Top side hustles in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs runs on a rhythm most cities don't have. Thousands of military families arrive and leave every summer, millions of visitors head up Pikes Peak and through Garden of the Gods, and the weather swings from hail to wildfire smoke to snow in a single season. If you build around those rhythms, the best side hustles in Colorado Springs can pay surprisingly well for a city with lower rents than Denver.
Below are 17 side gigs in Colorado Springs that work in 2026, with typical pay, startup cost and the local details that help you get clients first. Many of them travel, which matters if your household moves every few years.
What drives side hustles in Colorado Springs
Three forces shape demand here:
- The military calendar. Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases, Cheyenne Mountain and the U.S. Air Force Academy make the Springs one of the most military-heavy metros in the country. Permanent change of station (PCS) moves cluster in summer, and deployments leave families needing help with pets, yards and kids.
- Tourism. Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, The Broadmoor and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum draw visitors all year, with a summer peak.
- Mountain-edge weather. Hail in summer, snow in winter and a long fire season mean steady seasonal work in neighborhoods along the foothills, from Broadmoor and Cheyenne Cañon to Mountain Shadows and Rockrimmon.
Military-move hustles: cash in on PCS season
From roughly May through August, the Springs turns into one big moving week. Families need help fast, and they talk to each other in spouse groups, so one good job leads to five.
1. Move-out and inspection cleaning
Rental and on-post housing inspections are strict, and families juggling packers and kids will pay to have it done right. Offer a flat-rate "inspection-ready" clean with a checklist of ovens, baseboards and blinds. Post in Fort Carson and Peterson community groups and Nextdoor in Security-Widefield, Fountain and Briargate.
2. Moving labor and junk hauling
Families doing a do-it-yourself move need loaders for trucks and PODS, and everyone has a pile of furniture that won't fit in the next house. Moving-labor apps and word of mouth both work. A folding hand truck saves your back on stairs, and a truck or trailer lets you add haul-away fees.
3. Pet sitting during deployments and TDY
Deployments, training trips and leave travel mean pets need care for days or weeks. Military families value reliability above price. Start on Rover, offer drop-in visits and overnights, and keep repeat clients on direct booking.
Rideshare and delivery in a spread-out city
4. Rideshare driving
Colorado Springs is wide, so trips are longer than in a dense city. Best windows: Colorado Springs Airport runs, gate-area pickups near Fort Carson and Peterson on weekends, downtown and Old Colorado City on Friday and Saturday nights, and guests heading to The Broadmoor. Our Lyft and Uber guide covers setup.
5. Food and grocery delivery
Briargate, Northgate and the Powers corridor pack restaurants and grocery stores close to dense subdivisions, which keeps trips short. Bad-weather evenings and Sunday football afternoons pay best.
Long trips on Powers Boulevard and I-25 burn gas, so check what you really keep per hour:
Gig Driver Earnings Calculator
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash or Instacart — see what you really earn per hour after gas and wear on your car.
Home and yard work along the foothills
6. Wildfire mitigation and yard cleanup
Homes in the wildland-urban interface, from Mountain Shadows to Cedar Heights, need dry brush cleared, branches limbed up, needles raked off roofs and gutters emptied. Homeowners take this seriously after recent fires. Stick to cleanup and hauling, and leave tree felling to insured arborists.
7. Handyman and home-sale prep
Families selling before a PCS need touch-up paint, patched drywall, new fixtures and fixed doors on a deadline. Agents in Briargate and Monument will refer you if you show up on time. Avoid jobs that need a licensed electrician or plumber.
8. Short-term rental turnovers
Rentals near Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City and downtown host tourists in summer and visiting families for Air Force Academy events like graduation. Hosts need fast, reliable turnovers between same-day check-outs and check-ins.
9. Snow removal
Snow in the Springs often melts fast, but north-side streets and hillside driveways stay icy. Sell a per-storm price to deployed families, seniors and busy professionals in Northgate and Flying Horse.
Tourism and event side gigs
10. Portrait and ceremony photography
Garden of the Gods is one of the most popular engagement-photo spots in the state, and military promotions, retirements, homecomings and Academy graduations all need a photographer. Build a portfolio, then raise rates in peak season.
11. Event staffing
The Broadmoor World Arena, Weidner Field (Switchbacks FC), Ford Amphitheater, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June and the Labor Day Lift Off balloon festival all need temporary staff for parking, concessions and setup.
12. Fitness and outdoor coaching
This is Olympic City USA, and the Manitou Incline gets a steady stream of people training for it. Personal trainers, running coaches and hiking guides with the right certifications can build a client list fast. Guiding on public land may require a permit, so check before you charge.
Portable online side hustles (they move when you do)
13. Virtual assistant and bookkeeping
Local realtors, contractors and small defense-industry suppliers need help with scheduling, email and QuickBooks. Because it's remote, clients stay with you after your next move.
14. Freelance writing, design and marketing
Pick a niche, like aerospace, real estate or outdoor brands, and start on Fiverr. Grow into retainers with tips from our digital marketing side hustle guide.
15. Tutoring
Military kids changing schools often need to catch up in math or reading. College students at UCCS, Colorado College and Pikes Peak State College can tutor in person; anyone can tutor online.
16. Furniture and gear reselling
PCS season floods Facebook Marketplace with furniture, bikes and outdoor gear families can't take with them. Buy cheap in July, clean it up and resell in the fall when new arrivals furnish their homes.
17. Online courses and digital products
Turn specialist knowledge, from resume-writing for transitioning service members to Excel or project management, into a course on Udemy or templates you sell online.
Compare the best side hustles in Colorado Springs
| Side hustle | Typical pay | Startup cost | Time to first dollar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move-out cleaning | $200–$450 per home | $75–$150 | Days in summer |
| Moving labor | $25–$45/hr | Under $100 | Days |
| Pet sitting | $45–$80/night | $0 | 1–3 weeks |
| Rideshare | $16–$26/hr before costs | Eligible car | 1–2 weeks |
| Wildfire mitigation / yard | $35–$60/hr | $100–$400 | 1–2 weeks |
| Handyman | $40–$75/hr | $100–$400 | 1–2 weeks |
| Virtual assistant | $20–$45/hr | Laptop | 2–6 weeks |
Which side job fits your schedule?
- Active duty with weekends free: moving labor, event staffing, photography and yard work. Check your command's outside-employment rules first.
- Military spouse with kids in school: cleaning, pet sitting, virtual assistance and online tutoring.
- Evenings only: delivery, rideshare and freelance projects.
- Student at UCCS or Colorado College: tutoring, event shifts, dog walking and summer tourism jobs in Manitou Springs.
The hours you can protect every week matter more than the hourly rate in your first month.
Start a side gig in Colorado Springs in 30 days
- Match the hustle to the season. Summer is PCS and tourism season, fall is yard and mitigation work, winter is snow and delivery.
- Pick a monthly goal. Work back to weekly hours with our income calculator.
- Go where your customers talk. Base spouse groups, Nextdoor, neighborhood Facebook pages and a Google Business Profile.
- Finish three jobs and collect reviews. Word of mouth travels fast in military circles, in both directions.
- Handle licenses and a separate bank account. It makes tax time easy and keeps your numbers honest.
Colorado taxes and city rules
- State income tax: a flat 4.4% for 2025 returns. Colorado can lower the rate in years with surplus revenue, so check the Department of Revenue for the current year.
- Self-employment tax: 15.3% federal on net profit. Estimate your set-aside with our self-employment tax calculator.
- Sales tax: Colorado Springs is a home-rule city that collects its own sales tax. If you sell taxable products, register with both the state and the city.
- Short-term rentals: the city requires an STR permit. Hosting also brings lodging tax obligations.
- Military residency: service members stationed here with a different legal home state may treat military pay differently from side income. Base legal offices and VITA sites can help.
Nearby city guides
Compare your options with the best side hustles in Denver, an hour north, or Aurora, home to Buckley Space Force Base. Heading south on your next move? Our Albuquerque guide covers another military-friendly city.
Better Side Hustles' advice is the same everywhere: pick one idea, commit for 90 days and track the numbers. In Colorado Springs, timing that commitment to start before PCS season is the smartest move you can make.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best side hustles in Colorado Springs?
The best fits are PCS move-out cleaning and moving help, pet sitting for military families, rideshare and delivery, tourism work around Pikes Peak and Manitou Springs, wildfire mitigation and yard work, handyman jobs, short-term rental cleaning and portable online work like freelancing and virtual assistance.
How can I make money in Colorado Springs fast?
Delivery apps, Amazon Flex, Rover and moving-labor apps can pay within a week or two of approval. In summer PCS season, posting in base spouse groups and Nextdoor offering move-out cleaning or loading help often books jobs within days. After a snowstorm, shoveling driveways in your own neighborhood pays the same morning.
Do I need a business license for a side hustle in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs does not require a general business license for most home-based service work, but some activities need specific licenses or permits. If you sell taxable products you need a Colorado sales tax license and a city sales tax license, since the city collects its own sales tax. Short-term rentals require a city STR permit. Check with the city before you start.
What side hustles work for military spouses in Colorado Springs?
Portable work travels with you on the next PCS: virtual assistance, freelance writing or design, online tutoring, bookkeeping and selling digital products. Locally, pet sitting, cleaning and photography fit around unpredictable schedules. If you live in on-post housing, check with your housing office before running a business from home.
How much can side jobs in Colorado Springs pay?
App gigs typically gross $16–$26 an hour before gas. Move-out cleaning, handyman work and wildfire mitigation often run $35–$75 an hour, and skilled freelancing can pay more. Most people putting in 8–12 hours a week typically earn $500–$1,500 a month, with summer usually the strongest season.
How are side hustles taxed in Colorado?
Colorado has a flat state income tax, 4.4% for 2025 returns, plus federal income tax and 15.3% self-employment tax on your net profit. Service members who are Colorado residents for tax purposes owe state tax; those stationed here with another home state usually don't on military pay, but side income earned here can be different. Ask a tax pro if that applies to you.
Better Side Hustles Editorial Team. We research side hustles the practical way — platform fees, real pay ranges and what it takes to land your first dollar. How we write our guides.
Last reviewed October 26, 2026. Pay ranges are estimates and vary by city, season and effort. This article may contain affiliate links; see our disclosure.
