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Finding a good job can be difficult. Add to that a job that pays well and isn’t too stressful, and it can be even harder. If you’re an introvert, all of that can compound to make your job search seem impossible.
Low-stress jobs for introverts that pay well include graphic design, web development, and social media management. Accounting, writing, and interior design are also good jobs. Any type of freelancing also gives the person more control, making it easy to control pay and stress levels.
If you’re an introvert, you know it can be hard to find a good job that doesn’t deal with people all day and one that doesn’t necessarily require a degree to get. But you don’t have to resort to low-paying positions or jobs with a lot of stress. Keep reading to learn about low-stress jobs that pay well and are great for introverts.
Freelancing vs. Employment
When considering any sort of low-stress job, you will come across freelance and other more traditional options. Some jobs are only available full-time, but you may find some freelance positions for other jobs.
As a freelancer, you can choose when you work, how long, and how much you make. You can select the people you work with, so you can end contracts with stressful clients. However, you do have to actively look for work, and that can take a lot of time.
Finding a traditional job can take away the stress of finding jobs. But you won’t have much control over your schedule or pay. Still, having a guaranteed paycheck can make one job less stressful for some people.
Consider which type of work you would find stressful as you explore this list of low-stress jobs, well-paying jobs for introverts.
Writer
One of the top jobs for introverts is to work as a writer. You can write anything from blog posts to sales pages to eBooks or print books. Writers can work full-time for a company or take on freelance projects.
This means you have a lot of control over the work you can do and how much you can make. Now, some writing projects may pay more than others, but many writers can make a good living.
If you work for a company, they can handle all of the clients so that you can write. As a freelancer, though, you can set your own schedule and find clients that don’t stress you out. And you can take on projects in your areas of expertise so that you can earn even more.
While you can write a novel, it can be hard to get a contract that will pay you upfront. Other forms of writing, such as journalism and copywriting, can help support you, and you can work on your novel on the side.
Editor
Even though writers don’t need to work with people all of the time, they do usually work with editors. If you don’t like writing but want a relatively quiet and solitary job, consider becoming an editor.
Just like writers, editors can work in different fields and on different types of writing. You could work full-time as an editor for a magazine or a publishing house. Or you can start your own editing business and go freelance.
Editors can make around $60,000 per year (USD) on average, though it can go higher or lower. You can also find different types of editing work, such as proofreading, which is less intense than developmental editing.
If you like to read and work on stuff in peace and quiet, consider becoming an editor. You can get a decent paying full-time job or work for yourself to control your rates and schedule.
Content Manager
Another job involving written content is that of a content manager. Content management jobs tend to be full-time or part-time instead of freelance, but you may be able to find freelance positions.
As a content manager, you would work with writers and editors to create excellent content. You may work on content for your employer, or they may have clients that you work with. While you may need to work with people occasionally, you don’t need to make many phone or video calls.
If you work for a company, they may also have account managers who handle speaking with clients. All you have to do is follow your company or client’s style guide and make sure your writers and editors do the same.
The average salary for content managers is about $63,000 per year, but you can make a lot more than that as well. If you want to freelance, you can combine management with writing and editing to add value to your offer.
Translator
If you speak a second or third language, consider becoming a translator. In this job, you will take written documents or web pages and write them in a new language. While Google Translate can do this, it isn’t always the most accurate.
As a translator, you can account for differences in slang and other terms. You can also keep the intent from the original language by using the right vocabulary.
While you can also become an interpreter, translating isn’t as stressful. You can take your time to get the wording right, and you don’t have to talk or be around people all day. Translators can make up to $200,000 per year and around $60k/yr on average, so it can be a good job for many introverts.
However, make sure you feel comfortable with the languages that you’ll use. Then, you can avoid stressing yourself out by not understanding documents completely.
Transcriptionist
Perhaps you don’t speak a second language, but you do have good listening skills. You can become a transcriptionist and turn audio recordings into written documents. Many journalists need people to transcribe their interview recordings to help write articles.
Teachers and students may also want someone to transcribe a lecture recording. If someone has audio and you can listen, you can probably transcribe it. While the base pay is low at around $15 to $30 per hour, you can make more.
You can often work as a freelance transcriber, so you can control the pay. Many transcribers charge per audio minute, so you can make even more per hour as you get faster at listening and typing.
After you get some experience, you can keep getting faster, and you can raise your rates. Then, you can make even more money. While you want to avoid mistakes, transcribing is relatively low-stress and great for introverts.
Graphic Designer
If you want a more creative job, consider working as a graphic designer. This is one of those jobs where you can work as a freelancer or get a full-time job. You can also specialize in graphic design on branding, logos, or other elements.
As a freelancer, you can focus on a niche or industry to find clients. And as an employee, you don’t have to find clients yourself. All you have to worry about is creating graphics and other images for your employer or their clients.
Many graphic design projects will contain a brief that you can use for the design. While you may need to have a quick phone or video call to clarify things, you can work on your own most days.
On average, the salary for a graphic designer is about $45,000 to $55,000 per year. If you want to make more, you can take on more projects or raise your freelance rates. But it’s still a good place to start, and it’s not too stressful.
Web Designer and Developer
One specific type of graphic designer that can make a good living is a web designer. You can also combine that with development, which focuses on the more technical sides of websites. Either way, you can make a lot of money by being able to create a website.
You can look for a traditional job or create your own business and find clients. On average, web designers make about $65,000 per year. But pay can range from around $55,000 to $78,000, depending on experience and other factors.
A web designer deals more with the visual elements on the site, and a developer can write the code to make that design come to life. If you can do both, you can make even more money.
But doing both can be stressful if you don’t have the skills. Choosing one can still be a good way to make good money, and you don’t have to work with people all day long.
Social Media Manager
As more companies realize that they need to use social media for business, social media managers have more opportunities. A social media manager could do anything from just posting social media posts to creating the posts to developing a strategy.
You can work in a corporate social media role, or you can start your own business. Either way, you can focus on your strengths. When first starting, you may want to just post, and you can learn how to create content and a strategy.
But if you can do all of that, you can make a lot more money. The average base pay for a social media manager is about $45,000 per year. But you can increase that with experience and if you can show that your strategies help clients get results.
Now, you may need to talk to clients on the phone or video chat, but that won’t happen every day. You can get a lot of work done using email and social media management tools.
Video Editor
Social media managers may need to work with video editors. If you can use a program like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro, you can make money as a video editor. While you can look for full-time work, many video editors do freelance work.
You can find people making videos and pitch your services to them to get clients. Then, you can make their footage look better by changing the color saturation and adding transitions. Some people and companies will pay good money for a professional video editor.
On average, you can make about $3,100 per month or a little more than $37,000 a year. While this isn’t the best, you can make more money by doing more projects. As you learn advanced editing techniques, you can raise your rates even more.
Video editing is a great option for introverts who want to work alone. While you will need to listen to the audio and watch the video, you don’t have to talk directly to people.
Photo Editor
If you prefer to work with photos than videos, you can become a photo editor. The concept is the same, but you can make photos stand out using programs like Adobe Photoshop. While you can also work as a photographer, a photo editor doesn’t have to go to shoots.
This makes the job less stressful and time-consuming. You can edit photos from home, and you don’t have to work directly with people. If you want a steady flow of work, you can work with a photographer who doesn’t like to edit.
You can also combine your photo editing services with photography if you like taking photos. Then, you can increase your earnings. Still, working just as a photo editor can pay about $42,000 on average all the way up to $70,000 per year.
As long as you know how to use a photo editing program, this can be a low-stress job. You can charge more for your services to make even more money as you increase your skills.
Audio Editor
Similar to video and photo editing, some people need to hire a good audio editor. As more people start podcasts, they may decide to hire someone to edit them. That way, the podcast host can focus on other tasks.
Audio editors can also work with music, so you can mix tracks to make them fit together. Then, you can make the solo line stand out against any backtracks. You can make about $16 to $21 per hour you spend editing, depending on your skills.
If you work with more complex tracks, you can charge more for your services. And as with any profession, you can increase your rates as you get more experience.
You can get a job editing audio for a company, but freelancing is an excellent way to start. If you can’t get clients, you can edit your favorite audio tracks or record yourself to build a portfolio of your work.
Remote Session Musician
If you’re a musician, you can become a remote session musician. While a lot of musicians have to go into a recording studio for session work, you can do it at home. Then, you don’t have to be around other musicians or sound engineers for hours a day.
Instead, you can record yourself from home or your personal recording studio. You may need to do some audio editing to prepare the file for your client, but you can focus on playing your instrument.
And you don’t have to stress about taking all of your gear to and from the studio and forgetting something. You can set up everything in one place to make recording even easier.
As a remote session musician, you can charge double what you’d make in the studio for your extra time and work to get the audio just right. That means you can make about $80 to $120 per hour of work.
Music Composer
If you prefer to write music, you can do that, too. Of course, you can work as a film or TV music composer, but you can also make your own music. That can be really low stress because you don’t have to answer to any clients but yourself.
You can also take on freelance client projects, though. Then, you can compose music for any genre, and you can get credits and royalties when someone plays your music.
If you don’t want to write original music, you can also create arrangements or covers of music. That involves reworking an existing song into new instrumentation. You can also do music engraving, so you can work with composers to polish their sheet music in a notation program.
Because of the different types of projects, music composer pay can vary. But if you can make a name for yourself and get a good job or clients, you can make a lot. And you can sell your music and make money anytime someone streams or downloads your stuff.
Bookkeeper
If you aren’t into music, another option is to work as a bookkeeper. You can get a full-time job doing this, or you can work for yourself and take on clients. Bookkeeping is a great job if you’re organized and good with numbers.
You can have clients send you their transactions or receipts so that you can log them for the client. Or if your client trusts you, they can give you access to their business bank account, and you can review the transactions there.
Then, you can take note of any income and expense transactions. At the end of the week or month, you can report to your client on their finances. That way, they can tell if they’re on track to meet their revenue or profit goals.
Bookkeepers make about $44,000 on average per year. But the pay can be lower or higher. One way to increase your pay as a bookkeeper is to also become an accountant.
Accountant
If you go to school for accounting and get a certification, you can make even more money. As an accountant, you’ll have more responsibilities than a bookkeeper. You may need to handle taxes for your company or clients.
However, it does pay better, and it can still be relatively low-stress. You can also work alone when you aren’t meeting with your manager or clients.
Accountants can make about $55,000 a year on average, though it can vary. If you can combine bookkeeping and accounting, you may be able to earn a bit more.
You should also consider if you want a job or to freelance. Like other freelance positions, freelance accountants can set their own rates. But you may have more stress regarding finding clients, at least at first.
Interior Designer
Interior designing is a great career path for introverts who like some regular social interaction. For the most part, you are on your own. You can spend time alone looking at decor, lighting, and paint colors.
But you will need to spend some time discussing those options with your clients. You may also need to go to the client’s home or office to check out their situation. Then, you can choose the right objects and colors to fit the space.
As an interior designer, you can make about $53,000 on average. Newer designers may make closer to $30,000, and experienced designers can make up to $92,000 per year.
Interior Painter
An interior designer may choose to work with an interior painter to make designs come to life. If you aren’t a designer but like working indoors, you can become an interior painter. Then, you can spend most of your days at clients’ homes painting.
This is a great option if you don’t want to work with others each day. While you will need to talk to clients about their needs and get access to their homes, you can set up and get to work.
Now, if you work for a company, you may not work alone. You may work with another interior painter. But you won’t have to work in big groups. And you can get to know your coworkers.
Interior painters can make as much or as little money as they like. While full-time painters will have a salary of about $37,000, contractors can set their rates hourly or per project. Then, they have full control over their earnings.
Librarian
If you want a more traditional job, consider becoming a librarian. You can spend your days around books and other book lovers, and libraries are usually quiet. So you won’t have to worry about having a loud environment all day.
Even as a traditional job, it still has some options regarding where you work. You can choose to work at a K-12 school, a college/university, or a public library. Then, you can work with the type of people you do like.
Odds are, you won’t spend all day working with people, but you may have some interaction. That can be nice if you want a balance of social time and quiet time during your workday.
On average, you can expect to make about $59,000 per year as a librarian. Some positions may pay more or less, but it’s a good start, especially since many librarians hold advanced degrees.
Consultant
Another excellent job for introverts is to work as a consultant. You can consult on almost any topic out there, so you can focus on something you enjoy and are good at. And you can either work for a big company or as a freelancer.
Consultants help clients improve their processes and make things better. Whether you consult on how to grow a business or how to improve patient care, consulting can be a great career.
Now, it does involve working with people, but it can be one-on-one. It’s a great option if you do well in small groups. And you can choose clients that don’t stress you out, so you can make money without overworking yourself.
You can earn a lot as a consultant. When working for a company, the average salary is about $74,000. But you can make even more if you work for yourself and charge clients per hour or session.
Tutor
Just like a consultant, a tutor works individually but with students instead of companies or business owners. You can offer tutoring services in a variety of academic subjects, test prep, and even art or music lessons.
Working for yourself, you can charge anywhere from $10 to $100 or more per hour. If you have an advanced degree in the subject you teach, you can charge even more for the value.
You can also work through a tutoring service or a community activity center. Then, you won’t have to worry about finding students, but the center will probably set your pay rate. If you like working with kids, tutoring can be an excellent, low-stress job.
Chat Support Agent
If you want to work in customer service but don’t like talking to people, consider becoming a chat support agent. You can still help customers solve their problems, but you can use your computer to chat with people.
Chatting gives you more time to come up with a response, and you don’t have to spend time on the phone all day. You also don’t have to work in a retail location, and you may even be able to work from home.
On average, chat support agents make about $16 to $20 per hour. It’s not the best pay, but it is a job where you can leave it behind after work.
Or, if you want to go freelance, you can work as a virtual assistant and offer this service. Some business owners may pay a lot more to have you help with customer support.
Final Thoughts
If you like to be alone and have quiet time, work may not seem like the place for that. Maybe you’re also a shy introvert. Luckily, there are plenty of low-stress jobs that pay well and allow you to be comfortable as an introvert. Keep these jobs in mind next time you need to switch jobs or find a side hustle.
