5 Freelance Jobs That Are on the Rise — and 5 That Are Becoming Less Popular

The number of Americans participating in freelance work is growing. According to a recent report from Upwork, 39% of the U.S. workforce, or 60 million Americans, performed freelance work in the past year.
If you’re looking to join the growing ranks of freelancers, either to replace your full-time gig or as a source of side income, it’s useful to know which types of jobs are in increasing demand, and which jobs are becoming less popular to hire for.
Here’s a look at the freelance jobs that are on the rise — as well as those that are becoming less popular — as identified by FlexJobs.
Top Freelance Jobs on the Rise
Jobs in these categories saw an increase in job postings of at least 28% from January 2022 to December 2022, FlexJobs reported.
1. Communications
- Job growth from January to December 2022: 71% increase
2. Bookkeeping
- Job growth from January to December 2022: 66% increase
3. Graphic Design
- Job growth from January to December 2022: 33% increase
4. Accounting & Finance
- Job growth from January to December 2022: 30% increase
5. Marketing
- Job growth from January to December 2022: 28% increase
Top Freelance Jobs on the Decline
The number of job postings in these categories decreased over the past year, so are likely not the best options to pursue if you are starting a new freelance career.
1. Education & Training
- Job decline from January to December 2022: 26% decrease
2. Customer Service
- Job decline from January to December 2022: 21% decrease
3. Medical & Health
- Job decline from January to December 2022: 20% decrease
4. HR & Recruiting
- Job decline from January to December 2022: 13% decrease
5. Project Management
- Job decline from January to December 2022: 6% decrease
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