16 Best Jobs for Single Moms (Flexible + From Home)

10. Transcription

Pay: Rev lists $0.40 to $1.10 per audio minute, paid weekly via PayPal (Rev). Catch: Speed determines hourly pay. Read our Rev review.

11. Data Entry

Pay: Hourly for employee roles. Catch: Avoid scams; use our data entry jobs list.

12. Website Testing and Research Studies

Pay: UserTesting pays via PayPal about 14 days after a test; Prolific enforces a minimum of $8 an hour. Catch: Irregular, so treat as extra.

More ideas are in our list of late-night work from home jobs.

Local Flexible Jobs

13. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking

Pay: Rover says sitters generally keep 85% of each booking. Schedule: Midday walks fit school hours; drop-ins can include kids. Catch: Holidays are busiest.

14. House Cleaning

Pay: BLS lists a median of $17.71 an hour for janitors and building cleaners (BLS). Schedule: School hours. Catch: Physically demanding.

15. In-Home Childcare

Pay: BLS lists a median of $16.82 an hour for childcare workers (BLS). Schedule: Your own kids can often be with you. Catch: Most states require a license for home daycare beyond a small number of children.

16. Selling Crafts or Printables

Pay: Your price minus fees. See how to sell on Etsy. Schedule: Fully flexible. Catch: Slow to build.

Jobs for Stay-at-Home Dads

Every job above works for dads too. Stay-at-home dads often lean toward bookkeeping, IT help desk, freelance design or development, and local work like handyman services or lawn care that fits school hours. See our side hustles for men guide for more.

Planning Ahead: Flexible Jobs During Pregnancy

If you're pregnant and planning for a new baby, look for work you can do seated and from home, with flexible hours: transcription, VA work, bookkeeping, writing, tutoring and customer service with remote shifts. Ask employers about leave policies before accepting, and talk to your doctor about any physical work.

Help Single Parents Should Know About

Childcare assistance: States run subsidy programs for working parents; search your state's childcare assistance office.
Tax credits: The IRS Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit can add significantly to a working parent's refund. Check eligibility on IRS.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best job for a single mom with no degree?

Remote customer service is the most common: BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical requirement, and training is usually paid. Bookkeeping and VA work are good next steps.

What jobs let you work from home with kids?

Transcription, data entry, writing, proofreading and bookkeeping can be done around kids. Phone-based jobs need childcare during shifts.

How can a single mom make extra money from home?

Add a flexible gig to a steady job: transcription after bedtime, tutoring on weekends, or selling crafts or printables.

Are there jobs for stay-at-home dads?

Yes. All the jobs above work for dads, along with freelance tech work and local services that fit school hours.

The Bottom Line

The best job for a single mom pays reliably and fits around your kids, not the other way around. Start with one steady role or one strong skill, add a flexible gig for extras, and never pay to start a job. More ideas in our list of stay-at-home mom jobs.

When you're the only parent, a job has to do two things at once: pay enough, and bend around school pickups, sick days and bedtime. Many "flexible" jobs only bend one way.

This list focuses on jobs that actually fit a single parent's week, most of them from home. Each comes with real pay data where it exists, the kind of schedule to expect, and the catch.

How we checked: pay figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and company pages, checked in October 2026. Nobody at Dollarberg has held all 16 jobs.

What Makes a Job Good for a Single Mom?

Look for:

Predictable pay (hourly or salaried) for the bills, plus flexible gigs for extras.
Control over hours, or shifts that match school and childcare.
Paid training and no upfront costs.
Benefits if possible, since you're the only safety net.
Quiet work options for evenings after bedtime.

Top 7 Quick Picks

Remote customer service: steady hourly pay and often benefits.
Bookkeeping: flexible client work that pays above many admin roles.
Virtual assistant: set your own hours with a few clients.
Freelance writing: deadline-based work you schedule yourself.
Transcription: work after bedtime.
Online tutoring: book sessions around your kids' schedule.
Pet sitting: local, flexible, kid-friendly for drop-ins.

Jobs With Steady Hours (Good for the Bills)

1. Remote Customer Service

Pay: BLS lists a median of $21.53 an hour (BLS, May 2025 data). Schedule: Set shifts; some companies offer part-time or school-hours shifts. Catch: Calls need a quiet room. You can't parent and take calls at the same time.

2. Information Clerk and Admin Roles

Pay: BLS lists a median of $21.84 an hour for information clerks (BLS). Schedule: Usually daytime. Catch: Fewer fully remote openings.

3. Virtual Receptionist

Pay: BLS lists a median of $18.27 an hour for receptionists (BLS). Schedule: Business hours, often part-time options. Catch: Phone-heavy.

Flexible Skill-Based Jobs

4. Bookkeeping

Pay: BLS lists a median of $24.36 an hour for bookkeeping clerks (BLS). Schedule: Mostly flexible; month-end is busiest. Catch: Learn the software first. See how to become a bookkeeper.

5. Virtual Assistant

Pay: Hourly or monthly packages you set. Schedule: Agree on response times with clients, then work in your own blocks. Catch: Clients expect reliability. See how to become a virtual assistant.

6. Freelance Writing or Editing

Pay: Per word or project. Schedule: Deadline-based, so you choose when. Catch: Income is uneven at first. See how to become a freelance writer.

7. Proofreading

Pay: Varies by platform. See how much proofreaders make. Schedule: Flexible. Catch: Strict tests.

8. Online Tutoring

Pay: Your rate; Wyzant tutors keep 75% of their posted rate (Wyzant). Schedule: After-school and evening sessions are in demand, which can clash with your own kids' evenings. Catch: Needs quiet during sessions.

9. Social Media or Pinterest Management

Pay: Monthly retainers. Schedule: Batch content during school hours. Catch: Clients want growth. See how to make money on Pinterest.

Jobs You Can Do After Bedtime

Flexible jobs let you work in the gaps: early mornings, nap times and after the kids are asleep.