Clearly, being a parent is a full-time job in itself. And if you’re a single parent, it’s like working overtime, 24/7! Of course, no matter how busy you are with your kids, bills still need to be paid, which is where the best jobs for moms with no degree come in.

Not having a college degree is not a deal breaker

Working to support your children is a common stress factor for almost all parents. Particularly, if you don’t have a degree, you may worry about what this will mean for your career opportunities, your earning power, and your ability to support your family.

But no matter what you’ve heard, there are plenty of career opportunities that don’t require a college degree. Even if you’re a mom without a degree, you can still make a good living to support your family.

It’s possible to juggle work with childcare

Clearly, trying to find a good work-life balance is hard for everyone. Notably, it’s a particular challenge for women since we often take on more childcare responsibilities than men.

In fact, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that women do an extra hour a day of chores and child care than men do!

Unfortunately, this challenge of work-life balance is further compounded if you’re a single mom. But don’t worry, this list includes the best jobs for single moms with no degree!

Above all, it’s important to remember to not put pressure on yourself to be perfect. Instead, remind yourself that you can find a way to make things work for you—even if you don’t have a degree.

That said, let’s get into these great jobs.

15 best jobs for moms with no degree

College isn’t for everyone—and that’s okay. Whether you haven’t gone yet or never plan on going, there are plenty of ways to make a living without having a college degree.

These are the best jobs for moms with no degree:

1. Childcare provider

Average salary: $27,000/year

A childcare provider takes care of children—and there are many different ways to do this. For example, you can work for an agency, work as a nanny for a specific family, or even turn your own home into a daycare center.

However, bear in mind that doing so may require obtaining specific licenses depending on which state you live in.

Most importantly, childcare providers often have opportunities to receive discounted child care for their own children, which is a huge win.

Requirements:

• Love for taking care of children
• Licenses if opening own daycare center

2. Customer service representative

Average salary: $36,000/year

Above all, a customer service representative acts as the direct point of contact between customers and a company.

Specifically, you are responsible for helping answer all their questions about a product or service via phone, email, or chat.

Requirements:

• If working from home, will need strong WiFi
• Ability to multi-task

3. Sales associate

Average salary: $54,000/year

One of the perks of working in sales is that you can work in almost any industry, e.g., insurance, real estate, medical devices, cars, etc. Moreover, the sky really is the limit when it comes to how much you can earn each month.

Many sales associates work on a combination of a wage and a commission, which means that if you’re good at what you do, then you can really bring home the big bucks!

Requirements:

• Some employers may require sales associate certifications

4. Hairstylist

Average salary: $28,000/year

A hair stylist can shampoo, cut, dye, and style hair. Like many jobs that require no degree, there is a lot of variability in a hair stylist’s salary.

For example, while you may start out at a low salary, with experience, you can end up working at very high-end salons where clients pay three or four figures for haircuts and coloring.

Requirements:

5. Fitness Instructor

Average salary: $45,000/year

In general, a fitness instructor is someone who provides physical training, either in a class setting or one-on-one.

More specifically, a fitness instructor can teach yoga, pilates, weight lifting, aerobics, and basically any kind of physical exercise.

Usually, fitness instructors work for gyms or fitness centers, but you can also start your own business and work as a freelancer.

Starting a business offers a lot of options, so any job that allows you to do that is one of the best jobs for moms with no degree.

Requirements:

• Physical fitness skills
• Relevant certifications

6. Interpreter

Average salary: $49,000/year

First, it’s important to understand that an interpreter is different than a translator. A translator usually translates written texts, which then must be notarized if they’re legal documents.

Conversely, an interpreter translates information out loud in real time. In addition to other places, you may work at a hospital or in a government or education facility.

Requirements:

• Fluency in language(s) other than English
• May require a certification

7. Social media manager

Average salary: $52,000/year

A social media manager must plan, develop, and execute a marketing strategy across different social media platforms. You can work for an agency, just one company, or for yourself as a freelancer.

As a freelancer, you can work with almost anyone, including local small businesses and individuals.

Requirements:

• Tech and pop culture savvy
• Familiarity with different social media platforms

8. Graphic designer

Average salary: $49,000/year

Graphic designers combine art and technology to create visuals. Once you start thinking about it, you’ll see the work of graphic designers everywhere!

For example, graphic designers create brochures, logos, advertisements, social media graphics, eBook and book covers, etc. Like many creative jobs that don’t require a degree, you can work for an agency, a company, or for yourself as a freelancer.

Requirements:

• Technology and design skills
• Special (and often expensive) design software, e.g., Photoshop, InDesign, etc.

9. Writer

Average salary: $68,000/year

If it’s something you’ve read on the internet, chances are, a writer wrote it! Just think of all those blogs, articles, newsletters, ebooks, and other written content that you see every day… someone has to write it!

Best of all, as a professional writer, you can work with companies to produce content in almost any category, from lifestyle to cooking, fashion, health, tech, etc.

Requirements:

• Writing savvy
• Research skills

10. Photographer

Average salary: $44,000/year

Traditionally, people imagine photographers beings hired to work at weddings or take family portraits. But today, the opportunities for photographers are near limitless!

For example, you can work with bloggers, journalists, event planners, fashion designers, and many others. Usually, photographers work as freelancers, so this is also a great side hustle to consider alongside your day job.

And any job that’s a side hustle is among the best jobs for moms with no degree because of how easy it is to make money and have a flexible schedule.

Requirements:

• Photography equipment
• Editing software
• Photography skills

11. Bookkeeper

Average salary: $43,000/year

Basically, a bookkeeper is responsible for monitoring a company’s cash flow. For example, this can mean keeping track of transactions, preserving copies of receipts, etc. As a bookkeeper, you can work directly for a company or start your own business as a freelancer.

Here’s a tip: When it comes to being a freelancer, think local! All businesses need a bookkeeper—and that includes your local, small, mom-and-pop shops.

Requirements:

• Bookkeeping skills (can learn from online courses)
• Attention to detail

12. Data entry clerk

Average salary: $38,000/year

A data entry clerk adds and updates data information in databases. Additionally, you may also be responsible for other clerical activities, like compiling and sourcing data.

Requirements:

• Fast typing skills
• Attention to detail
• May need certain computer programs, e.g., Microsoft

13. Transcriptionist

Average salary: $44,500/year

A transcriptionist listens to audio recordings and transcribes the information, usually into a word processing program, like Word. It’s worth noting that transcriptionists are most often in demand in the medical industry.

Plus, like many other jobs that don’t require a degree, you can choose to work for an agency, for a specific company, or for yourself as a freelancer.

Requirements:

• Fast typing skills
• Attention to detail
• May need to purchase special transcribing equipment

14. Virtual assistant

Average salary: $59,000/year

The virtual assistant market is experiencing rapid growth—and it’s only expected to continue. For this reason, becoming a virtual assistant is one of the best jobs for organized moms with no degrees.

As a virtual assistant, you provide administrative support. For example, typical duties include phone and email management, note-taking, customer service, data collection, event planning, etc.

Of course, these duties will vary depending on your specific employer and whether you work for an agency, one company, or as a freelancer.

Requirements:

• Strong multi-tasking, organizational, and time-management skills
• Basic computer skills

15. Shopper

Average salary: varied (Instacart shopper)

Average salary: $33,000/year (personal shopper)

You can work full-time as a personal shopper, and out of the best jobs for moms with no degree, it’s one of the more fun and versatile careers.

For example, you may work as a personal shopper, and help clients to choose outfits, shoes, and other items like furniture.

Or you can work with a service like Instacart. Essentially, people place their orders online, and you are responsible for going to the store, picking up the items, and delivering them to the client. Usually, these orders are for groceries.

Unfortunately, being a shopper gives you little control over how often you can work, so you can’t predict how much you’ll make in a single day. But if you’re looking for a part-time gig, this could be a great option.

Requirements:

• Having transportation
• Driver’s license

Best jobs for single moms with no degree

Undoubtedly, work-life balance is a challenge for everyone—but you’re playing on an expert level when you’re a single mom!

In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, “One recent survey found that 9.8 million working mothers—nearly 30% more than working fathers—say they are experiencing workplace burnout, with cases higher among Black, Asian, and Latina mothers.”

Moreover, HBR reveals that “single mothers who lived alone with their children were more likely than mothers in multi-adult households to say that their work productivity had decreased as a result of their care responsibilities (57% to 47%).”

Finding flexibility in your career as a single mom

If you are a single mom struggling with work-life balance, finding flexibility in your work can help make things more manageable.

Additionally, having the option to decide to work from home makes things a lot easier—especially if you can control your own hours.

A short list of the best occupations for single moms

Out of the above options, these are the best jobs for single moms with no degrees who want a flexible schedule:

• Child care provider
• Customer service representative
• Social media manager
• Graphic designer
• Freelance writer
• Bookkeeper
• Data entry clerk
• Transcriptionist
• Virtual Assistant

You don’t need a degree to support your family!

Certainly, you can find flexible, stable work that will help you support your family—even if you don’t have a degree. Despite what you may think, there are plenty of resources out there to help you get started.

For example, you can not only think about ways to save money as a mom but also discover how to make a great budget. Finally, be sure to check out our list of even more jobs that pay well even if you don’t have a degree!