Top 6 In-Demand Freelance Skills on Upwork – Earn Up to $250 an Hour

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly 2 million people are expected to graduate from college in 2024. Many of these graduates will be diving into the workforce and starting to build their careers.

For young people who are considering what to focus on to try to gain more traction in the job market, freelance marketplace Upwork recently announced its top job openings for 2024. List of in-demand skills released.

Here are six skills in categories ranging from web development to admin support, including what each entails and how much professionals on the platform are charging for it.

Data analytics

Margaret Leilani, vice president of talent delivery at Upwork, says data analysts “look at incredibly large and complex sets of data to gain insights that drive business momentum.” They use tools like Microsoft Excel, Google Spreadsheet, SQL and Tableau.

“The technology is new and it’s evolving at a crazy pace,” she says of the tools. “And so the humans who know how to take advantage of this technology and use it and use it are the ones who will be the winners in this game.”

Data analysts at Upwork charge $167 per hour.

Full stack development

When it comes to building websites and apps, full-stack developers are responsible for “both the front end and the back end” of a website, says Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster. That is, they are responsible for the interface that the user sees, as well as the in-game mechanisms that make it work.

Leilani says that given the constant advancement of technology, the demand for full-stack development “isn’t going away.”

Full-stack developers on Upwork are charging up to $190 per hour.

Social media marketing

Social media marketers spread the word about their clients on platforms ranging from Instagram to Pinterest with the goal of “building platforms, interacting with customers, building brands, boosting sales, driving website traffic,” Salemi says.

Like full stack development and given the prevalence of these platforms, “social media marketing is another one that’s not going away,” Lilani says.

Social media marketers charge as much as $250 per hour.

Accounting

Examine financial statements to help. Businesses often need “rapid access to experts who can get the job done,” says Leilani. “And that’s a business problem for a Fortune 10. It’s also a business problem for an up-and-coming startup.”

“We always need to pay taxes, so this skill also has longevity,” says Salimi.

Accountants on Upwork charge $125 an hour.

General virtual assisting

General Virtual Assistants help customers in a variety of ways. Leilani says she is hired to “do my calendar, help with email, improve some presentations,” etc.

Some may specialize in specific software or platforms “but the general nature also allows them to be nimble,” she says.

These assistants charge up to $65 per hour on Upwork.

Graphic design

Graphic designers are “creating visuals that go hand in hand with branding” for their clients, Salmi says. They create logos, infographics, social media posts, presentations, etc.

“We live in a visual society,” says Leilani. “And thus graphic design is the most important.”

Graphic designers are charging up to $150 an hour on Upwork.

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