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12 Best Jobs That Pay $40 An Hour

Charity Jerop
April 27, 2024
12 Best Jobs That Pay $40 An Hour

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Best Jobs That Pay $40 An Hour
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Are you looking for a $40-an-hour job?

Earning $40 an hour can help you achieve your financial goals, and thankfully, you can find jobs that pay this much.

The average wage has risen, with the current one up by 5.1%.

You can expect an average hourly rate of $34.69 for nonfarm payrolls and $29.79 for private sector production and non-supervisory employees.

$40-an-hour way is above the average and could be the income you need to save for your vacation, downpayment for a house, a car, or anything you wish.

This is a complete guide to jobs that pay $40 an hour.

Whether fresh from college or looking to change your career, we’ve got you covered with dozens of opportunities to earn more than the average wage. 

What Is $40 An Hour In A Year?

dollar-40 per hour job earning types

A $40-an-hour wage is just that—an hourly income!

So, how much can you make per year earning this much an hour?

Knowing the annual can help you budget better.

The yearly income is the total amount you can earn the whole year before deductions. 

Assuming you work 40 hours per week, you’ll cover 2,080 hours in a 52-week year.

If you do the math, you’ll realize that your $40/hour job can make you about $83,200 annually.

Remember, this is the amount before adding overtime pay and deducting taxes and other statutory contributions.

If you divide the annual income by 52 weeks, you’ll get a $1,600 weekly payment, roughly $6,400 per month

If you factor in taxes and other deductions, this annual income can drop depending on the amount taken out of your paycheck.

Can You Work Part-Time, Making $40 An Hour?

Absolutely! Some part-time jobs pay $40 an hour; you can do them for 20 hours per week.

This can help you make up to $41,600 annually.

What Do I Need To Earn $40 An Hour?

As said earlier, $40 an hour is above the minimum wage, meaning you need to fulfill some things to earn this per hour.

First, you need the skill set in a specific high-paying industry to hit this hourly wage.

Additionally, you need experience in your field and excellent at your work.

Education is another crucial thing that can propel you to this earning level. 

What Jobs Pay Around $40 An Hour?

Many full-time, part-time, and side hustles can help you earn up to 40 dollars per hour.

From speech therapists, make-up artists, and marketing managers to copywriters and public relations, many jobs pay above the average hourly earnings.

Below are remote and regular jobs that pay $40/hour.

Best Jobs That Pay $40 An Hour

The internet opens up a world of new possibilities for people looking to take charge of their time and income.

And thanks to this, the number of people working online is rising daily; many are discovering that they can make money doing fun things like posting on social media.

More than 27 million people work online, a threefold increase from 2019, and the numbers go up daily.

You can work remotely wherever you want and earn $40 per hour.

Notably, you need relevant skills, experience, willingness to learn, or a combination of the above.

A diploma or a degree is equally critical if you want to succeed as a remote worker. 

1. Transcription

Average Earning: $40 per hour

As a transcriptionist, your work involves converting audio content into text.

You should be able to type fast, possess good listening skills, and have an excellent grasp of grammar.

Furthermore, accuracy when typing, time management, and excellent hearing are a must.

You can be a specialist or general transcriptionist and charge premiums for the service. 

There are many industries you can specialize in as a transcriber, including legal, medical, academic, business, and market research, among many others.

Top transcription earners gross over $59k annually, which means you can charge over $40 an hour as a transcriber.

You can work part or full-time as a transcriptionist because it is remote. 

Where Can You Get Transcription Gigs?

You can use many of the online platforms that list transcription jobs.

Sites like Rev, CastingWords, and Transcribe Me offer exclusive transcription jobs.

Other job markets like Upwork and Fiverr are excellent for high-paying transcription jobs. 

2. Freelance Writing

Average Earning: $30 – $76 per hour

Freelance writing is a popular remote job, and it can pay pretty well.

This online job entails offering writing services as an independent contractor to businesses, blogs, and publications.

Freelance writing has various niches you can venture into and make it a lucrative remote job.

You can be a freelance copywriter, blog writer, podcast writer, technical writer, medical writer, digital learning writer, crypto, finance, and real estate writer.

Whichever niche you choose, you can be confident that it can pay off. 

Do You Need A Degree In English Or Journalism To Excel As A Freelance Writer?

While those degrees are desirable, you can start an online writing business with a degree in a different field or without one.

With courses, there are online tools like reword generator or paraphrasingtool.us that can help you turn average content into an engaging one.

You can use such tools for learning, but make sure you do not start relying on them!

How Much Can You Make As A Freelance Writer?

A freelance writer’s average hourly earnings depend on experience, skills, niche, location, and whether you’re doing it full or part-time.

Notably, you can expect a writer to earn up to $68k per year.

Where Can You Get Writing Jobs?

You can capitalize on job boards, marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr, or social media.

The first step is ensuring you have a portfolio showcasing your abilities and knowledge about online writing.

Best Websites For Job Seekers To Get The Job

3. Software Developer

Average Earning: $52.95 per hour

Designing, programming, and building software is another lucrative online job that can pay $40-plus an hour.

If you eat, sleep, and breadth coding and computer programs, this might be the best hustle for you, and you can do it remotely.

You need at least a bachelor’s degree to get the gigs. 

Jobs that pay $40 an hour

Software developers can get a pretty generous salary, with the top-earning group getting up to $160,973!

The median pay for software developers is $108k, and the lowest-paid ones take home approximately $46k.

These figures indicate that you can make more than $40 an hour as a software developer.

Again job boards and LinkedIn can be the best places to look for software development jobs. 

4. Tutor

Average Earning: $40 per hour

Do you like teaching and helping students navigate their academic ladder?

You can make up to $40 an hour tutoring online, but what does this entail?

An online tutor offers teaching services remotely to students looking to learn in a non-classroom setup.

Online tutoring can be flexible, and you can set your working hours; you can work part-time if you’re a full-time teacher. 

Which Subjects Can You Teach Online And Make Money?

You can tutor on any topic you’re qualified in, from Maths, English, Chemistry, Business, Computers, and Fine arts to engineering, Sports, and much more.

The entry requirements include having at least a high school diploma, GED (General Education Development), or any specific certifications in teaching.

You can tutor at any academic level, and there are jobs for elementary tutors, junior high, high school, and even college and university tutors.

Some companies hiring online tutors may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related industry.

You can also offer to teach English online; in this case, you might need a Teaching English as A Foreign Language certificate to qualify.

How Much Does Online Tutoring Pay?

The average annual pay for an online tutor is $59,433.

However, most high-earning tutors charge upwards of $50 an hour.

You can get tutoring jobs through specific online teaching platforms like VIP Kids and Tutor.

5. Translation

Average Earning: $20 – $50 per hour

Do you speak more than one language fluently?

Translation might be your best job to make $40 an hour.

The work of an interpreter or translator is to change information from one language to another without losing its meaning.

You can work remotely or in person for hospitals, courtrooms, conference centers, schools, NGOs, and more.

This job is flexible, and you can decide your working hours. 

You need at least a college degree to get into this profession, and the average wage is $63,412.

Experienced translators earn as high as $74,077.

Job boards and LinkedIn are some of the best places to find translation work online. 

6. Bookkeeping

Average Earning: $18 – $42 per hour

Can you crunch the numbers and know how to use bookkeeping software?

You’re just a few steps into a whole new and rewarding career.

Bookkeepers help companies keep accurate books by recording and updating daily financial transactions like payables, receivables, and payrolls. 

You need math, computer, time management, and accuracy skills.

Bookkeepers can work remotely, which can be excellent for a stay-at-home mom or dad.

A certified bookkeeper can make an average of $55k annually, while a degree holder can take home up to $80k on average.

Once you master your trade well, you can charge anywhere from $40 to $50 an hour.

The best thing about this hustle is that you can start without work-related experience.

Furthermore, you can take many online bookkeeping courses to kick-start your career.

7. Web Designing

Average Earning: $40 – $70 per hour

Web designing is also a job that pays $40 an hour.

A web developer combines creativity and technology to create and maintain user-friendly websites.

The work also entails testing and redesigning the layout and functions for usability.

Recently, the demand for web designers has been skyrocketing, and it is expected to grow by 23% in the next ten years—this growth rate is much higher than the average national growth rate.

What Certification Or Degree Do You Need To Be A Web Designer?

Some web designers are self-trained and land web designing jobs based on experience.

However, having a college degree in an IT-related field can give you a competitive advantage over many others in the area. 

How Much Do Web Designers Make?

The average median pay is $70,616 per year; again, this is higher than the national average for all workers.

An entry-level web developer can earn $21k, while a senior designer can make upwards of $126k per year. 

8. Blogging

Average Earning: $22 to $50.24 an hour

Have you ever heard about making money blogging?

Blogging is another popular online job that can earn you more than $40 per hour.

A blogger’s work is creating, publishing, and updating content regularly for online readers.

You can create and run a blog or blog for other companies.

The best part about this business is that you can create multiple income streams for one blog.

For instance, you can monetize it through sponsored content, ad display, subscriptions, selling courses, affiliate marketing, coaching, and much more. 

Writing, content management, and marketing skills are crucial for a successful blog.

Is blogging still profitable when video content is taking traction? Yes!

You can expect at least $500-$2,000 per month during the first year and more once you have a substantial number of blog readers.

The national average income for bloggers is $62,275 annually, and the highest-paid blogger can earn around $125k.

These earnings indicate that you can take in approximately $22 to $50.24 an hour.

What Are The Requirements To Be A Paid Blogger?

You’ll need to create a blog if you plan to start it as a side hustle.

In this case, you’ll need hosting and a domain name, which you can get from many affordable hosting companies.

Alternatively, you can look for blogging jobs through job boards and social media.

9. Social Media Manager

Average Earning: $20 – $50 per hour

Social media managers are crucial in digital promotions, advertisement, and public relations.

If you’re on social media and have experience posting, running ads, and monitoring the performance of your social media pages, you can turn it into a lucrative job.

There are dozens of social media platforms you can specialize in, from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Snapchat, to LinkedIn and Pinterest.

Your primary role as a social manager is to create and post texts, images, and videos to various socials to grow the audience, inform, advertise or entertain.

While this sounds like a lot of fun, you need specific skills like writing, creativity, communication, marketing, and customer care to stand out in this competitive space.

How Much Do Social Media Managers Earn?

On average, a social media manager makes $73,099 annually, and upwards of $170,000 for experienced ones.

Having a bachelor’s degree is an added advantage.

10. Marketing

Average Earning: $40 – $68 per hour

A marketing role is another job that can pay more than $40 an hour.

You can consider many marketing roles ranging from digital marketing, email, search engine marketing, copywriting, and graphic design to content and growth marketing.

You can be a remote marketer, working from wherever you wish.

How Much Do Marketing Managers Make In A Year?

The average base pay is $92,788 annually, with the highest-paid marketing manager earning a base salary of $230k.

Depending on your specialty area, you can make more than this as you advance in your career.

There are tons of marketing jobs posted on job boards and LinkedIn.

11. Consulting

Average Earning: $48 per hour

Are you a virtuoso in a specific field and can offer advice to someone?

Consulting is another area that can pay more than $40 an hour.

A consultant specialist in a particular field provides professional insights to individuals and companies.

The consulting spectrum ranges from IT, human resources, finance, tax, management, and operations.

Typically, you need a degree as this hugely relies on expertise. 

How Much Does Consulting Job Pay?

The earning potential depends on your area of expertise and can be as high as $239k, and the average base income is $100k.

Consultants can be independent contractors or employees.

12. Physical Therapist

Average Earning: $45 an hour

A physical therapist helps patients manage pain throughout the recovery process.

They play a crucial role in the preventive, rehabilitation care, and treatment of patients, and you can earn more than 40 dollars per hour working in this field. 

What Are The Prerequisites To Being A Physical Therapist?

First, you need to earn your bachelor’s in a doctor of physical therapy and pass your licensure exam.

This process can take at least three years before you start practicing.

How Much Can You Make As A Physical Therapist?

A physical therapist takes at least $45 an hour, the same as $93,766 per year.

Conclusion

In this blog, we’ve barely scratched the surface regarding jobs that pay $40 an hour.

There are many things to factor in when choosing the right career path; you need to consider work-life balance, your educational background, experience, and skills. 

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Charity is a freelance personal finance writer focusing on Making Money, Saving Money, Budgeting, and Loans here at Penny Calling Penny. If she is not writing about personal finance, you will find her working on her little blog-charityjerop.com”.

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