Travel. You want to do it, but you’ve still got bills to pay. I get it.
What if you could travel and get paid at the same time? That would be pretty sweet, right?
Well, I made a list full of jobs that will literally pay you to travel! Keep reading to find out more about your options when it comes to employment on the road.
I have included two different kinds of travel jobs. Ones that will keep you on the traveling while you work and other seasonal jobs that will let you travel to a new place for a short period of time.
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Field Technician
If you aren’t exactly sure what that entails, then check out my entire post about my summer as a field tech. Spoiler: I loved it!!
Basically, I got paid to travel up the Appalachian Mountain range and collect samples. It was a really great gig and I would highly recommend looking into something like that if you enjoy traveling and being outside.
Even if you don’t find a job that will pay you to travel to multiple states within a few months, you could find a job in a totally new place. There are lots of beautiful options.
The pay will vary, but just make sure you are comfortable with the work. The worst thing that can happen is showing up and being not happy with the conditions.
Most jobs like this are seasonal, but I currently have a year-round field tech job that takes me around the state of Florida.
A good place to find jobs like this is the Texas A&M job board. I know, sounds random, but it really is where most of these jobs are posted. Conservation Job board is another good place to look.
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Flight Attendant
An obvious choice for anyone who wants to jet set around the world. The destinations you go to will depend on the airlines you work for, but you could tailor your job search to airlines that travel to places you are interested in.
The qualifications for a flight attendant will vary by airline, but it is likely you will have to take a training course offered by the company before you start flying. I recently had a friend become a flight attendant with JetBlue and she had to go through a fairly rigorous training before she was allowed to fly.
The pay for a flight attendant is usually good. According to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary is 48,500 dollars. Not bad if you factor in all the free trips along the way.
If this sounds like a good option, then check out a few different airlines and their specific requirements. I found the place to start if you want to work with Delta.
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Teach English Abroad
If it is your calling to be a teacher with a calling to travel, then this is for you! You can teach English in many different cities and countries around the world. A huge plus is that teachers are in high demand according to a family friend who has been teaching English in Barcelona for years.
Typically, you will need to have some kind of qualifications to teach. You can obtain this fairly easily through online courses or in-person training, depending on your preference. The standard certificate is the TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language). You will have to pay for the certificate, but you can find affordable options so don’t let that scare you!
You can find jobs through regular job sites or through companies like Langauge Corp.
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Become an Au Pair
What is an Au Pair? Basically, a nanny, but in a foreign country. You will be asked to watch kiddos in a new country in exchange for a place to live, some spending money and other various perks.
The pay will vary by country, but make sure to pick somewhere that you want to go! If you are attempting to do this for the money, it’ll never be enough.
Try AuPairWorld.com as a place to start looking for a family. The best thing you can do when picking a family is to just trust your instincts!
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Bartend
Can you mix a killer drink? Your skills are needed all over the world!
Bartending jobs can pay well if you find the right bar, but the turnover is high. So it is the perfect storm for you to sweep in and snag a job.
Someone will need you, so just start applying. If you want to travel will bartending, then find a cruise to bartend on. If you prefer to slow travel, then pick a spot and stick around for as long as you like.
The flexibility of bartending is great in terms of your ability to travel and pick up a decent paying job as you go. Just give it a try if it sounds interesting to you!
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Sail Away!
If you have boating experience and can’t imagine anything better than being on the water, then sailing away is a perfect opportunity!
I am not a great sailor (I took a class and somehow flipped my boat over 13 times before I had to just call it haha). Some people are just amazing at sailing. You can turn those skills into a paid travel opportunity.
You will likely receive a small paycheck, but free room and board on a boat. Many opportunities for this kind of work can be found on Crew Seekers. The reviews make the site seem legit, if I decided to try my hand at a sailing job then this would be the place I looked.
If you are like me and not great at sailing, then have no fear there is a second option. You could work on a cruise ship with little to none boating experience. Just think of all the people needed to keep a boatload of people happy and healthy! You could be one of the people backstage making things happen while you enjoy your cruise around the world.
The pay will vary for both of these jobs, but you will get to see plenty of the world!
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Travel Nurse
You will have to already be a registered nurse for this job, but there are plenty of short-term nursing opportunities that will allow you to live in a new place. Usually, you will get assigned to a place for 13 weeks at a time.
Travel Nursing.org is a great place to look for jobs like this.
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Truck Driving
Those big rigs you see on almost all major highways are filled with truck drivers. You can definitely see the entire country as a trucker, but you will have to put in long hours and be comfortable driving a huge vehicle.
The good news is that there is a shortage of truck drivers, so if you think this is a good fit you probably won’t have too much trouble finding a job quickly. You may have to take a driving course for a special license, but sometimes companies will pay for this if you promise to drive for them.
The pay varies, but the median is 41,340 dollars according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Go on Tour with your Favorite Band
Make your dream a reality and work as a stagehand for an upcoming tour. Definitely worth looking into if you LOVE music!
Check out Roadie Jobs for an idea of available job listings.
All of these are great ways to travel. As you are looking for your next adventure, always remember to make sure you are comfortable. I am not saying that you should stay inside your small comfort zone forever but trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, then just move on to the next opportunity.
That said, enjoy it! With any luck, you will be off enjoying your next travel job in no time!
Let me know what you end up doing and where! I would love to hear about it! 🙂
