New research from Remote reveals the best careers for freelancers, taking into consideration salary, opportunity and demand.
In response to the widespread job market instability caused by the pandemic and the resulting nationwide lockdowns, over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people freelancing full-time. The benefits of this transition often include better pay, greater flexibility, and the freedom to choose which clients you decide to work with.
Remote has analysed the world of freelance work to uncover which jobs are the most lucrative in the UK and which countries may offer more opportunities.
To view the research in full, please visit: https://remote.com/blog/best-jobs-freelancers.
The best freelance career in the UK is a copywriter
Based on average hourly salaries, the number of employers currently advertising for freelance support and the average monthly search volume for each role, the research uncovers the best jobs for freelancers.
With an average hourly rate of £39, Copywriter comes in first place as the best career for budding freelancers. There are also 18,100 monthly searches on Google across the UK for freelance copywriters, showing high demand for the skill set.
| UK | ||||
| Rank | Job | Average Salary p/h | Number of Freelance jobs advertised* | Average Monthly Search Volume |
| 1 | Copywriter | £39.00 | 2,084 | 18,100 |
| 2 | Therapist | £44.00 | 17 | 49,500 |
| 3 | Creative director | £81.00 | 34 | 6600 |
| 4 | Social media manager | £31.00 | 1,136 | 8100 |
| 5 | Data Science | £39.00 | 86 | 18,100 |
* Number of job postings on indeed at the time of research that included {job} and freelance
Other potentially successful careers in the world of freelance include Social Media Managers (with over 8,100 searches for this skill set in the UK per month), as well as careers where very technical knowledge is required such as Software Engineers and Data Scientists, which is likely down to the specificity of the skillsets.
The United States is the best country for freelancers to live and work in
The analysis also explores the best countries for freelancers to live and work based on broadband speed, average salary and the number of job ads from employers seeking freelance support. When taking these metrics into consideration, the United States ranks in first position with one of the fastest average broadband speeds and a high number of active freelancer job advertisements (17,075).
Germany and Switzerland also make it within the top three locations, with Germany having a high number of employers seeking freelance support (22,157 job ads), and Switzerland having a high average salary of £62,012.80.
| Rank | Country | Broadband Speed (Mbps) | Freelancer Average Salary | Number of Freelancer Job Ads* | Inflation Rates |
| 1 | United States | 203.81 | £29,547.00 | 17,075 | 1.5% |
| 2 | Germany | 136.66 | £36,684.90 | 22,157 | 1.4% |
| 3 | Switzerland | 229.96 | £62,012.80 | 246 | -0.5% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 102.24 | £38,821.00 | 17,473 | 1.5% |
| 5 | France | 214.04 | £39,335.20 | 496 | 0.7% |
* Number of job postings on indeed (relative to each country) at the time of research that included {job} and freelance
Thanks to the growing popularity of remote work policies, freelancers and self-employed people can now work from almost anywhere in the world, without losing access to desirable salaries or the career opportunities that matter most to them.
To view the research in full, please visit: https://remote.com/blog/best-jobs-freelancers.
