplace works, and what it costs you.
Can Home Childcare Work Among Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms?
Yes, but it’s the one with the most rules. The BLS childcare workers page lists a median of $16.82 an hour, and says family childcare providers run a business out of their own homes. Self-employed workers held 24% of childcare worker jobs in 2025, and their pay depends on hours and on the number and ages of the children. BLS wage data exclude self-employed workers, so the median may not describe a home daycare.
Here is the part many lists skip. BLS says many states require childcare centers, including those in private homes, to be licensed, and licensing often involves a background check, immunization records and minimum training. Some states also ask for CPR and first aid. So before you take on other people’s kids, check your state’s rules. I didn’t check any state’s rules for this guide.
What About Transcription and Customer Service From Home?
They’re the classic work-from-home options, and both are shrinking. The BLS medical transcriptionists page lists a median of $19.43 an hour, and says the usual entry path is a certificate, though certification is optional. Some transcriptionists work from home and often set their own schedules. But employment is projected to fall 4% from 2025 to 2035, and BLS notes that the work can be stressful because reports must be accurate and quick.
The BLS customer service page lists the highest pay of the five, $21.53 an hour, with a high school diploma as the entry requirement. It says working from home is possible at some companies, that most reps work full time and that busy periods can mean evenings and weekends. Employment is projected to drop 5% from 2025 to 2035, though about 289,500 openings a year come from workers who leave. For pet care, my pet sitting side hustle guide shows what a marketplace takes from the BLS median of $17.08.
How Much Could You Earn From Naptime Hours?
Here is an illustration (an example, not a promise, and not any employer’s pay). Say you find 10 free hours a week, which is about 43 hours a month. At the childcare median of $16.82, that is roughly $730 a month before taxes. At the customer service median of $21.53, it is roughly $930.
That’s useful money, not a salary. If you need more, you need more hours or a higher rate. My guide to extra income while working full-time and my list of side hustles that pay daily show other ways to stack small amounts.
Can You Build Something Instead of Trading Hours?
Maybe, but it takes unpaid time first. A digital product, such as a printable or a template, can sell while the kids sleep. I haven’t found an official source for what a typical seller earns, so I won’t give a number. My list of digital product ideas shows what people make, and my guide to becoming a virtual assistant with no experience covers a service you can start without a product.
Not sure which of the side hustles for stay at home moms fits your hours? My Side Hustle Idea Validator lets you score an idea on demand, competition and startup cost, and the free 50 AI side hustle ideas list gives you more to compare.
My Side Hustle Idea Validator ($9) scores each idea on demand, competition, startup cost and personal fit, so you build the one with the best odds first.
How Do You Spot Work-From-Home Scams?
Look for anyone who asks for money first. The FTC’s job scams page says work-from-home pitches often promise high pay for little effort, and that victims end up paying for starter kits, training or certifications with no value. It lists nanny, caregiver and virtual assistant offers among the common scam types, where the “employer” sends a check and asks you to forward part of it.
The page also says honest employers don’t charge for certifications or directories, and that a check can look cleared and still be fake. If you paid a scammer, it says to contact the company you used to send the money right away, then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Who Should Skip These Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms?
Based on the numbers, these options fit you if you:
- Have a few predictable hours, such as nap time or school hours.
- Are comfortable tracking income and paying self-employment tax.
- Can handle a license or a short course when the job needs one.
Skip them, or lower your expectations, if you:
- Need money within days. Applications, licensing and training take time.
- Can’t protect any uninterrupted hours. Calls and deadlines don’t pause for a toddler.
- Are tempted by an offer that asks you to pay first.
What Are the Risks and Mistakes to Avoid?
The main risks are lost money, missing licenses and tax surprises. Here are the mistakes I’d watch for.
- Paying to get hired. The FTC says honest employers don’t charge for training or certification.
- Skipping local childcare rules. Home care may need a license in your state.
- Counting on a shrinking field. BLS projects declines for transcription and customer service.
- Ignoring taxes. The IRS says you generally have to file a return once net self-employment earnings reach $400. My guide to financial planning for gig workers shows how to set money aside.
- Starting five things at once. Pick one and test it for 30 days.
FAQ
What are the best side hustles for stay at home moms?
It depends on your hours and skills. By BLS median pay, customer service ($21.53 an hour) and tutoring ($20.84) lead the five options in this guide, while home childcare ($16.82) pays least and carries licensing rules in many states.
How much can a stay at home mom make from a side hustle?
It depends on the job and the hours. For side hustles for stay at home moms, at the BLS medians of $16.82 to $21.53 an hour, 10 hours a week comes to roughly $730 to $930 a month before taxes. These are illustrations, not guarantees.
Can stay at home moms work from home with no experience?
Some options need little formal training. BLS lists a high school diploma for customer service and childcare, but transcription usually needs a certificate and tutoring often needs some college. Check each employer’s own requirements.
How do you avoid work-from-home job scams?
Never pay for a job, and don’t trust a check that asks you to send part of it back. The FTC says to search the company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” and to start with trusted job sources.
If you want the bigger picture, my guide to my full guide to side hustles pulls it all together.
The Bottom Line
Side hustles for stay at home moms can add steady money, but none of them is a shortcut. The honest picture: customer service and tutoring pay the most, home childcare has the most rules, and transcription and customer service are both shrinking fields.
My advice: pick one option that fits your free hours, check any license or tax rule before you start, and never pay to get hired. And if BLS pay or any rule has changed by the time you read this, send me a message through the contact page so I can update the guide.
I write every guide on hustle&passive. I test what I can, and when I have not tried something myself, I say so and cite my sources.
