Best Jobs That Pay $50k a Year

The job-hunting process can be daunting. It can turn you into a career researcher, endlessly applying to job openings, tweaking your resume, and trying to find the job that best suits you. To avoid the stress of trawling through multiple job openings and application processes, read this guide and easily find jobs that pay $50k a year. 

This article includes the information you need to guide you through your job prospects and lift your job-hunting headache. You’ll find out what companies pay $50k a year and more, including for online jobs and part-time jobs. Regardless of your education level, you can use this guide to find a job that pays $50k a year.

What Is a Good Yearly Salary?

A good yearly salary is typically determined by the quality of living it can afford, and $50k a year is well above the average income in the United States. According to research carried out by Statista, the average employee in the United States earns $11.19 per hour, which comes out to less than $25k a year. 

Earning $25k per year is enough for many people, but raking in $50k per year would grant you a higher living standard than most Americans. Having a job that pays $50k a year would give you financial security. Not only could you cover more of your living expenses, but you would have plenty of disposable income.

Why Earning $50k a Year Is Important

Earning $50k a year will ensure that you exceed the standard of living in a developed country like the United States. A lower annual salary may not be enough to cover all the costs of living, such as rent, homeowner’s insurance, health insurance, and monthly bills. These costs add up quickly, so you’ll need a good income to be able to cover them. 

To an extent, money can actually buy happiness. Studies have shown that incomes up to $75k a year are associated with higher levels of emotional well-being and life satisfaction. On $50k a year, you are in good shape to lead a happy and healthy lifestyle.

What Types of Jobs Pay $50k a Year?

There are numerous jobs that pay up to $50k a year, ranging from full-time, physical jobs to freelance, work-from-home gigs. Many of these jobs can be acquired with little to no experience. So, if you’re lamenting your lack of a four-year degree, don’t worry. Thanks to the Internet, you can learn the skills required for many online jobs without attending college. 

You can launch a career earning a base salary of $50k a year with the following types of jobs. 

• Online jobs
• Skilled trades 
• Proofreading jobs
• Digital marketing jobs
• Translating jobs
• Retail management jobs

You can also piece together $50,000 in annual income by becoming a freelancer and pursuing gigs on the best websites for remote freelancing jobs. 

What Do You Need to Land a Job That Pays $50k a Year?

To land a job that pays $50k a year, you’ll need tenacity and a strong work ethic. The other requirements vary depending on the type of job. For example, to land a freelance writing job, you may need to prove your skills by completing a test or showing a portfolio of your previous work. 

Some jobs require a college education. A job like adult education teaching will necessitate a degree and, in some cases, certifications as proof of your abilities. Other jobs may only require moderate on-the-job training from the company and no other qualifications. To simplify your job hunt process, you should research the career field you would like to enter. 

What Companies Pay $50k a Year?

Many companies in the US pay up to $50k a year, even though the national minimum wage is significantly less. A few of these companies are listed below, along with salary estimates from ZipRecruiter, PayScale, Glassdoor. 

• Target. This retail store sells groceries, essentials, electronics, and clothing both online and in the store. The median salary of Target employees is $50,493 per year. However, you won’t earn this wage as a cashier. You’ll need to work your way up to a more lucrative position, like Senior Team Lead.
• Best Buy. While this multinational consumer electronics company only pays its employees an average of $14 per hour, you can earn $50k per year at Best Buy if you become an accountant or join its team of sales reps. 
• Bank of America. With more than 4,600 branches worldwide, this multinational investment bank has plenty of jobs that pay at least $50k a year. One example of this is the operations analyst role. The average operations analyst at Bank of America earns nearly $48,000 in yearly income. 
• Starbucks Corporation. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse chain in the world, providing coffee services and roastery reserves. An administrative manager, communications specialist, or customer service supervisor at Starbucks will net $50k a year, on average.
• Walmart. This retail company operates hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores across America. While the average wage of Walmart employees is $13 per hour, personnel managers at Walmart can take home $50k a year. 
• The Home Depot. This is an American home improvement retailer company that supplies tools, construction products, and services. The average wage of Home Depot employees is just $13 per hour, but as a senior buyer at Home Depot, you’ll likely earn more than $50k a year.
• Lowe’s. This home improvement retail company operates a chain of retail stores across America and Canada. Employees at Lowe’s earn an average of $14 per hour, but you can bag $50k as a retail sales manager.
• Harbor Freight Tools. This private company provides tool and equipment retail services in the United States. It also operates a chain of retail stores, mail order, and ecommerce businesses. The average salary at Harbor Freight Tools is $64k, and the company pays its data analysts and most of its managers more than $50k on average.
• Menards. This is another home improvement retail company in the United States. The average Menards employee makes $49k, and those who net more than $50k a year include Java developers and inventory analysts. 
• eBay. This is a great company to work for if you know how ecommerce works. Employees of eBay earn an average of $129,000 a year. The job roles that earn more than $50k a year include customer service supervisors, who earn an average of $57,336.

Jobs That Pay $50k a Year with No Experience

Property Appraisers and Assessors

• Average hourly salary: $28.20
• Average yearly salary: $58,650
• Job growth: 4%

Property appraisers are also known as real estate appraisers and work to provide an objective estimate of the value of a property. They help property owners and those who are looking to sell, rent, buy, or invest make real estate decisions. As an appraiser, you could work with a government agency, a financial institution, a private company, or an independent contractor.

Electrician

• Average hourly salary: $27.36
• Average yearly salary: $56,900
• Job growth: 9%

An electrician works to install, maintain, and repair systems that use electrical power, like lighting, communications, and wiring systems. Working as an electrician usually does not require any education or experience, and can be learned through on-the-job training. Electricians typically don’t have a full-time contract. Instead, they mostly work on-call.

Plumber

• Average hourly salary: $27.08
• Average yearly salary: $56,330
• Job growth: 5%

A plumber installs, tests, maintains, and repairs plumbing systems in properties. A plumber also works on other household appliances such as heating, cooling, and sanitation systems. To become a plumber, you should take plumbing courses and enroll in a plumbing apprenticeship, where you can learn the trade through practical, paid experience.

Firefighter EMT

• Average hourly salary: $25.24
• Average yearly salary: $52,500
• Job growth: 8%

A firefighter EMT works directly under the supervision of a fire captain to perform firefighting, prevention, and rescue duties. They are also trained to administer first aid and medical treatment, transport patients to hospitals, and operate fire-fighting equipment and apparatus. Firefighter EMTs may have to complete a training program before being fully hired.

Insurance Sales Agent

• Average hourly salary: $25.08
• Average yearly salary: $52,180
• Job growth: 7%

Insurance sales agents, also known as insurance agents, are in charge of discovering opportunities for insurance plans and interacting with clients. They are typically required to sell insurance policies and coverage so that the insurance company can meet its planned targets. You’ll need to apply for an insurance license from your state before assuming this role.

Jobs That Pay $50k a Year Online 

Transcriptionist

• Average hourly salary: $28
• Average yearly salary: $58,441
• Job growth: 3%

A transcriptionist is a professional who works to create written documents from audio or video recordings of meetings, classes, or conversations. They have to carefully listen to recordings and transcribe audio to the client’s satisfaction. This role is usually freelance, but you can also do transcription in a courtroom as a court reporter. 

Graphic Designer

• Average hourly salary: $25.66
• Average yearly salary: $53,380
• Job growth: 3%

Graphic designers collaborate with businesses to create eye-catching visuals and images, either manually or using computer software. The goal is to attract, inform, or captivate customers and fulfill the client’s wishes. You can teach yourself graphic design skills by learning creative software like Adobe Photoshop.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

• Average hourly salary: $25.25
• Average yearly salary: $52,522
• Job growth: N/A

FBA Amazon, as it’s commonly known, is a business process where you store your ecommerce products in an Amazon warehouse and let Amazon handle the selling, packing, and delivery of the products. Amazon also handles the customer service and returns of the products. This is a good way to make a comfortable living online. 

Freelance Proofreader

• Average hourly salary: $25
• Average yearly salary: $51,391
• Job growth: 5%

Freelance proofreaders read, edit, and correct errors in a document to ensure that it is free of any typographical or grammatical errors. They have to go through the document multiple times to be sure that they aren’t missing anything, then send the document back to the client once it’s ready to be published. You can begin a freelance proofreading career on sites like Upwork or Fiverr.

Freelance Writer

• Average hourly salary: $24.47
• Average yearly salary: $50,891
• Job growth: 9%

A freelance writer is an independent contractor who works with several companies to research, write, and edit writing projects. The major benefit of being a freelance writer is the opportunity to choose your rates and work with multiple companies at once. They generally get to work on their own timeline. You can become a writer by joining freelance sites like Upwork and Fiverr.

Jobs That Pay $50k a Year Part-Time

Adult Education Teacher

• Average hourly salary: $26.61
• Average yearly salary: $55,350
• Job growth: -5%

As an adult education teacher, you will teach courses to adult students in classrooms. You will be responsible for developing lesson plans, conducting research, teaching, and testing students. You will also need to keep track of your students’ progress and develop a curriculum for them to follow.

Social Media Manager

• Average hourly salary: $25.36
• Average yearly salary: $52,744
• Job growth: 11%

Social media managers are public relations specialists who manage a company’s social media image. They have to communicate with the public to promote the company and attract more customers. Like digital marketers, they create relevant content by researching and analyzing social media engagement and customer interaction trends. This helps them build online engagement for the company. 

Interpreter

• Average hourly salary: $25.16
• Average yearly salary: $52,330
• Job growth: 24%

Interpreters serve as a medium of communication between people who speak different languages. They provide oral and written translation from one language to another and therefore must be fluent in multiple languages. As an interpreter, you can work in state or federal government agencies, the education and healthcare industries, or elsewhere in the private sector.

Digital Marketing Specialist

• Average hourly salary: $24.31
• Average yearly salary: $50,556
• Job growth: 10%

More commonly known as digital marketers, and overlapping with social media managers, these professionals work to maintain and promote a brand’s image. They have to research, strategize, and create content to help improve a brand’s performance and profitability, with the goal of drawing in more customers for their clients.

Physical Therapist Assistant

• Average hourly salary: $24.02
• Average yearly salary: $49,970
• Job growth: 32%

Physical therapist assistants work under the supervision of physical therapists to provide patients with therapeutic treatments such as exercises and massages. They also have to take down patients’ records, track their progress, and report to the physical therapist. Occupational therapist assistants perform a similar role for a similar annual salary.

"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"

Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot

Find Your Bootcamp Match

Where to Find a Job That Pays $50k a Year

You can find job openings through several online platforms. There are job boards that post hundreds of vacancies daily. You can also visit your desired company’s website and social media platforms to find updated vacancies. 

Job Boards

A wide range of online, free-to-use job boards are available for your job search process. These boards update daily, showing job vacancies from numerous companies. Sometimes, these sites also handle the application process, making it easy to quickly fire off multiple applications. Active job boards include Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor.

Company Websites

Most companies use their website to advertise job vacancies to interested applicants. Therefore, if you have a company you’d like to work with, you should check their website regularly for openings. You will also find the application process there. Career information can be found in the “Careers” or “Work with Us” sections of the websites.

Social Media

Social media has become a popular way for companies to post job openings. Some companies also advertise these openings using popular pages that are known to attract their target audience. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are some popular social media platforms that companies use.

Is It Easy to Find a Job That Pays $50k a Year?

Contrary to popular opinion, it is easy to find a job that pays up to $50k an hour. You can get a full-time office job or work as a physical tradesperson, or you can ditch the 40-hour workweek and secure $50k a year with a part-time, online career. 

You could even land a job that pays more than $50k annually, or work your way up from an entry-level position in your chosen career. Research the experience and education requirements required to work for most companies in your desired industry, then build yourself up to meet those needs. You’ll earn a comfortable living in no time.

If you lack academic credentials or any certifications, figure out what you’re skilled at and use it to your advantage. If you find yourself lacking a required skill, enroll in an training program. If the job involves computer or programming skills, check out the best coding bootcamps. With a defined skillset, your options are limitless. 

The barriers to work aren’t always there. For example, if you are interested in photography or lifestyle, you could learn the skills necessary to become a social media content creator by taking online digital marketing courses. Before you know it, you’ll be earning $50k a year.

Jobs That Pay $50k a Year FAQ