Part-time jobs allow you to gain work experience while fulfilling other time commitments and life responsibilities. There is a wide variety of part-time jobs in terms of scope of work and schedule flexibility. You can find and apply for well-paying part-time jobs that work with your schedule and align with your career interests or degree specialization. In this article, we discuss what part-time jobs are and what jobs can offer $40 or more per hour.
11 Potential Benefits of Part-Time Jobs
A part-time job is an alternative to full-time employment and requires fewer work hours per week. A lighter workload may allow for more scheduling flexibility, which is one of many potential benefits. If you are considering applying for or accepting a part-time job, it can help to think through the helpful aspects of part-time employment when making your decision. In this article, we discuss what part-time jobs are and the benefits of part-time jobs.
What is a part-time job?
A part-time job is a type of employment in which someone works fewer than the hours of a full-time employee. The requirements to be considered full-time may vary based on location and employer. For example, if full-time employment is 35-40 hours per week, part-time employees work fewer than 35 hours in a week. Employees often obtain part-time jobs directly or they may move from full-time to part-time employment because of changes in their personal scheduling needs or changes in workplace staffing.
Employers usually pay part-time employees on an hourly, not salaried basis. This hourly pay means that a part-time employee often has the option to increase their workload by agreeing to work additional shifts to cover for other employees during illness or time off. Part-time employees may work more often during busy seasons, such as the weeks leading up to a new school year or the winter holidays. Part-time employees may also work during nights, weekends or holidays.
What are the benefits of working at a part-time job?
The following are 11 potential benefits of working a part-time job:
You might have more time for family
Working at a part-time job may allow you to have more time with your family. This will depend on the workplace, as some may accommodate more flexible schedules than others. For example, you might be able to coordinate your schedule to take your children to school or be home when they get off the school bus.
Working part-time can allow you to take time off on days where an elderly parent needs to go to an appointment. If a loved one gets sick, working part-time may make your schedule more flexible so that you can stay home to take care of them.
You have more time for your education
If you have a part-time job, you may have an easier time completing your education while continuing to work than if you worked a full-time job. The flexibility of a part-time schedule may help you coordinate your work schedule with class sessions. You may also have more time to study and complete assignments.
You have more time to pursue a hobby
With a part-time job, you may have more free time during the week to build other skills. For example, you could attend music classes, craft fairs or community theater shows. Because you might have multiple entire days off of work, you might pursue hobbies that require an all-day commitment with more flexibility than if you had a full-time job.
You can develop financial management skills
Some people work in a part-time position as their first job while they complete their studies. These individuals may not yet have all the financial obligations of someone with a full-time job. For these people, a part-time job can provide a chance to earn a paycheck and learn to manage a budget before transitioning to full-time employment.
You can develop time management skills
Some people might accept a part-time job in addition to other obligations, such as students taking classes or parents and volunteers working in their free time. These people often want to balance their work requirements with their outside obligations. Therefore, they may develop or build their existing time management skills. These skills can help employees use their time effectively and complete workplace responsibilities.
You can earn an income
A part-time job includes payment for your work. One reason you may choose to work part-time is to supplement your partner’s pay or as an addition to your own from another job. You could also work part-time temporarily to save up for a specific goal, rather than relying on it as a regular addition to your monthly income. You may earn extra money by taking on extra shifts because part-time jobs earn hourly pay. During night, weekend or holiday shifts, you may also earn more.
You can network
At your part-time job, you might meet people with more connections that work in the same field. These people can direct you to further opportunities in the future or provide you with references. You may also have the chance to meet people who work for other companies or organizations and form professional networks that can help you if you seek a new job in the future.
You can gain work experience to move up in the company
Some companies hire people with less experience for a part-time position. Employers may do this because there can be less of a risk in hiring someone hourly instead of committing to a salaried contract for a full-time job. Part-time positions also often include fewer responsibilities. You can get a part-time job to gain experience in your line of work and use that experience to apply for full-time employment in the future.
You may have more energy
For some people, working fewer hours allows them more time to rest. You may also have more free time for other self-care activities like exercise and cooking at home. If you are well-rested and have time to care for yourself, you might find more energy for tasks like household chores.
You might save transportation costs
If you work fewer days per week than a full-time employee, you may save money that you would otherwise spend on transportation to and from work. For example, if you own a car you can save on gas and expenses associated with owning and operating a car. If you take public transportation, you can save on bus fare, train tickets, taxis or ride-share fees.
You may have the chance for career advancement
As a part-time employee, you may show that you can perform your job duties while getting to know your supervisors. Being successful and meeting people in higher positions might lead to promotion to a full-time position in the future. Also, suppose a company doesn’t have any full-time jobs available but still wants to offer you a position. In that case, they might create a temporary part-time position for you while they wait for a full-time job to become available.
You may be eligible for employee benefits
Depending on state and national laws, you may receive some benefits as a part-time employee. Your employer may also extend some benefits programs to all employees. Examples of benefits that your employer may offer include:
Money for education
Employee discounts
Worker’s compensation
Unemployment benefits
Social security and disability benefits
Health insurance
Retirement savings
Parental leave
Holidays off
Paid vacation time
What is a part-time job?
A part-time job is a job that allows you to work fewer hours than full-time jobs and you can complete these hours in rotational shifts that can vary each day or week depending on the position. Part-time positions can also be seasonal or contractual, which allows you to have flexibility in your work and life schedules. Part-time positions work less than 30 hours a week and receive payment hourly. You can find a wide range of high-paying part-time positions within different industries such as real estate, healthcare, business, education and technology.
16 part-time jobs that pay $40 or more per hour
Consider the following part-time jobs that pay $40 or more per hour in your job search:
1. Real estate agent
National average salary: $40.16 per hour
Primary duties: Real estate agents can work within a real estate brokerage company or independently to guide clients through negotiating a property sale. Because real estate agents can choose the clients and properties they manage, they can choose to work on a part-time basis. A real estate agent may also work more when the property market is more active and work less during off-seasons.
2. Psychologist
National average salary: $40.57 per hour
Primary duties: Psychologists can work in a healthcare facility or offer services through private practice, providing clients with treatment and care plans. Psychologists work with individual clients or in group settings within schedules that they can arrange on a part-time basis. Depending on the work you choose to do as a psychologist, you may also decide to work on an on-call schedule where you don’t regularly report unless you’re called in to see a patient.
3. Midwife
National average salary: $41.14 per hour
Primary duties: Midwives assist in the childbirth process and supervise the care of both the mother and the child during and after birth. You can hire a midwife to facilitate an at-home birth or to provide additional support within a healthcare facility. A midwife often meets with clients to determine if they can manage the childbirth process before accepting the position and developing a patient care plan. Because midwives can choose clients, they can control how much work they do.
4. Speech pathologist
National average salary: $41.34 per hour
Primary duties: Speech pathologists work with patients in healthcare facilities or private settings. They diagnose speech and communication disorders and develop treatment plans tailored to their patient’s needs. A speech pathologist can decide on how many patients they treat and manage their schedules to work part-time hours.
5. Veterinarian
National average salary: $41.47 per hour
Primary duties: Veterinarians diagnose and treat a variety of animals in zoos, labs and hospitals. You can work as a part-time or on-call veterinarian to oversee the healthcare and emergency needs of animals. Depending on your specialty, you can work with small animals and pets such as cats, dogs and rabbits or with large or exotic animals like cows, deer and snakes.
6. App developer
National average salary: $43.74 per hour
Primary duties: App developers can work part-time within a company or contractually in freelance positions that allow them to decide their workload. An app developer designs, implements and updates apps to suit their clients’ needs. They also test their designs to ensure the functionality and aesthetics of their app designs for user experience purposes.
7. Occupational therapist
National average salary: $44.87 per hour
Primary duties: Occupational therapists diagnose and treat patients with injuries or disabilities through individualized activity plans. Because they work closely with their patients to design their therapy plans, an occupational therapist may work with just a few patients throughout the week. They can provide at-home services or work within nursing homes or schools.
8. Software engineer
National average salary: $47.81 per hour
Primary duties: Software engineers develop software for clients to reflect the client’s intended use of the software. A software engineer can do freelance work for various companies and adjust their workload to do part-time work. They can perform maintenance and updates on an on-call basis for their clients as well.
9. Physical therapist
National average salary: $49.07 per hour
Primary duties: Physical therapists work with patients who experience physical injuries and help them improve their mobility because of those injuries. A physical therapist works with their patients one on one in private practice or other healthcare facilities. They create personalized fitness plans to restore function, prevent disabilities or relieve pain.
10. Adjunct professor
National average salary: $51.16 per hour
Primary duties: Adjunct professors are part-time professors that provide contractual teaching services. They may work as part of a company that facilitates contracts between adjunct professors and higher education institutions. Because they work contractually, they can dictate their teaching schedule and workload.
11. Project manager
National average salary: $53.49 per hour
Primary duties: Project managers can work in different industries, overseeing projects for their clients and managing communications between project teams and commissioners. A freelance or contract project manager can choose the projects they manage. They evaluate project costs, resources and forecasts to create and maintain a project schedule and performance goals.
12. Business analyst
National average salary: $53.67 per hour
Primary duties: Business analysts assess company systems to ensure that resources and work processes are efficient. A business analyst can conduct consulting work contractually to provide business recommendations and forecasts. They remain updated on business software developments and regulations to give companies relevant advice and guidance.
13. Pharmacist
National average salary: $54.04 per hour
Primary duties: Pharmacists can work part-time in a pharmacy or a hospital to provide patients with their prescriptions. They ensure proper distribution of medications and answer patient questions about their prescriptions. You may also find at-home pharmacy consultant work depending on your qualifications and state regulations.
14. Nurse practitioner
National average salary: $60.08 per hour
Primary duties: Nurse practitioners are nurses with specialized training. They can diagnose and treat illnesses and write prescriptions. A nurse practitioner can advise patients on their care and treatment plans.
15. Dentist
National average salary: $87.61 per hour
Primary duties: Dentists treat patients’ teeth and conduct preventative maintenance to ensure their oral health. They can diagnose oral diseases and provide dental and surgical procedures. Dentists can work part-time hours in dental offices or as emergency dentists for urgent care or the military.
16. Orthodontist
National average salary: $176 per hour
Primary duties: Orthodontists are dentists that work with teeth placement and jaw alignments, such as those that require braces or surgical modification. They assess a patient’s teeth, jaws and mouth to diagnose and recommend corrective treatment plans. An orthodontist can work in private practice and manage their part-time schedules.
