Think setting your own hours means raking in a mediocre salary? Think again.
Want a flexible job, but don't want to sacrifice pay potential?
Good news: You can achieve high-paid flexibility with a little planning, according to Michael Provitera, associate professor of organizational behavior at the school of professional and career education at Barry University in Miami, Florida.
"By deciding that a flexible career is important to you right from the start, you can focus on aligning your degree with a career field that offers flexibility and pays well," says Provitera.
But what is flexibility? In Julian Thompson and Edward Truch's July 2013 report "The Flex Factor: Realizing the Value of Flexible Working," flexibility is defined as a working situation with flexibility regarding where, when, and for how long employees work.
To help in your quest for freedom - and financial satisfaction - we took a look at the U.S. Department of Labor website and identified careers with a median annual salary of at least $55,000 that fall under one or more of the following flex factor categories:*
- Non-traditional schedule, or a weekly schedule other than some variation of M-F, 9-to-5
- Flexible location, or the ability to work from home or remotely
- Flexible working pattern, or not necessarily working eight hours at a time day after day
Keep reading to learn more about these high-paying, high-flexibility jobs, and how to pursue them.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $83,000**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$169,450**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$44,500**
A career as an art director could allow you the flexibility to work in a number of different fields while still putting a solid amount of money in your bank account each month.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, art directors take responsibility for the images and overall visual style of everything from magazines and product packaging to movie and T.V. productions and newspapers.
Flex Factor: Non-traditional schedule, Flexible location, Flexible work pattern
"Art director positions are available with a variety of schedules from part-time to full-time to temporary, and they are sometimes able to work from home," says Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of Flexjobs.com, a website that matches people with flexible jobs. "Freelancing is also a popular form of flexibility for art director positions."
Why It Pays: Art directors need to have a special skill set beyond just a creative mind that allows them to produce creative work, according to Sutton Fell. For this reason, she notes that this job requires a mix of business knowledge and artistry. It also usually requires 5+ years of experience, which commands a higher salary, she says.
How to Prepare: These professionals need at least a bachelor's degree in an art or design subject, plus previous work experience, according to the Department of Labor. Like Sutton Fell, the Department notes that most art directors work five years or more in another position before selection by an employer for this job.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $57,750**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$117,050**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$28,310**
A career as a writer could give you the opportunity to earn a respectable salary working outside the typical 9-to-5 office structure.
Writers are hired to help companies and organizations communicate through a variety of media, such as company blogs, newsletters, articles, ads, social media and more, explains Sutton Fell.
The U.S. Department of Labor adds that they do this by developing written content and conducting research to provide authentic detail and factual information.
"Writers can find work in fields like technical writing, blogging, journalism, advertising, social media and grant writing," Sutton Fell says.
Flex Factor: Non-traditional schedule, Flexible location, Flexible work pattern
Writing jobs offer pretty much every type of flexibility available, including telecommuting, flexible or alternative schedules, part-time and full-time work, freelancing, and short-term or long-term assignments, says Sutton Fell.
"Writers can range from speech writing to freelance magazine publication. They have a great deal of flexibility," adds Provitera.
Why It Pays: Despite the explosion of online communication, Sutton Fell says good writers are still a relatively small group of professionals.
"People who can communicate a company's messages effectively, keeping in mind the vision and voice of that company, and who can do so quickly and regularly, are in high demand. Writers often work as freelancers or consultants and are able to command a higher salary because of this," she says.
How to Prepare: A bachelor's degree is typically needed for a full-time writer job, says the Department of Labor. Usually a degree in English, journalism or communications is preferred by many employers, the Department adds, also noting that excellent writing skills are essential.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $55,360**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$86,720**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$37,230**
Are you the one that all of your friends come to when they need to learn a new skill? Perhaps a career as a high school teacher would help you spread your wings and educate the next generation.
As for your day-to-day, Sutton Fell says high school teachers are responsible for lesson planning, teaching, tutoring, mentoring and helping to develop the minds of students.
Flex Factor: Non-traditional schedule, Flexible location (for online educators)
Teachers have always had a bit of a different schedule from your average office worker, but online learning has changed the game for these workers even more.
"An increasing number of virtual high schools means a larger need for virtual teachers, so virtual teaching jobs are in high demand," says Sutton Fell. "The hours are often flexible and teaching jobs tend to work an alternative schedule throughout the year, starting and ending earlier in the day, with ample vacation time."
Teachers who work in a traditional high school setting typically enjoy the flexibility of a non-traditional schedule as well. As the U.S. Department of Labor points out, high school teachers tend to work school hours, which can vary to some extent, and "most do not teach during the summer."
Why It Pays: "A teacher's salary is high because in many cases the pay is based on a nine-month year, which raises the monthly income. Even more, teachers can find additional work in the summer to offset this unconventional pay stream," Provitera says.
How to Prepare: High school teachers must have a bachelor's degree and a state-issued certification or license, according to the Department of Labor. In most states, teachers are required to major in a specific subject area, like chemistry or history. The Department also states that future teachers usually enroll in a higher education teacher preparation program. They may take classes in education and child psychology as well.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $103,870**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$150,680**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$65,130**
If you have a passion for aeronautics and a love of how things work together, you could find satisfaction pursuing a career as an aerospace engineer.
That's because aerospace engineers help design, test, and improve flying devices for consumer and industrial use, according to Sutton Fell.
Flex Factor: Flexible location, Flexible work pattern
In terms of opportunities for flexibility, Sutton Fell says some aerospace engineering jobs offer the option to telecommute due to the fact that much of the design aspect of engineering is done on computers.
And Provitera adds that because aerospace engineers work on aircraft technology, flexibility comes from an alternative schedule. In other words, you can't work on a plane that isn't there.
Why It Pays: "The knowledge base is very high for careers in aerospace engineering, and with a high level of technical knowledge comes a high salary," Provitera says.
How to Prepare: A bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering or another field of engineering or science related to aerospace systems is a must, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. It's also important to keep in mind that for certain clearances, U.S. citizenship may be required.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $63,160**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$110,350**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$33,320**
Do you love the internet and have a desire to help take it to the next level? A career as a web developer could be the right career for you.
Sutton Fell explains that web developers help design and build websites and related programs, often using a variety of coding languages.
Flex Factor: Non-traditional schedule, Flexible location, Flexible work pattern
As a web developer, you could find yourself enjoying flexibility in a number of ways. "Many web developer jobs are work-from-home jobs," says Sutton Fell.
"Plus there's a variety of part-time and full-time scheduling options, alternative schedules, and freelance options in web development."
Why It Pays: "Because the work is highly technical, it commands a higher salary," says Sutton Fell.
She goes on to explain that web developers need to keep pace with the constantly-changing technology world, learn multiple development languages, and be able to work with a variety of clients.
How to Prepare: The U.S. Department of Labor says web developers typically need an associate's degree in web design or a related field. However, they note that employers may prefer workers who have a bachelor's degree in computer science, programming or a related field for positions like web architect or other, more technical developer jobs.
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- MEDIAN
ANNUAL SALARY - $94,340**
- 90TH PERCENTILE
- >$176,190**
- 10TH PERCENTILE
- <$57,430**
Looking for the crème de le crème of financial careers? You may find it as an actuary.
"Risk analysis has become one of the most important functions in banking and business," says Provitera, who explains that an actuary's role is to analyze "operations and financial-risk situations that incorporate mathematics, statistics, and financial theory to study uncertain future events."
Flex Factor: Flexible location (occasionally), Flexible work pattern
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, some actuaries work as consultants, providing advice to clients on a contract basis, so they are not tied down to the client on a full-time basis.
Additionally, Sutton Fell says that actuaries sometimes have the option to work from home.
Why It Pays: Knowledge is key. "Actuaries are responsible for providing advice related to a company's long-term financial objectives and are counted on to have a large amount of knowledge, experience, and foresight in their roles," says Sutton Fell.
Provitera says another reason they may command a high salary is because sometimes the proper skill set can't be taught: "High salaries are driven by the compilation of business savvy coupled with intuitiveness that cannot always be taught and has to come naturally."
How to Prepare: An actuary typically has a bachelor's degree in math, actuarial science, statistics or another analytical field, according to the Department of Labor. Coursework in calculus and business (including accounting and management) is essential, they add.
* It's important to note that not all positions in each of these fields have the maximum level of flexibility available to that career. Just as salaries can vary depending upon the employer and situation, so can flexibility. Some employers may prefer their workers to work in-house while others may not find it a prerequisite for the job. Some may prefer that employees work normal business hours and some may feel off-hours are fine or preferred.
** All salary information from the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2013
