25 Jobs to Make Money While Traveling the World

There are several occupations you can take in the cruise ship industry, and those that place you on the ship offer travel to some of the most sought-after locations in the world. A few cruise ship jobs available include wait staff, bartenders, entertainers, spa personnel, cruise director, and event staff. The amount of pay varies on the position, but the best part is that you get to cruise the world!

Teaching abroad provides the opportunity to help students develop while experiencing diverse cultures. Earnings may depend upon the country served, but most first-time teachers earn between $15-$24 per hour with 20-25 hours per week.

Travel bloggers span the globe, taking in new experiences and documenting them for their readers. Earnings may vary depending on the clients whom the blogger serves or the traffic received by the website.

There are many different types of photographers, such as nature photographers, sports photographers, photojournalists, and freelance workers. This job can involve constant traveling or extended stays near relevant subjects in far corners of the globe. Seeing as how there are various types of photographers capturing images for different audiences, the wages or salaries may vary greatly.

Flight attendants work as service personnel to ensure the comfort and safety of airline passengers, and they get to see many parts of the world through their work. Flight attendants earn $17 -$20 per flight hour based on longevity.

Destination wedding planners perform the same jobs as traditional planners, but destination weddings combine the ceremony and honeymoon aspects to feature weddings in beautiful locales. Salaries may vary based on experience, geography or wedding types, but entry-level jobs start at around $15,000 per year or around $8 per hour. Some planners, however, may make up to six figures.

Tour guides provide narration and background on tourist attractions and popular sites. As a guide, you may work in the same location each day, but you can seek employment in a popular area in a location you love. Guides may work in theme parks, on nature trails, on cruise ships, in museums, or in large cities. The median salary for tour guides is $23,770 per year or $10 per hour. The highest paid tour guides earn over $37,000 each year, or $18 hourly.

The Peace Corps works to promote societal and economic development in countries across the world. In addition to volunteering, Peace Corps jobs include offering program support, medical assistance, recruiting and managing. Workers for the Peace Corps typically earn $41,000 per year or $20 per hour.

NGO workers perform in a variety of fields, including social work, health, business, engineering, and more. These jobs allow volunteering for as little as two weeks to as long as 20 years, traveling and helping those in need. This type of work also looks impressive on a resume for future career prospects. Salaries for NGO workers vary due to the variety of occupations available.

The skills and service of registered nurses are needed all over the globe. Travel nurses fill in when hospitals experience high-volume periods and need additional staff. Wages can reach up to $48 per hour, in addition to great benefits. Travel nurses may work from a few weeks to a year, and many work in specialized fields as well.

A foreign service officer is a diplomat who works for the State Department on policies, resolutions, and diplomacy. You have to have a bachelor’s degree, excellent communication skills, and pass a series of rigorous tests and interviews. This job allows you to travel the world and pays an average of $88,000 per year.

An au pair is a domestic assistant who works for and lives with a host family during travel. They provide childcare, housework, and some tutoring services in exchange for an allowance and lodging. You’d get paid a weekly stipend of $195.75 and work no more than 45 hours a week.

Retail buyers are responsible for buying merchandise for their store. You would have to predict what items will be popular with shoppers, work with fashion designers, and attend events all over the world. The average annual salary is $47,000, but some retail buyers can earn up to six figures.

Stagehands are the people who work behind the scenes at theaters and music venues. They help set up and tear everything down and often travel with the same band or theater troupe. Your pay depends on how often you work, how much you do, and how long you’ve been employed so it can vary anywhere from $10 to $30 an hour.

As a translator, you can travel the world and see amazing things all while helping facilitate communication. The job itself can be fulfilling, not to mention the great tourism opportunities such a career can bring. You can make anywhere from $10 up to $40 an hour working as a translator.

WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and is a hospitality service that allows you to work on a farm in exchange for room and board. You don’t get paid so this isn’t technically a job, but you do have the ability to travel the world with the help of WWOOF organizations.

This is a job you’d get while you’re traveling so the pay can vary drastically—if you even get paid at all. If you ask a hostel owner if they need any help, they’ll give you a bed and food in exchange for work. This is a great way to travel the world and save some serious cash.

Both theater and camera-focused acting can provide you with amazing travel opportunities. Your pay depends on your skill level, the type of job you’re doing, and how long you’ve been in the industry. You don't need a degree for this job; you just need passion, talent, and some training. 

A Yachtie is a person who works on a luxury yacht and maintains and navigates the ship. You’re also trusted to keep the yacht owner’s activities secret. Your experience, size of the yacht, and duration of the trip all factor into your pay, but its usually around $5,000 a month.

A web designer develops, creates, and codes web pages and apps for people and companies. They also help fix computers and enjoy the freedom to travel the world while working. You need an associate’s degree for this career field, as well as a strong math and science background. With an average of $48,000 each year, it’s not a bad gig!

As a commercial pilot, you would need a bachelor’s degree, enough flying hours logged, and a Commercial Pilot’s License from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Part of your duties would include making sure everything is safe, following FAA rules and regulations at all times, as well as flying the aircraft. With the potential to make $200,000 a year, this job is also very lucrative.

Geologists have the opportunity to travel all over the world and see truly amazing things as part of their job. You need a bachelor’s degree for this position and will have to do both field research and academic work. It’s worth it though—you can make more than six figures with this job.

Business consultants are in charge of revitalizing and organizing a company to help it run more efficiently. They might be hired on to fix a big problem or teach employees a new skill, but they get recruited all over the world for it. You’ll need a master’s degree in business management for this position, but with all of the traveling you’ll do—and a nice annual salary of about $75,000—it’s worth it.

As a travel agent, you’d have so many chances to travel the world and meet all sorts of new people. Part of your job would be booking trips for others, helping customers figure out a custom vacation, and offer amazing customer service. Your earnings are largely commission-based, so it’s up to you to earn your pay!

Construction and civil engineering companies are the largest employers of archaeologists right now, requiring at least a bachelor’s degree for this job with an average annual salary of $46,000. Archaeologists are responsible for handling artifacts and remains, taking photographs, and running tests on the items for research purposes. You have many opportunities to travel in this career field, and sometimes you even get to go on artifact-collecting missions!