From marketing to internet security

Going freelance seems to be in vogue. If you’re thinking about going freelance full-time or freelancing for the extra income, your choice of specialty is important. Not only do you want to choose a field, preferably, in which you have some experience and training, but you want to make enough money to make the job worth your time.

Many people think freelancers do not make much money but the truth is, about half of all freelancers made between $25,000 and $75,000 in 2015! You can live on that, and even support a family on the higher end. And if you’re adding that to your regular income, it’s quite a boost.

Do you want to make that much? Then you need to be smart. Below are some of the highest paying freelance jobs around, and some of them might shock you!

1. Marketing

Have some experience in marketing? Working freelance could make you between $46 and $52 per hour! You’ll most likely be involved in strategizing for brands, utilizing social and other forms of media, and working on customer relationships. Should you find a company that loves you, then you may have a flexible, long-term job.

2. Voice Acting

Do you have a flare for acting? Or do you get a lot of compliments about your voice? Working as a freelance voice over artist could see you earning as much as $72 per hour. Many companies are trying to use more videos in their advertising, because people seem to respond to video better than to print, so this is also a growing industry.

3. Recruiting

If you enjoy looking for new talent then you might want to consider honing your skills as a recruiter into the freelance world. A lot of businesses are finding that it’s more cost-effective to hire a freelancer or a freelance team to recruit new talent, rather than doing that in-house. Freelance recruiters earn $46 per hour on average.

4. Programming

Computer programming can be done from anywhere in the world, provided you have a computer and an Internet connection. Do you already know how to program? If yes, then it’s even better for you, because you already have experience and a portfolio. But even if you’re a newbie, there are a million places on the Internet where you can learn to program. Once you’re ready, you can make up to $60 an hour as a freelance programmer.

5. Infographic Design

Do you live, eat & drink design? Specializing in infographic design can make you earn as much as $65 per hour. Infographics are in vogue right now, because people love to see their information — particularly statistics — rather than just reading about it. The more complicated the information, the more helpful it is to give people a way to visualize it. Research popular infographics, try designing a few, then search for jobs where you can apply your new skills.

6. Writing

Whether you specialize in business writing, advertising, blogging, or any other form of writing, good freelance writers can make up to $55 an hour, depending on the task. However, there are many, many low paying freelance writing gigs out there. Improve your skills and do your research so you don’t end up making a lot less than you should.

7. Search Engine Optimization

It will interest you to know that even if you’re just starting out as a SEO Specialist, you can about $50 per hour. Should you make a name for yourself, then you can make even more. Get started by doing some research in the field, to see if it’s something you’re interested in.

8. Translation

If you’re lucky enough to know two (or more) languages, there are freelance translation jobs available for you! With freelance translation jobs you can make anywhere from $25 to $40 an hour, depending on the task, your skill level, and the languages involved.

9. Legal Work

If you’re trained as a lawyer, you can also make some money working freelance. Patent lawyers can demand $112 per hour, intellectual property lawyers up to $120 an hour, and run-of-the-mill legal consulting pays about $70 an hour. Even if you don’t practice law all the time, if you have the training and the certifications, it can be a lucrative freelance career.

10. Internet Security

All of the big data breaches that have made news headlines mean that freelance Internet security specialists are high in demand, and can make over $50 per hour. If you’re already knowledgeable in the field of internet security, why not pick up a freelance job or two and see how it goes? Even if you do not know much about internet security, it might be worthwhile to consider learning it because this field isn’t drying up anytime soon.