6 Freelance Jobs To Make $50+ An Hour In 2024

With the latest advancements in technology, freelancers are seizing new opportunities to earn top dollar with their highly specialized skill set.

A recent study by Upwork revealed that 64 million Americans engaged in freelance work in 2023, up from 59 million in their 2021 study, comprising nearly 40% of the total U.S. workforce and adding a hefty $1.27 trillion to the U.S. economy. Almost half of these freelancers are knowledge workers—meaning that they provide expertise related to IT, tech programming, consulting, marketing, and other business-related services.

The outlook appears very bright for freelance professionals, with them being twice as likely to use generative AI frequently in their work compared to their employed counterparts, which enables them to work more efficiently and produce higher quality while relieving the strain on their time and financial resources. This might be part of the reason why over 85% of freelancers feel positive about their work, and expect the gig industry to continue to bloom over the next few years.

As demand for niche expertise surges amongst organizations, many are turning to freelance talent to solve their talent gap problem—especially in tech. This leads to the creation of in-demand freelance jobs that offer impressive pay rates—even rivalling traditional full-time roles at times.

From blockchain development to digital marketing, here are six freelance jobs poised to earn you $50 or more an hour in 2024:

1. Freelance AI Prompt Engineer

AI (artificial intelligence) prompt engineering is a relatively new field, that we are recently discovering has much to do with organizational success when it comes to AI implementation. In fact, AI prompt engineering was recently hailed as the most essential AI skill one could learn and develop, according to the Project Management Institute’s CEO Pierre Le Manh.

The more experienced freelance AI prompt engineers on Upwork charge as much as $60, $80, and even $150 an hour for this service, while as per Freelancermap, hourly rates range from $87 to $123.

2. Freelance Blockchain Developer

A blockchain developer is a software developer who builds secure blockchain systems, and works with complex algorithms. Blockchain technology systems are then used in financial and secure business and commerce settings. If you already have experience with this, you could offer blockchain software development as a freelance service.

Freelance blockchain developers can make just shy of $50 an hour on average, according to ZipRecruiter, while a significant number of freelancers on Upwork are making $60 an hour or more.

3. Freelance UX/UI Designer

UX means user experience, and UI simply means user interface. Having a strong skill set in creating the UI and UX of a product is a real asset to companies, especially start-ups, seeking to launch their next ground-breaking tech product to the world. UX and UI designers are in high demand, and can expect to earn as much as $96 an hour according to ZipRecruiter estimates.

4. Freelance Data Science And Analytics Consulting

In addition to artificial intelligence, one of the most in-demand skills that are needed to solve the talent gap in the workforce today is data science and data analytics. This is a core skill that enables organization-wide AI integration, and it was even listed as the number one tech skill with the most demand in the job market, according to Springboard’s State of The Workplace Skills Gap 2024 report.

As a freelancer, you can make at least $50 per hour, while if you are more experienced, you may charge up to $150 to $200 per hour for your data science and consulting services.

5. Freelance Video Producer And Editor

If “content is king,” then video content must be emperor. YouTube has repeatedly been ranked as the most used search engine, coming second only to Google. It’s very clear that YouTube and other streaming platforms hold immense potential as far as content marketing, tutorials and training, and influencer marketing is concerned.

Jumping into this industry as a freelance video editor and producer, offering your services to businesses seeking to build their voice and increase exposure, can lead to hourly earnings of $59.40 according to ZipRecruiter estimates, or $33 if you are just doing video editing.

6. Freelance Digital Marketing Manager

With a background and expertise in marketing, you could offer your services as a freelance digital marketing manager, freelance social media marketing manager, or as a digital or SEO marketing consultant.

When it comes to pay, although you can expect to make $42 an hour on average, if you have extremely niche skills that have been honed over time, you might fall into the top 7% of freelance jobs that pay $52 an hour.

How much exactly you make can vary widely depending on your experience and confidence level, therefore take these estimates as a benchmark or guide only. Employers need your knowledge and expertise to solve critical, time-constricted problems, therefore if you can spend time developing your skill set even more than you already have, and gain credibility through certifications, licences, and word-of-mouth referrals, you will be able to launch a full-time freelance career in no time.