7 Well-Paying Jobs For Night Owls

Are you one of those people who can’t go to sleep until the crack of dawn? Do you feel like you work more efficiently in the evening than during the day? If so, you might be a night owl. You can take advantage of your sleep pattern by working a night job, which often pays more than the same role during the day. Some night jobs don’t require a college education because companies usually have a tough time finding people who want to work late at night.  

If you are trying to find ways to increase your income for a financial obligation – like paying off debt, you will find great options for a second job below. 

Of course, just because you are willing to work nights doesn’t mean all night-time jobs are right for you. But here are seven you might want to consider: 

1. Bartender

While the pay for bartending isn’t the highest, the tips you earn could make it well worthwhile. Studies have shown that the best tips are given at night and on weekends, when people are generally in a better mood.  One of the benefits – besides the tips –is getting to meet different people, which can keep the job interesting. It does take some time and practice to become a bartender. But after a while on the job, preparing drinks becomes second nature.

2. Casino dealer jobs

A gambling dealer is one of the best paying jobs in the casino industry. The salary itself is nothing to write home about since the median annual wage is $24,960. What makes this job attractive are the tips that can double and even triple that amount. In addition, casinos are almost always looking for dealers and they generally offer on-the-job training. Casino dealers are often called croupiers and generally start out dealing blackjack as it is one of the simplest games to learn. More complex games, such as roulette, are usually reserved for croupiers with more experience. Croupiers in the U.S. are required to have a gambling license, which means a police background and credit rating check. 

3. Air traffic controller

This is one of the best and highest paying nighttime jobs. It consists of a 40-hour work week and the average pay is $129,750 a year! It pays so well because it requires very specialized skills, abilities and knowledge. The job entails applying separation rules to ensure aircraft are kept safely apart and moving them efficiently and safely through their assigned sectors of airspace and on the ground. 

Since controllers have big responsibilities and are required to make numerous decisions in real time, this job is regarded as notoriously stressful and one of the most mentally challenging. 

To be an air traffic controller, you must be quick with numeric computations and mathematics, be organized, have great decision-making skills, the ability to maintain your composure under pressure and a great short-term memory. 

4. Funeral service worker

Funeral home jobs are another one that requires people to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Deaths are not usually planned so funeral directors—also called morticians or undertakers—need to be available to work as needed. They typically handle the embalming and burial or cremation of the body, as well as planning and arranging the funeral ceremony. 

While not everyone is cut out for this job, it is a meaningful one where you would be of great help to the families of those who passed away. The median annual wage for morticians, undertakers and funeral arrangers is $48,950. 

5. Computer operator

Workers may go home at 5 PM, but computers are on the job 24/7. Computer operators ensure they are operating as they should – including overnight.  Taking on this role requires some knowledge of computer operations or you must be willing to go to school for training. Yesterday’s computer operator typically worked with huge mainframe computers. Today’s operator usually works in a server room or a data center. This job includes managing backup systems, cycling tapes or other media, and filling and maintaining printers. Some computer operators now work remotely from home. The average annual salary is $48,679, but salaries vary from company to company and whether you have a degree in computer science or in a related field. 

6. Protective services worker 

This is an umbrella title that covers firefighters, police officers, jail and prison guards, correctional officers, security guards, private investigators and so forth. These, too, are jobs that never stop regardless of the time of day or night or the day of the week. If you pick one of these jobs and agree to work nights, you may earn a better salary than working days. As you might imagine, these are also high-stress jobs that require a high degree of responsibility. 

7. Healthcare worker 

Many of the doctors, nurses, surgical staff, paramedics and office assistants in the healthcare industry are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since most of them prefer to work during the day, this is a good opportunity for anyone willing to work the graveyard shift or late-night hours. As you might guess, you would earn more if you were willing to work late hours. 

How much training you need to become a healthcare worker depends on the position you choose. For example, becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) requires at least four years of school. But you could become a CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant) just by taking a state-approved nurse assistant training program along with some on-the-job training. The median pay of a CNA is $30,310. 

If none of these jobs sound like a good fit, consider a flexible side hustle you can do from home, meaning your hours are as flexible as you want them to be.