What are the 10 Best Paying Jobs in Freelance Online?

Whenever people hear about freelancers, they usually think only of freelance writers or one of the more “obvious” roles. We tend to forget that hundreds of types of freelancers exist, ranging from writers to photographers, and even to musicians and cake decorators. Being able to freelance online makes it easy for people to make career choices that deviate from the normal 9-5, and get paid to do something more along the lines of what they love.
Of course, not every online freelancer gets paid the same amount. Some freelance careers are more lucrative than others. And like any other market, the demand goes up and down at times. Depending on where you search, you might see slightly different entries, but the following 10 online jobs are ones proven to pay freelancers more money for your skills. 

What Skills Pay the Freelance Bills?

Patent Attorney

According to Everyday Money and US News, a patent attorney is the highest paid career for freelancing online. Freelance attorneys can charge over $100 an hour for work they mostly do on their computer. Patent attorneys are experts in the process one has to go through to obtain a patent. They know how to thoroughly research a client’s invention, the entirety of the patent application process, and, finally, how to write a patent that makes sure an invention is fully protected. While this freelance job is quite specialized, it is a perfect opportunity for patent lawyers to break away from a firm in pursuit of work-life balance.

Voice-Over Work

Freelance voice-over work gives actors an avenue to advance their careers from home. Everyday Money also cited voice-over work as one of the highest paying jobs in freelance online, just below patent law. Technology continues to improve on a daily basis, and it has gotten to a point where voice actors can record pristine tracks from their home for at least $70 an hour. These professionals can utilize their voices for anything from short films to audiobooks in this quickly-growing industry that anyone with acting experience can join, with a small investment in equipment. 

Web and Software Development

Being a freelancer in the web and software development field is two-pronged; these professionals build and maintain websites for individuals and business and also do programming work for clients. Web developers tend to help businesses build their brand through updated websites, while software developers program software for specific businesses to help operations run more smoothly. Also existing are flash developers who are in charge of building code for websites and being a company’s go-to IT person.

Digital Marketing

This position has become more and more relevant as social media platforms grow. Now, businesses are hiring entire teams to focus on their social media presence. However, for small businesses especially, it is much more cost-efficient to hire a freelance digital marketing specialist. This individual is generally given full control over a company’s social media platforms, and acts as said company online. Digital marketing professionals are well versed in how to best use all social media platforms for specific needs, such as building an audience or improving upon a company’s SEO.

Content Writing

Like mentioned at the top, freelance content writing is a very popular career in the online sphere, perhaps due to the fact that it is a versatile position. The same content writer who works on blog content for a small business could also be writing how-to articles for a DIY website or fun couples stories on a bridal website. There are many avenues for freelance writers to take, and most are paid by experience. Freelance writers can be paid anywhere from $10 to $1000 for a specific article, so being a content writer is all about honing your skills and finding the right publications to write for!

Certified Financial Adviser

Being a financial adviser is becoming a more popular career choice in the freelance sphere. Financial advisers usually begin their careers in an entirely different position and switch to advising because it is a job that truly helps people. Certified financial planners, when freelance, have the opportunity to work on their own terms while, say, helping individuals prepare for retirement, or helping expectant parents budget for the perfect home. The only catch about being a freelance financial adviser is that getting a certification requires at least three years in a finance firm. After that, however, freelancing is fair game.

Public Relations Consultant

Public relations consultants require a broader range of media knowledge than digital marketing consultants, but work toward essentially the same goal. They are responsible for all of a business’ PR strategies, including but not limited to strategizing, communicating with the media, writing press releases, researching best practices, and updating the website with events and press. A freelance public relations consultant would ideally have media connections and experience as part of a public relations team for a well-known company.

Graphic Design

Freelance graphic designers are hired for any sort of visual-based project with which a company needs help. This does not just require art skills, it also necessitates a knowledge of how to best reach specific target audiences. Graphic designers are most popularly known for their work with logos, business card designs, letterheads, and more. Being an independent, artistic contractor requires a lot of networking and research, but graphic designers are always in high demand.

IT Consultant

Freelancers with extensive technical support experience can transition from a company day job to being the remote go-to IT help for several companies. Knowing how to troubleshoot is key to being paid the highest rate. Freelance IT consultants should have a vast knowledge of common IT issues and need to be able to research foreign problems quickly. This is a job that can pay well, but only for those who know more than ‘did you turn it off and back on again?’

Project Management

Project management is a very lucrative career choice that comes with money and reputation. A successful freelance project manager will be able to mediate project objective discussions with an agreement between all parties being the end result. Additionally, these professionals more often than not are remotely in charge of teams, meaning that tracking progress and people is a large part of the job. Hiring out work to subcontractors and monitoring their work is also a task project managers undertake. This job has a lot of the qualities of a full-time job, but it can be done on your own time, and from the comfort of home.
These 10 best paying jobs in freelance online span a wide range of fields and professional strengths. If you are considering switching to a freelancing career, check out how to start in one of the above. Now, make the transition and have your appropriate rate in place so you can get the best paying clients.