“I heard that 80 percent of car accidents occur within one mile of a person’s residence, so I moved.” But it turns out that moving doesn’t improve your driving, although it does improve lender’s volumes. Home Bay just published a survey that found 75 percent were happy with their decision to move. But 86 percent of Americans who moved in 2023 have regrets about moving, up from 75 percent in 2022. With many movers charging by size and weight, 24 percent of Americans wish they downsized their belongings before moving. Other common regrets include missing their old home (24 percent) and that moving was too expensive (20 percent). What’s more, nearly half (46 percent) of Americans shed tears and 42 percent fought with their loved ones during the moving process. The top reasons for moving in 2023 were to improve their quality of life (31 percent) and upsize their home (21 percent). If money were no object, the states Americans most want to move to are California (32 percent), New York (29 percent), and Florida (24 percent). However, migration data from Allied Van Lines shows more affordable states such as Montana, Vermont, Arkansas, and Idaho have the highest percentage of inbound moves. (Found here, this week’s podcast is sponsored by Lender Toolkit. With Lender Toolkit’s AI-powered AI Underwriter and Prism borrower income automation tools, you’ll be able to get loans approved in under two minutes. Hear an interview with Lender Price’s Dawar Alimi on specific ways that lenders are benefiting from seamless integrations.)
Lender and Broker Services, Products, and Software
ICE is making servicing simple with the next generation of MSP®, the industry’s best-in-class loan servicing system. The new experience will include a “conversational intuitive interface” that will modernize workflows, allowing back-office users to simply type in a description of a servicing task, using common business language, and the software will automatically curate the relevant information they need to perform their work. Not only will its new interface save time for existing users, but it will also help new employees get up to speed faster by making the system intuitive to pick up and easy to navigate. Learn more about the new MSP experience here, as Bonnie Sinnock, capital markets editor for National Mortgage News, previews the upcoming technology in an article that ICE has made available as a complimentary download.
In the wake of frequent breaches within our industry, we are reminded of the precarious position mortgage lenders and their customers’ data are currently in. These repeated security incidents emphasize an undeniable truth: robust cybersecurity defenses are not merely an option; they are imperative. A breach can mean the difference between a thriving business and a devastating collapse. There is a very real risk to mortgage companies right now; you’re not just guarding data, you’re safeguarding trust, livelihoods, and the very integrity of the financial system. It’s a responsibility to take seriously, and it’s time to double down on cybersecurity. Richey May’s cybersecurity team is here to help: Check out its latest post detailing the often-overlooked risks in the industry.
“When you partner with a subservicer, you’re entrusting them with your most valuable assets: your customers and your reputation. Knowing they are important to you, they must be important to your subservicer, and you must see it in their actions. They should provide the care to your customers that reflects your brand and deepens the positive relationship you created at origination. If they are falling short, then your best option is to partner with Servbank. Not only do we provide your customers with a best-in-class experience, but we do it with your branding and identity in all communications and interactions. It’s as if you’re the one providing service to them, and with 99 percent customer satisfaction rates, which will help make them your customers for life. It’s your business. Servbank believes it ought to be your branding, too. Learn more about Servbank.”
Heading to ICE Experience in Las Vegas this year? The Total Expert team will be at booth #513 to show you how to uncover more loan opportunities, streamline your workflows, and unlock your organization’s full potential with our enhanced Encompass integration. Supercharge loan officer productivity and drive unprecedented growth with new features and functionality that allow you to seamlessly share data between platforms, create loan files with one click, and more. Drop by our booth at Ice Experience or book a personalized demo to see firsthand how the Total Expert + Encompass integration will transform your day-to-day operations, drive growth, and help you close more loans in any market!
Webinar: How to Build a Comprehensive QC Plan! Learn how Credit Unions can enhance operational excellence while minimizing risk exposure by having a solid quality control plan in place. Former CUSO Quality Control manager, Brock Miler (CMQ/OE) and EVP at ACES, Kyle Kehoe will review industry requirements and best practices to ensure credit unions remain steadfast in their commitment to quality. Date: Wednesday, March 20th at 11:00AM PDT. Topics Covered: Importance of having a sound QC Plan, review each component of the QC plan, best practice on how best to succeed within each category, how to leverage technology to maintain operational excellence and lower risk exposure within your QC program. Register for the webinar.
TPO Product News
Do you want to expand your footprint into the Non-Agency space, but are apprehensive of the underwriting challenges? Lakeview is your solution. Within the Bayview Non-Agency Product Suite, you decide the best underwriting route by product: Delegated or Non-Delegated. Included, are live, comprehensive trainings empowering you with the expertise desired. Still unsure? Let us know, and we will help you step forward.
HUD Secretary Steps Down
HUD’s Marcia Fudge announced that she will step down as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, effective March 22. A Biden appointee, Fudge, 71, did not provide a specific reason, although that job can’t be without its challenges. I met her a few times, and was always impressed. Adrianne Todman becoming Acting HUD Secretary.
Accolades immediately flooded in.
MBA’s President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB: “MBA thanks Marcia Fudge for being a trusted industry partner and champion of improving affordable homeownership and rental housing opportunities for all Americans during her three-year tenure as HUD Secretary. We commend Secretary Fudge and her staff for their contributions on numerous issues, including working with the industry to ensure struggling borrowers could remain in their homes through COVID-19 forbearance relief and other loss mitigation reforms, making homeownership more affordable by lowering mortgage insurance premiums, increasing multifamily large loan limits for the first time in nearly a decade, and implementing improvements to existing HUD programs to boost single-family and multifamily housing supply.”
The National Housing Conference’s (NHC) President and CEO David M. Dworkin: “Secretary Marcia Fudge’s tenure at HUD has surpassed all expectations, including her own, earning her recognition as a highly consequential HUD Secretary. Throughout her leadership, Secretary Fudge has been a steadfast advocate for equitable housing policies, championing initiatives aimed at alleviating homelessness, expanding access to affordable housing, and fostering sustainable communities.
FHFA Director Sandra Thompson: “Secretary Marcia Fudge is an outstanding leader who is a strong advocate for affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing opportunities for all Americans. During her tenure as Secretary of HUD, the country faced numerous housing challenges including recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, limited affordable housing supply, and the continuing effects of housing discrimination and homelessness. Secretary Fudge took decisive action to address these and other challenges.”
Ginnie Mae President Alanna McCargo: “For the last three years, Secretary Marcia L. Fudge has led the Department of Housing and Urban Development fearlessly and passionately as our 18th Secretary. It has been a great honor to serve under her leadership for her entire tenure, first as her Senior Advisor for Housing Finance, and since 2021, as the President of Ginnie Mae. Secretary Fudge has made history and changed the trajectory of HUD for the future.”
Capital Markets
Make no mistake: 101 courses aren’t just for college freshmen. In fact, mortgage lenders of all experience levels can benefit from Optimal Blue’s upcoming webinar, Hedging 101: The Benefits of Mandatory Delivery. This session will be back by popular demand on Thursday, March 14, at Noon CT. Pipeline hedging experts Jeff McCarty and Mark Teteris, CMB, will walk attendees through the theories behind hedging practices, various hedging instruments, best execution analysis and strategies to employ during market fluctuations. Whether you’re just entertaining the idea of transitioning to mandatory delivery, or you’re already a hedging veteran, you won’t want to miss this informative and directional webinar. Save your seat today.
“Looking to Sell Agency Servicing? Are you getting low, or even worse, no bids because of the size of your MSR portfolio? Want to establish a long-lasting selling relationship? We buy performing Agency Servicing starting at $25,000,000. While others turn down small pools we excel. Discover the value you have been missing. Send us an email or call Shane at 602-402-1599.”
This week opened with investors making last minute bets ahead of today’s highly anticipated February CPI inflation report. A report that could clue market participants in on the Fed’s rate timing. The CPI index likely ran hot in February due to higher gasoline prices, but core inflation was expected to slow further (read on for results!) as car prices fell and rent increases slowed. Americans still aren’t confident about the longer-term inflation outlook: After hitting a record-low in January, U.S. consumer expectations for inflation over the next three years climbed to 2.7 percent last month, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey. Five-year expectations climbed to 2.9 percent, while projected year-ahead inflation was unchanged from January at 3.0 percent.
With a week to go until the next FOMC meeting, economic data released over the last week reaffirmed there is still a long way to go until Fed officials will feel fully confident that inflation is on an assured path to two percent. For the fourth straight month, the economy added more jobs than the market was expecting. Nonfarm payrolls increased 275k, however the prior two months were revised down by a combined 167k. The unemployment rate increased to 3.9 percent from 3.7 percent, which is a two-year high. Job openings were 16 percent below their number from one year ago and there were 8.86 million openings in January. The share of workers quitting their jobs fell to its lowest rate in six years (excluding spring 2020) which should help slow wage growth later in the year. The labor markets’ continued resilience reinforces the Fed’s view of resilient economic expansion and potentially further delays rate cuts.
Today’s economic calendar is already under way with the February CPI report: hot at +.4 percent on headline and core (ex-food & energy). Headline and core were seen increasing about 0.3 percent month-over-month. Before CPI, we had the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for February: it decreased in February, marking the 26th consecutive month below the 50-year average of 98. Twenty-three percent of small business owners reported that inflation was their single most important business problem and replacing labor quality at the top.
Later today brings Redbook same store sales for the week ending March 9, the February budget statement from the CBO, and Treasury auctions that will be headlined by $39 billion reopened 10-year notes. After the inflation data, we begin Tuesday with Agency MBS prices roughly unchanged from Monday afternoon and the 10-year yielding 4.10 after closing yesterday at 4.10 percent. The 2-year is at 4.56: not a lot of movement after the CPI data.
Employment
“Arc Home, a Top 10 Non-QM and Non-Agency Originator is on the lookout for an exceptional leader to become our next Vice President of Quality Control. At Arc Home, we pride ourselves on fostering a culture of innovation, integrity, and growth, offering an environment for professional development and work-life balance. This position is your chance to contribute to our mission of creating an optimal client experience and to shape the future Arc Home. If you’re an experienced mortgage pro with a passion for compliance and operational excellence, we want to hear from you. Apply on our careers page or connect with Jacki Renard for a deeper insight into how you can elevate your career and make a difference at Arc Home.”
Megastar Financial Corp. is thrilled to announce John Owens as EVP and Chief Strategy Officer! With over 20 years in the mortgage industry, Owens brings a wealth of knowledge and an impressive record of success to Megastar. In his new role, he will drive sales growth, foster industry relationships, and demonstrate how modern lending solutions are game changers for lending teams. Owens stated, “One of the many reasons I joined Megastar is because they have adopted agency technology along with AI that significantly lowers production costs, while increasing transaction speed and customer service. Pre-qualifications or approvals can be delivered at the time of application, a game-changer for any loan officer aiming to stand out. Additionally, Megastar’s unique program, powered by its financial strength, supplies qualified leads directly to loan officers. This holistic approach elevates service, making MegaStar a leader in customer satisfaction and efficiency.” Connect with John on LinkedIn.
Take your business to new heights with OceanFirst Bank. Steve Adamo, President of Residential and Consumer Lending continues to expand OceanFirst Bank’s Residential Lending division. As a result, top producing Loan Officers have joined the Bank. With the ability to blend the benefits of an independent mortgage company with the stability of a banking environment, OceanFirst Bank is growing exponentially. Loan Officers that join the team have the ability to grow their business and gain stability from a top financial institution. OceanFirst combines a leading-edge tech stack and the benefit of having great product and pricing with unique portfolio options, direct agency lending, and secondary market choices. OceanFirst’s National Association allows Loan Officers to lend nationally without dealing with individual state licensing. Contact John Costa, Senior Vice President and Head of Mortgage Sales or 609.444.6121 to learn more. FDIC | Equal Housing Lender | Equal Opportunity Employer.
“Did you know Movement Mortgage added more than 1,000 new products to its portfolio in 2023!? You read that correctly. And the list keeps growing. Introducing Movement’s HomeReady Very Low-Income Purchase Program! With the escalating costs of homeownership, many potential borrowers, particularly those with limited income, encounter significant hurdles in affording a down payment. This new addition to the HomeReady product, wherein qualifying borrowers can receive a $2,500 down payment credit, aims to enhance homeownership opportunities for individuals with qualifying income less than 50 percent of the area median income (AMI). For more information on this new offering and how Movement is making an impact in communities across the U.S., visit us.”
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The median annual wage for psychologists in the U.S. is $85,330, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But salaries can vary significantly, ranging from less than $50,000 to more than $140,000.
How much money you can make as a psychologist may depend on several factors, including the industry you choose to work in, the level of education you attain, and where your job is located. Here’s a look at what psychologists do and how they are paid.
What Are Psychologists?
Psychologists are mental health professionals who are trained to help individuals and groups understand and address various behavioral, emotional, and organizational challenges. There are several different types of psychologists, including:
• Clinical and counseling psychologists, who evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders such as depression, anxiety, grief, anger, and addiction.
• Industrial/organizational psychologists, who help organizations solve workplace issues and improve work-life balance.
• School psychologists, who specialize in dealing with problems that can affect students’ behaviors and learning.
• Neuropsychologists, who study how damage to a person’s brain or body can impact behavior and cognition.
• Forensic psychologists, who may collaborate with various law enforcement agencies, attorneys, judges, and others on certain aspects of a legal case.
It’s important to note that a psychologist is not the same thing as a psychiatrist, though they are often confused. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medications. A psychologist typically holds a doctoral degree in psychology, which is a social science. 💡 Quick Tip: We love a good spreadsheet, but not everyone feels the same. An online budget planner can give you the same insight into your budgeting and spending at a glance, without the extra effort.
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What Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?
Do you have good observational skills? Are you a problem solver? Do you pride yourself on your ability to build a rapport with others? Do you have empathy for those who are experiencing emotional or behavioral issues?
If so, you may find you’re well-suited for a career as a psychologist. But you’ll also have to get the education and training necessary for the job.
Psychologists usually must have at least a master’s degree to get into the field, and depending on what type of work you hope to do, you may need a doctoral degree as well. Clinical and counseling psychologists, for example, typically need a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree.
Industrial-organizational psychologists usually earn at least a master’s degree, with coursework that focuses on understanding how people behave in the workplace. School psychologists also may need at least a master’s degree with a focus on student development and other educational issues. And most degree programs can also require an internship and clinical experience.
Most states also require psychologists to obtain a license. And there are several certifications available that specific employers may require.
Recommended: High-Paying Vocational Jobs for 2024
How Much Do Starting Psychologists Make a Year?
The average salary for a starting psychologist in 2024 is $89,326, according to the job site Salary.com, but entry-level salaries currently can range from $75,493 to $101,117.
Of course, the work you do, your education level, certifications, and even your work location can impact how much you might earn as a beginning psychologist. The job site ZipRecruiter lists Washington, New York, Vermont, California, and Maine as the states where starting clinical psychologists currently earn the most money.
What Is the Average Salary for a Psychologist?
So, how much can you make per year if you choose a career as a psychologist?
You can expect your specialty to have a big influence on how much you earn. According to BLS statistics, industrial-organizational psychologists currently earn the highest salaries, while school psychologists earn the least.
Staying up to date by continuing your education and training may help boost your salary as well. And building a reputation through research and publishing can also make a psychologist more valuable to employers and clients.
If you’re hoping to negotiate for a more competitive paycheck, it’s important to remember that salaries — or how much a psychologist makes an hour — may be affected by the cost of living or demand in a particular region. Here’s how psychologists’ average annual salaries break down by state based on ZipRecruiter data.
Average Psychologist Salary by State
State
Average Annual Salary
Alabama
$129,310
Alaska
$176,920
Arizona
$132,948
Arkansas
$130,467
California
$145,770
Colorado
$165,086
Connecticut
$132,272
Delaware
$155,187
Florida
$106,610
Georgia
$120,463
Hawaii
$173,156
Idaho
$139,446
Illinois
$152,897
Indiana
$135,754
Iowa
$131,180
Kansas
$123,671
Kentucky
$138,059
Louisiana
$119,804
Maine
$142,367
Maryland
$150,294
Massachusetts
$174,781
Michigan
$136,667
Minnesota
$137,219
Mississippi
$131,343
Missouri
$146,175
Montana
$130,944
Nebraska
$147,086
Nevada
$167,279
New Hampshire
$139,791
New Jersey
$143,454
New Mexico
$136,445
New York
$156,917
North Carolina
$141,923
North Dakota
$176,893
Ohio
$133,380
Oklahoma
$142,442
Oregon
$177,795
Pennsylvania
$143,748
Rhode Island
$164,679
South Carolina
$144,913
South Dakota
$167,182
Tennessee
$127,338
Texas
$138,507
Utah
$127,431
Vermont
$153,232
Virginia
$152,942
Washington
$169,179
West Virginia
$111,019
Wisconsin
$142,067
Wyoming
$137,573
Source: ZipRecruiter
Recommended: Cost of Living by State
Psychologist Job Considerations for Pay and Benefits
Besides a pretty good paycheck, another plus to becoming a psychologist is that you may not have to worry about job security. The BLS is projecting overall employment of psychologists will grow by 6% over the next decade, which is faster than the average for all occupations combined. And job growth for those who specialize in clinical and counseling psychology is projected to grow by 11%.
Of course, the pay and perks you’ll receive as a psychologist will likely be tied to the specialty you choose and the salary negotiation tactics you use. Whether you’re a school psychologist or work for a major corporation, you can expect to be offered benefits such as health insurance, a retirement plan, paid time off, and opportunities for continuing education.
Depending on the type of work you do, you may also be able to participate in profit-sharing, receive regular bonuses, work a flexible schedule, or earn income from consulting or writing books. 💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed.
Pros and Cons of a Psychologist’s Salary
Probably the biggest downside of choosing a career as a psychologist is the amount of time and money it can take just to get started. After getting your bachelor’s degree, it may take two or more years to complete your master’s degree, and then another four to seven years to earn your doctorate degree. Add on even more time for training — and to study for your license — and it could be several years before you can pursue the job you want. And by that time, you may have some substantial student debt to pay down.
On the plus side, you’ll be in a career that can be both personally and financially rewarding.
Here are some more pros and cons to consider:
Pros
• You’ll be helping people. As a psychologist, you can have a meaningful impact on others, whether you’re working with children or adults.
• The demand (and respect) for psychological services is increasing, as mental health is now considered an important part of our overall well-being.
• Whether you’re drawn to research, counseling, or clinical practice, a career in psychology can offer a wide array of job options. You may even be able to design a job and flexible schedule that suits your needs.
• You may benefit personally from skills like empathy, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving that you gain as a psychologist.
Cons
• Trying to help people who have behavioral and emotional issues can be stressful. It may be difficult to leave work at work.
• You may run into ethical dilemmas that make dealing with a client and/or employer a challenge.
• If you decide to open your own practice, you’ll have to deal with the business side of things as well as the work you’re doing with clients.
• Depending on the type of work you do, your job may be dangerous at times. You may have to counsel a person with anger issues, for example, or someone who has committed a violent crime, which could put you at risk.
As you consider this important career decision, keep in mind that online tools that can help you succeed. A money tracker app, for example, can help you create a budget, keep an eye on your spending, and monitor your credit score as you work toward your personal and financial goals.
The Takeaway
Working as a psychologist can be a fulfilling career, and finding and keeping a job in this growing field shouldn’t be too difficult. But you can expect to make a substantial investment in time and money before you finally get the job you want. And how much money you make as a psychologist can depend on several factors, especially when you’re starting out. The specialty you choose, who your employer is, and where your job is located can all affect your earning potential.
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SoFi helps you stay on top of your finances.
FAQ
Can you make $100,000 a year as a psychologist?
Yes. According to the latest ZipRecruiter data, psychologists in every state make an average annual salary that’s more than $100,000.
Do people like being a psychologist?
Psychologists who responded to the website CareerExplorer’s ongoing survey on job satisfaction rated their career happiness a 3.5 out of 5 stars. And U.S. News & World Report, which ranks jobs based on salary, upward mobility, work-life balance, among other factors — gave “psychologist” the No. 5 spot on its list of “Best Science Jobs.”
Is it hard to get hired as a psychologist?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for psychologists is expected to be strong through the next decade. If you get the proper education and training, and have a passion for helping others, it shouldn’t be too hard to find work in this profession.
Photo credit: iStock/Dean Mitchell
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Nursing can be a well-paying profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for a registered nurse (RN) is $81,220 per year or $39.05 per hour.
In fact, nursing can be a rewarding career path in more ways than one. Not only can these healthcare professionals provide for themselves financially, they also care for people during times of need.
To better understand what it’s like working as a nurse and what the earning potential is, keep reading.
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What Are Nurses?
An RN provides patients with care and support, and they offer education on health issues and conditions. Responsibilities can vary by workplace and specialty. For example, a geriatric nurse works with elderly patients and provides a different type of care than an oncology nurse, who supports patients with cancer.
Generally speaking, an RN’s tasks often include the following:
• Evaluate the condition of patients.
• Set up care plans for patients.
• Consult and collaborate with doctors and other healthcare providers.
• Operate and monitor medical equipment.
• Document patients’ medical backgrounds and symptoms.
• Administer medications and treatments.
• Assist in conducting diagnostic tests and analyzing the results.
• Educate patients and their families on managing illnesses or injuries.
• Provide instructions for post-treatment care at home.
Nurses often work on a team made up of other nurses, physicians, and healthcare specialists. Some nurses may even supervise other RNs, nursing assistants, or home health aids. Because of how much collaboration and patient interaction is involved in nursing, this role may not be a great fit for introverts. 💡 Quick Tip: When you have questions about what you can and can’t afford, a spending tracker app can show you the answer. With no guilt trip or hourly fee.
How Much Do Starting Nurses Make?
On average, entry-level nurses earn around $80,321 a year or $39 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter. But keep in mind that amount represents a middle ground; incomes for nurses fresh out of school can run the gamut from $36,000 to $136,000.
Recommended: What Is Competitive Pay?
What Is the Average Salary for a Nurse?
Unlike some other healthcare professionals, nurses may be paid hourly or earn an annual salary. They can also make extra by working overtime, overnight, or on holidays. As mentioned, nurses who are paid by the hour earn a median rate of $39.05 or $81,220 per year.
It’s worth noting that where a nurse chooses to work can significantly affect how much they earn. When it comes to settings that pay the most money, the government comes out on top. Let’s take a look at the median annual wage for nurses across a variety of settings, per the BLS:
• Government: $92,310
• Hospitals: $82,250
• Ambulatory healthcare services: $78,670
• Nursing and residential care facilities: $75,410
• Educational services: $65,450
Nurses also have the option to take travel assignments, which can be an attractive option for professionals seeking flexibility, short-term assignments, and competitive pay. Travel nurses can expect to earn anywhere from $81,000 to $128,00 a year.
To help manage that high level of income, consider digital tools like a money tracker app. In addition to being convenient, it can help take the guesswork out of budgeting and setting financial goals.
What Is the Average Salary by State for a Nurse?
The state a nurse chooses to work in can greatly influence how much they earn, as illustrated by the following table:
State
Average Annual Salary
Alabama
$68,782
Alaska
$78,193
Arizona
$70,717
Arkansas
$71,792
California
$78,490
Colorado
$90,700
Connecticut
$69,698
Delaware
$84,924
Florida
$56,707
Georgia
$64,076
Hawaii
$75,614
Idaho
$75,172
Illinois
$84,135
Indiana
$72,210
Iowa
$69,236
Kansas
$65,099
Kentucky
$76,147
Louisiana
$63,306
Maine
$76,539
Maryland
$82,211
Massachusetts
$78,960
Michigan
$75,056
Minnesota
$72,508
Mississippi
$69,141
Missouri
$80,121
Montana
$69,652
Nebraska
$80,357
Nevada
$73,935
New Hampshire
$74,558
New Jersey
$76,040
New Mexico
$72,231
New York
$83,627
North Carolina
$77,842
North Dakota
$77,045
Ohio
$70,515
Oklahoma
$77,820
Oregon
$77,062
Pennsylvania
$76,604
Rhode Island
$71,379
South Carolina
$79,483
South Dakota
$72,815
Tennessee
$67,322
Texas
$74,746
Utah
$67,313
Vermont
$81,802
Virginia
$83,556
Washington
$91,445
West Virginia
$59,162
Wisconsin
$75,198
Wyoming
$73,262
Source: ZipRecruiter
Recommended: Is $100,000 a Good Salary?
Nurse Job Considerations for Pay and Benefits
Whether they’re paid by the hour or per year, a nurse can make a good living. And there are ways to supplement that income or create a flexible working schedule that supports a work-life balance. For instance, nurses can choose to work part-time, as many hospitals are short-staffed and need the extra help and expertise. There’s also travel nursing, which allows these healthcare professionals to pick up short-term assignments.
But if a full-time role with benefits is what you’re after, you may have little trouble finding one that fits. The BLS projects that between now and 2032, the number of RN jobs available in the field will grow 6%. And those on-staff positions can come with benefits like health insurance, retirement contribution matches, and tuition reimbursement.
Pros and Cons of Nurse Salary
Like any career path, working as an RN comes with a unique set of pros and cons that are worth keeping top of mind:
Pros
Cons
• High demand for nurses
• Full-time work and benefits available
• Flexible schedule may be an option depending on your employer
• Physically and emotionally demanding job
• Potential exposure to illnesses
• May work nights, weekends, or holidays
• Limited work-from-home options (aside from telehealth roles)
💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed.
The Takeaway
While the hours can be long and the work physically demanding, nurses have the potential to earn a lot of money. As they gain years of experience or enter more lucrative industries, these professionals can potentially earn a six-figure salary. Bottom line: If you’re passionate about health care and helping others, you may find that a career in nursing is professionally and financially rewarding.
FAQ
What is the highest-paid RN job?
The type of nursing role an RN takes can affect how much they earn. Those looking to earn high incomes may want to pursue government nursing, which earns a median salary of $92,310. This is much higher than the $81,220 median salary for all RNs.
How much money does a RN make in California?
In the state of California, an RN can expect to earn an average of $78,490 per year, or an hourly rate of $37.74, per ZipRecruiter.
What state pays nurses the lowest?
Of all the 50 states, Florida pays its nurses the least, according to ZipRecruiter. Nurses there earn an average of $56,707 a year, and their average hourly wage is $27.26.
Photo credit: iStock/FG Trade
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Inside: Explore the right ways to quit a job without notice. Learn the best excuses, how to resign gracefully with a sample resignation letter, and tactics for maintaining professionalism when quitting.
Resigning from a job without notice can be a highly discomforting experience, as it breaks the standard professional protocol and can leave an employer in a difficult position.
Such an abrupt departure might lead to awkward conversations with superiors or colleagues who may be blindsided by the sudden lack of manpower and the hastiness of the exit.
This is something you know must be done.
I know the embarrassment stems from the awareness that this action could tarnish my professional reputation and relationships within the industry. Moreover, exiting without notice may invoke anxiety about the possibility of negative references or the implications it could have on future job prospects.
Yes indeed, this uncomfortable decision carries with it a heavy weight of potential judgment and professional repercussions.
So, what do you need to do when it’s time to quit?
How do you politely resign without notice?
To resign without notice politely, it’s essential to write a succinct and professional letter to your direct supervisor or HR manager, stating your immediate departure.
Express regret for any inconvenience caused and, if feasible, offer to assist in transitioning your duties. Deliver the letter personally if possible, or via email if necessary, maintaining a courteous and composed demeanor throughout the process.
It’s crucial to keep communications respectful and to retain professionalism to ensure a positive lasting impression.
Quitting Without Burning Bridges
Resigning from a job is a significant decision, and it’s generally expected that employees provide notice, traditionally two weeks, when they decide to leave.
However, in certain situations, giving notice may not be feasible, and you may need to resign immediately. Even so, it is possible to part ways amicably and without causing undue tension.
Make sure you do the following items:
1. Formalize the Resignation
Submit a formal resignation letter and discuss with HR any final procedures you may need to follow, such as filling out exit paperwork or partaking in an exit interview.
This is the first step that must be taken care of with kindness.
2. Making Sure to Tie up Loose Ends
Leaving a job without notice certainly poses challenges, but it’s critical to make sure you tie up as many loose ends as possible. Doing so demonstrates your professionalism and reduces the potential for negative repercussions.
It is super helpful if you can document your work to show your current responsibilities and projects. Include deadlines, key contacts, and any necessary instructions to help the next person take over your tasks.
3. Offer Assistance with Transition
Be willing to help the company prepare for your departure. This can involve creating thorough handover notes, compiling a list of important contacts, or outlining the status of ongoing projects.
If possible, offer to train a replacement or the person taking over your responsibilities. This may not be feasible if you’re leaving immediately, but you could suggest remaining available for a set period to answer questions via phone or email.
4. Return Company Property
Ensure you return any company property, such as laptops, mobile devices, keycards, or other equipment or materials. Do this before your departure to avoid any misunderstandings or trust issues.
Best Excuse to Quit a Job without Notice
As you know, multiple factors may prompt a professional to resign abruptly and it is never easy. It is rarely taken lightly and often stems from compelling, unavoidable circumstances.
Here are some of the most common reasons.
#1 – Personal or Family Emergency as a Valid Excuse
Personal or family emergencies stand as one of the most understandable and widely accepted reasons for quitting a job without notice. When hardship strikes, employers often recognize the need for immediate attention and the impossibility of predicting these crises.
Here’s why a family emergency can be a valid family emergency excuse:
Unpredictable Nature: Emergencies, almost by definition, are sudden and unexpected, leaving little room for the luxury of planning.
Moral and Social Norms: There’s a broad acknowledgment in society of the priority of family and personal well-being over occupational obligations.
Legal Considerations: Some jurisdictions have laws that protect employees who must leave work due to family emergencies.
Human Understanding: Colleagues and superiors are often sympathetic to family emergencies since such situations can happen to anyone, at any time, fostering an environment of understanding.
The gravity of a family emergency that might compel one to quit abruptly could range from a serious illness or accident to a sudden need for care for a family member.
#2 – Sudden Health Issues that Require Immediate Attention
When an individual’s health or life is at stake, it invariably takes precedence over job responsibilities. However, many people should opt for short-term disability to keep their health coverage as well as a smaller paycheck.
Recovery from a health crisis isn’t always quick and can necessitate an extended period away from work that cannot be predicted at the outset.
Physical and Mental Limitations: Health issues might limit the physical or mental capacity to perform job duties effectively or safely.
Quality of Life: Severe health problems can drastically alter one’s quality of life, making job concerns secondary to finding a path to wellness.
Workplace Accommodations: Sometimes, current workplace accommodations may not be sufficient to support an employee’s health needs.
Legal Protections: In many regions, employment law provides protections for workers who must leave their jobs due to health concerns.
It’s worth noting that particulars around personal health are private, and sharing details is at the discretion of the individual. Moreover, a discussion with human resources may provide options such as a leave of absence or disability leave, which could offer an alternative to resigning.
#3 – An Irresistible Job Offer That Can’t Be Delayed
At times, a career opportunity arises that is so compelling it warrants immediate action, with a start date that doesn’t accommodate a notice period.
In such cases, the opportunity cost of staying may be too high to ignore. Especially if you can make over $10k a month.
Unique Opportunities: The offer might represent a unique or rare advancement in one’s career that is unlikely to come around again, making it a now-or-never decision.
Significant Benefits: An offer that significantly improves financial standing, work-life balance, benefits, or professional growth can merit a swift transition.
While quitting a job without notice is far from ideal, certain career moves justify this approach. In these situations, one must weigh the professional norms against the career-defining potential of the new opportunity.
#4 – Immediate Relocation Due to Spouse or Partner’s Job
Unfortunately, relocations are often dictated by the partner’s employer or business needs, leaving little choice or room for negotiation regarding timelines.
Tackling this conversation as soon as possible allows your employer to start considering replacements and preparing for the transition, while also demonstrating your goodwill and integrity despite the abrupt notice.
If possible, see if you can transition to a remote position and keep your job.
#5 – Encountering a Toxic Work Environment for Mental Health
A toxic work environment can significantly impact an employee’s mental health.
When these negative aspects of the workplace become overwhelming, resigning without notice can be a necessary step to preserve well-being. This could be from unreasonable pressure, harassment or bullying, excessive workload, or a persistently high-stress environment that can all contribute to an unhealthy workplace.
Document the Environment: Keep records of incidents that contribute to the toxic environment, especially if they are egregious or repetitive, as these may be necessary for explaining your abrupt departure if questioned by future employers or legal entities.
Consult with HR: Ideally, concerns should be reported to human resources or appropriate management before deciding to leave, but if the situation does not improve or worsens, this may reinforce your decision to resign.
In such environments, taking immediate steps to leave may be the best course of action for personal health.
#6 – Safety Concerns in the Workplace Demanding Prompt Exit
When an employee feels that their physical well-being is at risk, it becomes necessary to prioritize personal safety over professional obligations.
Here’s why safety concerns justify a prompt exit:
Legitimate Fear: If the work environment poses a genuine risk to physical health or life — due to hazardous conditions or failing to meet safety regulations — immediate resignation is warranted.
Unresolved Issues: Continued employment might not be tenable if you’ve reported safety concerns and they have not been addressed in a timely or effective manner by management.
Legal Compliance: Employers are legally obliged to provide a safe working environment. Non-compliance with this fundamental requirement creates a justifiable reason for employees to leave without notice.
When resigning due to safety concerns, clearly explain that your primary reason for leaving is the need to ensure personal safety. It’s important to have a record of safety concerns reported to the appropriate parties within the organization, even if those concerns were not adequately addressed.
#7 – Legal Issues That Hinder Continuation of Employment
Legal issues can be sensitive and complex, thus it is important to maintain confidentiality and professionalism throughout the resignation process. When legal constraints interfere with employment, here’s why they necessitate an urgent departure:
Binding Legal Obligations: Court orders, such as those related to family or criminal law matters, may impose restrictions on an individual’s movements or activities that are incompatible with their current employment.
Visa or Work Authorization Changes: For employees working in a country under specific visas or work authorizations, any changes or revocations in legal status can demand an immediate resignation.
Conflict of Interest: Discoveries of conflict of interest that might have legal repercussions for the employee or employer can justify instant resignation to prevent further complications.
Mandated Reporting: Certain legal issues could force an employee to stop working immediately, such as those involving mandated reporting of unethical or illegal activities.
Ensuring clarity and integrity in communication can help in maintaining a positive relationship with former employers and colleagues.
#8 – Ethical Conflicts
Ethical conflicts at work, such as being asked to engage in dishonesty or illegal activities, justify resigning immediately to preserve one’s integrity and avoid potential personal and professional repercussions.
Professionals who feel their personal values strongly clash with the practices or culture of the company may decide that an immediate exit is the only course of action that aligns with their integrity.
For many, this is a valid excuse to leave a job. One of the main reasons for working hard to become financially independent is important.
#9 – Significant Lifestyle Changes
Major life changes, such as getting married, having a child, or needing to care for a loved one, can result in the need for immediate resignation.
Also, choosing to further one’s education is a compelling reason to quit a job without notice, as enrollment opportunities and class schedules often necessitate quick transitions that may not align with traditional notice periods.
Regardless of the significant change happening in your life, you do not have to share all of the details with your employer. You just have to state the bare minimum information.
#10 – Lack of Job Security
Rumors of downsizing or concerns about job stability might provoke an employee to preemptively quit and seek a more secure position elsewhere.
This is not something that should be overlooked. Having a stable job is one of the foundations of being financially sound.
This can serve as a solid justification for resigning without notice. This decision underscores the importance of ensuring your financial and professional security in an unpredictable job market.
What are the best excuses to quit a job you just started without notice?
Quitting a job shortly after starting can be challenging, but certain circumstances can serve as valid reasons for making such a decision.
Here are some of the best excuses for leaving a new job without notice:
Misrepresented Job Role: Discovering that the actual job significantly differs from what was described during the interview process can be grounds for immediate resignation.
Unexpected Life Changes: Sudden personal changes, such as a family emergency or a significant other’s job relocation, may necessitate a quick move that isn’t conducive to employment continuation.
Health Concerns: Onset or discovery of a health condition that precludes one from fulfilling job duties is a compelling reason to leave abruptly.
Hostile Work Environment: Encountering a toxic or hostile work culture, if intense enough, is reason enough to depart without protracted notice.
Superseding Job Offers: Sometimes, a more fitting job offer with immediate start requirements might present itself unexpectedly after beginning a new position.
Ethical or Moral Discomfort: If the organization’s practices conflict with your personal ethics or beliefs to an unresolvable degree, this may justify the quick termination of the employment.
Choosing to quit a job without notice is significant, but when necessary, the above reasons coupled with a tactful approach can mitigate the potential negative impact on your career.
This is something my husband had to decide when a second offer came in after he accepted another position.
Template and Guidelines for Your no Notice Resignation Letter
A no-notice resignation letter should remain professional and succinct, addressing the essential points with respect and clarity. Here are the key components a letter of this nature should include:
Subject Line: If the resignation letter is sent by email, include a clear subject line, such as “Immediate Resignation – [Your Full Name].”
Salutation: Begin the letter with a polite greeting directed at your manager or the appropriate party, like “Dear [Manager’s Name].”
Statement of Resignation: Convey the intent to resign clearly and assertively, stating your position and last day, which will be immediate or as soon as possible.
Reason for Immediate Departure: Briefly explain the reason for leaving without notice. The language should be direct but need not go into personal detail.
Expression of Thanks: Thank the employer for the opportunity to work at the company, and acknowledge the experience and skills gained, regardless of the length of employment.
Offer to Assist: If viable, offer assistance in wrapping up your duties or helping with the transition. Proposals can include preparing handover notes or availing yourself of follow-up queries after departure.
Contact Information: Provide your personal contact details for any future correspondence, including your phone number and personal email address.
Closing and Signature: Close the letter with a professional sign-off, such as “Sincerely,” followed by your typed name and handwritten signature for a printed letter.
Drafting a no-notice resignation letter with these elements allows you to articulate your need to leave promptly while maintaining professionalism and respect toward your employer and colleagues. The objective is to facilitate the transition with as much grace and tact as the circumstances allow.
Sample Resignation Letters for Different Scenarios
Here are sample resignation letters for different scenarios that call for leaving without notice.
Due to Personal or Family Emergency:
Subject: Immediate Resignation – [Your Name]
Dear [Manager’s Name],
I am writing to inform you of my immediate resignation from my position as [Your Position] at [Company Name] due to an unforeseen personal/family emergency that requires my full attention. Please accept my regret that I cannot provide a traditional notice period, and I sincerely apologize for the abrupt timing.
I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunities and support provided to me during my time at [Company Name]. I have learned a great deal and have valued working alongside my colleagues.
Please now, I am available to assist in any way possible to ensure a smooth transition. Let me know if there are specific matters you would like me to address before my departure.
Thank you for your understanding during this difficult time.
It is with regret that I must submit my immediate resignation from my role as [Your Position] at [Company Name], effective [Today’s Date]. Unfortunately, due to recent and unexpected health issues that require urgent and extensive attention, I am unable to continue my duties and provide adequate notice.
I have genuinely enjoyed working at [Company Name], and I am very grateful for the supportive work environment and the professional development I have received.
I will do everything within my ability to assist in the handover process. Please inform me of any priorities that need to be addressed.
Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to remain in touch in the future.
Please accept this letter as formal notification of my resignation from [Company Name] as a [Your Position], effective immediately.
I have recently received a job offer that presents a substantial career opportunity for me and requires an immediate start. After careful consideration, I have decided to accept this offer. I understand that my sudden resignation may cause inconvenience, and for that, I deeply apologize.
I am grateful for the valuable experience and the professional growth provided to me at [Company Name]. It has been an honor to work with such a talented team and contribute to the company’s goals.
To assist in the transition, I am prepared to provide concise documentation and notes on current projects. Please inform me if you require any additional help.
Thank you for your understanding. I wish [Company Name] and my colleagues continued success.
These templates should be adapted to fit your particular situation and to reflect the tone and professional relationship you have with your employer.
Is it OK to resign effective immediately?
Resigning with immediate effect is generally not the preferred protocol and can be a challenging decision to make due to its potential impact on your employer, your team, and your professional reputation.
The common practice is to give your employer two weeks’ notice.
However, it is acceptable under certain circumstances, especially when continuing to work is not possible due to pressing personal reasons, safety concerns, health issues, or other severe conditions.
In the end, while resigning with immediate effect can be OK, it should be regarded as a last resort, utilized when circumstances are such that other options are not feasible.
Now, make sure you have other ways to make money to pay your bills.
If not, check out this list of low stress jobs that pay well!
Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!
Did the post resonate with you?
More importantly, did I answer the questions you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments if I can help in some other way!
Your comments are not just welcomed; they’re an integral part of our community. Let’s continue the conversation and explore how these ideas align with your journey towards Money Bliss.
Looking for the best fun jobs that pay well? Many people dream of having a job they love that also pays well. I completely get it – you don’t want to hate working a job that you’ll be at 40 hours a week! I’m very grateful to have a job that I love. I don’t…
Looking for the best fun jobs that pay well?
Many people dream of having a job they love that also pays well. I completely get it – you don’t want to hate working a job that you’ll be at 40 hours a week!
I’m very grateful to have a job that I love. I don’t dread any day of the week, and I genuinely love what I do. Due to that, I hope everyone gets to feel the same about their job as well.
Thankfully, it’s easy to find a job that lets you do what you enjoy and still pays you a good paycheck. Whether you love working online or driving fast cars, there are many job options that let you have fun while also making good money.
Whether you want to make extra income or find a full-time job, there are many fun jobs that pay well that may interest you.
Fun Jobs That Pay Well
When you’re looking for a job, it’s great to find one that you find fun and that also pays well. Here are some top choices to start with:
Bloggers work from anywhere and write about topics such as family, recipes, personal finance, travel, and more. This is what I do, and I think it’s a ton of fun. Plus, it pays very well!
Art therapists use creativity to help others. They draw or paint as a way to support people’s emotional health. This job requires a master’s degree, but it combines art with helping people, which can be very rewarding.
A Ferrari driving instructor teaches others how to drive a luxury sports car. It’s not just exciting; it can also pay between $90,000 and $120,000 a year.
If you like spotting mistakes in content, then finding a proofreading job may be perfect for you. Proofreaders act like an extra set of eyes to read articles, papers, books, ads, and other written content.
Below are over 40 other fun jobs that pay well that I recommend learning more about.
1. Blogger
If you want to find a fun job that pays well, my favorite way is to start a blog. That’s exactly what I do for a living!
A blog is content written on a website. It usually includes articles like what you’re reading here.
You can blog about something you’re passionate about or something you know a lot about. Or even a topic you want to learn more about (people love following others’ firsthand journeys!).
I began Making Sense of Cents in 2011, and since then, my blog has earned me over $5,000,000 over the years.
I started my blog on a whim to share my own money journey. At first, I didn’t even know people could earn money from blogs or how to make a successful one. And now, it’s my full-time job!
There are many ways to make money blogging such as:
Advertising revenue (banner ads that you see in blog posts)
Sponsored blog posts (when a blogger partners with a company to promote a specific item or company)
Affiliate marketing (when a blogger receives income for referring readers to a product)
Selling digital products or services (such as courses, clothing, books, and more)
You can learn how to start a blog with my free How To Start a Blog Course (sign up by clicking here).
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Want to see how I built a $5,000,000 blog?
In this free course, I show you how to create a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers.
2. Printables designer
Making and selling printables can be a fun way to earn money. When you create printables on Etsy, you only need to make one digital file for each product. After that, you can sell it many times to make more money.
Printables are things you can find online and print at home.
These can be things like a planner, coloring pages, wall art prints, greeting cards, gift tags, and so much more.
I buy printables frequently, and so do others all the time. Recently, I bought a printable for my daughter and it was a useful tool to help teach her the alphabet. I love that I can easily search what I’m looking for and get exactly what I want – plus I can print it right at home quickly!
Recommended reading: How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy
Do you want to make money selling printables online? This free training will give you great ideas on what you can sell, how to get started, the costs, and how to make sales.
3. Voice actor
A voice-over actor is someone you hear but don’t usually see in things like videos on YouTube, documentaries, radio ads, TV ads, corporate talks, online courses, audiobooks, video games, movies, and cartoons.
Voice actors don’t necessarily need experience for this job (although it can be helpful later on). What’s important is having a voice that matches what the company is searching for.
Recommended reading: How To Become A Voice Over Actor
4. Photographer
As a photographer, you get a special chance to capture moments and tell stories with your camera. Photography has many different areas where you can focus, and they can be both satisfying and financially rewarding.
Here are some examples:
Photojournalist – You document events for media outlets, such as National Geographic.
Wedding Photographer – Your role would be capturing wedding moments in couples’ lives.
Stock photo photographer – Photographers can sell their pictures on stock image sites, which are really popular. These sites let customers purchase pictures for things like websites, TV shows, books, and social media.
Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures
5. Buy and sell flipper
Being a buy-and-sell flipper means you’re into flipping items for profit.
This includes getting undervalued things from flea markets, garage sales, or online places and then selling them for more money.
This could be things like clothing, electronics, furniture, cars, and so much more. Basically, anything and everything!
Your success depends on how good you are at finding good deals, knowing the values in the market, and selling things again for a profit.
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This free workshop will teach you how to get into the flipping business. It will teach you how to resell furniture, electronics, appliances, and anything else you can find.
6. Proofreader
As a proofreader, your careful attention to detail can become a rewarding career. Proofreading means going through texts to fix grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes before they get published. This job is important to make sure written content is clear and doesn’t have errors.
Many people, like authors, website owners, and students often hire proofreaders to make their work better. There’s a big need for proofreaders, and you can find jobs on various platforms.
Even the best writers can make mistakes in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. That’s why getting a proofreader can be really helpful for almost everyone.
In fact, although I have written over 2,000 articles, I have a proofreader who will have proofread this very blog post.
Recommended reading: 20 Best Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners (Earn $40,000+ A Year)
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This free 76-minute workshop answers all of the most common questions about how to become a proofreader, and even talks about the 5 signs that proofreading could be a perfect fit for you.
7. Freelance writer
Freelance writers create content for clients, like blog posts and advertising. Freelance writing usually involves working independently. Clients give you a topic, you write about it, and then you might receive feedback, like suggestions to improve or add paragraphs.
You can write about any topic that you want to – such as travel, money, home, and so on.
How much you make as a freelance writer depends on your experience and the topics you write about. When you start, you might earn around $50 to $75 for a 500-word article. As you get better, you can charge more. For a 1,000-word article, you could make between $100 and $150. If you do well over time, you can ask for even higher rates.
I was a freelance writer for many years before transitioning to full-time writing here on Making Sense of Cents. It’s a great career where you can mostly work from home on your own.
Recommended reading: 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs
8. Graphic designer
A graphic designer is someone who makes designs for people and businesses. As a digital designer, you might create images, social media graphics, printables, T-shirt designs, business cards, stickers, logos, and more.
As a graphic designer, your main job is to communicate through visuals. You use a mix of typography, images, color, and layout to convey messages and brand identities. This field gives you the freedom to express your creativity in different ways, whether it’s through digital designs or print materials.
Recommended reading: How To Make Money As A Digital Designer
9. Social media manager
Being a social media manager is an exciting career choice and your main job is to take care of how a company or person appears online on different platforms. Your tasks include interacting with followers, selecting content, and planning social media posts.
Here are the key areas you typically need to focus on:
Content creation – Create fresh, original posts tailored to each platform.
Engagement – Interact with the audience by responding to comments and direct messages.
Strategy planning – Use data analytics to drive social media strategies, aiming for increased engagement and reach.
The salary can vary, and you can choose to do this job either part-time or full-time.
10. Social media influencer
Related to the above, you can make money with your own social media accounts as well.
Have you ever followed someone on Instagram or TikTok and thought to yourself that it would be fun if you could do something similar?
Social media influencers use different online platforms to create, share, and connect with content that their audience likes. Your success depends on growing a big group of followers and establishing yourself as a trusted voice in your specific area.
As an influencer, you’ll create your brand by sharing your interests, pictures, and opinions on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and others.
You can earn money through sponsored posts (when brands pay you to promote their products or services in your Instagram posts), affiliate marketing (earning commissions from sales through your referral links), and by creating digital products like ebooks or online courses.
I’ve been a social media influencer for years, monetizing my Instagram and Facebook accounts. It’s a great experience as I get to collaborate with companies I love and promote products I already use.
11. Veterinarian
If you have a passion for animals, then becoming a veterinarian may be a great fit for you.
Veterinarians have a skilled and fulfilling role dedicated to animal health and welfare. The main responsibility is to provide medical care to animals, diagnose health problems, and perform surgeries.
Vets work in private clinics, animal hospitals, research facilities, zoos, and more.
The veterinarian career path is rewarding as it lets you blend a love for animals with the chance to make a positive impact on their lives.
To become a veterinarian, you must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program and obtain a state license to practice. This usually involves:
A bachelor’s degree
A four-year veterinary program
The national average salary for veterinarians is around $100,000 per year.
12. Marine biologist
One job that I dreamed of as a kid was to become a marine biologist. It always sounded like so much fun to work with water and sea animals.
Marine biologists study marine organisms and how they behave and interact with the environment. Your work might take you from coastal wetlands to the deepest parts of the ocean.
Here are some of the things they do:
Conduct research on marine wildlife and ecosystems
Monitor the health of marine habitats
Develop conservation plans
Educate the public and policymakers
Marine biologists are important for understanding marine life and contributing to ocean conservation efforts.
13. Mystery shopper
Retailers, restaurants, and financial institutions need mystery shoppers for detailed feedback to improve their customer service and products.
This might not be a full-time job, but it can provide you with some extra money each month.
I remember when I first learned about mystery shoppers. I was working at a clothing store, and we would have mystery shoppers come in to see how we were doing. We never knew who the mystery shopper was, but we would get to read their report afterward and see what they thought of us.
After learning about mystery shopping, I found a website where I could become one as well. It sounded like fun to get paid to shop.
I would make about $150 to $200 per month through mystery shopping, and I also got free items and services, like $100 to spend at restaurants (where I had to provide feedback while I was there), makeup, and more.
Recommended reading: How To Become A Mystery Shopper
14. Architect
Architects have a special mix of creativity and technical skills, allowing them to design buildings that are not just attractive but also functional and safe.
Their role includes making detailed plans, and considering factors like sustainability, budget, and client needs.
To become an architect, you typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in architecture and you’ll need state licensure, which is obtained by passing the Architect Registration Examination (ARE).
15. Stunt person
A stunt person is a cool job where you use your physical skills to create exciting action scenes for movies, TV, and live shows. It’s a big part of making the action look real and thrilling.
To do this job, you might need lots of training in things like martial arts, gymnastics, or extreme sports. You also have to be good at handling pressure and follow safety rules closely.
16. Professional video gamer
Yes, if you like video games, you may actually be able to make money as a professional video gamer.
While the amount of money you can make will definitely vary, top gamers have the potential to earn from tournament prizes, sponsorships, and streaming content for fans:
Tournaments: Prize pools can be large, reaching into the millions for top-ranking competitions.
Streaming: Platforms like Twitch and YouTube pay through ads, subscriptions, and donations.
Sponsorships: Companies may endorse you and pay you with sponsorships or free items.
You could maybe even find a job working for a video game designer, testing out video games so that companies can improve their video game design.
Recommended reading: How Much Do Twitch Streamers Make?
17. Chocolatier
Many people at some point in their lives want to become the person who makes chocolate and candy – sounds amazing after all, right?
A chocolatier is someone who uses cooking and art skills to make chocolates. It’s a job that needs creativity, precision, and a good sense of taste.
You might work for yourself, making chocolates, or you may even work for a large chocolate company. I know people who do both!
18. Personal trainer
If you want to find a job that you’ll love, becoming a personal trainer may be it.
Personal trainers play an active role by combining fitness with motivational skills to help people reach their health and fitness goals. This job includes:
Assessing clients’ fitness levels and health conditions
Developing personalized workout and nutrition plans
Demonstrating exercises and routines to clients
Tracking clients’ progress and adjusting plans as needed
How much you earn as a personal trainer can change a lot based on where you work, your qualifications, and the clients you get. Personal trainers usually make an average of $40,000 to $70,000 per year.
19. Supercar driving instructor
Supercar driving instructors have an exciting job where they help people learn how to drive fast cars on racetracks.
The role includes teaching safety and giving an exciting experience as well as explaining how to handle the vehicles, follow track rules, and use advanced driving techniques.
You can usually earn a high income doing this, plus you get to drive some of the world’s most exotic supercars.
20. Toy designer
Being a toy designer is probably most children’s dream career. After all, who hasn’t loved toys at one point in their life?
The toy industry is always looking for creative designers to make new toys that will grab kids’ attention and imagination.
Toy designers have a cool job where they mix creativity with making things work well. The main aim is to create toys that are fun and help kids learn and grow. This special job combines artistic skills with knowing about how children think and learn.
21. Restaurant critic
Restaurant critics evaluate dining establishments and share their experiences through written reviews. Their main responsibility is to provide an unbiased review of the food quality, service, ambiance, and overall dining experience.
To gain experience and get started, begin by developing your taste buds and learning about different cuisines. This can involve:
Going to cooking workshops
Exploring different food places when you travel
Creating your own blog or starting an Instagram dedicated to food
22. Brewmaster
If you love craft beers and enjoy understanding how fermentation works, becoming a brewmaster could be a fun and rewarding career.
Brewmasters manage the brewing process, such as creating recipes, choosing ingredients, and making sure the quality is top-notch during production.
To start, you might need formal education, such as a degree in brewing science or a related field. However, some brewmasters climb the ladder from roles like brewing assistants, gaining experience through on-the-job learning.
23. Fashion designer
Fashion designers make clothing, accessories, and shoes, and they draw designs, pick fabrics and patterns, and guide how the products designed should be made.
Fashion designing can be a fulfilling career if you love fashion and enjoy creating. It gives you a chance to express yourself personally and can even lead to getting noticed in the industry.
24. Food stylist
Food stylists combine culinary art with aesthetics, making sure that dishes not only taste good but also look delicious and perfect for photographs.
Their duties include choosing ingredients thoughtfully, preparing the food, and presenting it in a way that’s visually attractive. This is important for different media like advertising, packaging, cookbooks, and film.
25. Event planner
Event planners organize events, from big corporate conferences to small weddings. Their main job is to make sure every part of the event matches the client’s vision, fits the budget, and meets the goals.
According to Glassdoor, the average pay for an event planner is around $50,000 per year. Your salary can change based on things like your experience, where you work, and the size and type of events you handle.
26. Animator
If you’re looking for fun jobs that pay well, then becoming an animator may be it!
Animators make visual creations, and their main focus is on designing characters, environments, and entire worlds in 2D or 3D formats.
Here’s what you may work on:
Character design: Create and develop characters for various media.
Story development: Collaborate on storyboards to plan out visual narratives.
Animation: Work with digital tools to animate drawings and models.
The animation industry values creativity and technical skills and also pays competitive salaries with the opportunity to contribute to exciting storytelling processes. Whether you’re involved in creating animated TV shows, movies, or video games, being an animator can be both enjoyable and financially rewarding.
27. Real estate agent
Real estate agents are professionals who help people buy and sell properties, such as houses and commercial buildings.
I know a few real estate agents, and they all seem to love their jobs. They get to see beautiful new homes and properties and help their clients find their dream property.
Plus, they usually set their own schedule, which can help you create a better work-life balance.
28. Private investigator
Private investigators conduct investigations on various matters, including legal, financial, and personal issues.
This may include doing things like surveilling someone to get information, interviewing people to get details, researching public and legal documents, as well as gathering evidence for cases.
Here are some steps to becoming a private investigator:
Have a high school diploma or equivalent. Perhaps even get a degree or certification in criminal justice or a related field.
Gain experience in a related field such as law enforcement or the military.
Acquire a private investigator license, as required by your state.
29. Romance novelist
Starting a career as a romance novelist can bring both fulfillment and income. If you love storytelling and especially romance, this can be a fun one to think about.
Recommended reading: How to Make Money Self-Publishing Short Romance Novels
30. Interior designer
Interior designers mix creativity with practicality to decorate the insides of properties. Their job is to design and put in place the aesthetic and functional aspects of residential or commercial spaces.
Your job would be to create an environment that looks good and is comfortable for your clients.
31. Airline pilot
Airline pilots have a career that is both exciting and has the potential to make a lot of money. Their main job is to pilot commercial aircraft, flying from one place to another, and making sure everyone on board, including passengers and crew, stays safe.
Some of their daily duties include:
Conduct pre-flight inspections
Navigate the aircraft
Communicate with air traffic control
Monitor weather conditions and aircraft systems
Lead the crew and manage any in-flight issues
32. Drone pilot
Drones have gained popularity lately, not just for recreational use but also for jobs requiring aerial photos and videos. This creates a growing opportunity for individuals to start small businesses and make money with their drones.
Your job as a drone pilot may be to:
Take high-quality images and videos from unique perspectives, such as for real estate, construction, or events.
Perform inspections, surveys, and mapping for various industries like mining or agriculture.
Analyze data and images to give insights to clients.
Recommended reading: How To Make Money With A Drone
33. Sommelier
Sommeliers have a lot of knowledge of wine and can share it in a fun way.
This job is usually found in upscale restaurants, and this role involves suggesting wines that go well with customers’ meals, conducting wine tastings, managing wine service, and taking care of the wine cellar.
34. Chef
Chefs, of course, play an extremely important role in a restaurant kitchen, crafting menus and overlooking meal execution. Their primary responsibilities include tasks like:
Menu Design: They create food menus for a restaurant.
Food Preparation: They oversee and sometimes partake in the detailed preparation of ingredients.
Cooking: They cook the restaurant meals and oversee other cooks in the kitchen.
35. Cruise director
Cruise directors make sure passengers have an unforgettable experience aboard a cruise ship. This job requires a fun personality and excellent skills in managing both entertainment programs and a team of staff members.
Their responsibilities include planning and supervising all onboard entertainment, such as shows, events, and activities.
We went on an around the world cruise recently and had an amazing cruise director. It looked like such a fun job, and they got to travel everywhere that we did (of course!).
Recommended reading: How To Get Paid To Travel The World (18 Realistic Ideas!)
36. Astronomer
Astronomy is a field that combines the excitement of exploring the cosmos with the satisfaction of solving complex problems. As an astronomer, you enter a world dedicated to understanding celestial phenomena and the principles of the universe.
Usually, a Ph.D. in astronomy or a closely related field is needed to conduct independent research or work at a university. However, with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you might find opportunities at planetariums, observatories, or assisting with research.
37. Netflix tagger
If you’re seeking a fun yet rewarding job, becoming a Netflix tagger could be an interesting option. In this job, you watch Netflix content and assign specific labels to shows and movies, influencing the platform’s recommendation algorithm.
To get started, you will need to apply through the Netflix jobs portal, where available positions are listed. Experience in film and media studies, while not mandatory, can give you an advantage.
Recommended reading: 7 Best Ways To Get Paid To Watch Netflix
37. Geologist
Geologists explore and study the earth’s composition, processes, and history.
Their job can lead to finding valuable resources like minerals, oil, and gas, and they also have an important part in environmental conservation and predicting natural disasters.
38. Dog walker
If you love pets, then this is the fun paying job for you!
Dog walkers do exactly that – walk dogs while their owners are busy, such as at work or on vacation. If you like dogs, then this can be a fun way to spend time with animals and get paid for it.
To become a sought-after dog walker, you should be reliable, good with animals, and you should have excellent customer service skills to build connections with clients. Dog walking allows you to enjoy the fresh air, bond with different dogs, and make money doing something you love.
Recommended reading: 7 Best Dog Walking Apps To Make Extra Money
39. Ethical hacker
Ethical hackers think and operate like malicious hackers but with a specific goal: identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
They act as safeguards, testing and securing systems to prevent potential breaches for companies.
This job involves a lot of problem-solving skills, as you are looking for possible security problems.
40. Travel agent
If you like planning trips, then becoming a travel agent may be a great way to have a fun high-paying job.
Travel agents craft and sell travel experiences. They help advise clients on different travel destinations and arrange transportation, hotels, tours, and more. It’s a job that not only pays well but allows you to help others travel.
You may help people plan their honeymoon, a trip to Disney World, an around-the-world cruise, and so much more. There are travel planners for every kind of trip that you can think of.
Your knowledge and skill in handling the challenges of travel planning make you a very important help to travelers who want their experiences to be stress free.
The average annual salary can vary by a lot, and this can be either a part-time or full-time job. There is a lot of job growth too, as more and more people are going on vacations!
41. Personal shopper
Personal shoppers give a shopping service for clients who either lack the time or the style to select their own stuff. As a personal shopper, your job may range from picking clothing to finding the perfect gift.
You may work at a high-end retail store, or you may be a freelance personal shopper – there are many jobs in this field!
42. Park ranger
Have you ever been to a beautiful place like Yosemite National Park and wondered what it would be like to work there?
Park rangers work in places like beautiful national parks and get to enjoy the scenery every single day. Their responsibilities include protecting and managing parks, wildlife, and historical sites and making sure that both the natural resources and the visitors exploring them are safe.
To become a park ranger, you usually need a combination of education in fields related to conservation, environmental science, or wildlife management, and relevant work experience.
Recommended reading: 15 Outdoor Jobs For People Who Love Being Outside
43. Tour guide
Being a tour guide gives you a chance to share your love for travel or history with others, all while making a living. You’ll get to be in different places like historical sites, museums, or outdoor adventures.
This can be a low-stress job with a big fun factor – as you get to explore places that you probably already love and are an expert at.
Recommended reading: How to Make Money as an Airbnb Experience Host
44. Yacht crew
Working on a yacht can be a thrilling job that mixes travel, adventure, and the chance to meet new people, along with the possibility of earning good money.
If you work on a yacht, your job could be as a captain, mechanic, server, cleaner, chef, and more. If you’re on a smaller boat, you might even handle all these tasks.
Jobs on a yacht or big sailing boat are usually hard work, but the perk is that you get to travel with most expenses covered, while also earning a high income.
45. Flight attendant
Being a flight attendant is important for making sure passengers are comfortable and safe. You’re like the friendly face of the airline during flights, taking care of different needs and keeping service standards high.
Plus, you get to enjoy the unique perk of discounted or free travel, which is a big perk of becoming a flight attendant.
Flight attendants can earn a good income, and the benefits are excellent. They usually make between $50,000 to over $100,000 a year. The training to become a flight attendant usually takes around 1 to 2 months.
Recommended reading: How To Become A Flight Attendant And Make $61,640 Each Year
46. Art therapist
Art therapists combine the creative process with psychological healing to provide a unique kind of mental health therapy. They conduct one-on-one or group therapy sessions, and being an art therapist can be very fulfilling as you help people discover their voice and heal through art.
Art therapists work at schools, psychiatric hospitals, veterans associations, and more. Usually, you need a master’s degree to enter this field.
They use art therapy to assist people in expressing their emotions, dealing with complex feelings, and enhancing self-awareness. Their job isn’t just about being artistic; it’s deeply connected to therapeutic practices that help a variety of clients.
Another job similar to this is becoming a music therapist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to common questions about how to find fun jobs that pay well.
What is the most high-paying fun job?
The most high-paying fun job can vary based on your skills and interests. Some high-paying fun jobs include being a blogger, pilot, stunt person, and romance book author.
What are random jobs that pay well?
There are many unique jobs, such as a private island caretaker, yacht captain, or a voice-over artist.
Which is the most exciting and highest paying job in this world?
This will depend on who you ask! Maybe it’s being a pilot, a stunt person, an actor, or something else.
What are some fun jobs that pay six figures?
Some fun jobs that pay over $100,000 may include becoming a blogger, selling printables, photographer, architect, and more.
What are some low-stress fun jobs that pay well?
Jobs like a yoga instructor or a massage therapist can be low stress and fun, and they provide a good income, especially when experienced or working in more affluent areas.
What are some fun jobs that pay well without a degree?
You can pursue jobs such as a social media influencer, a real estate agent, or a personal trainer, which can pay well and be rewarding without requiring a traditional four-year degree.
Best Fun Jobs That Pay Well – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on the best fun jobs that pay well.
There are many fun careers that pay a part-time or full-time income.
Careers like voice acting, managing social media, and ethical hacking not only pay well but also let you have a good balance between work and life. The key is to know your talents and find the right fit in these exciting jobs.
I have been working a fun job for many years now, and I really really love it. It makes each day enjoyable and I actually look forward to work. I hope that you get to one day say the same as well.
What do you think are the best fun jobs that pay well?
Looking for the best jobs for single moms? Being a single mom can be hard because you have to manage both your job and taking care of your kids. There are not many hours in a day, so it’s probably important to you to find a job that pays you a good income and lets…
Looking for the best jobs for single moms?
Being a single mom can be hard because you have to manage both your job and taking care of your kids. There are not many hours in a day, so it’s probably important to you to find a job that pays you a good income and lets you take care of your children.
The good news is that nowadays, there are many stay at home jobs for moms. This means you don’t have to follow a strict 9-to-5 schedule, making it easier to balance work and family. There are also many in-person jobs that allow you to have a better schedule to match your children’s schedule (such as when they are in school!).
Whatever you may be looking for, there are many flexible jobs for single moms. Continue reading below to learn more!
Best Jobs for Single Moms
Below is a quick summary of some of the best jobs for single moms.
Bookkeeper – You can organize the finances for businesses and have flexible working hours. With quick training, entry-level bookkeeping jobs might start at around $20 per hour, but with experience, you could earn a lot more.
Blogger – Bloggers get to work from home and make their own schedule, which is great for anyone, including single moms.
Teacher – Teaching probably aligns well with your child’s school schedule. Whether full-time, substitute, or part-time, teaching can be a good choice.
Virtual Assistant – This job involves helping businesses with tasks online, and you can typically make your own schedule.
Childcare provider – If you enjoy taking care of children, providing childcare for others while watching your own can, at the same time, be a way to earn money.
Below, you can learn about each of these, as well as many more of the best jobs for single moms.
1. Blogger
Blogging is one of the best jobs for single moms, and this is because you can work from home, make your own flexible schedule, and be your own boss; these are all reasons why I think it’s one of the best jobs for single moms who stay at home.
Plus, to start, you don’t need a lot of stuff – just a computer and internet.
I do this myself while taking care of my daughter, Marlowe. Blogging lets me travel whenever I want, make my own work schedule, earn good money, write about topics I like, and I really enjoy having a blogging business.
I started Making Sense of Cents in 2011, and since then, I’ve earned over $5,000,000 with my blog. When I began, I didn’t know it would become one of the best jobs for stay-at-home moms. Now, blogging lets me have a flexible schedule and spend lots of time with my daughter. It’s been a great way to balance work and family for me.
You can learn how to start a blog with my free How To Start a Blog Course (sign up by clicking here).
In this free course, you will learn:
Why you should start a blog today
How to decide what you should write about
How to create a blog (this will go over the actual step-by-step process)
How to make income from your blog
How to get people to read your blog
And more!
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Want to see how I built a $5,000,000 blog?
In this free course, I show you how to create a blog, from the technical side to earning your first income and attracting readers.
2. Day care (and bring your kid)
Finding a job that lets you bring your child along can save you childcare costs and watching other people’s kids is one way to do it.
You could start your own day care or find a job at a day care.
If you want to start a home day care, then you will want to check your state’s rules for home day cares, such as if you need a license. You’ll also need a safe space for children, as well as toys and games.
You could also try to find a job at a day care in your local area. Many day care centers allow you to bring your child, or they will give you a discounted rate to have your child attend the day care as well while you work.
Another option is to become a nanny or babysitter for a family that allows you to have your child there as well.
Starting a day care, working in one, or becoming a nanny/babysitter can be a win-win. You earn money and don’t worry about finding someone to watch your kid. Plus, your child gets to play and learn with other children.
Recommended reading: How to Make Money on Maternity Leave: 27 Real Ways
3. Sell printables
Selling printables is a great work-from-home business idea for single moms. This is because you can do this while your kids are sleeping or at school and earn passive income too!
Printables are digital files that people buy, download, and print themselves. These can include planners, calendars, wall art, grocery shopping checklists, weekly meal plans that someone puts on their fridge, and educational worksheets for kids.
You can sell your printables on websites like Etsy. This is a way to make money from home because you only need to make one digital file for each product, and you can sell it many times. You don’t have to print or send anything to your customers. You make the digital file; your customer buys it, downloads it, and takes care of the rest.
I recommend reading about this further at How I Make Money Selling Printables On Etsy to learn more about one of the best jobs for stay-at-home moms.
Do you want to make money selling printables online? This free training will give you great ideas on what you can sell, how to get started, the costs, and how to make sales.
4. Virtual assistant
As a single mom, you may be looking for a job that fits into your schedule. Working as a virtual assistant (VA) could be your answer, as you get to work from home and choose hours that work for you.
I’ve worked as a virtual assistant before, and I also have virtual assistants who help me with my business. Many parents have told me that a virtual assistant job is one of the best jobs for stay-at-home moms because it’s very flexible, and I agree!
A VA is someone who works from home as an assistant for someone else. Nowadays, many businesses can be operated from home, so it makes sense that an assistant can also work from home.
A virtual assistant can do tasks like managing social media accounts, formatting and editing content, scheduling appointments, handling travel plans, managing emails, and overseeing Facebook groups, among other things.
You can learn more at How Kayla Earns $10,000 Each Month From Home as a Virtual Assistant.
5. Freelance writer
If you’re a single mom looking for a job you can do from home, freelance writing might be a good fit for you. It’s a job where you write articles, blog posts, and sometimes even books for money. You don’t have to work in an office; you can write from anywhere, even your own kitchen table.
I have been a freelance writer for years, and it can be a great career choice for someone who wants to work from home.
When you’re just starting as a freelance writer, you might begin by writing articles that pay around $50 each or even more. However, the amount of money you can earn can vary a lot. You may be able to earn around $50,000 a year, and I know several freelance writers who are moms who make over $200,000 per year.
Many people are searching for freelance writers, and this job has a lot of opportunities for growth. It could be a great career to begin with.
Learn more at 14 Places To Find Freelance Writing Jobs – (Start With No Experience!).
6. Book author
If you love telling stories or sharing your knowledge, writing books could be an ideal job for you as a single mom. You get to create your own schedule and work from anywhere, even your home. Writing can be done at times that fit your schedule best, such as when your kids are at school or asleep.
For publishing your book, there are two options:
Traditional Publishing – You submit your manuscript to publishers. If a publisher likes your work, they will print, distribute, and market your book for you. In return, you’ll earn royalties from sales.
Self-Publishing – Platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing allow you to publish your book yourself. You control every aspect and get a higher percentage of the sales, but you also handle marketing and distribution.
The amount of money that you can make as a book author can vary by a lot. As a first-time author, getting published can be challenging, and earning substantial income takes time. If you self-publish and your book becomes popular, you could make a significant amount. But, this isn’t guaranteed.
Recommended reading: How Alyssa is making $200 a DAY in book sales passively
7. Graphic designer
Graphic design is a creative job that involves making artwork and visual designs. You might create designs for websites (like logos), advertisements, or printed materials like brochures and magazines.
Your work helps companies communicate with their customers through eye-catching and effective visuals.
This can be a great job for single mothers, as you may be able to find a work-from-home job as a graphic designer, or even start your own business where you can make your own flexible schedule.
Recommended reading: How To Make Money As A Digital Designer
8. Social media manager
Becoming a social media manager can be a great fit for single moms looking for remote work jobs.
Social media managers are in charge of social media accounts for businesses or people. Their job is to post on social media, reply to comments, and keep everyone interested.
This can include TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, X (formally known as Twitter), and more.
I have been a social media manager for companies, and it’s a great job that allows you to have a flexible schedule. That means you can work when it suits you – such as when the kids are at school or asleep.
9. Real estate agent
If you’re a single mom looking to balance work and family, becoming a real estate agent might be a great fit. As a real estate agent, you help people buy and sell homes.
To be a real estate agent, you just need a high school diploma and a license.
In 2021, the average pay for this job was $23.45 per hour, which is about $48,770 per year. But, there are many real estate agents who earn much more than this.
10. Proofreader
Proofreaders read documents and check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, and they make sure everything is perfect before it gets printed or published online. They review books, articles, blog posts, social media content, newsletters, advertisements, and more.
If you want flexible work hours, proofreading is a good choice. Depending on your experience and the job’s complexity, you can earn between $20 and $50 per hour and more.
As a single mom, this job lets you balance work with looking after your kids. You can usually set your own schedule and work from home, which can make life a little easier.
You can read more at How To Become A Proofreader And Work From Anywhere.
There is also a FREE 76-minute workshop where you will learn more about how to become a proofreader with Proofread Anywhere. You can sign up for free here.
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This free 76-minute workshop answers all of the most common questions about how to become a proofreader, and even talks about the 5 signs that proofreading could be a perfect fit for you.
11. Bookkeeper
If you’re a single mom, becoming a bookkeeper might be a good option for you. Bookkeepers manage money records for businesses by keeping track of all the money that comes in and goes out.
If you work as an online bookkeeper, you could make about $40,000 or more per year. Typically, this involves managing finances for around 12 to 16 clients.
Being an online bookkeeper is great because you don’t need to be an accountant or have any prior experience. Also, virtual bookkeeping is a service that many people are looking for, so there’s a demand for it.
Recommended reading: Online Bookkeeping Jobs: Learn How To Get Started Today
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This free training will teach you what you need to know to become a virtual bookkeeper and make money from home.
12. Transcriptionist
As a transcriptionist, your job is to listen to audio or video files and type out what you hear into text. This is a task that you can do from home, making it a good option if you’re a single mom looking for flexible work.
One of the biggest benefits of this job is flexibility. You can usually choose when and how much you want to work (such as when your kids are sleeping or when they are at school). This can make balancing work and family much easier.
You need to be able to type quickly and accurately and attention to detail is important because you need to catch every single word.
Recommended reading: 18 Best Online Transcription Jobs For Beginners To Make $2,000 Monthly
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In this free training, you will learn what transcription is, why it’s a highly in-demand skill, who hires transcriptionists, how to become a transcriptionist, and more.
13. Customer service representative
Customer service representatives help people by answering questions and solving problems on the phone or online, which means they can sometimes work from home.
On average, customer service representatives earn around $35,868 a year as an average salary. This will change depending on where you work and how much experience you have.
Some large companies like Apple, Progressive, U.S. Bank, American Express, and U-Haul hire customer service representatives who can work from home. This means you can do the job from the comfort of your own house.
14. Data entry clerk
Data entry clerks enter information into databases or spreadsheets. They type things like numbers and names into computers to keep everything organized and make sure records are correct.
Jobs in data entry usually pay about $15 to $20 per hour.
Recommended reading: 15 Places To Find Data Entry Jobs From Home
15. Dog walker or pet sitter
If you’re a single mom looking for a job that fits around your schedule, you may want to look into becoming a dog walker or pet sitter. This type of job lets you choose when you work, which is great for making sure you have time for your kids.
As a dog walker, you walk dogs for people who are busy or away from home. You might take them around the neighborhood or to a park. If you’re a pet sitter, you take care of pets while their owners are out of town or at work.
The money you make can vary. Some jobs might pay you each day, like $15 to $25 an hour or a flat rate per day like $75. How much you make could depend on how many pets you care for and how long you spend with them.
Rover is a great company that you can sign up with in order to become a dog walker and pet sitter.
16. BabyQuip
If you’re a mom looking for a flexible side hustle, BabyQuip might be worth looking into. It’s a service where you can rent out baby gear like strollers and car seats to traveling parents – starting is simple: apply online, and BabyQuip will guide you through the process.
As a mom after all, you probably already have a lot of baby gear that you can rent out to make money with.
With BabyQuip, you make money by renting out items you already own or plan to invest in for rentals. Because parents travel, the demand for clean and safe baby gear is always there.
People using BabyQuip can make about $1,000 a month on average, and some even earn more than $10,000 each month.
On BabyQuip, you can rent items like cribs, strollers, car seats, high chairs, toys, bouncers, books, hiking packs, and many other things.
17. Teacher
As a single mom, teaching can be a great career for you. As a teacher, you typically work while your children are in school as well, after all.
Most teaching jobs follow a traditional school year calendar. This means you usually have summers off, along with school holidays, which can help you spend time with your kids.
18. Doula
If you’re a single mom looking for a job, you may want to become a doula. A doula supports women during childbirth, but your work can also extend to helping moms after the baby is born.
They are there to give comfort, encouragement, and knowledge during the pregnancy journey, labor, and the postpartum period.
19. Tutor
If you’re looking for part-time jobs for single moms, then tutoring may be an option to look into.
If you’re a single mom who knows a lot about a specific subject like math, science, or a language, becoming an online tutor could be a smart choice. You can schedule sessions around your life and help students learn. You pick when you work, which is perfect when you have kids at home. You might teach early mornings, afternoons, or even nights.
You will need a quiet place to work, a computer, and a good internet connection.
Income as a tutor ranges, and you may be able to earn $20+ an hour. And, if you specialize in something more advanced, like SAT prep or college courses, you could make more, even up to $50 per hour or more.
20. Photographer
As a single mom, becoming a photographer can be a rewarding job choice for you. With a camera and some practice, you can start taking photos that people will enjoy.
To begin, you need a decent camera. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive one. You also need to learn about lighting and how to frame a good picture. There are lots of free tutorials online, such as on YouTube, if you want to learn more.
One of the best parts about photography is that you can make your own schedule. You decide when to book photo shoots, which can be great for balancing time with your kids. It’s possible to do photo shoots on weekends or during special events like weddings.
You can earn money by selling your photos online or by working with clients directly. Graduations, weddings, family portraits, and even pet photos can be great opportunities. Pricing varies depending on the job, but as you gain experience, you can charge more for your work.
As you grow, you can invest in better equipment and editing software to enhance the quality of your photos. This helps you stand out and can lead to more jobs and higher pay.
I know many moms who are successful photographers, and they love having a photography business.
Recommended reading: 18 Ways You Can Get Paid To Take Pictures
21. Instacart shopper
If you’re a single mom looking for a job that fits around your schedule, becoming an Instacart shopper might be a good choice. Instacart is a service that lets people order groceries online, and shoppers like you do the shopping and deliver the orders to their homes.
When you’re an Instacart shopper, you can set your own hours. This means you can work when it’s best for you, like when your kids are at school or sleeping. As a shopper, you get a payment card from Instacart to buy the groceries at the store.
Shoppers usually earn about $11 to $20 per hour. It’s important to remember that as an independent contractor, you will have extra costs like gas and vehicle maintenance that you need to think about when figuring out your earnings.
You can learn more at Instacart Shopper Review: How much do Instacart Shoppers earn?
22. Paralegal
As a single mom, you might find the role of a paralegal interesting. It’s a job where you work in a law firm or legal department, helping lawyers by preparing legal documents and doing research.
Your typical work hours are most likely Monday to Friday, fitting well with a school-week schedule.
Paralegals earn around $30,000 to $35,000 a year.
23. Dental assistant
As a single mom, if you’re looking for a job that lets you help people and have regular hours, you might like being a dental assistant. In this job, you work in a dentist’s office and help the dentist with patients.
Your tasks could include getting the tools ready, making sure patients are comfortable, and teaching them how to care for their teeth.
Your week would be busy, but you usually wouldn’t have to work nights or weekends. This is great because it matches up with your kids’ school schedule.
24. Travel agent
As a single mom, you may find that being a travel agent is a job that fits well with your life. It’s a job where you get to plan and book trips for others. You could work from home or an office.
Travel agents plan vacations, business trips, and getaways for clients and they find the best deals on flights, hotels, and fun activities.
The money you earn can vary because some agents get paid hourly and others get a commission, which is a part of the trip cost.
25. Nurse
As a single mom, you might worry about balancing work with taking care of your kids. As a nurse, there are jobs that can fit your life.
Some examples include:
School nurse – You can work the same hours your kids are in school. You’ll care for sick children, keep track of health records, and help with health checks.
Doctor’s office nurse – Working here can be less stressful. Usually, the hours are regular, Monday to Friday, so you can be home with your kids in the evenings and on weekends.
Home health care nurse – You’ll visit patients in their homes, which can give you a flexible schedule.
Public health clinics – These places look after the community’s health. Hours can be more regular, meaning you won’t have to do lots of night shifts.
Nurse educator – If you love teaching, this lets you work in a classroom instead of a hospital. You’ll have a steady schedule, perfect for family time.
26. Speech pathologist
A speech pathologist helps people with speech and language issues. You would work to improve their communication skills, which can be very rewarding.
You need a master’s degree in speech-language pathology and certifications vary by state.
Your work may take place in schools, hospitals, or private clinics. Some speech pathologists work from home providing virtual sessions.
27. Sleep consultant
Sleep is really important for the growth and well-being of babies, and it’s important for parents too. But sometimes, parents find it hard to make sure their child gets the sleep they need.
Pediatric sleep consultants are very helpful in solving children’s sleep problems, making it easier for families to have peaceful nights. If you really enjoy working with kids and want to make a positive difference in their lives, becoming a sleep coach could be a great career option.
I have personally learned from sleep consultants in the past, and I know many others who have hired a sleep consultant as well. These are typically moms who have firsthand experience with improving a baby’s sleep.
Learn more at How To Become A Sleep Consultant And Make $10,000 Each Month.
28. Run a dog treat bakery
If you enjoy cooking, starting a home bakery could be a way to make money from home. It allows you to use your cooking skills to create dog treats and earn some income.
You can make dog treats, cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and more.
Starting a dog treat bakery business could potentially help you earn an extra $500 to $1,000 a month or even more. It’s a niche small business idea that taps into the love people have for their pets.
I also recommend reading How I Earned Up to $4,000 Per Month Baking Dog Treats (With Zero Baking Experience!).
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to common questions about how to find jobs for single moms.
What should a single mom do to handle financial stress?
I get it – as a single mom, you may have a lot of financial stress. It is hard to be a single mom and manage everything all on your own after all. To manage financial stress, I recommend trying to find jobs that pay well but also have flexible hours or work hours that match up with your children’s school schedule. Jobs that allow you to work remotely can also help lower your childcare expenses as you can work from home.
How to work as a single mom without help or childcare?
If you don’t have help or childcare, then you may want to work during hours when your kids are at school or asleep. This may include looking for jobs or employers who understand your situation and have flexible schedules or the ability to work from home.
What are the best work from home jobs for single moms?
I think one of the best ways for a single mom to make money is to work from home. This is because you may be able to make your own schedule, and you may be able to find a job that allows you to take care of your kids at the same time.
The best work-from-home jobs include jobs like virtual assistants, freelance writers, and bloggers.
What are jobs for single moms without a degree?
Jobs for single moms without a degree include administrative support, customer service positions, and sales roles as these jobs usually give on-the-job training.
How can a single mom go back to college and what degrees are best?
You can go back to college by looking for online degree programs, or classes when your children are at school, that fit your schedule. Popular degrees that balance well with being a single mom could be in fields like education, business, or healthcare, which have the potential for career growth.
Best Jobs for Single Moms – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to find the best jobs for single moms.
Whether you are looking for full-time or part-time jobs for single moms, there are many options that may fit what you need.
As you probably noticed above, jobs for single moms vary and include different types of work. Some jobs are creative, like writing or graphic design, while others are more regular, such as customer service or bookkeeping.
If you enjoy telling stories and writing, you could be a blogger or a freelance writer. If you’re good with organizing and numbers, you might like being a virtual assistant or a bookkeeper.
If you prefer doing your own thing, you could start a home day care or sell printables online.
As you can see, this is a long list of the best jobs for single mothers! There are many different job ideas that you could try that have a good work-life balance.
What do you think are the best jobs for single parents?
When you apply for a new job, you know that you’ll need to submit a cover letter and resume. It’s the best way to show your past work experience and qualifications. But did you know that you can also create a renter resume and rental cover letter as you hunt for a new place to rent?
That’s right! A renter resume is a great way to highlight your past rental history, detail your income and occupation and help the landlord get to know you better. Renter resumes help you stand out from lots of applicants. They also show your future landlord just how serious you are about wanting to rent a home from them.
When you find yourself looking to rent a new home and you want to better your odds of securing that lease, check out this sample letter to rent a house and draft up your own renter resume.
When to create a renter resume
Once you’ve decided that it’s time to move and find a new place to live, you’ll start the house hunt to find some new locations to rent. When you go to rent a new place, you’ll have to fill out a rental application, which is standard practice.
While a renter resume isn’t required, it’s a nice added touch to help the landlord know you better. Here are a few scenarios when you should create a renter resume:
It’s a competitive market
Just like dream jobs, your dream apartment may go up on the market and quickly get snatched up. A renter resume is a great way to stand out from other potential tenants in a hot market.
Your rental or job history is spotty
Landlords look at your past job and rental history to predict what kind of tenant to expect. Property managers want to rent to people who have a consistent income, will pay the rent on time and will become a good edition to the neighborhood and other tenants.
If your history has gaps, a renter resume is a great way to explain the circumstances surrounding it. This is your chance to vouch for yourself, explain your history and convince the landlord that you’re a worthy candidate for the rental.
You don’t have a rental history yet
In some cases, people like students or newlyweds who have never rented before will lack rental history. In these situations, you won’t have a rental history to highlight and show that you would make an excellent tenant.
Use a renter resume to explain who you are and why you’d be a great tenant.
What to include in your renter resume
If you think a renter resume is a good option for you, here are the details you must include:
Contact information: Include your contact information like your email and phone number so the landlord can easily reach you
Objective: Include two to three sentences that clearly state what you’re hoping to achieve and why it’s important to you. Make this a short and concise paragraph that outlines why you want to rent a new home.
Background and personal information: Include details like hobbies, interests or how you spend your free time. While you don’t have to include details like race, gender, religion, familial status or age — absolutely include things that’ll humanize your application and show your personality.
Rental history: Talk about where you last lived, why you’re moving and what you’re hoping to get out of the new location. This is your opportunity to talk about what kind of neighbor you are and how you’ll be as a future tenant.
Work or student history: Another important thing to include in your renter resume is your work or student history. If you’re currently employed, you can provide information about your job status. This shows you’re a steadily employed person who will pay rent on time. If you’re a student, showcase your dedication to education. Talk about how those qualities will apply to you as a tenant, too. Landlords want to rent to dependable, stable people so use your work history and ethic clear.
References: While you can put lots of good things about yourself on paper, a personal reference is incredibly important to see what other people say about you. When you include references, avoid listing family members. Instead, put people like your manager, past neighbors or mentors. If your landlord calls them and asks about you, these people will advocate for you.
Renter resume template
We’ve included a renter resume template to use as a sample letter to rent a house. Simply fill in the blanks with your personal information. You can also download the word document template here.
Your name Email address Phone number Current address
OBJECTIVE: Write two to three sentences explaining your goals and motivations for wanting to move to this location.
(Example: I am interested in renting this home from you as I’m looking for a home in a location that is closer to work, has more space and is located in a neighborhood where I can walk and enjoy my neighbor’s company. This location seems like the perfect fit as it meets my needs and would be a great place to settle down long-term.)
BACKGROUND AND PERSONAL INFORMATION: Write two to three sentences about who you are, what you like to do and why you’re a good tenant.
(Example: I was born and raised in Salt Lake City and am now looking for a home of my own to rent. I went to school at the University of Utah and graduated with a degree in marketing. My husband and I are looking for a home where we can raise our two children. We like to go on walks, visit new parks, picnic as a family and explore new places. The location of this home is perfect for us as it’s close to work and good schools. We are a friendly, outgoing family who is eager to rent in a safe, clean neighborhood full of good people.)
RENTAL HISTORY: Include three to four sentences about where you’ve previously lived and why you’re moving. This section is very important because it’ll indicate what type of renter you are.
(Example: Before looking for a new place to live, I rented an apartment and resided there for X years. The reason I’m looking to move is that I want a place with more space and a backyard. I always paid the rent on time, kept the place clean and orderly and was a courteous neighbor at my previous location.)
WORK HISTORY: Draft three to four sentences detailing your work history, proof of income and employment record.
(Example: I’ve worked at the same company for five years. I’m dedicated to my work and company, which shows stability. I’m a hardworking person who values my job, hard work and a good work-life balance. When switch jobs, I make sure my finances are in order beforehand and have other work options lined up so I can stay consistent with an income.)
REFERENCES: Include a list of two to three references, your relationship to them, their phone numbers, email numbers and the best time to contact them. Make sure you let the references know that you’ve listed them so they are not caught off guard if the landlord reaches out to them.
Use your renter resume to impress future landlords
Once you’ve found the perfect place to rent, it’s time to write the perfect sample letter to rent a house. A one-page renter resume lets you stand out from other applicants and delight your future landlord.
Take a little extra time to write a renter resume using our template. You’ll find yourself moving into your dream home in no time.
Sage Singleton is a freelance writer with a passion for literature and words. She enjoys writing articles that will inspire, educate and influence readers. She loves that words have the power to create change and make a positive impact in the world. Some of her work has been featured on LendingTree, Venture Beat, Architectural Digest, Porch.com and Homes.com. In her free time, she loves traveling, reading and learning French.
Returning to school can help you advance in your current job, open you up to new professional opportunities, and increase your salary. But those potential benefits don’t come without costs.
If you’re thinking about going back to school at 30 (or any age), it’s a good idea to consider what you hope to gain out of more education, and whether it may increase your earning potential or improve your job (and overall life) satisfaction. You’ll then want to factor in how much the program will cost and how you’ll pay for it.
There’s no one simple formula to determine whether or not going back to school is worth it, but these tips can help you make an informed decision.
Determining Whether Going Back to School Is Worth It
Once you’re clear about what program you’d like to pursue and have a list of schools to consider, you may want to ask yourself the following:
• Will the degree help me in my career path?
• Is this degree necessary to continue on my career path?
• Will this degree increase my job and overall life satisfaction?
• Will my investment in this degree be worth the cost?
Here’s a look at how you can answer each one of these questions.
Will This Degree Help Me in My Career Path?
When going back to school as an adult, it’s important to position yourself for continued growth based upon the career progress you’ve made to date. Sometimes, your continuing education of choice will take you further on the same career path you’ve already established. Other times, you will be broadening your education to branch out into complementary fields.
Talk to Trusted Colleagues
To make sure that the program you’re choosing will help you to accomplish your career goals, consider talking to people whose judgment you trust, including those who have pursued the path you’re considering.
Review Linkedin
Another resource that might be worth checking out is LinkedIn. You can search the profiles of people who work for companies you admire or who are in a job position you’d like for yourself. What educational credentials have they listed? If they have a graduate degree, which one? Does this mesh with what you have in mind?
Recommended: 6 Ways to Save Money for Grad School
Evaluate Career Opportunities
Sometimes, of course, obtaining additional education is necessary to fulfill your career goals. This is true if you want to become a doctor, dentist, nurse, or lawyer. In other cases, you may not necessarily need additional education to get a job in a particular field, but you might need further education to rise up the career ladder, get a significant increase in pay, or work for a particularly prestigious company.
Obtaining an MBA, for instance, can provide you with skills that will suit you well in various fields. It can also position you to take on new career positions and boost your overall pay.
Is This Degree Necessary to Continue on My Career Path?
Sometimes, of course, obtaining additional education is necessary in order to fulfill your career goals. This is true if you want to become a doctor or a dentist, a nurse or a lawyer. And, in other cases, you may not necessarily need additional education to get a job in a particular field, but you might aspire to work for a company that requires further education from its professionals.
Obtaining an MBA, for instance, can provide you with skills that will suit you well in various fields. And companies are very interested in hiring MBA graduates: After a hiring slump due to the Covid-19 pandemic, companies planning to hire MBAs in 2021 has rebounded to the same level as pre-pandemic, according to The Graduate Management Admission Council . In other words, not only can getting an MBA increase your skill set, it also may set you up for greater career and financial success down the line.
Will This Degree Increase My Job and Overall Life Satisfaction?
Any time you invest significant resources into a decision, such as going back to school, you probably have desired outcomes in mind. If you’re thinking about going to college to finish your degree (or for the first time) or going to grad school, you may be hoping to receive a promotion or get a better or more satisfying job, which is reasonable. But, it’s also important to consider whether those accomplishments will really make you happier.
A lot of the things in work that make us happy are intangible: a work culture and community that aligns with your values, work-life balance, or a boss you work well with. Having said that, you might need an advanced degree to get into companies and positions that provide these essentials.
Keep this in mind when deciding if going back to school is the right decision to make.
Will My Investment in This Degree Be Worth the Cost?
To determine the answer to this question, you’ll want to try to calculate what your financial return on education (ROEd) might be. To do this, you’ll first need to research the salary potential for someone with the degree you’re considering. You can then look at the costs involved to determine if, and when, the investment will likely pay off.
According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, workers aged 25 to 34 with bachelor’s degrees earn, on average, 55% percent more than those who completed high school; those with master’s or higher degrees earn around 21% more than those with bachelor’s degrees.
How to Finance Going Back to School as an Adult
If you decide going back to school is worth the cost, the next step is to figure out how to pay for the program of your choice.
Explore Private Scholarships
First, you can conduct a scholarship search and explore foundations and organizations that may provide funding to you based upon your professional credentials, your community, religious affiliation, and/or ethnicity, etc. Also, you could check to see if your employer offers tuition reimbursement or any scholarship or grant programs that can benefit you.
Federal Financial Aid
It’s also a good idea to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). This will give you access to financial aid, including grants, scholarships, work-study, and federal student loans. If you’re looking into grad school, keep in mind that graduate or professional students are typically considered independent students for the purposes of completing the FAFSA form. This means you generally are not required to provide parent information.
Grants and scholarships are a form of gift aid and do not need to be paid back. Federal student loans need to be repaid, but come with benefits such as income-driven repayment plans and forgiveness programs.
Private Student Loans
If financial aid isn’t enough to cover the cost of going back to school, you might look into getting a private student loan. These are available through private lenders, including banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Loan limits vary from lender to lender, but you can often get up to the total cost of attendance for an undergraduate or graduate program. Interest rates vary but borrowers who have strong credit generally qualify for the lowest rates.
Keep in mind, though, that private loans may not offer the borrower protections — like income-based repayment plans and deferment or forbearance — that automatically come with federal student loans. 💡 Quick Tip: Master’s degree or graduate certificate? Private or federal student loans can smooth the path to either goal.
Refinancing Existing Student Loans
If you’re heading back to school and have existing student loans from your undergraduate degree, refinancing might allow you to qualify for a lower interest rate. This can either help you pay off the loan faster and/or decrease how much you pay each month. You can also lower your monthly payments by refinancing for a longer loan term. However, this will result in paying more interest overall.
You can refinance private or federal student loans. It’s important to note that when you refinance federal student loans with a private lender, you forfeit certain federal benefits, such as forbearance and forgiveness programs.
What Is Student Loan Entrance Counseling?
If you plan to go back to school as an adult and take out federal student loans, keep in mind that all federal borrowers must go through student loan entrance counseling. This is a short, online course that is designed to help ensure students understand the responsibilities and requirements that come with borrowing student loans. It highlights the terms and conditions of borrowing a loan, and also emphasizes borrower rights.
The federal government conducts student loan entrance counseling online. You can get details on the course by logging into your account on the Federal Student Aid website.
The Takeaway
When evaluating whether or not going back to school is worth the cost, you’ll want to factor in things like your career goals, the anticipated job market after graduation, typical program costs, and average salaries for the career you are pursuing with the degree.
Going back to school is a personal choice. While it typically comes with added expenses, you may decide that the potential returns make it well worth the investment.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.
We’ve Got You Covered
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SoFi Private Student Loans Please borrow responsibly. SoFi Private Student Loans are not a substitute for federal loans, grants, and work-study programs. You should exhaust all your federal student aid options before you consider any private loans, including ours. Read our FAQs.
SoFi Private Student Loans are subject to program terms and restrictions, and applicants must meet SoFi’s eligibility and underwriting requirements. See SoFi.com/eligibility-criteria for more information. To view payment examples, click here. SoFi reserves the right to modify eligibility criteria at any time. This information is subject to change.
Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.
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If you’re wondering if remote work might be right for you but don’t know where to start, make this guide your first step.
November 7, 2023
Remote work has progressed from a dream to a distinct possibility for many people, a shift fueled by pandemic-era necessity and technological breakthroughs. In fact, about one-third of U.S. workers who can work from home now do so all the time, according to the Pew Research Center.1
That’s great news for job seekers who want to work remotely—the ranks of whom are still robust. What’s driving the continued interest in remote positions? For employees, the benefits can range from greater job satisfaction and significant financial savings to increased productivity and improved work-life balance. In fact, the same 2023 Pew survey cited above found that 56% of employees felt they could get more work done and better meet deadlines when working remotely.1
“Working from home often allows you to plan your work around your life, rather than your life around your work,” says Kyle Elliott, a career and executive coach in Santa Barbara, California. “You’re able to create more flexible schedules that allow you to more easily attend to being a modern human—like running errands, going to appointments, or caring for a child or parent.”
Of course, what works for most might not necessarily be what’s ideal for you. So how do you determine if remote work might be a good fit? And what are work-from-home careers that pay well? Don’t worry—we’ve got insights to help you answer those questions and several more.
Is a work-from-home career right for you?
Real talk: Even if you’re hoping to find a new job, not every person thrives in a remote work environment. These questions can help you determine your potential fit—before you put a ton of energy into the job search.
What are your career interests and dreams?
Tech, finance, and professional and business services are the sectors in which remote work is most common, but don’t assume remote work is a no-go if your industry falls somewhere outside of those categories. It’s possible to find work-from-home careers in a staggering number of fields, including manufacturing and food services. The biggest fit factor isn’t industry but rather the type of work you want to do. Hands-on work is impossible to do remotely, for example, and spans across industries. Think: surgeon, construction foreman, hair stylist, airline pilot.
How would you rate your ability to manage yourself?
Though digital tools can make it easy to collaborate with coworkers from anywhere, working remotely may mean less management overseeing how you spend your time on tasks and fewer informal opportunities to ask clarifying questions. That’s why employers that allow remote work tend to look for self-starters who are well organized and proactive about seeking guidance if they get stuck on a task or want to stretch into new responsibilities.
“Work-from-home careers require significant dedication and self-motivation,” says Elliott. “You have to be honest with yourself and decide if you can be productive in an entirely remote job.”
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Do you have the right setup to work remotely?
Those with a spare room or already established home office will have an easier time operating in careers where you can work from home than someone sharing space with multiple roommates and a yelping dog. Also, consider that working from home may mean losing a lot of office-based infrastructure—like access to a printer, endless pens and paper clips, and free breakroom snacks. While some employers might offer a home office stipend or an initial flat sum to help you get your home office up and running, usually you’ll have to purchase extras like supplies and snacks on your own.
Tip: Many companies allow you to split your direct deposit between savings and checking accounts, providing an effortless way to save with each paycheck.
Can you draw a clear line between work and life?
Toni Frana, lead career expert at FlexJobs, points out that it’s crucial for remote workers to stay vigilant about the hours devoted to work versus their personal time—or else they risk letting their professional pursuits swallow up their day. “From a life balance perspective, remote employees must understand the importance of setting boundaries between work time and nonwork time because it can be easy to blur the lines when working from a home office,” says Frana.
Are you a social butterfly?
Even with a calendar full of virtual meetings, some people prefer social interactions to take place in real life. In fact, feelings of loneliness and isolation are a notable drawback of careers you can do at home. If you’re more extroverted, staving off such loneliness might require seeking out more off-the-clock social opportunities.
7 work-from-home careers that pay well
(Salary estimates provided by Glassdoor as of September 2023)
Social Media Manager
Average annual salary: $57,099
How it’s growing: The overall field of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is expected to grow 6% (faster than average) between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And with social media now a business necessity across industries, it’s fair to say that this niche represents a healthy slice of that projected growth.
What the gig involves: Social media marketers use platforms on behalf of companies to attract and engage with potential and current customers. The role can include everything from writing posts and responding to customer comments to cultivating an audience and analyzing social media metrics to determine a marketing campaign’s success and help shape future efforts.
Why it’s doable from home: Social media, by definition, takes place online.
Project Manager
Average annual salary: $96,460
How it’s growing: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 6% job growth in the project management industry through 2032. Industry experts say the looming retirement of a sizable swath of current project managers means plenty of demand for fresh faces in the field.
What the gig involves: Project managers flex organizational and people skills to help teams execute initiatives smoothly and efficiently while ensuring projects stay on time and on budget. Though you can find project manager positions in almost any industry, the role is prevalent in project-intensive fields, such as IT, construction, energy, transportation, and health care.
Why it’s doable from home: Digital tools make remotely coordinating and managing teams easier than ever. Even in industries like construction—where much of the work is done on-site—technology can help to lessen the frequency of on-site visits.
Data Analyst
Average annual salary: $80,115
How it’s growing: The need for operations and research analysts (which includes data analysts) is expected to grow a stunning 23% from 2022 to 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What the gig involves: As the volume and velocity of business data grow, companies need assistance making sense of it all. Data analysts help by collecting, cleaning, and interpreting data to answer questions and solve problems for organizations in a wide variety of industries.
Why it’s doable from home: Even in industries where data is related to on-site operations (say, manufacturing or retail), analyzing that data requires digital tools.
Virtual Assistant
Average annual salary: $44,540
How it’s growing: The job outlook for the overall field of secretaries and administrative assistants is expected to shrink by 10% between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, demand for virtual assistants seems to be bucking that trend.
What the gig involves: From freelance virtual assistants who juggle multiple clients to full-time staff positions dedicated to assisting one executive, this role can take a lot of forms. But at its core, being a virtual assistant means helping companies or business leaders with office-related tasks—which might mean anything from scheduling meetings and coordinating work travel to proofreading presentations and managing social media accounts.
Why it’s doable from home: With everything from board meetings to team brainstorm sessions increasingly taking place online, digitally supporting such work can be seamless.
Web Developer
Average annual salary: $81,756
How it’s growing: Demand for web developers and digital designers is expected to grow 16% (much faster than average) between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What the gig involves: Web developers create and maintain websites: Front-end developers focus more on the site’s visual design and navigation, while back-end developers focus more on coding and managing site access. (Full-stack web developers, as you might guess, span both front- and back-end responsibilities.) Day-to-day duties can vary considerably, depending on whether you’re building sites for multiple clients as part of an agency or working at a larger company. But typical responsibilities include designing user interfaces, writing and reviewing code (such as HTML or JavaScript), testing web applications, and posting site content.
Why it’s doable from home: The online nature of the work makes it an easy fit for working from home.
Sales Representative
Average annual salary: $93,041 (includes commissions).
How it’s growing: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1% employment growth for sales representatives between 2022 and 2032, slightly below average compared to the expected 3% growth for the overall job market.
What the gig involves: Armed with a combo of strong interpersonal skills and deep product knowledge, sales representatives work to understand customers’ needs and then sell them solutions—which can include anything from complex tech products to baby bottles, depending on where they work. You might focus on wholesale, business-to-business, or consumer accounts, implementing day-to-day sales activities to achieve established sales targets.
Why it’s doable from home: Though some sales representative roles demand extensive travel and in-person client meetings, digitally native brands can be successfully handled from anywhere with a strong Wi-Fi connection and other digital tools.
IT Support Specialist
Average annual salary: $48,253
How it’s growing: Job growth for computer support specialists is expected to grow 5% between 2022 and 2032, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What the gig involves: IT support specialists troubleshoot common tech issues for end users, whether that means internal employees struggling to access a server or external customers who can’t get the company’s app to work properly. Robust knowledge of standard computer systems is a must, as is the ability to communicate clearly (and patiently!) with people across all levels of tech know-how. In addition to fielding help requests, IT support specialists may manage systems to keep them operating effectively and make recommendations to improve those systems.
Why it’s doable from home: The rise of remote work means there’s less need for in-office IT support staff. And specialized digital tools make it easy to effectively handle everything from customer ticket management to remotely accessing company devices.
How to Start Your Work-From-Home Career Search
Step 1: Tailor your job search terms.
While remote-only job boards and social media groups can be incredibly useful, hunting through the haystack of large, general job boards is worthwhile as well. Include search terms like “remote,” “virtual,” or “telecommuting” alongside job titles in your search queries (e.g., “remote IT support specialist”). On websites dedicated to job postings, for example, you can also search for the job title that interests you and list the location as “remote” to filter the findings. Note: Not all could-be-remote job openings will trumpet that fact in the job listing. Look for clues like “flexibility” and “work-life balance,” indicating that an employer may be open to remote or hybrid work models.
Step 2: Put the word out.
Even without decades of work experience under your belt, your network can be a powerful way to find your next great gig—but only if people know what you’re looking for. Don’t just say you’re open to new opportunities on your professional profile; adjust your settings to enable the “open to work remotely” feature. And if your job search comes up at networking events (whether that means an alum mixer at your college or an industry message board), don’t be shy about specifying that you’re looking for a remote role.
How to Get a Remote Job
1. Highlight your remote qualifications (even if you’ve never worked remotely).
If you have experience working remotely, you’ll want to state that clearly in your resume and cover letter. But even without such experience, you’ll want to show potential employers that you have the skills—such as self-direction, strong communication, and problem-solving—that align with remote work. Did you lead a big group project in college where everyone worked asynchronously? Or maybe you broke down larger deadlines into daily tasks in your last role? Do you have experience coordinating with team members spread out across geographies and time zones? Now is the time to highlight such skills. You might also want to add a technology section to your resume to specifically highlight your experience with digital collaboration tools and software.
Finding a quiet, tidy, and well-lit spot is a smart move for any virtual meeting, but when interviewing for a remote position, that backdrop can reassure potential employers that you have an environment conducive to remote work. It’s important to test any tech you might use in the interview (such as headsets and cameras) ahead of time. You could even ask a friend to join you for a brief video meeting to give feedback on your audio and lighting.
3. Get prepped to answer questions about remote work.
What interests you about a remote position? Why do you think you’re well suited for remote work if you don’t have remote experience? What do you think will be your biggest challenge in working remotely? Though career experts generally advise job hunters not to introduce the topic of remote work during an interview, you may be asked about it at some point. To avoid being put on the spot (or blurting out a cringe-worthy answer you’ll regret later), think through potential responses beforehand. Another thing to be ready for—negotiating your salary. Hint: Just because you’re asking to work remotely doesn’t mean you have to settle for less than you’re worth.
Ready, set, go! Start exploring careers you can do at home
There’s no time like the present to look for one of the work-from-home careers described above, especially given how dramatically attitudes about remote work have changed in recent years. If you’ve ever dreamed of cutting your commute time to zero minutes, consider this a sign to investigate the opportunities that await.
Landed that dream remote job you’ve been hoping for? Set up your direct deposit with a new Discover Cashback Debit account.
1 “About a third of U.S. workers who can work from home now do so all the time.” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (March 30, 2023) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/30/about-a-third-of-us-workers-who-can-work-from-home-do-so-all-the-time/
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The thing that drew me to early retirement is freedom, and that’s still the best part of it.
Back in 2005, the primary reason for this freedom-seeking was being able to devote my best hours to being a Dad – I had a feeling my career in tech would be too demanding to sustain once the full-time job of raising children kicked in.
Eighteen years later, wow has that guess ever turned out to be right. Early retirement has proved to be the most amazing, worthwhile adventure and it’s still just getting started. It was an astonishing thirteen years ago that I wrote to you about Little MM starting kindergarten, and now he’s done with high school.
It has given me the space to enjoy so many new experiences, working hard and playing hard sometimes, but also slowing things way down when necessary, to deal with and grow through some real hardships.
But now, with that child-raising phase finally almost done, I’m cashing in a few of those Freedom Chips for a particularly big change: moving to a warm sunny place for the winter to try out a new life in the walkable, bikeable, car-free community you’ve probably heard me raving about in the past: Culdesac Tempe.
So on the first of December I’ll be packing up the essential clothes, tools and gadgets, and throwing my very best mountain bike onto the Model Y to make the epic road trip across the mountains. Just in time to escape the incoming Colorado winter. And my son will be joining me for the trip!
We’ve booked ourselves a spacious two bedroom apartment there, for four full months. Little MM will be roughly alternating his months between Arizona and Colorado so he can still have time with both parents, while I’ll be there the whole time.
A big part of the fun is that this will force me to invent a whole new life for myself, away from the easy comforts of the big community and plentiful construction sites that keep me so busy here. It will be both a big change and a significant challenge, which is exactly what all of us need on a regular basis to keep life full of meaning and joy.
So What Are You Going to Do in Arizona?
The exact details are still in the works, and I’d love to hear your ideas and feedback (see the “get in touch” note below. But here’s what I’ve got so far:
Meet as many new people as possible, and answer the burning question we all have: what kind of people choose to move to a car-free neighborhood in the center of a super-car-based metropolis?
And of course hang out with existing friends who live in the area – did you know our own Coverage Critic (aka Chris Smith) already lives in Culdesac?
Share some of the experiences, whether good or bad, here on MMM and on places like Twitter and Instagram so you can live vicariously through this experience.
Use my newly liberated extra free time to visit their kickass on-site gym to get in extra good shape.
Use more of that free time to write more blog posts and sweep some of the cobwebs off of this neglected online persona of mine.
Look at the weather app on my phone periodically to cackle at the blizzards I’m missing in Colorado and celebrate my good fortune in comparison (the typical “winter” day in Tempe is typically in the mid-70s which means sandals and palm trees and outdoor dining the whole time)
Host a few meetups in Culdesac’s outdoor plazas like we did last March
Start a quirky free handyman business where I help new residents set up their IKEA furniture and move heavy stuff and hang paintings, as a combo of meeting people and being useful and exercising my compulsion to build stuff.
Ride bikes! A lot. Explore the distant corners of the Phoenix metro area and the surrounding desert valley and mountain trails on mountain bikes, regular bikes, and the e-bike that comes included with the first 200 Culdesac apartments.
And perhaps most importantly, help my almost-adult son get all sorts of new experiences during his visits, by living in a brand new city for the first time since he was born waaaay back in the same era as my own early retirement.
Is There a Bigger Picture To All This?
Okay, you’re onto me. If I’m going to go to the trouble of typing shit into the computer and sharing it with you, there’s usually a purpose behind it other than just journaling my own personal life, and this another one of those cases.
First of all, there are the first-layer selfish goals: I want to have the best winter ever, meet a bunch of smart new people, and I also want Culdesac to be a huge success so they will build more neighborhoods like this around the country and set an example that permanently improves the way US cities build and expand themselves in the future.
But even if you don’t care about all that, I also want to use this as a little statement about trying deliberate life changes.
By throwing myself into a new community which aligns so nicely with my own values, I hope to serve as a reminder that maybe you might want to try the same thing. Or just try anything new.
In a comfortable, prosperous country like ours, some of the built in tendencies of Human nature tend to work against us, saying,
“Hey – I’ve noticed we have plenty of food and reasonable shelter and that’s good enough. So let’s just double down on the Netflix, comfort foods, and occasional luxury purchases and that will keep us safe.”
Instead, I want you to set your life treadmill to just a bit of a steeper, healthier incline setting.
That means questioning the status quo and doing your best to keep at least one little experiment on the go in the background. Maybe that means forcing yourself to move to a better place, or taking steps towards getting a new job that gives you a better work-life balance.
The biggest move I ever made was leaving family and friends and my old job behind to move to the US, alone, at age 24. Looking back, I’m shocked I had the courage (and the organizational skills) to pull that off back then. I’ve become older and a bit slower, and so comfortable that it’s hard to imagine doing something so bold now.
But even today 24 years later, I thank my past self every single day for doing it. My present life is an incredibly different and better thing because of that past bit of courage.
The spirit of positive experimentation might also mean starting to challenge your body more regularly – giving it harder work and exposing it to a wider swath of temperatures and movements. Or joining new Meetup groups to expand your circle of friends and experiences.
It doesn’t really matter exactly what you do, as long as you point your feet in what feels like a good direction and just start moving. Create some purposeful change, which will surely feel a bit difficult, simply because change is hard. And hard things are good.
Future Arizona Neighbors: I’ll see you in four weeks!
Further reading:I’ve been reading books, doing life experiments, and writing about the value of strategic hardship for a while now. But the latest is a book called Dopamine Nation by the talented psychiatrist/author named Dr. Anna Lembke.
To summarize: your brain creates a baseline for happiness based on the HARDEST thing you do, and then compares everything else to that. So if you do hard things, life in general seems fantastic because of this perspective. If you eliminate all hardship, suddenly even the pleasures of life seem bland, and you live a spoiled and unmotivated life.
To get in touch: send me a DM on Instagram or use the email address “newsletter” at the domain of this website. (Newsletter subscribers can also just reply to this post if you received it via email.)
Interested in stopping by for your own Mini Culdesac Experiment? They have a few short-term rentals available at rather reasonable rates (less than nearby hotels) – check em out at book.culdesac.com
What will you do with your car?
I’m bringing the car just as a convenient electric moving truck to carry two people and four months of living supplies. Once I get there, I’ll find a safe place to store it offsite* and live the full car-free lifestyle of Culdesac, much like I do when I’m here at home. I typically only use cars to carry really heavy stuff or for trips to other cities and states, but it’s even easier to accomplish this in Tempe with its location right on the light rail and with their onsite bike, scooter and even car sharing lots.
What about your house?
My place in Colorado is currently set up as a two bedroom house on the main floor, plus an apartment with a separate entrance on the walkout lower level. When I’m at home, I use the whole thing as one home – the apartment just makes a great place to host a fairly constant stream of visiting friends. But for the winter I’m hoping to rent out one of these spaces to a friend or trusted acquaintance who will take good care of everything, while I leave the other section free for the occasional visits I’ll be paying to this area over the winter. Aside from keeping an eye on the place, it will be a great way to practice the age-old Mustachian technique of making money while taking vacations!
What Happens at the End of March?
As it stands, I have no plans beyond this point. I’ll head back to Colorado for my home base, but with this being a new phase of life I’ll be layering on new adventures. Aside from the two mountain properties that I’ve been helping to build out, I just teamed up with a friend to help him create an intentional (and somewhat experimental!) living community in Denver called Wild Life Ranch.
We’ll have to cover more of that in a future article, but the basic idea is that he is converting a 13-acre former horse ranch in a relatively prime part of the Denver area, into a future village of higher-end tiny houses and other dwellings. These will be arranged around nice common amenities with a big emphasis on people actually enjoying the process of living together, as opposed to just living separately side-by-side as we tend to do in normal neighborhoods.
*Got any suggestions or want to rent or barter me a nearby driveway space at your place? Please get in touch!