Being self employed and being your own boss while still getting paid well can be a dream for many. This is because you can make your work schedule and you won’t have to worry about anyone looking over your shoulder while you work.
Below are the top 25 self employed jobs that pay well in addition to some tips to be successful while still being self employed.
Key Takeaways:
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The top three best self employed jobs are photographer, nanny, and painter.
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When being self employed it’s important to be a good boss to yourself and learn to delegate or outsource when possible.
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Networking and growing your business is the best way to become successful when self employed.
The top 25 self-employed jobs
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Management analyst
Average Annual Salary: $74,000Having a job as a management analyst is one of the highest paying self employed jobs you can get. Similar to a consultant, management analysts work with companies to analyze their processes and then recommend ways to maximize their efficiency.
The benefit of working as a management analyst is that you can choose your clients and work with local businesses or whoever you choose to help them find success. Once you find your groove and establish yourself, you can expect to earn around $40 an hour, the median salary.
Common skills you need to succeed are strong analytics and communication skills. The most common jobs before becoming a management analyst are administrative assistant, internship, and customer service representative.
Requirements needed: To become a management analyst, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) will help you to earn more as a management analyst.
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Home stager/designer
Average Annual Salary: $50,490A home stager is a self-employed job that pays well because they help design and stage homes before it is sold. In this position, you’ll be responsible for doing some decorating to make the house look good before potential buyers visit.
You can also work as an interior designer who makes houses look beautiful for their current occupants and design the house to their taste.
Requirements needed: We’ve determined that 58.5% of home stagers have a bachelor’s degree. Even though most home stagers have a college degree, it’s possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
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Tutor
Average Annual Salary: $33,000Becoming a tutor is an excellent self-employed job that pays well, especially if you are a former teacher or are passionate about a certain topic or subject.
This is also a position that you can do remotely out of your home or virtually. You can set your schedule and decide which subjects you’ll tutor in, so it’s a very flexible position. The average salary for tutors is around $25 an hour, but you can raise your rate depending on your experience and effectiveness.
Requirements needed: You don’t need any special training, but you should have at least a bachelor’s degree in your chosen field. Tutors usually study psychology, business or English. Getting a certification as a Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:) will help you to earn more as a tutor.
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Painter
Average Annual Salary: $31,000A lot of people hate having to paint their homes which is why you can get paid well as a self-employed painter.
Not to be confused with an artist, painters are there to help when you need anything painted. They work in homes, offices, stores, and even outdoors, pretty much any place where you might need a coat of paint applied.
You don’t need a lot to get started, so it’s an easy field to break into, plus over 40% of painters are self-employed.
Requirements needed: To become a painter, you usually need a high school diploma. Getting a certification as a OSHA Safety Certificate will help you to earn more as a painter.
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Home care specialist
Average Annual Salary: $54,000Becoming a home care specialist is an excellent self-employed job that pays well for former nurses or healthcare individuals. As people live longer, more and more people need help living in their homes and getting basic housekeeping tasks and medical reminders.
If you know anyone who could benefit from home visits to make sure their house is in order and they’re on top of their medical treatments, you could offer your services.
Requirements needed: To become a health care specialist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) will help you to earn more as a health care specialist.
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Driver
Average Annual Salary: $29,000Starting your own driving service is an excellent self employed job that can pay well if you love being out on the road and want to help people get where they need to go.
You can set your hours, your driving range, and your customers. Sometimes people need drivers to get to the airport once in a while, or other clients will need you to drive them around regularly for appointments or meetings.
Having the flexibility to choose your clients means you can do this job the way you want it to be. You can usually make around $15 an hour. The most common jobs before becoming a driver are cashier, truck driver, and delivery driver.
Requirements needed: To become a driver, you usually need a high school diploma and a valid drivers license. Getting a certification as a Commercial Driver License (CDL) (CDL) will help you to earn more as a driver.
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Personal trainer
Average Annual Salary: $38,000Being a fitness trainer is another self-employed job that pays well and can help others achieve their health goals. This is an excellent option if you are passionate about fitness. You don’t have to be a world-class weightlifter or a marathon runner to help people meet their fitness goals.
You can specialize in getting people healthy through good eating or focus more on the physical, muscle-building aspect as you please. Plus, you can choose who you work with and where you work, so it’s completely customizable. Usually, personal trainers charge about $20 an hour but depending on where you live and your experience, you could scale up from there.
Requirements needed: To become a personal trainer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 6-12 months of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Personal Trainer will help you to earn more as a personal trainer.
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Artist
Average Annual Salary: $72,000Starting your career as an artist can help you achieve your artistic dreams while having a high-paying self-employed job. If you’re creative Creative and have honed your craft, you can work for yourself and create art for a living. About half of artists are self-employed, so it’s a great field to get involved in if you know you want to work for yourself.
It gives you more creative freedom, and you can make whatever you want when you’re self-employed.
Requirements needed: To become an artist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Certified Decorative Artist (CDA,) will help you to earn more as an artist.
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Developer
Average Annual Salary: $100,076Becoming a self-employed developer is an excellent option if you want to work for yourself and pick which clients you want to work for instead of working for a company and only working with their systems. There’s always a need for a developer to manage and maintain software systems, websites, and other digital assets for companies.
This is another high-paying self-employed job with salaries ranging between $76,000 and $131,000 per year. The most common jobs before becoming a developer are Java developer and software engineer.
Requirements needed: To become a developer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Web Professional – Web Developer will help you to earn more as a developer.
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Finance advisor
Average Annual Salary: $79,000Working as a self-employed finance advisor is another job that can pay well because not everyone has the skills or the knowledge to keep their finances under control. As a personal finance advisor, you can consult with different people (or even companies) to help them get to a healthy financial state.
This is a lucrative field since it requires lots of knowledge and advice. The most common jobs before becoming a finance advisor are internship, and customer service representative.
Requirements needed: Having a degree in accounting or a related field helps and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Professional, Life and Health Insurance Program (CPLHI) will help you to earn more as a finance advisor.
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Transcriptionist
Average Annual Salary: $28,930If you want a remote self-employed job that pays well and where you can create your own work schedule, working as a freelance transcriptionist is the perfect job for you.
Transcriptionists take recorded audio or video and write down what they hear so others can read speeches, movies, lectures, and more. There are many fields you can specialize in, like medical transcription, depending on your skills.
All you need to get started is strong listening, communication, writing, and organization skills. Transcriptionists can make around $13 an hour.
Requirements needed: To become a transcriptionist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) will help you to earn more as a transcriptionist.
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Web designer
Average Annual Salary: $61,000Working as a self employed web designer is a great opportunity to earn high wages if you’re great with creative design and you’re a master at coding. Keeping web designers on retainer is expensive, so many companies look for an outside freelancer to design or revamp their websites, so there are plenty of opportunities out there.
You can get creative and create a distinct look and feel to your work, so people come to you for your unique design sense. The most common jobs before becoming a web designer are graphic designer, internship, and web graphic designer.
Requirements needed: To become a web designer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Master Certified Web Professional – Designer (CWP) will help you to earn more as a web designer.
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Photographer
Average Annual Salary: $49,000Photographers are often self-employed individuals who get paid well. Getting professional photos taken is important for many life milestones, so if you have a good eye and the equipment to get started, you can find a client base pretty easily. You’ll need to know how to take good photographs, understand cameras, and have access to photo editing software to get started.
The great thing about professional photography is that it’s easy to get more clients through word of mouth if you do good work, so you just need to find your first few clients and wow them. Typically, photographers charge around $15 an hour when starting.
Requirements needed: To become a photographer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) will help you to earn more as a photographer.
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Marketing specialist
Average Annual Salary: $52,000Working as a self employed marketing specialist is another great way to earn high wages. Companies are always trying to find new customers, increase their online visibility, or write compelling marketing materials. There are so many ways to get involved in freelance marketing work, so no matter your skills, you can find a way to land a marketing gig.
Think about a company’s needs in the short term and work to sell yourself as a freelancer. The most common jobs before becoming a marketing specialist are marketing internship, marketing coordinator, and internship.
Requirements needed: To become a marketing specialist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) will help you to earn more as a marketing specialist.
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E-commerce seller
Average Annual Salary: N/ABeing an E-commerce seller is an excellent way to be self employed while also being paid well. Websites such as Esty and eBay are some common sites to sell niche products that you make on your own. This is an excellent position if you want to start your own business by using your creative side.
Think about the skills you already have and what other people would buy, like knit products, candles, or art you create. That way, you can do something you love and make some money off of it.
Requirements needed: N/A
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Makeup artist
Average Annual Salary: $80,297Becoming a makeup artist is an excellent way to be self-employed while having a job that pays well. When you are a makeup artist, you can share your passion for makeup with others, do their makeup for them, or teach them how to do it. You only need to be good at makeup and have a large stock of products to get started.
It’s a good idea to start on friends and then get referrals to other people, but you can go about it any way you like. As a makeup artist, you can expect to earn around $20 an hour for your work. The most common jobs before becoming a makeup artist are sales associate and cashier.
Requirements need: To become a makeup artist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Decorative Artist (CDA,) will help you to earn more as a makeup artist.
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Meeting Event planner
Average Annual Salary: $44,000Many people don’t like to organize and plan events which is why working as a self-employed meeting event planner can help you earn high wages. If you love organizing events, this job will allow you to organize anything from company parties to elaborate weddings and wow the world with your flair.
Requirements needed: To become a meeting/event planner, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Certification in Meetings Management (CMM) will help you to earn more as a meeting/event planner.
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Career coach
Average Annual Salary: $45,000Becoming a career coach is an excellent self-employed job that pays well if you want to help others achieve their career goals. This is an excellent position for you if you have a ton of professional experience but don’t know where your next step should be.
You can help with everything from defining career goals to preparing for interviews. It helps if you have deep knowledge of one industry to focus on coaching for that industry specifically, but there is lots of room to build the job how you want it to be. The most common jobs before becoming a career coach are internship and case manager.
Requirements needed: To become a career coach, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) will help you to earn more as a career coach.
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Videographer
Average Annual Salary: $38,000If you have experience with photography and videography, this is another self-employed job that pays well. Many people want their events on video now. You can work as a videographer and record peoples’ life events, or you can choose to work commercially and film commercials and business materials.
Typically videographers are responsible for filming events or creating videos, plus editing afterward to make them beautiful and seamless. You can earn around $30 an hour. The most common jobs before becoming a videographer are internship, production assistant, and freelance videographer/editor.
Requirements needed: To become a videographer, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Apple Certified Pro- Final Cut Pro X will help you to earn more as a videographer.
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Resume writer
Average Annual Salary: N/AIf you have skills in writing, being a self-employed resume writer is an excellent way to have a job that pays well. Many people have great professional experience but don’t know how to sell themselves well on a resume, which is why resume writers are important.
You can work as a resume editor if you want a lighter workload or work as a resume writer where you create resumes for others.
Requirements needed: N/A
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Nanny
Average Annual Salary: $25,000Starting a nanny service is a great way to get a self-employed job that pays well. There’s always a need for childcare, and you can get started working with a family or multiple families pretty easily. You can decide who you work for and what your hours are. For example, you can only work nights when parents might want to go for a date night or do day shifts while parents are at work.
It also helps to advertise any extra skills or certifications you have, like you can tutor kids in a second language, or you have first-aid certifications. When you start, you can expect to make around $13 an hour. The most common jobs before becoming a nanny are cashier, sales associate, and volunteer.
Requirements needed: To become a nanny, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 1-2 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) will help you to earn more as a nanny.
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Graphic artist
Average Annual Salary: $47,000If you are an artist or have great artistic ability, being self employed as a graphic artist is another great way to earn high wages. In this position, you might have clients such as companies looking to rebrand or design handouts (like books or magazines) or just individuals who need designs.
The great thing about working as a graphic designer is that you don’t need much to get started, just a computer and whatever software you like using to design illustrations. The most common jobs before becoming a graphic artist are graphic designer and art director.
Requirements needed: To become a graphic artist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree and 2-4 years of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Advertising Specialist (CAS) will help you to earn more as a graphic artist.
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Landscaper
Average Annual Salary: $26,000Working as a landscaper is an excellent self-employed job that pays well and is great for students who want to make a little extra money in the summer when school is out. You can make some good money tending to peoples’ lawns or managing their leaves in the fall.
Any kind of yard work fits under landscaping, so whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, you can find tasks to help people with for around $13 an hour. The most common jobs before becoming a landscaper are cashier, sales associate, and cook.
Requirements needed: To become a landscaper, you usually need a high school diploma and none of experience. Getting a certification as a Certified Landscape Architect (CLARB) will help you to earn more as a landscaper.
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Hair stylist
Average Annual Salary: $36,000Hair stylist jobs are often self-employed positions that allow you to get paid well and it’s a great way to help people in your area look their best. You can decide to become a hairdresser and provide full cut and color service, or you can focus on hairstyling and getting people prepared for a special event.
Typically hair stylists earn about $10 an hour when they’re getting started and depending on their experience.
Requirements needed: To become a hair stylist, you usually need a high school diploma. Getting a certification as a Certified Sales Professional (CSP) will help you to earn more as a hair stylist.
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Social media specialist
Average Annual Salary: $46,000Companies are always looking for someone to manage their social media which is why working as a self-employed social media specialist is a great way to earn a high wage. Social media specialists can cover everything from creating a social media strategy to handling comments and customer conversations.
Think about where your skills lay and sell yourself to companies for around $15 an hour.
Requirements needed: To become a social media specialist, you usually need a bachelor’s degree. Getting a certification as a Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) will help you to earn more as a social media specialist.
Tips for being successfully self employed
No matter what self employed careers you decide, here are some tips to help you be successful:
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Be a good boss to yourself. Some people think it’s a dream to be their boss until they discover it’s a nightmare. If you’re a perfectionist or a workaholic, be aware of your tendency to overwork. Depending on your business, learn to delegate or outsource when possible, and don’t take on too much responsibility yourself.
Also, set firm boundaries on your time. Treat it like a normal job, where certain days and times are off-limits for work-related activities. Otherwise, you run the risk of burning out before your self-employment gig really takes off.
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Think about your taxes. Being good at your career is great but unless that career is in accounting or a related field, you probably don’t have much experience with handling business taxes.
The basic self-employment tax rate is 15.3%, covering both the employer and employee portions of the social security and Medicare contributions. Beyond that, your tax situation depends on how you’re self-employed and whether you’re a freelancer or business owner.
Whether you reach out to an accountant for help or take a crash course in the accounting needs of your career, remember that you need to account for taxes as you set rates for your services or products.
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Be genuine. When you get started with self-employment, you might feel the urge to continue with your regular workplace persona. Maybe you come from the corporate world and have been living up to certain expectations of what that means for years.
But when you’re running your own show, people aren’t relying on a big brand name or a staple organization in the community. They’re relying on you, and being successful means being trustworthy.
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Grow and network with others. Being self-employed doesn’t mean being entirely self-sufficient. You still need to connect with vendors, clients, and a whole cast of other characters to get your business going and continue generating income. Staying up-to-date on your skills and attending events related to your field is a great way to stay in the know.
Plus, a bit of self-promotion is key when it comes to personal branding, so don’t be shy about selling the value of your work.
Self employed jobs FAQ
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How does a self employed person make money?
A self employed individual will earn an income by contracting with a trade of business directly. A self-employed person does not work for a specific employer who pays them a consistent salary or wage.
Because the self employed person is employed with a contract, the payer will not withhold takes, so it is the self employed persons responsibility to withhold taxes.
Self employed persons may be involved in a variety of occupations but generally are highly skilled at a particular kind of work. Examples include writers, tradespeople, lawyers, salespeople, and insurance agents.
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What is the easiest business to start with no money?
The easiest job to start with no money is blogging. When starting a blog you should choose a subject that you are actually passionate about and personally invested in to blog about.
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What is the best business to start for beginners?
The three best businesses to start for beginners are home cleaning, blogging, and photography. These jobs don’t need many requirements to start. As long as you are good at it and can get the word out about your business, you can get a decent client list.
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What self employed jobs can I do?
Working as a transcriptionist, photographer or videographer, and makeup artist are some self-employed jobs that you can do. Some other self-employed jobs are career coach, meeting event planner, and E-commerce seller.
Final thoughts
Being self-employed is more than just deciding what you want to do and how to sell your skills. It’s about working with people and projects you choose and owning your personal brand. People can start working for themselves for many reasons, and flexibility is a huge draw for many.
Another reason to get started in a self-employed job is that the conditions are still good for outsourced work. As people continue to work and conduct their business from home, more and more people are relying on freelancers and outside consultants.
So what does a day in the life of a self-employed worker look like? It’s hard to say since everyone approaches it differently depending on their services and their industry. That’s why it’s such a great option with incredible flexibility.
For the most part, you can work from home and set your schedule. You can decide how many hours you’ll work, whether you want to be full-time or part-time.
Sometimes, it can be hard to decide what you want to do when you work for yourself, even if you have the motivation to get started. We rounded up a list of some common self-employed jobs that pay well, and you can start fairly easily. Feel free to get creative and use this list as a springboard when you think of ways you can sell your expertise.
Author
Amanda is a writer with experience in various industries, including travel, real estate, and career advice. After taking on internships and entry-level jobs, she is familiar with the job search process and landing that crucial first job. Included in her experience is work at an employer/intern matching startup where she marketed an intern database to employers and supported college interns looking for work experience.
