The gig economy is often described as a hotbed of low-paying work, but that isn't always true. Some freelance gigs are quite lucrative.
To figure out which ones pay the best, the team at the entrepreneurial hub FitSmallBusiness recently analyzed publicly available data from sources such as Upwork and the Freelancers Union and gathered data on subjects such as fields where client billings grew by 200 percent from 2016 to 2017. Afterward, the researchers compiled the hourly rates of hundreds of freelancers from platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, People Per Hour, Hubstaff and Guru.
Topped by technology development work involving artificial intelligence, the list of the 10 highest-paying gig economy jobs of 2018 that FitSmallBusiness created is very varied but there are some common threads.
“Generally speaking, all of these jobs are more task and project oriented,” says Gavin Graham, special projects editor at FitSmallBusiness “They don’t require the person performing them be on site. That’s why they lend themselves to this gig economy.”
The prevalence of these gigs is good news for digital nomads, who want to work from anywhere in the world, says Graham. “They lend themselves well to people who want to work remotely, move around the world and have clients anywhere in the world," he says.
Looking to add to your arsenal of marketable skills? Here are the 10 highest paying gig economy jobs of 2018.
- Artificial intelligence (deep learning) - $115.06/hour
These freelancers work with the technology that drives the ability of artificial intelligence technology to learn and adapt, says Graham. “As AI applications perform specific actions, it will take the response to those actions and use the response to inform future actions,” he says. Specialized developers in this field can earn a great living as freelancers. The average annual income for deep learning is $239,325, far higher than the country’s median household income of $59.039, FitSmallBusiness noted.
2. Blockchain architecture - $87.05/hour
Blockchain is the underlying technology cryptocurrencies are built on. “There are a lot of other applications people are not familiar with,” says Graham. For developers and architects who are, this can be a lucrative field. There is a lot of work available for those who know how to design and develop the blockchain technology for new alternative coins or help clients build a new cryptocurrency exchange, according to the researchers.
- Robotics - $77.46/hour
Typically, freelancers in this niche design mechanical elements, pieces, and mechanisms for robots, the researchers found. They also create 3D models and animations using computer-aided design (CAD). Often this work requires a background in mechanical engineering and proficiency in software such as SolidWorks Professional, Photoview 360, Simplify 3D, and eDrawings.
- Ethical hacking - $66.33/hour
These hackers help companies look for potential gaps in their security that malicious hackers might exploit. They are also involved in fixing vulnerabilities.
- Cryptocurrency - $65.37/hour
Demand for freelancers with Bitcoin-related skills is on the uptick, the researchers found. Among the work they do is building automated tools for trading exchanges and developing market charts.
- Amazon web services Lambda coding - $51.00/hour
This is a technology, offered by Amazon, that lets users run code without servers. Developers with the skill to do Lambda coding are highly sought after, the researchers found. Typically they are proficient in Node.js, Python, Java, and C#. They write and load code onto Lambda and design triggers that lead to code being executed on the system.
- Virtual reality - $50.18/hour
These freelancers develop software apps that merge digital content such as visual and audio into a user’s environment in real life. Pokemon Go is an example of a well-known app in this space. This field requires expertise in developing augmented reality algorithms and fluency in C#, C, and C++, according to the reseachers. Backgrounds in 3D modelling and 3D scanning are also common.
- React JavaScript developers - $40.75/hour
These specialized developers work with React, an open-source JavaScript library used by front-end software developers. As freelancers, they develop web applications that can update data with no need to reload the page. Developers in this area are typically fluent in JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS.
- Final cut pro editors (Apple video editing) - $37.12/hour
These videos work with Final Cut Pro X, Apple’s professional-grade video editing software. It is used in making movies, advertisements and music videos.
- Instagram marketing - $31.23/hour
If you’re not a techie and picking up new skills that will put you in demand, Instagram marketing could be worth considering. With 800,000 users, the social media site is attracting a growing number of advertisers—and demand is high for people with the skills to promote a business on the social media platform. The work includes creating content, adding hashtags, and engaging users to grow a following—and analyzing metrics to see the results of their work.
This list may be intimidating if you don’t do a lot of technological work, but it may still spell opportunity for you. For every new area of technology, there will be freelancers needed in related fields.
Can’t do blockchain architecture? That doesn’t mean you can’t tackle public relations projects for a company involved in blockchain or offer your legal or accounting services to such firms.
There is plentiful work ahead for free agents who pay attention the changing demands of the marketplace—and are willing to adapt.
