Ever found yourself stashed in a cubicle, fantasizing about a job that didn’t tether you during the prime hours of the day? Or maybe you’re just dreaming about snagging a part-time job because those seem to be the only ones available these days. In either case, you are not alone.
When the economy goes bust, the number of part-time workers goes boom. Through April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 9.2 million individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job. And about 7.6 million, or 5 percent of all employees, are moonlighting — holding down more than one job in the first four months of the year.
Whether your full-time job’s been cut, you’re planning to moonlight, or even if you’re just looking for a way out of the 9-5 grind, there are plenty of jobs that offer good hourly wages. Think you won’t earn as much as a salaried employee? Do the math. Many of these jobs are often in line with positions in the $25,000 – $50,000 range. Take a look:
Room to Grow – Speech-Language Pathologist
A speech-language pathologist’s work can range from treating children with stutters or adults who can’t make sounds or speak clearly, or even those who want to modify their accent. It’s a burgeoning field, one the BLS projects will grow fast than average for the next decade. With a master’s degree and state certification, speech-Language pathologists can earn just north of $36 an hour for full-time work, according to online salary database PayScale.com.
Work from Home – Tutor
If you’re a math whiz or excel in English, you can put your skills to work part-time by helping elementary, middle, or high school students make the grade. Depending on your background, specialized training or an advanced degree in a particular subject, you could charge students $25 per hour and up, for your services and you may not even need to leave your home. With an online tutoring job you can schedule as many hours as you want and the most popular times are between 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., when most kids are not in school.
Night Owl – Radiologic Technician
If you’re not much of a morning person, you may enjoy working nights as a radiologist. Hospitals are staffed 24/7 and patients’ need for diagnostic testing such as MRIs, X rays, and CAT scans doesn’t keep regular hours either. With proper certification (usually an associate’s degree) an MRI tech can earn just over $33 per hour.
Get Physical – Personal Trainer
Make your own hours, work with people and stay fit. Sound like a dream? It doesn’t have to be. As a personal trainer you’d have all that – provided you earn the appropriate certifications to work with clients. Whether yoga, pilates, spinning or step aerobics is your thing, the BLS says you’ll be in demand in the years ahead, and your earning power is at $25 per hour for a part-time gig.
Relax and Do It – Massage Therapist
Licensed massage therapists work by appointment, which means they call the scheduling shots, whether they see clients at a day spa or a health care facility. Masseuses can specialize in any one of many modalities including sports, neuromuscular or deep-tissue, and many choose to be self employed which puts even more flexibility at their fingertips. Working part-time, massage therapists can expect to make over $40 per hour.
Source: All salary data is from PayScale.com, a leading online provider of employee compensation data. The salaries listed are median, hourly salaries for full-time workers with 5-8 years of experience and include any bonuses, commissions or profit sharing.”
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