3 High-Income Skills For Freelancers To Make $100,000+ In 2025

The number of online consumers has soared rapidly in recent years. Approximately $571 billion was spent in online retail worldwide in 2023, and this figure is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2028, according to research by Statista.

As a direct result, more companies are committed to investing heavily in immersive digital experiences and securely optimized solutions, and this unprecedented interest presents an excellent opportunity for you to command top-dollar rates as a freelancer.

3 Skills For Freelancers That Pay $100,000+ In 2025

If you’re seeking to build a lucrative career as a freelance professional, it would be a smart idea to learn high-income technical skills that align with these trends. Below are three of them, for you to consider developing for 2025:

1. Blockchain

You might be familiar with blockchain technology as being most used in cryptocurrencies, but it is also used in settings and industries such as healthcare and supply chain management. Investopedia describes a blockchain as a “decentralized digital ledger that securely stores records across a network of computers in a way that is transparent, immutable, and resistant to tampering. Each ‘block’ contains data, and blocks are linked in a chronological ‘chain.'” This enables data security and protection, even in the finance sector.

Demand for this technology is surging as more businesses explore blockchain-based solutions. Your expertise could be used to help start-ups or work with emerging Web3 projects. Blockchain developers and consultants are among some of the highest-paid freelancers, making up to $96,000 to $152,000 per year, according to Glassdoor.

2. AR/VR

AR and VR (augmented reality and virtual reality) is part of a field known as XR (extended reality) and is increasingly being utilized in the customer experience for education and training, real estate, construction, manufacturing, and of course, gaming. Coursera states that with this skill you can also find projects in healthcare, travel, automotive, and marketing industries, so there is plenty of scope for growth and freelance project niches and opportunities.

The global AR/VR market is expected to reach a peak of $62 billion globally by 2029, with almost a quarter of this spend coming from the United States alone, growing at a rate of 8% per Statista. You could work as an AR/VR developer, consultant, or designer.

For example, you could develop immersive virtual reality simulations for interactive classroom learning, or create augmented reality tools such as try-before-you-buy software for e-commerce companies.

To learn AR/VR skills so you can build a solid career as a freelancer in this field, you should consider learning development tools such as Unity, Unreal Engine, and ARKit/ARCore. You should also become proficient with programming languages (think C++, C#, or JavaScript) and practice creating projects using 3D modeling tools like Blender.

A typical pay range for a freelance job with this in-demand, high-income skill is between $80,000 to $100,000 per year.

3. UI/UX Design

A core aspect of a product’s success as far as user engagement and adoption are concerned, is the user experience and user interface (referred to as UX/UI design). Some professionals are just UX specialists, others are just UI specialists, while there are others who combine both skill sets and are UX/UI designers.

This freelance job has strong demand due to start-ups and existing companies seeking to win more clients and enter the market with unique digital offerings via mobile apps, websites, and specific applications and jobs in this field are projected to grow by 8% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

To develop your skills in UX/UI design, concentrate on learning wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and mastering tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and InVision. You can also complete certifications and free courses to help you feel more confident in UX/UI design, and network with product teams especially at the beginning stages of a start-up, to look for freelancing opportunities.

A freelance UX/UI designer can expect to make $99,230 on average in 2025, per ZipRecruiter estimates. Some specialists in the 75th percentile can earn as much as $141,000 per year.

Learning these three high-income skills can be invaluable for your career. They enable you to combine your innate creativity with technology in a way that can potentially benefit thousands of people and make a lasting impact on multiple industries.