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Highest Salary Part-time Jobs and What They Pay

highest salary part-time jobs

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Highest Salary Part-time Jobs and What They Pay

The highest salary part-time jobs are medical roles, contracting in tech or healthcare, event bartending, skilled trades like underwater welding, and specialized personal services such as postpartum doula work. Users agree that nearly all of these demand specialized skills, certifications, or significant prior experience, so high pay without expertise is rare. Even so, the money at the top runs high, from about $40 an hour in tipped bartending to a $450k salary for a doctor on a reduced schedule.

Medical work pays the most of anything users described. One dermatologist wrote, "I'm also a doctor (dermatology), work about 30-34 hours a week and make $450k, plus benefits." Doctors and some specialized medical technologists can both find well-compensated part-time roles. The catch is years of training and credentials before that pay appears.

Contracting pays well if you have niche experience, above all in tech or healthcare. One user recommended software consulting, data analysis, or nurse practitioner per diem shifts for high pay on 20 to 30 hours a week. Event bartending sits close behind because tips push hourly earnings up. "Bartending at events paid the best made around 40 an hour with tips on busy nights," one user wrote.

Unconventional paths pay well too. Underwater welding takes a few certifications, and users rank it among the best-paying trades once advanced certs teach you more techniques and ways to work different metals. A postpartum doula said she charges $40 to $50 an hour for about 24 hours a week on overnight shifts, and she sleeps part of the time during those hours.

Users warn that competition is stiff and skill requirements are real, so many people have to adjust their expectations massively. One user dismissed the fantasy of a job that is low stress, cheap to get into, well paid, and capped at 20 or 30 hours a week, calling it a "highly unobtainable unicorn job." Your odds improve if you invest in training or contract out skills you already have.

Top paying roles

  1. Event bartending Around $40 an hour with tips on busy nights.
  2. Dermatologist $450k plus benefits on 30 to 34 hours a week.
  3. Tech or healthcare contracting Software consulting, data analysis, or nurse practitioner per diem shifts on 20 to 30 hours.
  4. Underwater welding High pay after a few certifications.
  5. Postpartum doula $40 to $50 an hour for about 24 hours a week.
Highest Salary Part-time Jobs and What They Pay — infographic

High-Paying Part-Time Roles

Bartending: Event bartending in particular can be lucrative due to tips. "Bartending at events paid the best made around 40 an hour with tips on busy nights".
Medical Professions: Doctors and some specialized medical technologists can find well-compensated part-time roles. "I’m also a doctor(dermatology), work about 30-34 hours a week and make $450k, plus benefits.".
Specialized Consulting/Contracting: If you have niche experience, particularly in tech or healthcare, you can contract your services for high pay. "If you want high pay on 20 to 30 hours, think contracting in tech or healthcare, like software consulting, data analysis, or nurse practitioner per diem shifts.".

Unconventional Avenues

Trade Skills: Jobs requiring specific trade skills, like underwater welding, can be very high-paying. "Underwater Welder, takes a few certs but welding is essentially gluing metal together via heat (Yeah I'm simplifying that a lot) and for more advanced certs you learn more techniques and methods and ways to work different metals.".
Unique Services: Providing specialized personal services can yield high hourly rates. "I’m a postpartum doula, charge $40-$50/hr and only work about 24 hours a week working overnights where I sleep part of the time.".

Challenges to Finding High-Paying Part-Time Work

Competition and Skill Requirements: Many attractive part-time roles are highly competitive and demand specific expertise. "This whole segment is going to be competitive, you might have to adjust your expectations massively...".
"Unicorn" Jobs are Rare: The ideal low-stress, high-paying, part-time job with easy entry is often considered unrealistic. "lol guy wants a low stress job, cheap to get into, pays well, and only has to work 20/30 hours a week. Dude if we knew something like this we would already be doing it, you’re looking for a highly unobtainable unicorn job".

Are you willing to invest in specialized training or leverage existing skills to secure a high-paying part-time role?

Bottom line

Finding a high-paying part-time job often requires specialized skills or significant prior experience, making truly "easy" options rare; however, some fields like bartending, certain medical roles, and niche consulting can offer substantial hourly wages.

Community answers 25

What others in the community said:

95% upvoted

I’m curious about careers that pay really well but aren’t commonly talked about in school or online.

Not the typical doctor, lawyer, or software engineer.

What are some underrated or unknown jobs that have high salaries?

How did you discover them, and what does it take to get into that field?

lol guy wants a low stress job, cheap to get into, pays well, and only has to work 20/30 hours a week. Dude if we knew something like this we would already be doing it, you’re looking for a highly unobtainable unicorn job 

Anything in mining like metals, oil and gas. Most of those require you to live and work on a mining camp, oil platform or similar in remote locations on a roster of for example 2weeks on 1 week off. Entry positions earn above 6 figures yearly 

Most full times jobs don’t pay enough money to live off of in the US but bartender or server is good, server at a restaurant which serves alcohol will usually warrant bigger tips

85% upvoted

I’m in the US. I am a short small unfit south Asian woman. I am in late 20s.

If I wanted to do a job that was only part time so that I could spend the rest of the time self studying tech skills or start a YouTube channel or a side business or anything else I wanted, what part time jobs could I do that pay enough to live off of? Working no more than 20 hours a week?

Radiology jobs. Xray/Ct/MRI/NucMed/RadTherapy/IR/CathLab/Mammo.

Actuary. Hard degree and certs but if you love math you can make some coin.

75% upvoted

I’m looking for a legit part-time remote job I can do from home. Nothing crazy, just something reliable that I can work on for 10–20 hours a week and actually get paid consistently. I’m not interested in scams or anything that requires upfront money.

I’ve looked at platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, but they seem pretty competitive. If you’re working part-time from home, what do you do and how did you get started?

Please let me know, thanks in advance.

99% upvoted

I found some high-paying part-time jobs in NYC that are hiring now, as well as some entry-level part-time jobs. Here is a list of those that opened in the last few days. Hope this helps someone land something great!

  • Part-Time Leadership Facilitator - @ Research Foundation of The City University of New York
    • 💰 $85 - $97 /hr
  • Afterschool Cooking Instructor - @ Amazing Athletes
    • 💰 $35 - $40 /hr
  • Afterschool Sports Instructor - @ Kennedy International School
    • 💰 $50 /hr
    • 🕒 8 hrs/week
  • Lead Soccer Coach - @ Super Soccer Stars
    • 💰 $30 - $50 /hr
    • 🕒 5 - 25 hrs/week
  • Associate Banker I (19th & 1st) - @ TD Bank
    • 💰 $23.25 - $29.75 /hr
    • 🕒 20 hrs/week
  • Part-Time Event Server - @ Convene Hospitality Group
    • 💰 $21 /hr
    • 🕒 3 days/week
  • UNIQLO Retail Sales Associate (Part-Time)- 660 5th Avenue - @ UNIQLO
    • 💰 $18.50 /hr
  • Retail Sales Consultant - Part Time - Columbus Circle - @ Swarovski
    • 💰 $19.41 - $22.65 /hr

Part-time jobs often fill up quickly.  Sign up for Job Alerts so that you get notified fast.

Upvote if I should keep doing more of these!

This whole segment is going to be competitive, you might have to adjust your expectations massively... 

If there were just casual jobs everyone could just walk into on a low basis like this don't you think most people would be?

You've not highlighted any skill set or area of expertise or experience. 

You want a reliable, easy income, low skill, no experience, zero application sorting for specific hours from home? Right

Bartender, especially if you're hot.

Uber, lyft....sit in car and drive Fri and Saturdays. Someone at my gym does that and makes 250 to 300 each day.

Underwater Welder, takes a few certs but welding is essentially gluing metal together via heat (Yeah I'm simplifying that a lot) and for more advanced certs you learn more techniques and methods and ways to work different metals.

I have a neighbor who started at $20 a hour out of high-school (our min wage is like 7.25) and he just kept knabbing certs and now works offshore for a drilling company making 6 figures.

Is that for everybody? Naw. But you probably haven't heard of it.

Sat Diver pays more but hit up YouTube and you can decide if that is even slightly worth it. There's wild things out there, hope you find your niche!

If you want high pay on 20 to 30 hours, think contracting in tech or healthcare, like software consulting, data analysis, or nurse practitioner per diem shifts. Some corporate roles will do reduced schedules if you’ve got niche experience, but they’re rare and competitive. You’ll see a lot of ghost jobs on big boards, so verify everything and be ready for recruiter spam. If you’re open to remote, wfhalert is decent, it emails verified listings for legit work from home roles like admin or support so you’re not wading through scams.

It's a cesspool of scams and time wasting making little to nothing. Legit WFH homes require specific skill sets and experience. The idea people with little to no marketable skills can earn a living dinking around on their computer in their pajamas is a myth the scammers exploit. It's just not realistic.

I’m a postpartum doula, charge $40-$50/hr and only work about 24 hours a week working overnights where I sleep part of the time. I have every day free.

I’m also a doctor(dermatology), work about 30-34 hours a week and make $450k, plus benefits.

80% upvoted

What kind of part time job I can realistically expect to find (and how much I can actually earn). I’ve seen some listings on Indeed, YoungCapital, Randstad and Facebook groups, but the pay numbers are all over the place. Some say €10–12/hour, others €13–15, and a few even claim €18+ for “easy” student jobs. But what’s actually happening in 2026?

62% upvoted

So I'm a college student pursuing btech degree in mechanical background. Now I'm at home for semester break. I need a tablet for my use so During this break I want to earn some money .I need a part time job from home or outside ,minimum salary of 8k. Can you guys suggest me what I can do?

Bartending at events paid the best made around 40 an hour with tips on busy nights

my highest paying part time job was bartending on weekends I made about 30 an hour with tips on good nights

Sometimes I get to go on the roof. It's about 300 feet high

.
- Unique Services: Providing specialized personal services can yield high hourly rates.
.

### Challenges to Finding High-Paying Part-Time Work
- Competition and Skill Requirements: Many attractive part-time roles are highly competitive and demand specific expertise.
Jobs are Rare: The ideal low-stress, high-paying, part-time job with easy entry is often considered unrealistic.

Related questions

What part-time job pays the highest salary?
Medical roles pay the most. One dermatologist works 30 to 34 hours a week and makes $450k plus benefits. Nurse practitioner per diem shifts and specialized medical technologist roles also pay well part time.
Can you make good money bartending part time?
Yes. One user said event bartending paid the best and made around $40 an hour with tips on busy nights.
How much does a part-time postpartum doula make?
One user charges $40 to $50 an hour and works about 24 hours a week on overnight shifts, sleeping part of the time.

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