The COVID-19 pandemic gave a lot of people a taste of remote work, but companies are now calling their employees back to the office, and lots of them are refusing to go. There are many ways to run a freelance business these days and if you’re able to secure high-paying freelance jobs, you’ll probably have an easier time staying afloat.
You can solicit clients yourself or work from a platform that aggregates projects for freelancers to bid on, just to name two. Whatever way you choose, the lure of working from home–or working from anywhere–has created a massive change in the number of people striking out on their own. It’s hard to pin down a number, but most places put the estimate of self-employed people in the US at around 36% of the workforce.
As a digital nomad myself, I love to spread knowledge of all the kinds of work that can be done without a daily commute. In fact, I’m writing this article from a cozy little room in Portugal.
To round up the 10 highest-paying freelance jobs, we turned to Glassdoor (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/index.htm) to investigate the salaries of these job titles in general.
Remember, though, that Glassdoor’s data doesn’t take into account the difference between a traditionally employed person and a freelancer. Your ability to achieve even the lower end of these ranges may depend on your level of education, experience, and the number of contacts you have in the field.
You’ll see that many of the most lucrative freelance jobs rely on a set of skills based on the highest-paying freelance skills. With those skills, dedication, and some time, you can be among the highest paid freelancers.
Freelance jobs are often remote positions, but they don’t have to be. Some freelancers have hybrid work arrangements with some clients, and go into an office—either on a regular schedule or intermittently. Although there are certainly other high-paying freelance jobs, these are the most commonly listed across many sources, including popular jobs in 2023 and 2024 and those on track to trend for 2025.
Discover the 10 Highest-Paying Freelance Jobs 2025
Here are the types of freelance work that net the highest freelance writer salaries and great freelance hourly rates. We predict that they’ll remain high-paying freelance jobs to look for in 2025.
Software/app developer
Possible freelance jobs salary per year: ($83,000–126,000)
This is a perennially good field for freelancers who have the specialist knowledge required to do it. Many have a degree in the field, but it’s not required. There are plenty of software developers, or engineers, without degrees.
Keep in mind that to get a high-paying freelance job in the field without a degree, you will probably require a significant amount of experience and certificates in certain skills. Related fields for this type of work include blockchain developers and AI data specialists. These are both emerging fields, so the education and experience requirements aren’t as established.
Remote project manager ($71,000–118,000)
As remote, asynchronous work teams grow, project management must evolve. If you can manage digital tools and coordinate efforts from a workforce that might span the globe, you can nurture a communicative and successful work environment, even without a water cooler to congregate around.
There are all kinds of freelance project management positions, and the specific type may inform what kind of education you might need. Sure, organization is required but you’ll also need soft skills in these positions, like top-notch communication skills, if you want to attract high-paying freelance jobs and better-paying freelance clients.
Data/information analyst ($69,000–103,000)
There is no doubt that we can collect large amounts of data for just about anything these days, but raw data doesn’t do much. Companies gather all kinds of information, from market research to internal business statistics, but without analysis, there’s no way to know what it all means. Data analysts evaluate raw data to determine and forecast trends, guide projects, and recommend corrections. A background in mathematics, statistics, or economics is helpful for the best-paying freelance work. We predict having these skills as a freelancer will continue to be an asset in the years ahead.
Web developer ($64,000–104,000)
This is a wide field because a web presence is required for everything from commerce to education to government. There are three types of web developers: front-end, back-end, and full-stack. Front-end developers are responsible for the parts of the website that the public sees and benefit from a background in design. Back-end developers work on the hidden parts of a website that may be more technical, such as a database, scheduling system, or commerce aspect. These developers may need more specialized education. Full-stack developers can design both the front and back ends of a site. There are college degrees available for this field, but, as with software development, there are plenty of people working in the field without degrees. Certificates and experience may be necessary to be a highly paid freelancer in this field though.
Graphic designer ($52,000–86,000)
This high-paying freelance job combines creativity and communication, and there are jobs available for professionals in all kinds of media, from digital to print to gigantic signage like billboards. The field can be difficult to break into because there is no requirement for advanced skills, and so people willing to work for very little money on sites like Fiverr means it can be oversaturated. However, there are degrees and certificates available for those who want to refine a talent for this type of work, which can ensure you’re among the highest paid of the freelancers in this field.
Digital marketer ($51,000–96,000)
This kind of marketing professional specializes in digital media, which includes marketing through search engines, email, and online advertising. Social media specialists (freelance pay range $41,000 to $67,000 annually) fall within this type of high-paying freelance job.
People who excel in this field often have expertise in design and communication. They might also possess some of the highest-paying freelance writing skills. A deep knowledge of digital tools is also required for many of the freelance digital marketer jobs you’ll find. It’s possible to use these skills to get more freelance content marketing clients.
Accountant/tax specialist ($47,000–95,000)
Accountants and other tax specialists can easily be freelancers, especially if they work with individuals rather than large corporations. It’s a field in which you can take on clients and work from anywhere. Because of the rise of digital tools that help with bookkeeping, it’s not necessary to meet people face-to-face to help them with financial accountability. Although there are requirements to be a certified public accountant (CPA), this field has other roles that don’t require degrees, although specialized training is necessary in most cases.
Public Relations Specialist ($44,000–76,000)
This is another area in which advanced communication skills can ensure you’re on the high end of the salary scale. Public relations specialists work with clients to build their brands and shape how the public sees them. This can include organizing advertising campaigns, speaking, creating email messages, and even coaching. Many PR professionals specialize in working with a specific type of client, such as musicians or executives in certain industries. This can be a fast-paced and exciting career, and a background in business, journalism, or even politics can make this a high-paying freelance job.
Freelance writer ($42,000–109,000)
This is a tough pay range to pin down because freelance writing covers a lot of ground. There are some niche markets that make up the highest-paying freelance writing jobs, including medical writing ($70,000–109,000), technical writing ($61,000–103,000), and copy/content writing ($56,000–94,000). These kinds of freelance writing jobs require specific knowledge besides writing skill. You’ll likely earn a higher freelance income if you work with brands that have good marketing budgets and secure retainer work as a freelancer.
Virtual Assistant ($37,000–59,000)
This high-paying remote freelancing opportunity is a prime example of a job that used to be tied to a desk but is no longer because of the digital world we now live in. Virtual assistants provide administrative support for clients, which can include scheduling appointments, answering phones, social media management, data entry, and many other tasks. Freelancing in this field can be interesting because no two clients will be alike. People who hire virtual assistants may need help but can’t afford or don’t need full-time assistance. People with administrative skills can take on multiple clients and do all the work from wherever they happen to be.
Enjoy Your Remote Freelance Business
The keys to maximizing your income in any of these areas are expertise, experience, and market demand. Make sure to set pay rates so you can be competitive but still be able to pay your bills. There’s no sense undercutting other people if you’re then going to be making less than you’d make at a “regular” job. As you gain experience, raise your rates until you are at the pay rate you’d like to be.
FAQs
I have the specialized training needed for freelancing in my field, but I don’t have a lot of experience. How can I find freelance writing jobs in my niche?
Joining a service organization in your field is the best way to become part of the community of people who make up your specialization and probably take advantage of classes and networking opportunities. For example, if you’re in an editorial field, join the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA).
If you’re a web developer, check out the CodeStitch Web Developers Channel on Discord. These organizations also often have job boards that you can tap into. Whatever your specialty, there’s likely a community built around it. Check out the article “Here’s How to Find Your Freelance Community” by Minolta Walker. (https://bestfreelancetips.com/heres-how-to-find-your-freelance-community/).
I want to be a freelancer with a remote job, but I don’t know what to do.
Make a list of the skills you have. Maybe start with a list of the types of jobs you’ve held. What skills did you learn in those jobs? Don’t forget to write down things like answering phones or helping customers. These are soft skills that are needed in many freelance positions. If you do have some skills like writing or drawing, start building a portfolio of your work.
This doesn’t even have to be paid work. You can do work for friends or put up your writing on a site like Medium, your art on something like DeviantArt, or your computer coding projects on GitHub. (Is fiverr worth it?)
If you find a field that’s interesting, do a little research or maybe take a class about it on a site like (www.ed2go.com) to see if this is something you might love to do. Getting started freelancing doesn’t have to cost a lot. In fact, here’s how to start freelancing for free.
