Make More Money With These 8 Tech Side Gigs

When it comes to side gigs, certain positions are more lucrative than others. Taking online surveys is never going to make you rich, but there are plenty of part-time jobs out there that require skill and will compensate you well for it. And if you're a tech professional (or willing to become one), your hunt for a high-paying side gig will be a lot easier. Here are some of the best positions to look for.

1. Chatbot Builder

Chatbots are changing the way that companies communicate, from assisting customers to scheduling meetings. And the thing about them is that due to their specialized nature, there's no one-size-fits-all chatbot; if a company wants to communicate information personalized to their business, they'll need a chatbot built specifically for them. If this sounds interesting to you but you're not quite up to building algorithms from scratch, you can build bots for clients using a platform like ChattyPeople.

2. IT Consultant

If you have a solid background in a tech career, you may be able to start consulting on the side. Consultants are generally specialists who work with companies to solve problems and bring an expert outside perspective to whatever challenges the business is facing. You can either find an established consulting firm and see if you're able to join them on a part-time basis, or build yourself a website and offer services solo.

3. SAS Programmer

Companies often seek SAS programmers to work part time, freelance, or telecommute. If you're already in a data-related field, it won't be too big a leap for you to gain SAS programming skills, and you can expect to earn around $50 an hour.

4. STEM Tutor

Since STEM subjects are so useful for future careers, many parents want to give their children the best possible start by hiring specialized tutors. Depending on the demand for it in your area, this is something you could do locally, either through an established tutoring agency or by starting your own tutoring business. STEM tutors can make anywhere from $25-$75 an hour, so it's an excellent option for bringing in extra cash.

5. WordPress Theme Developer

Over 60 million websites use WordPress, and that figure is growing every day. Obviously, they don't want to all look the same--and that means there is plenty of demand for WordPress theme developers to create themes that give sites a unique look and functionality. This is a side gig that lends itself well to tech freelancing.

6. Online Course Creator

Millions of people want to learn coding or other technical skills, and you can help them by building your own course using a platform like Udemy or Teachable (where I work fulltime) and sharing your unique expertise. Depending on how useful your content is and how successful you are at marketing the course(s), this can be a very lucrative side gig that continues to bring in passive income once your course is done.

7. Mobile App Builder

Have a great idea for an app? Try your hand at building one. Even if you're a newbie, you might be successful--and if you aren't, it will be a learning experience that makes your next app better. This is a great side gig for those who love tinkering around on their own to create an end product. Once you're experienced, you can also pitch your services to companies that don't have mobile apps yet (but should).

8. Technical Mentor

If you're an experienced developer, you can offer your assistance through a site like Codementor to instantly help other developers and engineers troubleshoot problems or build longer-term mentoring relationships. You choose your rates per session length (starting at 15 minutes), log on whenever you're free, and wait to be notified when someone is interested. This could work well in conjunction with another side gig since it's not a guaranteed source of income.

Looking for a side gig and hoping to telecommute? Check these 11 websites with remote tech jobs.