20+ Realistic Jobs That Pay 5K A Month – Online & Offline Ideas!
When I first graduated college, I got a job at a digital marketing agency.
At the time, my starting salary was about $5,000 per month (Canadian) when you included commission, which fluctuated pretty significantly.
Since it was my first job, I was definitely happy with the money. It was the first time I was earning a salary, and working for a commission was always exciting.
Now, while I didn't exactly realize it at the time (I was still living like a broke student so I didn't spend anything), making $5,000 per month is a very, very decent living.
In fact, according to Cia.gov, only 18 countries have an average GDP per capita of $60,000 a year.
This doesn't include Canada or the United States!
The bottom line is that $60,000 is a very solid salary, especially if you're just coming out of school and getting started with a career.
So, it's time to break down 20+ jobs that pay $5,000 per month if you're looking for some inspiration for your job hunt!
The Best Jobs That Pay 5K A Month
Since I love breaking down ways to make money online, we're going to start with some online jobs that make $5,000 a month. Then, I'm going to cover other $5,000 a month jobs that are in person.
Now, when I say make, I'm really talking about the earning potential here, so keep this in mind!
Selling your skills online is very competitive, so unless you land enough work for yourself, reaching a steady $5,000 might be difficult.
1. Freelance Writer
I had to start off this list with freelance writing because it's now how I make a decent portion of my income.
In fact, freelance writing is a job that pays $5k a month or more for me. And it's also what let me quit my day job a few years ago to travel the world, making money with my laptop as a digital nomad.
Once you pick a niche and grow your client base, you can definitely work your way up to $28.85 per hour and much, much higher.
I mean, think about it: if you land a client who pays you $0.10 to $0.15 per word (an intermediate range), a 2,000 word article pays between $200 and $300 – not bad if you can write the thing in a couple of hours.
The real trouble with freelance writing is getting enough client work to fill 40 hours per week or more. But I made a YouTube video that covers some of the basics.
And if you get a few reliable clients, writing is certainly a $5,000 per month job or more.
If you want help getting started, you can check out my new eBook, Freelance Writing For Freedom, for the exact blueprint I used to scale from $0 to $100,000+ in writing income.
2. Programmer
According to ZipRecruiter, the average freelance programmer makes $70,000 per year, making programming a job that easily makes over $5,000 per month.
Plus, programming is also awesome because it's a job where you work alone in most cases – which is ideal if you're an introvert like me!
Now, obviously you can become a programmer by going to school, getting your degree, and landing a starting job in a variety of fields.
However, the reason I wanted to mention programming in this list of ways to make $5,000 per month is because I think it's one of the most lucrative fields that doesn't require a degree.
The simple fact is, if you're unreal at programming, you can get hired anywhere.
Plus, it's an awesome remote job. I've actually done a lot of traveling this past year in Colombia and Florida with my friend, who is a remote developer:
So, if you want to make money programming, don't be afraid to self-educate and to chase down freelance clients yourself!
Just note the freelance route can take a while to build up since you need to find clients, whereas getting a regular programming job provides income much faster.
3. Blogger & YouTuber
Alright, while this isn't the most traditional job that pays $5,000 a month, it's another combination that I think has potential.
I've been blogging for nearly 5 years at this point (wow, time flies!).
In this time, I've met a handful of bloggers and YouTube content creators who reliably make $5,000 per month from either a blog, YouTube channel, or combination of the two.
Personally, my blog makes around $400 a day and well over $5k per month just from Mediavine ads and affiliate income, so I know this is possible.
I also think blogging and YouTube have an insanely high earning ceiling.
Sure, it might take years or even a decade to reach your full potential, but hey, nothing good in life comes easy!
Ultimately, I wouldn't start a blog or YouTube channel with the expectation of making thousands per month.
But, if you like content creation, I firmly believe you can reach $5,000 or more in a few years if you get into the right ad networks, affiliate programs, and start selling your own products.
Update: As of September 2021, this blog has now been making more than $5,000 per month in income between affiliate income and Mediavine advertisements. And as of 2023, WebMonkey makes $20,000 a month and has continued to grow.
I think this goes to show that blogging is certainly a job that pays $5,000 a month or more if you stick with it long enough and can grow your audience and revenue streams!
And, as you outsource different tasks, a blog or YouTube channel can slowly turn into a nice passive income stream for you.
Extra Reading – How to Make Money on YouTube!
4. Bookkeeper & Accountant
I didn't know this until recently, but there's actually a pretty high number of accountants and bookkeepers who work remotely; especially with recent world events.
If you're a qualified accountant, this is a potentially lucrative side hustle or full-time job that can make $5,000 each month.
According to Salary.com, the average accountant earns $27 per hour, which is just about where you need to be for that annual $60,000.
Bookkeepers earn slightly less, and you might not hit your earning target right out of the gate.
However, both jobs have the potential, and these services aren't going anywhere anytime soon!
If you need to boost your income just a tad more, you can also check out this list of app based jobs you can use to make some extra cash!
5. Facebook & Google Ads Manager
As I mentioned, my first internship and full-time job was at a digital marketing agency where I ran Facebook and Google ads for businesses.
Running ads was also one of my college side hustles. Recently, I've also started working with another company as a paid advertising campaign manager.
Now, here's the thing about paid ads and ecommerce: I think this is one of the fields with the highest value-per-client out there.
Typically, when you sign a client, you do so on either a monthly retainer basis or as a percentage of advertisement spend.
In either case, medium to large businesses can turn into multi-thousand dollar monthly clients just like that (assuming performance goes well).
I wouldn't recommend pitching clients without any experience like a lot of the YouTube gurus would advise (you're spending real money after all, so you better know what you're doing).
But to gain experience, you can learn a ton online just by spending a small amount of money on ads yourself and watching tutorials.
And, if you're still wondering what job pays $5,000 a month, take a look at some openings at advertising agencies in your area or online.
When you factor in commission, which a lot of places offer, I think this is definitely one industry with a lot of opportunity.
You can read my post on the best online marketing side hustles for even more ideas in this space.
6. Other Freelancing Gigs
Freelancing writing and programming are two jobs that can make 5k a month or more. However, plenty of other freelancing industries have the opportunity to make this sort of money.
Examples of other popular freelancing careers include:
- Consultants
- Copywriters
- Customer service reps
- Editor
- Graphic designers
- HR experts
- Proofreader
- Public relations experts
- SEO experts
- Social media managers
- Video editor
- Virtual assistants
The hourly rate for many freelancing fields can easily reach $25 to $50+ per hour as well.
At $50 per hour, it only takes 100 hours of work to make 5,000 dollars a month. This is certainly manageable if you work at least 40 hours per week!
Like other types of freelancing, getting enough clients is the toughest part in scaling your income.
However, the earning ceiling is incredibly high for a variety of freelancing gigs.
Even More Jobs That Make $5,000 A Month
Making money online is definitely my preference, but I understand that this isn't possible or desirable for everyone.
So, if you still want some other job ideas to hit this income target, you're in luck!
Time to break down some other jobs and their salary expectations to help you on your job search.
Note: all of the salary data I use for the following jobs is going to come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupation Finder (this has one of the best salary databases if you ask me).
Some other jobs that make $5,000 include:
- MRI Technician – $62,280 per year, or $29.94 per hour. Requires an associate's degree.
- Electricians – $56,180 per year, or $27.01 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Stationary engineers – $62,150 per year, or $29.99 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Bartenders (in some cities) – The average is $23,680 per but the deviation in earnings is insane since attractive bartenders in major cities can clear a lot of money per night.
- Nurse – $73,000 per year, or $35.24 per hour. Requires a bachelor's degree.
- Construction worker – $60,000 per year, or $29.19 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Railroad worker – $65,000 per year, or $31.26 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Flight Attendants (close) – $56,640 per year. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Power plant operator – $85,950 per year, or $41.32 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- High school teacher – $61,660 per year. Requires a bachelor's degree/going to teacher's college.
- Airplane mechanic – $64,310 per year, or $30.92 per hour. Usually requires an accredited program/training.
- Occupational therapy assistant – $59,200 per year, or $28.46 per hour. Usually requires an associate's degree.
- Speech-language pathologist – $79,120 per year, or $38.04 per hour. Requires a Master's degree.
- Line installers and repairers – $65,700 per year, or $31.59 per hour. Requires a highschool diploma.
- Dental hygienist – $76,220 per year, or $36.65 per hour. Requires an associate's degree.
Note: jobs that require a highschool diploma typically require on-the-job training at well and sometimes an apprenticeship. However, these jobs almost never require a bachelor's degree.
Hopefully, these job ideas help provide a bit of inspiration to get started!
You can also check out one of my recent YouTube videos on 11 high paying jobs that don't require a college degree!
Extra Reading – How To Make $5,000 Dollars Fast.
What Is $5,000 A Month For A Yearly Salary?
Alright, time for some simple albeit important math.
If you want a job that pays $5,000 a month, you're looking at a $60,000 per year job, before taxes.
If you work a 40 hour work week, a $5,000 a month job is equal to $28.85 per hour.
Again, this is before you pay taxes, so keep this in mind.
Your specific state and country has certain tax requirements for different income brackets. In any case, you're probably taking home around $45,000 or so per year once taxes are accounted for.
Having some grasp of the hourly pay is also important because it makes it easier to compare job offers to previous jobs you might have had.
Plus, if a company you work for pays time-and-a-half or special holiday pay, you want to know what you're making.
Anyway, with that out of the way, let's look at some popular jobs that make $5,000 a month.
Looking for other ways to boost your income? Checkout:
- Fundrise – Invest in real estate with Fundrise for only $10 and earn autopilot income! Note, this is a Fundrise endorsement and we receive compensation if you use the provided link.
Tips For Landing A 5K A Month Job
So, there you go: that's over 20 jobs that make $5,000 a month or even more to kick off your job search!
To make things a bit easier, I also wanted to include some of the following tips I've found useful when applying to new jobs.
1. Focus On Networking
If you're a young adult or still in school, trust me, putting some effort into networking is one of the most valuable things you can do.
It sounds cliche since this is what every career counselor or adult will tell you, but it's honestly true.
Save for my first ever job, my highest-paying jobs and freelance contracts have all come from meeting people and getting an introduction.
This is why I think starting an online business or blog is awesome (you inherently meet people around the world) but don't be afraid to attend local events and network there as well!
2. Research Salaries
This one is for the students. If you want to make a solid living, your best bet is to go to college or apprentice in a job that, statistically, pays well.
If you're currently studying a degree like social work or psychology, chances are, you're going to have a hard time finding the same starting salary as someone with an engineering degree.
There are exceptions, of course, but if I could go back in time I'd trade my psychology degree for something that's statistically better.
3. Don't Be Afraid To Mix & Match
If you want to make $5,000 each month, you don't necessarily need to do it with one income source.
Of course, your 9-5 or main side hustle will probably make up the bulk of your income. However, you can turn to the gig economy, multiple types of freelancing, or even pick up a second job if you want to boost your income.
There's plenty of opportunity out there, so never be afraid to get creative!
Extra Reading – 20 Ways To Make Quick Money In A Day.
Methodology & Research
To compile a list of the best jobs that pay 5k a month, I included various data and research from sources like:
- My personal experiences with freelancing and online jobs
- Salary review websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and Salary.com
- Official government data from databases like the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Of course, there are plenty of other jobs that make 5,000 a month or even more. Plus, factors like your country, age, experience level, education, and market conditions impact how much you earn.
However, I hope this list provides a good starting point to help you land a high-paying job in your field.
Final Thoughts
I hope this list of job ideas helps you get started if you're currently looking for employment or want to change careers.
Honestly, I know a list like this has left out thousands of job ideas and hustles you could use to make $5,000 per month. However, the main point of this article wasn't to outline every single possibility.
Rather, I wanted to highlight that there's no wrong or right way to reach this income goal. And there's so many legit online jobs or in-person jobs that you can explore.
As long as you play to your strengths and work hard, there's no reason why you can't hit this income goal or surpass it entirely.
Thanks so much for reading.
Extra Reading:
