Record number of Americans working more than one job

(NewsNation) — At least 5 percent of the American workforce has a second job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

In a release earlier this month, the BLS reported that a record high of approximately 8.9 million Americans stated they work multiple jobs. That is the highest rate since the Great Recession in April 2009.

A March report from the Federal Bank of St. Louis revealed that 50.2 percent of multiple job holders in 2024 had a college degree, which is a 9.1 percent increase from 2019.

“If you’re going to try to have some semblance of a traditional life with kids, and a house and transportation, [it] takes a lot of money to do that,” Carolyn McClanahan, certified financial planner, told CNBC.

“If employers are seeing soft demand for labor and cutting hours, that’s another reason why people are taking on additional jobs to fill the week and to fill their bank accounts,” Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter, told the outlet.

The data comes less than a year after a July 2024 Bankrate survey showed that the share of people with side hustles dropped from 2023 — with 36 percent of adults reporting a second job compared to 39 percent the year before.

But, even as inflation seemingly cools, 32 percent of those with a second gig say they believe extra work will always be needed to make ends meet, according to the poll.

The Hill contributed reporting.

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