One of the major changes we’ve seen in the world in the 21st century is the shifting trends in the job market from working full-time in the office to more flexible structures. This includes part-time work, working from home, freelancing, and more. Freelance jobs are becoming more popular because they allow people to choose when, where, and how long they work. Plus, they’re not tied to a single employer, and there’s less worry about being laid off.
Freelancing also has certain cons, such as not having a guaranteed income every month and no employer-provided healthcare – but many people feel that the freedom they have is worth the trade-off. The good news is that freelancing has gained popularity, and there are many more opportunities, especially in the tech field. And we’re not talking about just side gigs; many people have built entire careers out of freelance. Here are some of the highest-paying tech freelance jobs in 2023!
UI/UX Designer
If you open up any website or any application, the first thing you encounter is the work of a UI/UX designer. Their job is to create a visually captivating, efficient, and seamless experience throughout an app or website.
It’s no surprise that UI/UX design is one of the most in-demand tech skills, according to Upwork. UI/UX designers on this famous freelance job site charge between $20 and $40 per hour.
Front-End (UI) Developer
Front-end web developers are second among Upwork’s most demanded freelance tech workers. With an hourly rate of about $57 (as per data from Salary.com), this is also one of the highest-paid freelance gigs out there.
And for a good reason, too, because without front-end developers, the beautiful website designs made by UX designers won’t be functional. UI developers use programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build and design components for website interfaces that are user-friendly, dynamic, and responsive.
Back-End Developer
Back-end developers work primarily on the side of a website or app that isn’t visible to users. They are responsible for building and maintaining servers, sorting out data storage, and ensuring the application’s security.
Since back-end developers are crucial to the smooth running of any web application, these professionals are highly demanded in the freelance space, and companies are willing to compensate them generously for their skills. Salary.com says back-end developers charge about $51 per hour on average.
Mobile App Developer
The number of smartphone users around the world is growing every day, and businesses are realizing the importance of creating mobile applications to reach their customers quickly. Mobile apps are much more convenient and accessible than a website, which is why most users prefer them. This is also why mobile app developers are in high demand.
A mobile app developer creates intuitive user interfaces and makes them functional. They specialize in programming languages such as JAVA, Kotline, or Swift and develop applications for various platforms like Android and iOS. Freelance mobile app developers charge around $49 per hour on average, according to Salary.com.
Scripting and Automation
Tech professionals with the skills to automate software and effectively utilize a company’s framework are in high demand. They help minimize time, hassle, and human error for repetitive tasks such as sending emails to customers or circulating internal memos.
Automation scripts are pieces of code that can be integrated into the software. Automation professionals are proficient in programming languages like JavaScript and Python. They may also be experienced in tools such as ActiveBatch, Atera, Microsoft Power Apps, and NinjaOne. According to Salary.com, such professionals charge between $34 and $43 per hour on average.
Manual Tester
Manual testers are no. 9 on Upwork’s list of most demanded IT skills in 2023. Companies use manual testers to ensure that their software and product quality and functionality are up to standard and to identify bugs or defects. While companies may still use automation or scripting to check for bugs, manual testers bring an unmatchable human element. Ziprecruiter.com says a freelance manual tester can earn up to $45 per hour.
SEO Specialist
According to Upwork, the most sought-out skill in freelance markets is SEO. This is because SEO is the key that helps unlock the door to wider audiences through optimization and boosted traffic, which can convert into more sales.
Becoming an SEO specialist is easy to do with some hard work and dedication. Several free resources online can help you become one, or you can also complete a paid course. On Upwork, SEO specialists typically charge between $15 and $35 per hour.
Web Content Writer
If you’ve got a way with words, you can turn that into a career! Web content writers are highly sought after in today’s world, where everything lives on the internet, especially in the freelancing space. You can create written content for brands, write blog articles, create content for social media, and so on.
A copyeditor does much of the same job, but instead of creating the content, they would focus on polishing existing content by editing and proofreading it to enhance accuracy, grammar, and spelling and to give it a flair. According to Payscale, a copywriter/copyeditor in the US can make around $34 per hour on average.
Social Media Specialist
Social media is everything these days! So, is it a surprise that social media specialists are one of the most highly-sought out professionals in freelancing? On Upwork, social media is listed as the second most in-demand marketing skill, and these experts are paid around $22 per hour on average.
Social media specialists help create, manage, and maintain content on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok to boost reach and engagement. Tasks such as responding to comments and messages and keeping track of analytics also come under their purview. Social media specialists also help create marketing strategies and manage promotions to help convert social media users into customers.
Data Analyst
It’s not the most glamorous-sounding job, but it is one of the most in-demand jobs in today’s world, where data drives everything around us. Most of the things we use on the internet today are free, but that’s a misconception because we pay for them with our data. This data is invaluable to companies and organizations as it helps them identify trends, predict future developments, and boost efficiency.
Industries across the board, from gaming and entertainment to healthcare and education, all value data! A freelance data analyst can help businesses navigate this data and help them gain insight into how best to utilize it. On Upwork, freelance data analysts charge around $30 an hour on average.
