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The Best Part-Time Jobs To Make Money Fast

The Best Part Time Jobs
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There are more part time job opportunities today than at any time in history.

These jobs are being filled by people with educational backgrounds ranging from high school diplomas to master’s degrees. 

The best part time jobs have an ideal mix of:

  • High hourly wage.
  • Flexible hours or the ability to create your own schedule.
  • Opportunities to grow.

In this article, you’ll learn about the 12 best online part time jobs, along with 13 high-paying offline part time jobs for all skill levels.

12 Best Online Part Time Jobs

If you’re looking for an online job, you have lots of possibilities. 

Now more than ever before, you can create the future you want from home. It just takes a little creativity and outside-the-box thinking to find an opportunity that works for you.

Here’s our list of the best part time work from home jobs for all skill and experience levels, including entry level.

#1. Editor/Proofreader

Earning potential: $15 to $46 per hour. 

Somebody has to look over all the content produced by freelance writers and bloggers. That’s where freelance editors and proofreaders come in — although it’s important to note that these roles aren’t technically the same.

Traditionally, editors help improve writing quality while proofreaders just clean up grammar, punctuation and spelling. 

But in the freelance arena, clients often expect both types of services. So knowing both skills is key to ramping up your earnings.

  • Required skills and experience: Expertise in English grammar and punctuation, strong fact-checking skills, and knowledge of at least one commonly used style guide (AP, MLA, etc.).
  • Who it’s best for: Those who love to read and have meticulous attention to detail. 
  • Why it’s ranked #1: Offers high demand (meaning there are lots of online jobs in the field) and does not require certification.

Where to learn more: To get started, read through our blog post on how to become a proofreader, which goes into detail about what it takes to make it in the field (and how to earn more money as you gain experience).

To find the best places to hunt for work, check out this guide on the best proofreading jobs.

One thing to keep in mind is that because the barrier to entry is low, there’s a lot of competition for part time editing and proofreading jobs — especially when you’re just getting started. Taking a course can help you sharpen your skills and fine-tune your approach to landing clients, making you a more competitive candidate. 

We recommend Proofread Anywhere’s free workshop titled “Learning the Skills You Need to Start Your Freelance Proofreading Hustle.” It’s led by Caitlin Pyle, one of the top experts in the online proofreading industry, and provides a wealth of valuable information.

Proofread Anywhere
Learn How to Become a Proofreader

Learn How to Become a Proofreader

Proofread Anywhere is the go-to resource for people looking to break into the work-from-home proofreading industry. The free 76-minute workshop explains how to know whether proofreading is a good fit for you, and how to get started if you decide that it is.

Where to find jobs:

  1. Upwork and Fiverr: Jobs on Upwork typically pay better than on Fiverr, but are harder to land, as they tend to blend editing and proofreading. Fiverr earnings can be quite low, but there are more proofreading-only jobs.
  2. Scribbr: An online platform that connects editors with students who need help improving their writing. Offers flexible scheduling, and you can set your preference for deadlines. Has a strong community of editors, as well as robust support and training resources.
  3. Polished Paper: Available editing work includes academic papers, blog posts, business documents, novels, screenplays and more. There is a rigorous application process, however; Polished Paper asks for your resume and administers a 35-question test.
  4. Cambridge Proofreading & Editing: Focuses primarily on editing work, such as improving the structure and language of documents. Pays $20 to $30 per hour via PayPal. Must be a native speaker with a bachelor’s degree.
  5. ProofreadingService.com: Oriented towards proofreading work rather than editing. Pays $19 to $46 per hour depending on deadline urgency. Must pass a timed 20-minute entrance quiz to qualify.

#2. Freelance Writer

Earning potential: $15 to $100 per hour.

Businesses hire writers for many types of one-off and short term projects, including books, blog posts, technical manuals, proposals, sales materials and movie/video scripts (just to name a few). Many companies also hire part time writers for long term projects.

  • Required skills and experience: Excellent command of written English, plus strong research and fact-checking skills.
  • Who it’s best for: People who love learning about a variety of new topics, and who have at least an hour per day of uninterrupted writing time.
  • Why it’s ranked #2: Extremely high earning potential, numerous jobs available and easy for beginners to break in.

Where to learn more: Curious about launching a part time writing gig? Read more about getting started in our guide to freelance writing for beginners. It covers the basics you need to know before hunting for work and lists the best websites for finding jobs.

Another great way to make money writing is by launching your own blog. Many people choose to do this as a full time career, but it can also provide a solid source of part time income if you only have a couple hours per day to dedicate to it. 

Check out this article on how to start a money-making blog, or sign up for my free 14-lesson course by entering your email address below. It’s a comprehensive guide, delivered straight to your inbox, that goes over everything you need to know — from the basics to advanced strategies, including how to get traffic to your site and how to leverage affiliate marketing.

Free Email Course “How To Make Your First $1,000 Blogging”

Join over 10,000 others and get the step-by-step blueprint to make your first $1,000 blogging. Opt-in below to have it sent straight to your inbox! 100% Free!

Where to find jobs: Check out our list of the best freelance writing jobs, or scan a few of our favorites below.

  1. Upwork and Fiverr: Both are great if you want to become a freelance writer. You can work with nearly anyone on these platforms, from small-time bloggers to large companies. Upwork clients pay better, but Fiverr clients are easier to land. Check out our article on how to apply for Upwork writing jobs to learn more. 
  2. ProBlogger: A job board focused on content writer gigs. Common types of job listings on ProBlogger include blogging, copywriting, ghostwriting and editing/proofreading. Clients are similar to those you’d find on Upwork.
  3. FlexJobs: A premium job site focused on remote positions with both full time and part time work from home jobs listed. The $23.95 monthly subscription fee allows it to curate the highest-quality list of remote positions that we’ve found, as well as to provide more job search resources than other sites (i.e., you won’t find any junk or scams here).
  4. FreelanceWritingGigs: Offers a curated daily list of part time, full time and freelance work in content writing, copywriting, editing/proofreading, journalism, proposal/grant writing and technical writing.

#3. Online Tutor

Earning potential: $10 to $44 per hour.

The importance of English language fluency has been growing for years. Now, thanks in large part to increased access to computers and broadband internet in developing nations, people from all over the world are learning from native speakers via video chat. 

There are also opportunities to find online teaching jobs in other subjects (but English is the most in-demand topic).

  • Required skills and experience: Subject matter knowledge, basic teaching skills and a high school diploma. You must also be a native speaker. Some opportunities require a college degree in any major, though in most cases neither a teaching degree nor an active certification are necessary.
  • Required tech: In addition to a computer with a good camera and a headset, you typically need a high-quality broadband internet connection to ensure smooth video conferencing with your students.
  • Who it’s best for: Empathetic people who love knowledge and enjoy teaching and helping others.
  • Why it’s ranked #3: Strong earning potential and opportunity, but you need sufficient knowledge (and sometimes qualifications) in a subject area. Additionally, you have to cater your schedule to people around the world, which limits flexibility and may mean working overnight or irregular hours.

Where to learn more: These are just a few of the available opportunities. Check out this list of the best online teaching jobs to learn more.

Where to find jobs

  1. Education First: Teach English to kids around the world. Tutors earn about $20 per hour on average. A bachelor’s degree and a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification is required, but you can earn it on the job — you don’t need to have it before starting (and EF has a program to help you get it).
  2. StudyPool: Offers tutoring in a wide range of subjects. It’s essentially a marketplace for freelance tutors (think of it like Upwork for teachers), which means you’ll have plenty of scheduling flexibility. You must hold a bachelor’s degree or be a current four-year college student to work on StudyPool. 
  3. TutorMe: Has over 300 subjects available and an intuitive online lesson space that makes tutoring easy. Earn an average hourly rate of at least $16 per hour plus bonuses. Must be enrolled in a degree program or hold a bachelor’s degree and have tutoring experience.
  4. Elevate: Offers remote part time jobs for tutors in a wide variety of school subjects. You must have a bachelor’s degree, an active teaching certification and past experience to qualify for most opportunities on Elevate.

Related reading: Learn about the best side hustles for teachers.

#4. Bookkeeping

Earning potential: $16 to $26 per hour for beginners, and up to $60 per hour with experience. 

Bookkeepers are critical for efficient financial management in business. They handle several basic financial tasks, such as recording transactions, organizing financial records and producing financial reports for business owners and managers.

And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need any specialized degrees or certifications to get started as a bookkeeper.

  • Required skills and experience: Attention to detail, number skills and proficiency with bookkeeping software (or the ability to learn software).
  • Who it’s best for: People who are detail-oriented and get a sense of satisfaction from solving mathematical problems.
  • Why it’s ranked #4: The earning potential is strong and there are lots of jobs available, but it requires decent math and software skills — so it might not be right for everyone.

Where to learn more: Ben Robinson, an accountant and entrepreneur, shows you how to launch your bookkeeping business in his free three-class series titled “How to Own a Virtual Bookkeeping Service, Earn Good Money and Be Your Own Boss.”

Free Video Series
How to Start a Virtual Bookkeeping Business

How to Start a Virtual Bookkeeping Business

Learn how to launch a work-from-home bookkeeping business in 90 days, even with no accounting experience.

Where to Find Jobs: Check out our guide to the best remote bookkeeping jobs, or visit the sites below.

  1. Upwork: One of the best sources of part time bookkeeping work if you have little to no experience and want to freelance. There are numerous clients on the site, and they often pay pretty well.
  2. FlexJobs: A job board geared towards “remote employee” opportunities rather than independent contractor/freelance work. Most of the time, you’ll be a W2 employee hired at a fixed hourly rate. You’ll find full time positions here as well as part time remote jobs.
  3. Bookminders: Outsourced bookkeeping firm for nonprofits and small businesses in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Rigorous policies and procedures. Bachelor’s degree, five years’ experience and living within 45 miles of a Bookminders office required.
  4. ClickAccounts: A business process outsourcing company focused on bookkeeping. Typical tasks include bank reconciliations, payroll and Quickbooks organization. You must email the address on their Careers page with your resume.

#5. Virtual Assistant (VA)

Earning potential: $7 to $40 per hour.

The internet has given rise to a new type of administrative assistant, called a virtual assistant (or VA for short). Tasks associated with a virtual assistant job include scheduling, bookkeeping, writing/scheduling blog posts, email correspondence, social media monitoring and more. 

  • Required skills and experience: Proficiency with basic productivity tools (like Excel), multi-tasking abilities and client/company-specific skills.
  • Who it’s best for: Adaptable, efficient individuals skilled in several types of administrative assistant work.
  • Why it’s ranked #5: Offers a good opportunity to build an array of skills that can help you earn more money in the future, but it may not always be the most stimulating work.

Where to learn more: You can often find a virtual assistant job even if you only have a limited set of basic administrative skills. But if that’s the case, you’ll be competing with VAs in developing nations — a fact that will be reflected in your pay.

To stand out from the competition, you can take one of the many free or paid virtual assistant training courses. This specialized knowledge allows you to choose a better niche to begin your journey.

Where to find jobs: The options in the list below are ideal when you’re looking for part time jobs from home, but they tend to focus on very simple tasks (which don’t pay the best rates). For a more comprehensive list of options, see our complete guide to finding virtual assistant jobs.

  1. Fancy Hands: Offers task-based work including data entry, handling phone calls, scheduling appointments, price tracking and finding hotels at specific rates. Pays $3 to $7 per task. 
  2. Time ETC: Focuses on offering an array of services to a small number of clients. Hourly pay starts at $11 with opportunity to grow. Time ETC prefers at least five years of experience, and there’s a rigorous selection process. 
  3. Belay Solutions: Hires on a contract basis. Has remote work opportunities for bookkeepers, social media strategists, and web specialists as well as traditional VAs. Must pass two interviews and a skills assessment to qualify. VAs must be available Monday through Friday during business hours, so it’s not the most flexible job on this list. 
  4. Boldly: Hires VAs as part time workers (on a W2 basis) for virtual executive assistant jobs and similar roles. Candidates must have seven years of experience, be available Monday through Friday during business hours, and be able to work at least 20 hours per week. Only open to candidates in 23 states. 
  5. Delegate: Must be available and responsive Monday through Friday during business hours, and be able to work at least 25 hours per week. Delegate first trains new VAs, then has them shadow current ones. Finally, new VAs do peer-to-peer training before working with clients. 

#6. Transcription

Earning potential: $9 to $35 per hour.  

Transcription is the process of converting audio to text. Transcribers (also known as transcriptionists) listen to recordings and write/type what they hear. In this role, you may be asked to transcribe speeches, podcasts, interviews and more.

With experience you can work in a more specialized role, such as a legal or medical transcriptionist.

  • Required skills and experience: Attention to detail, fast and accurate typing, good listening, and the ability to understand accents.
  • Who it’s best for: A fast typist with a good ear.
  • Why it’s ranked #6: There’s plenty of online work and getting started is straightforward, but the pay is on the lower end of the spectrum.

Where to learn more: To learn more about working as a transcriber, check out these 10 online transcription jobs for beginners.

Where to Find Jobs

  1. Ubiqus: An agency providing multilingual expertise to companies around the globe. Ubiqus hires you as a W2 employee. Corporate, legal and medical transcription jobs are just a few of its open opportunities.
  2. TranscribeMe: A company hiring transcriptionists to work for clients in several industries. You work on chunks of whole audio files ranging from 10 seconds to a minute long. Must pass an entrance exam that tests your English skills.
  3. Rev: A popular transcription platform where you can pick from hundreds of available assignments. You’re paid weekly for however many jobs you complete. Rev tests you on your English skills and ability to follow their style rules before you can work.
  4. GMR Transcription: Hires transcriptionists as W2 employees. You can earn more as you improve your transcription skills by taking on more challenging assignments.
  5. GoTranscript: A UK-based transcription company with steady work and a variety of interesting jobs to choose from. GoTranscript also provides feedback on your work so you can improve.

#7. Social Media Manager

Earning potential: $15 to $50 per hour.

A social media manager writes and schedules posts, plans campaigns, researches a brand’s audience, interacts with customers and uses analytics to improve results.

  • Required skills and experience: Social media savviness, copywriting, customer service and web analytics.
  • Who it’s best for: People with a well-rounded digital skill set. This job often requires a little bit of writing, some graphic design and even a bit of sales. You don’t have to be a pro in each of these, but having some degree of proficiency will make you more competitive.
  • Why it’s ranked #7: Offers good hourly pay, great scalability and widespread opportunity, but it requires a multitude of skills in order to command the best rates.

Where to learn more: Check out our comprehensive guide to social media jobs to learn about the skills you need (and how to land clients). 

Where to find jobs: While you can find freelance social media jobs on sites like Upwork and Fiverr, FlexJobs has a long list of fully remote part time jobs with established companies. 

At the time of publication, there were over 100 remote job listings for opportunities in the social media category on the site. 

#8. Graphic Designer

Earning potential: $15 to $60 per hour.

Graphic designers create visual assets that convey information to consumers. This can include logos, brochures, product packaging, billboard ads and other marketing materials.

With high demand and excellent upside, it’s one of the best online jobs for those with an eye for design.

  • Required skills and experience: Typography, web design, graphic design programs (Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, etc.) and attention to detail.
  • Who it’s best for: Artists who’d like to leverage their talent to earn money.
  • Why it’s ranked #8: Offers some of the highest upside of any opportunity on this list, but requires real skill in a very specific niche.

Where to learn more: Ready to build a business around your artistic talents? Check out our guide to getting started as a freelance graphic designer.

Where to find jobs:

  1. Upwork and Fiverr: Upwork has plenty of graphic design opportunities — especially for website design work. Fiverr allows for more odd/creative types of graphic design (including illustration), but your earnings will usually be lower.
  2. 99Designs: A freelance marketplace specifically for graphic designers. You can work with clients one-on-one, or you can submit your work to “design contests,” where clients review submissions from multiple designers (hence the site’s name) and then pick the one they like best. 
  3. DesignCrowd: Like 99Designs, this is a marketplace with both freelance jobs and design competitions. The site’s management conducts regular portfolio reviews to make sure designers are up to their standards. 
  4. Toptal: Freelance marketplace for technical jobs, but there are graphic design opportunities as well. Toptal looks for graphic designers specializing in UI, UX, Interaction design and other software/application-focused fields. 
  5. Crowdspring: A marketplace in which you compete against other designers by submitting your work to clients. If the client picks your work, you get paid. All types of design jobs are available, but they emphasize web-based graphic design. Must get on a waitlist to join; registration only opens once per quarter (and only stays open for a few weeks at a time), so be on the lookout. 

#9. Customer Service Agent

Earning potential: $10 to $20 per hour.

Many large companies now hire remote customer service agents, making this a great option for those looking for part time jobs from home.

As an at-home customer service representative, you’ll answer questions and troubleshoot problems with products via online chat and phone.

  • Required skills and experience: Customer service skills, basic tech proficiency and good multi-tasking ability. 
  • Who it’s best for: Patient, empathetic individuals with thick skin (in case of rude customers).
  • Why it’s ranked #9: There are many companies that hire for this role. However, there are also plenty of applicants, which can make getting hired a challenge. And because it doesn’t require an advanced skillset, the earning potential is low. 

Where to learn more: Check out our list of work-from-home customer service jobs in every industry.

Where to find jobs:

  1. Apple: At-Home Advisors help customers understand and troubleshoot Apple products. Familiarity with the Apple ecosystem is not required, as they train you. This is the cream of the crop when it comes to at-home customer service jobs, which means opportunities are limited and hard to snag.
  2. VIPDesk: A customer service agency servicing clients in several industries (mostly luxury retail). The company was named a Washington Post “Top Place to Work” in 2020. You’ll need at least six months of relevant experience to qualify.
  3. Foundever: This company was formed through the merger of Sykes and Sitel, two of the largest firms in the industruy. Hires for remote customer service and search quality evaluator positions. Has bilingual positions available. Has both full time and part time work from home opportunities available. Agents are hired as employees rather than contractors. Serves industries ranging from banking to government to healthcare and more.

What about Amazon? Many people think of Amazon as a great place to find remote/online work. And while that’s true to a certain extent, the company tends to hire for this type of remote position either seasonally (e.g., around Christmas) or in batches. That means opportunities are rare and competition is fierce. We talk about this and more in our Amazon work-from-home jobs article.

#10. Stylist

Earning potential: $10 to $22 per hour. 

Surprisingly, there are part time online jobs for stylists. 

Online stylists help their clients optimize their fashion by suggesting clothes and accessories. They also sometimes go the influencer route and make money on social media platforms like Snapchat (often, by leveraging affiliate marketing).  

  • Required skills and experience: Understanding of fashion and body types, as well as good communication/listening skills.
  • Who it’s best for: Fashion-conscious, outgoing people.
  • Why it’s ranked #10: There’s only one major company that hires for this role. Otherwise, you’ll have to find clients yourself (which requires time and startup expenses), or build an influencer business on social media.

Where to find jobs:

  1. StichFix: A tech-focused startup that ships customers periodic, customized fashion boxes on a subscription basis. Offers flexible scheduling and employee discounts on clothing. But even though the job is remote, you must live near Austin, Cleveland, Dallas, Minneapolis or Pittsburgh to qualify.

Where to learn more: Read this StichFix review to learn more about working for the company.

#11. Micro Tasker

Earning potential: $2.50 to $30 per hour.

Micro tasking is essentially crowdsourced labor, in which people complete small tasks that make up a larger project. This often includes work like data entry, labeling photos, creating product descriptions, answering online survey questions, doing research and transcribing documents.

  • Required skills and experience: None, although experience in task-specific areas can help.
  • Who it’s best for: Anyone seeking easy and highly-flexible work.
  • Why it’s ranked #11: It deserves a spot on this list because it requires virtually no skills and no time commitment, which means you can easily earn a few bucks in your spare time. But it comes in near the bottom because the pay can be low — sometimes, just a few dollars per hour (and almost always below minimum wage).

Where to find jobs: Read our list of the best micro-job sites, or check out the options below.

  1. Amazon Mechanical Turk: One of the largest micro tasking sites. Available task types include image/video processing, data verification/clean-up, information gathering and data processing.
  2. Clickworker: A major micro tasking site with tasks that include small writing jobs, editing, browsing/categorizing data, online survey completion and more. The tasks you complete help Clickworker improve the capabilities of artificial intelligence. 
  3. Appen: Offers micro tasks as well as long-term projects. Like Clickworker, Appen uses your work to improve AI capabilities. Tasks range from categorizing social media posts to transcribing audio to drawing boxes around objects in pictures.
  4. UserTesting.com: A site where you get paid to browse websites and provide feedback on their design, intuitiveness, usability and speed. Earning potential is strong at $10 per 20-minute test, but there aren’t always a lot of job postings.
  5. TryMyUI: Similar to UserTesting.com. You use websites and apps, then provide feedback to their designers and programmers. Pay is the same as UserTesting at $10 per 20-minute test.

Where to learn more: You can learn all about micro tasking on Crowdsociety.org.

#12. Consultant

Earning potential: $7 to $100 per hour.

Believe it or not, many freelance and part time consulting opportunities are available online. 

Often, these jobs are one-offs where a client needs someone with expertise in a certain field to provide advice or conduct research.

This work isn’t just for lawyers and engineers. Some examples of real opportunities that we’ve come across are a person seeking advice about baking sourdough bread and a person looking for someone to provide a technical analysis of their kid’s baseball swing.

  • Required skills and experience: Subject matter expertise, solid written and interpersonal communication, and excellent research skills. Licenses and/or certifications in your field may be required.
  • Who it’s best for: Anyone who has experience and expertise in specific subjects or industries. 
  • Why it’s ranked #12: The pay is good to great depending on the opportunity, but it has a high barrier to entry due to expertise requirements.

Where to learn more: How to start a consulting business in nine steps.

Where to find jobs:

  1. Just Answer: Pays professionals and tradespeople to answer questions related to their fields. For example, it hires Certified Public Accountants to answer tax questions. Must have professional certifications or licenses in your desired subject to qualify. 
  2. Wonder: Research various topics and find correct answers on-demand. Typically pays $8 to $16 per question. Tasks include gathering statistics, researching/reviewing products, explaining trends and analyzing competitive landscapes. Must pass a quiz and research assignment to qualify. Is not always hiring, so you may have to check back periodically.
  3. Maven: Matches you with clients. You can set any hourly rate you want (which means high earning potential), although Maven provides a calculator to guide you. Consultants can “microconsult” by answering online questions, can offer consulting services over the phone, and can consult on large ongoing projects.
  4. 10EQS: A network of management consultants within several industries. You collaborate with other consultants in your field to work on challenging and exciting client projects. Consultant collaboration manager roles are also available. 
  5. Clarity: A consulting marketplace catering to startups. Consultants answer questions on a variety of business topics. You can set a per-minute rate and speak with clients by phone.

Best Online Part Time Job Search Sites

The sites listed above only represent a fraction of the different online part time job opportunities out there. When choosing where to apply, you should do some of your own research to make sure you’re finding the best opportunity based on your skills and goals.

Here are the best general job listing sites that host job postings for this type of work.

  • FlexJobs: A premium remote job board (with a monthly fee) that lists ongoing full and part time remote positions with established companies. They review everything that gets posted on the site, which means you won’t run into scams or time-wasters. (You can browse the available jobs for free before signing up.)
  • Upwork: The best marketplace if you’re willing to freelance and prospect for clients — which provides the most long-term upside potential. 
  • Fiverr: Oriented towards one-off tasks, which means there are more individual clients and fewer business/enterprise clients. That can lead to lower potential earnings. However, there’s more room for creative and odd skills than on a site like Upwork.
  • Indeed: The largest job site in the country. However, there are numerous low-quality offers and a few scams to sort through. Still, the site offers advanced filtering tools, including the ability to get job alerts via email when new opportunities are posted that match your search criteria.
  • Glassdoor: Has a job listings section, though it’s not as comprehensive as Indeed’s. However, the site is a fantastic job research resource, as it contains employee reviews, estimated salary information and more for thousands of companies.
  • LinkedIn: LinkedIn facilitates networking between professionals. It has a superb job board, but most of the opportunities ask for a college degree (and many are full-time).
  • Remote.co: A free sister site of FlexJobs. It filters out a lot of junk, offering excellent remote opportunities for job seekers in several industries.

13 Best Offline Part Time Jobs

If you want to get out into the world more and stop staring at your keyboard and screen all day, here’s a list of 13 offline jobs that are great for beginners. 

#1. Photographer

Earning potential: $20 to $40 per hour.

A good photographer can always find a way to make a living. You can sell stock photos online or in local shops. The great thing about stock photos is that you post them once and then earn passive income from them for years.

You can also offer your services locally by taking family portraits, working as a photojournalist for a newspaper, or taking pictures as a wedding photographer.

#2. Freelance Food Delivery

Earning potential: $13 to $20 per hour.

DoorDash and Uber Eats are on-demand delivery services for take-out food orders. As a courier, you’ll get a ping on your smartphone, head to the restaurant to collect the order, and then deliver it to the customer. Instead of getting paid per hour, you get paid per delivery based on factors like distance traveled and the time the delivery took to complete. (Plus tips.)

With DoorDash, you have to schedule shifts (called Dashes); with Uber Eats, you can work as little or as much as you want — there are no schedules or minimum work requirements.

Both platforms allow you to get paid instantly upon completing deliveries for a small fee. 

#3. Fitness Instructor

Earning potential: $15 to $40 per hour.

Get paid to exercise? You can’t beat that when it comes to the health benefits. And as an added perk, you’ll meet lots of new people as you help them achieve their fitness goals.

Working as a fitness instructor is a great job for those who are passionate about health, or for people who sit all day at their full time job and want to counteract the effects of that sedentary lifestyle.

There’s a lot of variety with this option: you can become a personal trainer, or you can specialize and focus on teaching yoga, water aerobics, or boot-camp style group workout sessions.

And while we’ve categorized this as an offline job, the COVID 19 pandemic sparked a surge of demand for online fitness classes. Now that people are acclimated to that type of workout, demand is likely to stay high even as gyms reopen — a fact that makes this a surprisingly good remote job.

#4. Drive for Uber or Lyft

Earning potential: $10 to $20 per hour.

If you live in a bigger city, driving for Uber or Lyft can be one of the best part time jobs you’ve ever had. 

The earnings can be high — especially if you drive during peak hours, when people tend to need more rides. If you’re looking for a high-paying weekend job, this could be it.

What’s also great about Uber is that you have the ability to deliver food via UberEats. Between riders and food orders, you should have no trouble staying constantly busy. 

Learn more about driving for Uber.

#5. Instacart

Earning potential: $10 to 25 per hour. 

Instacart pays you to shop for other people’s groceries. 

You can be an in-store shopper or a delivery person. Even though it’s a part time job with extremely flexible hours, you can still qualify for benefits and retirement, which is a nice perk.

#6. TaskRabbit

Earning potential: $20 to $35 per hour.

TaskRabbit offers a variety of jobs for self-starters. You might hook up a new television or other electronics, do deliveries, or even wait in line. The best-paying tasks are for those who are handy around the house.

The key to getting work on TaskRabbit is to set up a good profile. Put down every skill you have — no matter how big or small. You never know what people will pay you to do.

#7. Massage Therapist

Earning potential: $22 to $35 per hour.

If you love the idea of providing relief and comfort to people while earning a decent paycheck, you may want to become a massage therapist. Since clients book appointments based on your availability, the role offers near complete control over your schedule.

However, you’ll need to get your certification first, and you should only invest the time and money to do that if you’re looking for a long-term second job.

#8. Dog Walker

Earning potential: $15 to $40 per hour.

For animal lovers, there are multiple freelance jobs you can do on the side. 

For starters, there’s dog walking. Sites like Rover make it easy to find clients and bring in extra cash. You’ll have to go through a background check, but that will give your customers more peace of mind. Walkers earn the highest rates in the biggest cities, like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

To set yourself apart from the competition, send an actual resume and cover letter to your potential clients. Little details like these might seem insignificant for a part time job as a dog walker, but paying attention to them will make you look more professional and encourage people to entrust you with the care of their four-legged friends.

You can also work as a pet sitter, again finding clients through Rover. As a pet sitter you have a less flexible schedule but earn significantly more money.

Related: Rover is among a handful of apps that pay you to walk.

#9. Barista

Earning potential: Minimum wage to $15 per hour.

If you like customer service, love the smell of fresh coffee, and know the difference between a double mocha latte and flat white, then you can work as a barista in a coffee shop. 

Some cafes, like Starbucks, also offer employee benefits like health care or promise to pay for your college tuition. 

Even if you’re not in it for the benefits, the tips can be good and the job tends to offer an extremely flexible schedule.

#10: Handyman 

Earning potential: $20 to $60 per hour. 

Many full time trade workers in the repair, construction and maintenance industry side hustle to make extra income as a handyman. 

Handymen handle more simple tasks, such as painting, drywalling and basic home repairs and maintenance. For those with specialized skills such as in HVAC, electric or plumbing, there’s an even higher ceiling for earnings. 

For example, some plumbers command over $100 per hour, depending on the type of job.

And because it’s a skill-based position, it can be one of the best ways to make money without a high school diploma.

#11. Physical Therapist Assistant

Earning potential: $20 to $30 per hour. 

Physical therapists put together a plan to treat a patient after an injury. However, it’s often a physical therapist assistant that works with the client on a one-to-one basis. 

While the average hourly rate is much lower than that of a licensed physical therapist, obtaining a certification to become a physical therapist assistant is easier, often requiring just two years of study.

Many physical therapists work inside of hospitals. This can offer assistants a consistent schedule, and in many cases, part time benefits like health care. 

#12. Dental Hygienist

Earning potential: $25 to $45 per hour. 

Similar to becoming a physical therapist assistant, a dental hygienist is another good option for those looking for a long-term career that offers solid median hourly pay.

To work as a dental hygienist, you’ll need an associate degree in dental hygiene, which can take up three years to complete. 

However, many community colleges offer an affordable Dental Assistant Certification program, which takes as little as 16 weeks; this can be a way to get your foot in the door at a dentist’s office and get some experience in the field as you work towards becoming a dental hygienist. 

Job Boards for Part Time Local Employment Opportunities

Need a place to find some of the amazing opportunities we’ve discussed in this article? Here are some popular places to start your search.

#1. Indeed

Indeed is one of the largest job listing sites in the world, and features postings for tens of thousands of available jobs in different fields and at different experience levels (including entry level).

Because it’s such a huge database, make sure to use the filters to narrow your search.

Once you find a company you’re interested in working for, you can research them on Glassdoor to get the inside scoop.

You can also set up job alerts on Indeed, which will save you time by letting you know when there are job postings that match your criteria.

#2. Craigslist

Craigslist can be a great resource for job seekers or a big nightmare, so you have to be careful. Look for local day-labor and short-term gigs — there are usually a lot of those job openings on this site.

Jobs like that are a great opportunity for making extra money when you have a day to spare. 

But you need to be on the lookout for scams when browsing Craigslist; be leery of anything with lots of promises. And if you’re meeting someone for a job interview, try to meet in a public place.

Finding Part Time Work That Pays Well

There’s no shortage of part time work — both online and office — that pays well above minimum wage. 

The best thing to do is to just get started, even if you’re not sure which one is perfect.

There are job openings for part time workers in data entry, delivery and ridesharing, which allow you to work at your own pace and start earning money fast. Many of them even require little (or zero) experience. 

From there, you can start thinking about the next step up the ladder — whether it’s in the same field, or in something completely different.

In other words, it’s OK if these part time gigs aren’t part of your long term plan; they help you buff up your bank account and build skills so you can take higher paying jobs, like freelance writing or bookkeeping.

R.J. Weiss
R.J. Weiss, founder of The Ways To Wealth, has been a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ since 2010. Holding a B.A. in finance and having completed the CFP® certification curriculum at The American College, R.J. combines formal education with a deep commitment to providing unbiased financial insights. Recognized as a trusted authority in the financial realm, his expertise is highlighted in major publications like Business Insider, New York Times, and Forbes.

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