Everyone wants a high-paying job, but more often than not, it comes with less flexibility. However, there are careers available that will offer plenty of flexibility while still giving significant monetary benefits that can fulfill your financial needs for years to come.
While these are still difficult to find in some areas, the US job market has advanced dramatically over the past few years, as having specialised skills can now open the door to further opportunities.
Offering a work-life balance while paying highly was once unattainable, but this is becoming a thing of the past. If you’re looking to move past conventional high-salary routes like investment banking or traditional law, these unconventional, high-paying jobs offer an excellent roadmap with more flexibility.
This guide will highlight some career roles that you’ve not previously considered that can give you the chance to earn high while maintaining a sense of freedom. Continue reading to find out more.
High-Paying Flexible Jobs
Ethical Hacker
These cybersecurity specialists are paid premium salaries to actively seek and identify system vulnerabilities before cyberattackers do, making them completely ethical without any harm done.
Companies pay a lot of money for this essential protection, and the work is often executed on a contract basis with strict deadlines, allowing the professional to set their own work location and manage multiple client contracts.
This career field demands advanced technical skills but offers substantial financial compensation, so it’s worth getting the necessary training and completing the courses to become qualified.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) treat people with speech or language difficulties to help them improve their speech. They can work in schools, clinics or private practices, but the growth of telehealth and private consulting has introduced more flexibility so they don’t have to work in stressful environments consistently.
Many SLPs are now able to conduct sessions remotely, set their own hours and focus on specific demographics. Earnings are often between $80,000 and $100,000, so it’s a worthwhile job for those looking for good long-term income while also making a positive difference to the community.
Actuary
Actuaries analyse financial risk using math, statistics and financial theory, primarily working for insurance companies or consulting firms. The profession is consistently ranked highly for work-life balance due to its low stress, high autonomy and minimal overtime. While certification takes several years, the payoff is a median annual salary around $120,000 and strong remote-work options.
To become an actuary, you need a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field like mathematics or actuarial science, followed by passing a series of professional exams. These can be from organisations like the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS).
Powered Access Hire Specialist
You might be aware of roles that involve hiring out machinery, but powered access hire works a little differently. For this, specialists are often assigned large-scale projects that involve working at extreme heights of up to 80m or more. These specialists will need to recommend the appropriate equipment for the job and assign an engineer to test it and perform any maintenance.
The base salary for regional managers of powered access hire can earn anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000. This will involve managing a territory or the company’s most important clients, so that they will get serviced properly with the hire.
Arborist / Tree Surgeon
Highly skilled and certified arborists charge premium rates for hazardous tree removal, trimming, and disease management. As a contractor, you schedule your jobs based on client demand and your availability, so you can maintain a good level of flexibility without taking up a large chunk of your social life.
After accounting for labor, equipment and insurance, successful owner-operators can see high annual earnings, often exceeding $80,000 to $150,000 for a well-managed solo or small-team operation.
UX/UI Designer
User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design roles are perfect for contract work. Companies hire designers for specific projects, like launching a new app or redesigning a website. As a contract or freelance designer, you set your own rates and schedule, with experienced professionals earning six-figure incomes through project billing.
There’s a constant need for more UX/UI designers, so once you’re trained in how to carry out the right changes, you will become a valuable asset to any type of business.
AI Trainer
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over the world, with a growing number of people using AI bots like ChatGPT and Gemini rather than standard Google Search for their queries. Prompt Engineers are highly paid to write the specific instructions for Large Language Models (LLMs) to ensure quality and accurate output. This niche expertise is done entirely remotely and often on a contract basis, offering high hourly rates to those who master the skill.
With the growing popularity of AI, there will be more AI trainers needed across the world and the ability to choose your own hours makes it one of the most intriguing careers to get into.
