The 10 Best Jobs For Single Parents

Striking a good work/life balance is difficult no matter who you are, but it’s often especially difficult—and important—for single parents. In this situation, not only do you need to have enough time and energy outside of work to give to your responsibilities, hobbies, and relationships outside of work, but also your kids’ needs and schedules.

This is a challenge in and of itself, and it becomes even more complicated when your job tries to take over your life by filling up every hour of your day with stress or extra tasks (or both).

If you’re a single parent, read on to find advice on what kinds of jobs to look for to maintain a healthy work/life balance.

10 of the Best Jobs for Single Parents

Here are some examples of jobs that fit well with single parents’ work/life balance needs.

Real Estate Agent

Average Yearly Salary: $99,000

Real estate agents don’t sit behind a desk from nine to five, as they often spend a large portion of their day meeting with clients and showing homes. Much of the desk work they have to do can be done from home, and generally, their schedules are flexible since they generally set them themselves.

Additional benefits to being a real estate agent as a single parent are that it pays well, and it’s relatively easy to get a license. Depending on the state, getting a real estate license only takes about four to six months, and you usually don’t need a degree to do it.

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Sales Representative

Average Yearly Salary: $56,000

Sales representatives have a variety of responsibilities that change depending on the company they work for. In general, though, they help customers find and purchase the products they need. Many of these positions are remote or partially remote, and many don’t require degrees.

One of the benefits of this position for single parents is that you can often find remote and flexible roles and choose what type of company you want to work for. This allows you to work in an area that you’re interested in and fit your personality and scheduling needs.

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Social Media Manager

Average Yearly Salary: $58,000

Companies of all sizes and in all industries need someone to handle their social media pages, and many of these positions are remote (or at least partially remote).

In addition, as long as you can demonstrate that you know what you’re doing with your own social media page, some companies, especially smaller ones, don’t mind a lack of previous experience in this field.

These jobs often offer at least some flexibility, and such a wide variety of organizations offer these positions that single parents can choose which one would be the best fit for them and their families.

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Teacher

Average Yearly Salary: $46,000

Teaching can be a great career for a single parent because your schedule will likely match up with your kids’. You’ll also likely save money by either being able to have your kids join you in your classroom while you work after school or by getting discounted child care in addition to other perks.

You’ll generally need a degree to be a teacher, but if you don’t have one, you may be able to find an opportunity as a preschool teacher, a teacher’s aid, or an office administrator.

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Copywriter

Average Yearly Salary: $50,000

Companies need copywriters to write blog posts, website pages, articles, instruction manuals, advertising materials, and more. If you have strong writing skills, keep your eyes peeled for opportunities at organizations you’d be interested in working for.

As far as offering a good work/life balance for single parents, copywriting can be one of the most flexible jobs out there. While you likely won’t earn as much as you would in other careers, the tradeoff is that you can easily work from home in this field. You can also work as an independent contractor, which gives you even more flexibility.

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Graphic Designer

Average Yearly Salary: $45,000

Graphic designers can easily work for companies or as freelancers, opening up a wide variety of remote and in-person work opportunities. If you’re trained in this field, you’ll likely be able to find a role working for a company that offers you the flexibility you need.

If you choose to become a freelancer or independent contractor, your clients will only care that you get the end product to them on time so that you can be in complete control of your schedule. Having a lot of options is sometimes key to finding a job that fits your lifestyle as a single parent, and graphic design offers this.

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Coder/Website Developer

Average Yearly Salary: $72,000

If you know computer codes, there are almost endless opportunities for you to create and improve websites, apps, and software for companies. As organizations and customers become increasingly reliant on digital platforms, they need experts to make their goals a reality, which means there is no shortage of work in this field.

You’ll likely need a degree or professional certificate to get a job as a coder or web developer, but once you’re working, you can often work remotely and earn a generous salary. You also have the option to work either as an employee for a single company or as an independent contractor, both of which have benefits for single parents.

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Physical Therapist

Average Yearly Salary: $69,000

While becoming a physical therapist requires quite a bit of schooling, the payoff is significant. Not only is this a lucrative field, but it is also relatively flexible. You’ll often be able to match your appointment times to your schedule, especially if you do home visits.

If you choose to work for an office, you can also usually work part-time if you want to only be at work during the hours your kids are in school. This option for flexibility is key to being able to balance your professional life with your family life.

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Nurse

Average Yearly Salary: $59,000

While you can’t generally work remotely as a nurse, you can often pick your hours and will likely get paid well. Hospitals are almost always in dire need of nurses, so if you have any experience, they’ll often be more than happy for you to work part-time. Many nurses who do this plan their hours to match their kids’ school hours.

If you can’t work part-time, nurses’ shifts are often 12 hours long, so you only have to go in a few days a week. You can also work a few nights a week if that works best for your schedule.

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Medical Coder

Average Yearly Salary: $41,000

Every time someone comes into a hospital or doctor’s office and has any procedure done, it must be recorded and communicated to the patient’s insurance provider. This is a large part of what medical coders do.

This can be a great career for single parents because it is generally low-stress and has some remote work opportunities. (You might have to start out working on-site, but often medical coders can do at least some of their work remotely.)

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What to Look for in a Job as a Single Parent

As a working single parent, some aspects of positions will make your life easier or harder. While these won’t necessarily make or break your happiness or the success of your career in these roles, they are helpful to be aware of as you consider your employment options.

Work/Life Balance

As a single parent, you need a job that allows you to have the time and energy required to take care of your children and other responsibilities.

This may look like finding a position that allows you to work from home, or it could mean simply finding a family-friendly organization that won’t mind if you have to adjust your schedule so that you can pick up a child from school or take them to the doctor.

Having a good work/life balance can also mean finding a job that isn’t high-stress. It won’t do you any good to technically have some flexibility in your schedule when you have so much work to do that you can’t take advantage of it.
Pay and Benefits

Since you only have one income, finding a job that pays enough to meet your family’s needs is important. This may not always require a high paycheck, though: The benefits companies offer may be enough to offset some of your expenses or financial stressors, making a smaller paycheck doable.

For example, if you work for a school, you likely won’t have to arrange transportation or afterschool care for your kids, and you may even get an educator’s discount on many of your everyday purchases.

Some companies may have onsite childcare or provide family benefits such as affordable healthcare coverage, paid time off to take care of sick children, or employee discounts. All of these perks can add up to create a little more room in your budget.
Company Culture

Company culture is an important facet to pay attention to for anyone looking for a job, but it’s especially important for single parents.

Working under leadership that prioritizes family can make all the difference in the world, as they’ll be more likely to understand your needs for flexibility.

Your coworkers can also make a big difference. A job at an organization full of ambitious, competitive 20-somethings may not be as great of a fit as a job with a team full of parents who work to support and cover for each other.

No workplace is perfect, and you can be successful anywhere as a single parent, but paying attention to these factors during your application and interview processes can help you decide if a position will be a good fit for you or not.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

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