For many moms, stay-at-home parenting is a full-time job by itself. Unfortunately, just because you’re working all day doesn’t mean you get a paycheck, healthcare, or PTO. But with internet access and a few spare hours, you can monetize your mom-time with these best online jobs for moms.
Working online means you can meet your family’s needs while still gaining personal satisfaction from building your own career. And since many of these jobs are freelance-based, you’ll enjoy the perks of flexible scheduling, too.
Without further ado, here are the best online jobs for stay-at-home moms, complete with median salary expectations.
1. Writer
Median salary range: $36,000-$71,000 ($17-$34/hour)
For moms with the gift of written gab, working as a part-time writer is a great way to monetize those skills. Writing remains a unique skill due to the sheer number of ways you can work, including:
- Blogging
- Copywriting
- Ghostwriting
- Self-publishing your own books or poetry
While full-time writing could be a stretch, earning $20,000 annually on a part-time schedule isn’t out of the question. That said, you may have to work up the pricing ladder if you’re new in the field.
As you grow in your niche, you can charge higher rates and apply to higher-profile clientele. (Though if you have special credentials like a doctorate, sites will pay more to flaunt your credibility before their readership.)
2. Proofreader
Median salary range: $34,000-$59,000 ($16-$28/hour)
Proofreading is one of the best online jobs for moms with a keen eye for detail. Professional proofreaders are paid to read everything from blogs to novels, all the while hunting for elusive spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes.
Proofreading, unlike some other jobs on this list, takes flexibility to the extreme. As long as you meet Using online freelance sites like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer, you can monetize your skills with various professionals. And many companies hire proofreaders to spot-check internal and public-facing literature.
your deadlines, you can squeeze in projects before breakfast, after bedtime, or anytime in between. Additionally, proofreaders set their own pay scale (e.g., per word, page, or hour) and can earn anywhere from $500 to $4,000+ each month.
Using online freelance sites like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer, you can monetize your skills for various professionals. Many companies also hire proofreaders to spot-check internal and public-facing literature. Plus, you don’t need any special skills or degrees to get started!
3. Editor
Median salary range: $39,000-$71,000 ($19-$34/hour)
Editing takes proofreading to the next level. Instead of sticking to grammatical and spelling errors, you’re also on the hunt for:
- Plot holes
- Factual errors
- Overuse of logical fallacies
- Gaps in logic or storytelling
- Mistakes that run afoul of the publisher’s style guide
Exactly what you look for depends on your clientele.
For example, if you edit fictional manuscripts, you may point out plot holes. Or as a general copyeditor, you may be preoccupied with catching inaccuracies and style guide blunders.
Not only that, but you may also serve as the go-between for your client and their writer(s). Beyond just correcting errors, you’ll have to constructively communicate feedback to help writers improve day-by-day.
4. SEO Specialist
Median salary range: $44,000-$68,000 ($21-$33/hour)
SEO (search engine optimization) specialists work with brands that want to or have established an online presence. As an SEO expert, your goal is to ensure that the company’s materials – such as their social media, blog, and website – are “caught” and suggested by online search engines.
Fortunately, you don’t need a degree to become an SEO expert. But if you’re unfamiliar with the topic, you’ll want to do some research and take an online course or two. You’ll need a thorough understanding of how search engines rank pages to pick (or not pick) websites.
Additionally, prepare to make regular research part of your routine, as SEO guidelines change often. And though individual tasks may not be time-intensive, you may have to work on a site for months before it ranks on Google’s front page.
5. Social Media Specialist
Median salary range: $33,000-$52,000 ($16-$25/hour)
Social media hounds rejoice: This one’s for you.
As a social media specialist, it’s your job to run a brand or influencer’s accounts to keep them fresh in people’s minds. Social media work is all about keeping a company’s image modern and positive, and may include tasks like:
- Creating new content
- Strategizing a well-timed content calendar
- Connecting with communities
- Communicating with your client and other brands
- Understanding how social media SEO works
As one of the best online jobs for moms, social media work allows you to work entirely remotely. That means you can choose your clients and set your hours – within reason. Unlike some of our other picks, you still have to be reachable during work hours to help manage your client’s account.
6. Virtual Assistant
Median salary range: $30,000-$79,000 ($14-$40/hour)
Virtual assistants provide administrative support to individuals and companies with busy schedules. While specifics vary, your tasks may include:
- Writing and answering emails
- Maintaining calendars
- Scheduling meetings and travel itineraries
- Planning events
As the name implies, virtual assistants work remotely, meaning you can set your schedule and even your number of clients. And though the average starting salary is relatively low ($15-$18 per hour), clients pay extra for skills like:
- Social media management
- Blog writing or delegation
- Creating landing pages
- Minor website optimization
7. Tutor
Median salary range: $31,000-$52,000 ($15-$25/hour)
Let’s face it: while Covid was awful, it made online tutoring more popular and accessible than ever. And as a mom who likely sat through the pandemic pains of homeschooling, it’s time to turn those skills around for profit.
Online tutoring is one of the best jobs for stay-at-home moms if you’re a subject expert or former teacher. Unlike state-employed teachers, you don’t need specific credentials or degrees to enter the field. (Though former expertise always helps and could be required if you operate through an agency.)
You can choose the time and dates that work for you and even dial in internationally. Some of the highest-paid tutors specialize in the fields of math, science, and English as a second language.
8. Bookkeeper or Accounting Clerk
Median salary range: $40,000-$55,000 ($19-$26/hour)
Many small businesses don’t have the capital to bring on a full-time accounting department. That’s where you, the Mathematical Mom, come in to save the day.
As a part-time bookkeeper, you’ll be responsible for managing a company’s finances from the comfort of your couch. Basic duties include:
- Processing transactions
- Managing accounts payable and receivable
- Overseeing project budgets
- Maintaining financial records
- Reconciling bank and credit statements
- Preparing financial reports
To get started, you’ll need a laptop, stable internet connection, and familiarity with accounting or bookkeeping software. Job postings on Upwork, Indeed, Glassdoor, and FlexJobs can help you determine a fair rate based on your experience.
9. Remote Customer Service Rep
Median salary range: $23,000-$35,000 ($11-$17/hour)
Post-Covid, work-from-home customer service roles remain plentiful. Typically, they’re suitable as the best online jobs for moms of older kids, as you need a quiet space to work. All you need is a computer, internet connection, and headphones with a mic.
From there, the hiring company will train you on their product or services before putting you to work. General tasks include taking phone calls, providing written and phone-based assistance, and minor administrative work.
That said, remote customer service work has a slightly lower expected hourly payment, though it’s more likely to carry benefits. You’ll also have to stick to stricter working hours. But as far as unskilled, flexible part-time labor goes, it’s not a bad way to enter (or reenter) the workforce.
10. Transcription Work
Median salary range: $33,000-$75,000 ($16-$36/hour)
With a good ear, plenty of patience, and a comfy place to sit, transcription work can generate hefty side income. It’s also one of the best online jobs for stay-at-home moms due to the incredibly flexible work hours.
Transcribers listen to audio or audio-visual files and type what they hear into a processing program. Your client list may include podcasters, production studios, or streaming services that require transcripts or closed captioning.
To succeed in the field, you’ll need:
- A typing speed of at least 75 words per minute
- High-quality headphones
- A reasonably fast computer and word processing program
- A foot pedal that regulates recordings (optional)
Basic transcription work pays anywhere from $8 to $30 per hour. But if you have advanced training in medical or legal transcription, you stand to make even more.
11. Data Entry Specialist
Median salary range: $31,000-$40,000 ($15-$20/hour)
Data entry isn’t an exciting job, but it comes with flexible hours and requires little more than a computer and typing skills. As such, many proud moms carry the part-time title of data entry specialist on the side.
Employers generally require data entry specialists to have strong keyboarding skills and a keen eye for detail. The job itself involves preparing and compiling source data and inputting information into a program or database. You’re also responsible for fact-checking the accuracy of your inputs (and sometimes the data itself).
As largely unskilled labor, data entry jobs pay relatively little. That said, they can provide a steady source of income, and there’s still room to work up the pay ladder.
12. Remote Audio Engineer
Median salary range: $45,000-$99,000 ($22-$48/hour)
As self-produced music and podcasts have boomed, so too has the rise of remote audio editing. If you’re interested or have a background in audio production, this is your chance to rake in the big bucks.
Plus, you don’t even need a degree. A little innate tech skill and online courses – many of them free – can teach you all you need to know. From there, it’s a matter of practicing and honing your craft until you’re ready to take on paid work. You can build a portfolio of clients through sites like Facebook, Fiverr, and Upwork.
Aside from editing music (which is its own skillset), many audio engineers now rely on podcasts as a primary source of income. Based on your client, skill level, and experience, you can charge anywhere from $30 to $300 per episode.
The Best Online Jobs for Moms Offer the Best of Both Worlds
Sometimes, it seems there’s not enough hours in the day to watch your kids grow up and further your career at the same time. But thanks to advancing technology and increasing acceptance of remote work, you no longer have to sacrifice either.
And while it may not be perfect, these best online jobs for stay-at-home moms offer a pretty darn good work-life balance.
FAQs
How Can a Stay-at-Home Mom Make Money Online?
Plenty of ways!
If you have specialized skills that translate into remote work (such as writing or bookkeeping), all you have to do is put your name out there.
You can also apply for more generic, less skill-intensive jobs like data entry or transcription to make a little money on the side.
And if you want to learn new skills, becoming an SEO specialist or virtual assistant might be right up your alley.
What are the Best Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms with No Experience?
Data entry, remote customer service, and transcription work all pay reasonable wages for little to no experience. (Though here, as most other places, more experience usually means higher pay.)
What is a Good Part-Time Job for a Stay-at-Home Mom?
That depends on what you mean by “good.” For moms seeking an ideal work-life balance, writing, editing, and transcribing let you set your own schedule. But for higher pay, specialized jobs like audio engineering, bookkeeping, and tutoring can make bank.
Are There Any Remote Jobs for a Stay-at-Home Mom?
Tons! Post-Covid-19, you can find remote jobs in almost every field, including accounting, writing, audio editing, and even personal assisting.