6 High-Paying Jobs That Don’t Require Sitting at a Desk All Day

These days, to really get by requires a higher salary than in years’ past. If you can make six figures, or near to it, this will allow most people to pay for their basic expenses and have money left over to save. The problem with a lot of high-paying jobs is that you’re often stuck at a desk all day in front of a computer, which can be tiring, bad for the body, and just not a lot of fun.

However, there are jobs where you can get out and about and still make great money doing so. GOBankingRates spoke with experts about a variety of high-paying jobs that don’t necessarily even require a desk.

Amy Seitz, CEO of Cyberize It, LLC, describes her job as an “out of the box job” that most people wouldn’t expect to pay over $80,000. However, as a notary public, she averages $80/hr. and earned over $120,000 last year.

Seitz’s income is higher than the average notary in the U.S., who makes closer to $67,000. However, ZipRecruiter noted that top earners can make closer to $80,000.

“Notaries are used for I9 verifications for new employees, supervise banks when they need to drill into a safety deposit box, fingerprint clients for state and federal background checks, and some of us can marry people.”

Notaries often travel as well, so you don’t have to be stuck at one desk all day. Seitz explains that the process to become a notary varies by state, but often is as simple as a course that takes a few hours, with no other education requirements.

Whether you’re a professional food critic or just a regular foodie, you can actually earn “huge sums of money” from giving food-related opinions, according to Jodi Pemberton, head chef and founder of Eat Pallet.

“This is also more adventurous since you don’t just sit at your desk and do stuff on your screen. With this job, you get to enjoy the beauty of exploring places and meeting people. You can also make money out of being a regular food critic by posting reviews online and earning money either from sponsorships or on social media apps.”

The average food critic earns around $70,000 in base salary, according to Salary.com, but salaries can vary widely depending on where you work and how much clout you have.

Also in the realm of food work, Pemberton shares another little known job that pays big bucks — a “flavorist.” 

“As a flavorist, you create new flavors from old ones, and use your knowledge about artificial oils and all other ingredients to create new products. Working in the food manufacturing industry is challenging but exciting at the same time.”

Training and education are required for this role, but it could be a dream job for someone with a creative palate. The average salary for this role is a stunning $115,000, but according to ZipRecruiter, earners on the high end can make around $165,000 per year.

Real estate agents are often on the go, meeting clients, showing houses, staging houses and mingling with people.

Of course, since real estate agents typically work on commission, to earn the big bucks means selling in an area where the properties are netting you bigger profits, which might mean working outside of your own neighborhood or city.

According to Indeed, real estate agents income varies based on where you live. For instance, in California, the average salary is around $109,000, whereas it’s closer 75,000 in Kentucky.

If you have an interest in legal proceedings, “Court reporters are an essential part of the legal process, capturing the definitive record of all court proceedings with a front-row seat to history,” according to Michelle Loeb, vice president of Butler Associates. 

“No trial can take place without a court reporter, who is responsible for swearing in witnesses, marking exhibits and creating the official transcripts that become critical in jury deliberations, appeals and more. And unlike other legal professions that require multiple degrees, years of study and excessive college debt, court reporters can be on the road to a six-figure salary with approximately two years of school and a minimal financial outlay.”

While the average salary for a court reporter in the U.S. is around $80,000, those at the higher end are earning around $124,000, according to ZipRecruiter.

People with an interest in helping others and a stomach for medical procedures might consider nursing, says Holly Hanna, founder of The Work at Home Woman, LLC, and a retired nurse. 

“While there are desk jobs for nurses, such as case management and medical record review, most nursing positions require nurses to be on the go. You can find nurses working in hospitals, clinics, ERs, surgery centers, in the air as flight nurses, or traveling to areas with extreme nursing shortages.”

She said that the average salary for an RN is around $94,000 annually, though this can increase based on location, experience and education. “To become an RN, you’ll need either an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN); the latter garners higher wages.”

Not only does nursing pay well, but there are many different career paths nurses can take.