Are you one of those kinds of people that just can’t go to sleep until 2 AM or 3 AM? Do you feel you work more efficiently in the evening or at night than during the day? Then you might be a night owl. If so, you could take advantage of this as there are at least seven night jobs that pay very well. In fact, some of them are highly paid and don’t even require a college education (although if you are considering going back to school for a better paying job, make sure to consider your major carefully). This is because companies have a tough time finding people who want to work the night shift.
If you are trying to find ways to increase your income for a financial obligation – like paying off debt, these should be great options for a second job.
Of course, just because you would be willing to work nights doesn’t mean all of night-time jobs would be for you. But here are seven you should definitely consider.
1. Bartender
While the pay for this job is not great the tips you would earn make it well worthwhile. Studies have shown that the best tips are actually given at night and on weekends. It does take some time and practice to become a bartender. But one of the benefits – besides the tips – is the fact that you get to meet a lot of different people so that it’s an interesting job. Plus, bartending is something that you might be able to do as a second job depending, of course, on your “first” job.
2. Casino dealer jobs
This is one of the best paying jobs in the casino industry. The salary itself is nothing to write home about – typically less than $20,000 – but what makes this job attractive is the tips that can double and even triple that $20,000. In addition, casinos are almost always looking for dealers and they generally offer on-the-job training. Casino dealers are often called croupiers and generally start out dealing blackjack as it is one of the simplest games to learn. More complex games, such as roulette, are usually reserved for croupiers with more experience. Croupiers here in the U.S. are required to have a gambling license, which means a police background check and credit rating check.
3. Air traffic controller jobs
This is one of the best and highest paying of the nighttime jobs. It’s a 40-hour work week and the average pay is $120,000 a year! That’s because it requires very specialized skills, abilities and knowledge. What the job entails is applying separation rules to make sure aircraft are kept safely apart from one another and to move them efficiently and safely through their assigned sectors of airspace as well as on the ground.
Because controllers have such a big responsibility and are required to make numerous decisions in real time on a daily basis, this job is generally regarded as being notoriously stressful and one of the most mentally challenging,
To be an Air Traffic Controller you must be quick with numeric computations and mathematics, are well organized, have great decision-making skills, are able to maintain your composure under pressure and have a great short-term memory.
4. Funeral director
Funeral home jobs are another one that requires people to be on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Deaths are not planned so a funeral director needs to be available to work as needed. Funeral directors are also called morticians or undertakers. They typically handle the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as planning and arranging the funeral ceremony.
While not everyone is cut out for this job it is a very meaningful one where you would be of real help to the families of those that passed away. If this job interests, you the good news is that it pays a very nice salary of $85,000 a year or more.
5. Computer operator
Workers may go home at 5 PM but computers are on the job 24/7. Computer operators ensure that computers are operating as they should – including overnight. Being a computer operator means you would need to have some knowledge of computer operations or be willing to go to school to get some training. Yesterday’s computer operator typically worked with huge mainframe computers. Today’s computer operator usually works in a server room or a data center. This job includes managing backup systems, cycling tapes or other media, filling and maintaining printers. Some computer operators now work remotely from their homes. The average annual salary of a computer operator starts at $34,000 but how much you would earn varies from company to company and whether you have a degree in computer science or a related field.
6. Protective services worker
This is a kind of an umbrella title that covers firefighters, police officers, jail and prison guards, correctional officers, security guards, private investigators and so forth. These, too, are jobs that never stop regardless of the time of day or night or the day of the week. If you pick one of these jobs and agree to work nights, you will earn a better salary than working days. As you might imagine, these are also high-stress jobs that involve human lives and a very high degree of responsibility.
7. Healthcare worker
Many of the doctors, nurses, surgical staff, paramedics and office assistants in the healthcare industry are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since most of the people in these jobs prefer to work during the daytime this means a good opportunity for anyone willing to work the graveyard shift or late night hours. As you might guess, you would earn more if you would be willing to work night hours.
How much training you would need to become a healthcare worker will depend on which position you choose. For example, you would have to go to school for at least four years to become a Registered Nurse (RN). But you could be a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant) just by taking a state-approved nurse assistant training program along with some on-the-job training. The median pay of a CNA is $24,890.
If none of these jobs sound like a good fit, consider a flexible side hustle you can do from home, meaning you can work whatever hours you want!
