The Best 20 Jobs for Career-Minded Stay-at-Home Moms
There's enough to do around the house when you're a parent responsible for full-time childcare. Taking care of your loved ones shouldn't feel like a job, but with busy schedules and consistent needs, the pressure and time commitment can seem like its own amount of work; it's why many parents choose to stay at home with their kids instead of pursuing a professional career.
Yet being a stay-at-home parent doesn't mean you need to give up on or even push away a professional life and your dreams. There are numerous opportunities for parents who stay at home to start working right from their own desk. They can do what they love professionally while their kids are napping, at school or even playing nearby.
What makes a good stay-at-home job?
It’s flexible.
A good stay-at-home job has to have flexibility. Flexibility doesn’t just mean picking up whatever hours you can but rather making your own schedule and being able to make the most of it. A good stay-at-home job works around your hours rather than you jumping through hoops to make it work.
It doesn’t require a lot of equipment.
Working from home means you’ve got to have everything to thrive at work and still make your house livable. Great stay-at-home jobs don’t require excessive amounts of equipment that take up to much of your home space. Many of these jobs only require a computer and internet access — not heavy equipment or a separate space for your work. Being able to keep your work to a couple of devices makes it easy for you to complete it anywhere at any time.
It’s on a freelance basis.
The gig economy is all the rage now, which means more workers are ditching the office for freelance opportunities. While you may not work as consistently, freelancing gives you the ability to do so when you have the time and availability. If you’re able to take on more projects during the summer rather than fall, you can handle more gigs depending on the season.
It’s something that interests you.
While your family may be your primary focus and finances may be a point of stress, a great stay-at-home job still aligns with your professional aspirations. There are a multitude of stay-at-home opportunities that relate to a variety of interests and fields — by searching and applying, you can find something that pays the bills and fulfills your passion.
20 stay-at-home jobs for moms
1. Writer.
Average salary: 62,170/year (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
No two writers who work from home will have the same assignments or published content. If you have experience writing for any medium — whether magazine articles, more conventional news journalism or blogging — there are opportunities to continue that work remotely for companies online. Writers who work from home may pitch to different employers or receive assignments on a scheduled basis.
2. Tutor.
Average salary: $44,027/yr (ZipRecruiter)
Did you excel at math in college? Do you have impeccable writing skills? Do you speak multiple languages? Working as a tutor allows you to help local students in need in a variety of subjects. Becoming familiar with local school curriculum and testing will help you understand the skills each student needs to thrive. Up your tutoring game and offer help with projects, tests or even college entrance exams.
3. Babysitter.
Average salary: $23,240/yr (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
If you can’t get enough of childcare, becoming a babysitter lets you combine time with your children with making money and taking care of other children. While you must meet state licensing laws to open a childcare center, babysitting as a freelance gig can be a rewarding and exciting way to make some money on the side or during your children’s school day.
4. Editor.
Average salary: $47,000/yr (Glassdoor)
If you’ve got great language skills but don’t prefer to create your own content, being a remote editor gives you the best of both worlds. Review online content for clarity, comprehension and grammar or provide rigorous feedback on assignments that need further drafts from the author. Like the variety of work you could edit, there’s a multitude of mediums for anyone interesting in editing — from life science magazine articles to fashion blogging.
5. Graphic designer.
Average salary: $50,370 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Graphic designers work to create visual concepts for various brands, companies and applications. If you’ve got the right computer software, you can work virtually anywhere to develop designs, even with kids occupying your office space. Freelance graphic designers often need a strong portfolio to share their work and apply to companies.
6. Music teacher.
Average salary: $62,408 (ZipRecruiter)
If you’re passionate about music and excel at an instrument, share your love with music lessons run out of your home. You’ll need your own instrument to practice and demonstrate with, as well as the ability to print out whatever sheet music is necessary. If you play multiple instruments, you gain the ability to work with a variety of students — and assemble groups to lead in ensemble performances.
7. Photographer.
Average salary: $34,000 (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
If you work well with non-iPhone cameras, becoming a photographer is an easy way to make money while meeting new people and even attending exciting events. If you want to keep your work at home, offer headshots and portraits to individuals or groups; if you have the ability to commute a little outside of your home when your kids are off at school, offer to work special events to capture the most memorable moments.
8. Personal trainer.
Average salary: $39,820/yr (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Are you on the fitness grind? Share your passion for exercise and wellness by promoting a healthy lifestyle for others. If you’re used to working out with extensive equipment, this job does require a bit more out of pocket and a space to make your own personal gym. However, by working with bodyweight exercises and modest gym equipment, personal training can take place in any open space in your home.
9. Baker.
Average salary: $26,500/yr (Glassdoor)
Are you great on the sweet side of the kitchen? Do you find yourself making cute treats for your kids, family or friends? Work as a baker to make treats and sweets for special events or personalized orders. If you have the capacity, work larger events — think big birthday parties, bat mitzvahs or graduations — to make special celebrations just a little sweeter.
10. Customer service representative.
Average salary: $33,750/yr (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
This stay-at-home job doesn’t require a special certification but rather strong communication skills. Remote customer service representatives work with customers one on one to answer questions and solve problems with the company they’re working for. This job requires a bit more quiet time for the best volume and communication.
11. Bookkeeper.
Average salary: $40,240/yr (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Are you great with numbers? Do you pay great attention to detail? Bookkeeping, or recording and managing financial transactions, is a great way to use your math skills and detail-oriented mind to keep clients on track with their purchases, sales and payments. You can meet with clients over the phone or have them discuss their finances in person by coming to you.
12. Life coach.
Average salary: $59,525/yr (ZipRecruiter)
If you’ve got a license in psychology, sociology or counseling, providing life advice to others is a great fit. Life coaches consult with clients to help them discover their goals and take the appropriate steps to reach them. Great with nutrition and diets? Do you know a lot about finances and saving money? The more specific and niche you can make your advice, the better.
13. Administrative assistant.
Average salary: $58,158/yr (Glassdoor)
Although administrative assistants usually work in the office, there are numerous virtual opportunities for the organized and timely who can’t make the daily commute. The responsibilities are close to the same as for in-office work yet can be done by your phone, at your computer, in your own house. Administrative assistants should have great organizational and communication skills, as they are expected to do anything from setting up appointments to answering client emails.
14. Content marketer.
Average salary: $50,713/yr (ZipRecruiter)
Content marketers are responsible for creating company content in a multitude of mediums for a plethora of platforms. They work with a brand to splinter their messaging and products — whether in a video, blog post or image — on various social media sites. Content marketers should be creative and savvy with social media to create successful community campaigns.
15. IT/computer troubleshooting.
Average salary: $40,633/yr (ZipRecruiter)
This job requires not only a computer and phone but also hard tech skills in computer language, software and electrical controls. Instead of fixing computers yourself, this remote position requires you to diagnose computer problems through client descriptions. Once diagnosed, you may offer concrete actions for the client to take to fix their own computer, or, if the problem is out of their hands, provide the available next steps.
16. Data entry.
Average salary: $34,711/yr (Glassdoor)
Data entry is one of the most flexible, easiest stay-at-home positions. While they don’t require much background knowledge, those working in data entry need impeccable computer and keyboard skills, as well as focus and great attention to detail. Data entry operators are sometimes required to examine data for errors or edit data as needed.
17. Social media marketing.
Average salary: $59,240/yr (Glassdoor)
With the Internet all abuzz, social media workers are a hot commodity in the online and offline business worlds. Those in social media marketing are extremely familiar with a variety of platforms and the audiences each platform attracts. Their day-to-day work consists of writing effective copy and creating engaging visual content. They should have a strong background in communications and writing.
18. Telemarketer.
Average salary: $25,250/yr (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
For the more persuasive of stay-at-home moms, telemarketing is a great place to enhance communication and marketing skills from the ease at your home. Telemarketing offers the opportunity to practice direct marketing with a company’s prospective customers and encourage clients to buy various products or services. A telemarketer’s sales pitch is often scripted or prepared.
19. Seamstress.
Average salary: $27,165/yr (ZipRecruiter)
Do you love to create costumes? Can you fix any broken button that comes your child’s way? Put your needlework to the test by becoming a seamstress. With the right amount of notice, this job is a flexible way to help neighbors and the local community out with alterations for any article of clothing. If you’re interested in the creative side of sewing, you may want to try offering design services as well.
20. Stylist.
Average Salary: $40,145/yr (ZipRecruiter)
Do you keep up with the latest fashion trends? Do you always know the best brands to shop for? Styling doesn’t always have to be done in store. Online stylists work with clients remotely to develop looks based on their body type and personal style goals. Like with a graphic designer, most of this work is found based on a stylist’s portfolio.
Staying at home with your kids doesn't mean your professional life has to be put on hold. With numerous flexible, freelance options for moms at home, you can put your valuable skills to the test and delve into your interests professionally — all while getting quality time with your family.
Don’t miss out on articles like these. Sign up!
--
Zoë Kaplan is an English major at Wesleyan University in the class of 2020. She writes about women, theater, sports, and everything in between. Read more of Zoë’s work at www.zoëkaplan.com.
Why women love us:
- Daily articles on career topics
- Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
- Advice and support from an authentic community
- Events that help you level up in your career
- Free membership, always