Why So Many Americans Are Working Multiple Jobs in 2025 — And Still Struggling
- Natalie Frank
- Sep 30
- 4 min read
Record inflation, rent hikes, and wage stagnation are fueling a wave of multi-job workers across the country. Experts warn burnout may be the next crisis
Natalie C. Frank Ph.D September 30, 2025
As inflation and wage stagnation bite, juggling two gigs becomes a survival strategy, but with costs.
When Ellie, a 30-year-old tech worker, found herself still in debt despite holding a high-paying job, she made a bold move: she secretly took on a second full-time remote job. By carefully managing two non-overlapping roles, sometimes even using calendar blocking to avoid overlap, she was able to pay off $17,000 in debt and save over $100,000 in less than two years.
But the cost? Constant stress, fear of being discovered, and working 60 to 70 hours a week. “It’s not sustainable forever,” she told Business Insider, noting that she often lost track of what day it was. “You can do it for a year or two, but it takes a toll.”
Her story reflects a growing economic reality: for a rising number of Americans, one job simply isn’t enough. And while some workers take on second roles to crush debt or fast-track savings, many more are doing it to cover basic needs, rent, food, insurance, and child care — in an economy that increasingly demands more while offering less in return.
Different data sources disagree on whether multiple jobholding is rising or falling. The Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer–Household Dynamics (LEHD) data suggest the share of workers with two or more jobs has climbed over the past two decades, reaching about 7.8 percent in some quarters. By contrast, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey (CPS) shows a smaller increase, rising in recent years from a base near 4.8 percent.
One reason for the gap is methodology. The CPS counts multiple jobholders if they hold more than one wage or salary job during the survey week, while the LEHD defines “multiple jobholding” across quarterly employment spells, requiring continuity in at least one job across the prior, current, and following quarters. That approach can pick up more “hidden” secondary work — gig jobs and side hustles that snapshot surveys miss.
Another sign: analysts tracking BLS data reported that as of August 2025, 5.2 percent of employed people held more than one job, a level that stayed above 5.0 percent for about two years, the longest such stretch since 2009. Some platforms report a historical average near 5.4 percent.
The bottom line is that the number of multi-job workers is high in absolute terms, and the share is historically elevated. Whether it’s the “highest ever” depends on which data and methods you use.
Several forces overlap. The cost of living, rent, utilities, food, and healthcare, has risen faster than many wages. For many workers, one job, even full time, no longer covers basic expenses. Side gigs and moonlighting have become financial lifelines.
Platforms and remote roles make it easier to pick up extra work. For example, someone might bartend in the evening, then run remote customer service shifts or do content writing. Some workers even hold multiple full-time remote jobs, though that risks burnout and detection. Business Insider recently interviewed 29 such “overemployed” workers who manage nonoverlapping schedules, calendar blocking, and secrecy to keep income from two roles. Business Insider
Generational shifts and “polyworking.” Younger workers are more willing to juggle projects, side hustles, and multiple income streams, partly out of necessity and partly as a hedge against uncertain career paths. An article in The Guardian reports that over half of millennials now hold more than one job, with some managing three or more roles at once.
Many don’t take a second job for excitement or entrepreneurship, they do it to pay bills, manage debt, or build a financial buffer. For parents, the pressure is greater: raising kids, affording child care, mortgage or rent, and school costs all demand more income. MarketWatch found that 45 percent of parents with children under 18 do side hustles, compared to 36 percent of nonparents.
Working multiple roles can bring extra cash, but it takes a heavy toll on time, energy, relationships, and mental health. Healthcare workers warn that “polyworking” holding more than one full-time job, can cause chronic exhaustion, poorer performance, and emotional strain.
One overemployed worker told Business Insider she began feeling the mental weight of balancing two roles, saying she sometimes “didn’t know what day it was.”
Tradeoffs in productivity. Splitting focus between roles can hurt performance, especially when tasks overlap or deadlines collide. Many workers say longer hours don’t always yield more output.
Social and personal sacrifices. Time for family, rest, health, or hobbies shrinks. Some stop seeing friends or neglect self-care. The constant juggling and pressure can erode well-being over time.
Still, many accept those costs for financial stability. One overemployed worker celebrated paying off $17,000 in debt and building a six-figure retirement fund while juggling two IT jobs.
This surge in multi-job work signals deeper stress in the labor market.
It shows wage growth isn’t keeping up with inflation and living costs. That so many feel forced to cobble together multiple roles points to weak bargaining power, inadequate benefits, and fragile financial security—even for full-time workers.
Policy responses could include:
Stronger wage floors or faster cost-of-living adjustments
Expanded social safety nets, like child care, health subsidies, and housing support
Labor reforms encouraging fair scheduling, overtime protections, and limits on burdensome noncompete or moonlighting bans
Support for side hustlers, such as simplified tax rules, micro-grants, or training assistance
Employers have a role too. Some progressive firms discourage outside gigs or offer stipends, while others work with employees to align side work with corporate needs—reducing friction and competition for talent.
Samantha Lee doesn’t romanticize her schedule. She says she’s exhausted, but sees no choice. She wonders how long she can keep it up before burning out.
Her story is one among millions. The rise in multiple jobholding suggests that for many Americans, one job no longer offers sufficient security. Until broader wage reforms or cost controls take hold, this patchwork approach to work may remain a painful necessity rather than a choice.
