32 Best Traveling Jobs To Make Money While Seeing the World

For many people, traveling the United States is a dream that escapes them their whole life. Traveling the world is even further out of reach. However, a lucky group of people can accomplish two tasks at once with a job that allows them to travel.

The majority of people who hold jobs would see this as an unattainable goal. However, it could be much more realistic than you pictured.

In today’s world, there are more jobs available that allow travel than ever. This is especially true with the remote workforce. The technology of today allows remote workers to pack up and go wherever they please.

Although raveling while working may be considered a luxury, many jobs require travel as part of the package. This includes domestic travel and travel abroad.

This article will discuss a plethora of traveling jobs, including those that allow travel within the U.S., international travel, remote jobs that allow you to travel, and seasonal jobs that allow travel.

32 Best Traveling Jobs To Make Money While Traveling the World

Domestic Travel Jobs

1. Airline Pilots

Technically, this job could fall into the domestic or international travel category. However, based on our research, most pilots who travel abroad usually stay on international routes, while domestic pilots typically remain within the United States.

Airline pilots that travel domestic routes could end up in any state. Layovers and cancellations lend time to sightseeing, and there are also special perks involved with the job. Discount tickets and discounted stays in various cities are included in these perks. Of course, this is assuming one is a commercial pilot.

The salary range for commercial pilots is between $68,000 and $82,000 per year.

2. Flight Attendant

A flight attendant traveling job is similar to that of a commercial pilot, except their travel locations are based on seniority. Attendants with less experience get assignments without a choice.

Flight attendants enjoy a pretty decent salary as well. The travel and hotel vouchers are also nice perks of the job. The pay ranges from $62,000 to $97,000 per year.

3. Traveling Nurses

Traveling nurses have been in higher demand since the pandemic began. In addition, hotspot cities that become more active require a higher demand for experienced nurses.

One of the best highlights of the job is the ability to pick where you travel next. Traveling nurses have the option of working in whatever city they choose.

The agency you work for also foots the bill for your lodging expenses. More often, agencies are using private long-term rental websites instead of the high cost of hotels.

A traveling nurse takes home an average of about $86,000 per year but could make significantly more depending on location and bonuses/incentives.

4. Bartending

Traveling may not be mandatory for bartenders, but many of them have the luxury of doing so. There are several reasons for this ability to travel.

The bartending position has a high turnover rate. This leads to higher openings at clubs, bars, and cocktail lounges. Being a great bartender is not easy, and establishments are always looking for drink-servers of the high-quality caliber. However, a good bartender can almost walk into any bar in America and land a job at any given time.

A good bartender will make anywhere from $200 to $500 per night.

5. Truck Drivers

This may be the most commonly thought of job of the traveling type. For decades Americans have depended on truck drivers for the items they use daily.

Many long-haul truck drivers travel coast-to-coast, passing through various states and cities along the way. Sometimes drivers arrive far ahead of schedule or are over their logged driving hours and must stop. This affords them some time to check out different places along their route.

While not the most glamorous of the traveling jobs, driving a truck will allow you to see much more of America than the average person.

The average long-haul truck driver will bring home around $62,000 per year.

6. Railroad Workers

This could be one of the oldest traveling jobs in the history of the United States. Railroad workers have been traveling since the rail system was built nearly two centuries ago. These workers are still needed as railroads are under constant repair and revision.

Aside from the workers who maintain the tracks and routes, conductors and cargo workers are also needed to keep the rail system moving. On commercial trains, workers are needed to supervise the items these trains carry.

Let’s not forget about passenger train workers. These workers act much like airline attendants, tending to passenger’s questions and refreshment needs.

Depending on the position, railroad workers bring home between $59,000 and $62,000 per year.

7. Athletic Scout

An athletic scout might be the dream job for any former aspiring sports player. You get to travel and watch sports for a living!

This might also be one of the most untraditional jobs on our list.

All across the United States, there are hundreds of major and minor league sports teams. These teams are always looking for new players to improve their rosters. This includes hockey, football, baseball, and basketball, and less prominent sports as well.

Athletic scouts travel all across the country. Their presence could be needed anywhere at any given time, depending on where the next major talent pops up on the map.

The pay for an athletic scout falls between $34,000 and $77,000 per year.

8. News Reporter

News reporters have to travel to be on the scene when a story breaks. While many local news reporters will travel primarily around their city and surrounding areas, there is the opportunity to travel the region to cover different stories.

Sometimes nationwide travel will be necessary, allowing for a reporter to broaden their horizons. Only the best reporters will be selected to cover national headlines.

Top newspaper reporters will earn around $60,000 per year, while television reporters earn closer to $95,000.

9. Minor and Major League Athletes

For the athlete scout, there has to be an athlete. There are hundreds of semi-pro and pro sports teams around the country.

Not every minor leaguer will turn pro, but they still have the luxury of traveling. Occasionally for some semipro and pro players, there will also be international travel involved.

The pay range varies greatly in the sports world. Semipros can earn as little as $25,000 per year, and top professionals earning multi-millions.

10. Minor and Major League Personnel

For every minor or major league athlete, there are many coaches, trainers, and other support personnel there to ensure athletes are prepared and well-taken care of.

Even if you have little experience, there are opportunities to get in with a team on a lower level and work your way up. For example, many assistant coaches for major professional sports teams started scouting or working in the film room, putting together tape for players to watch, and working their way up.

There are tons of sports jobs, and the salary range for each varies greatly, but team doctors and coaches can make upwards of several hundred thousand to millions per year depending on the level of the team.

11. United States Military

We decided to list this under the domestic category because all military members will travel domestically for training and various assignments. Not all recruits will end up traveling overseas.

Depending on the branch and rank, members of our military have varying degrees of earning potential. Recruits will earn around $44,000, while top officers can earn over $100,000 per year.

12. Security Workers/Event Staff

There are many traveling security and event staff workers. These workers are employed by various agencies that send them to designated events.

They may work concerts or other crowded events. Their travel and lodging are covered, and the average pay is about $31,000 per year.

13. Photographers

This is another position that could have ended up on the domestic or international list. There are even independent photographers who work remotely.

Depending on their niche or place of employment, a photographer could end up anywhere. The pay also varies based on talent and the agency that employs them.

Some potential photographer travel jobs include sports teams, magazines, and websites.

International Travel Jobs

Now let’s take a look at some jobs that allow for the opportunity to travel internationally. Remember, some of the items listed in the domestic travel could also be international traveling jobs.

14. Tour Leader

This is another job that could fall into either the domestic or international category, but we figured the international version might be more exciting.

Tour leaders have an unmatched opportunity to see some of the most impressive sights all around the world. After all, tourists only want to see the most dynamic locations whenever they travel for vacation.

Being a tour leader might require you to be on call and having the ability to take off and leave to any given destination. This job is for the authentic rolling stone.

Average international tour guides make about $66,000 per year.

15. English Teachers

We aren’t talking about Mrs. Smith from second grade. Instead, this job refers to teachers willing to travel abroad to teach students in other countries, and typically for American’s, that means teaching the English language.

All over the world, there are demands for high-caliber English teachers to work in exchange programs. They may even be swapped for other teachers in the country they’ll be working in.

Traveling English teachers earn a salary ranging from $28,000 per year to $66,000 per year. However, their wages are usually untaxed. Many jobs will also offer a living stipend and travel funds every year to return home. Contracts are typically at least one school year.

Combining a living stipend, decent wages, low living expenses, and proximity to other countries makes teaching English abroad a unique opportunity to travel.

16. Cruise Ship Worker

This could be the pinnacle of occupations when it comes to the hospitality and travel business. Many positions are open aboard a cruise ship, giving this form of travel to several professions.

A cruise ship has positions available for chefs, cleaners, maintenance workers, musicians, childcare workers, entertainers, and personal trainers. There’s a lot of recreation aboard a cruise ship, and there’s a lot of people needed to fulfill those needs.

Not to mention a crew is needed to run the ship.

Cruise ship workers earn an average of $87,000 per year.

17. Band Member/Tour Crew

We couldn’t resist throwing this one in the mix. For musicians who become successful enough, international touring becomes a part of their job description.

They stay in the nicest hotels, play the biggest venues, and literally party like rock stars. Once international stardom is obtained, a musician will rake in millions.

While becoming the next international music sensation is unlikely, being a band member for a star isn’t as far out of reach. Musicians with various playing talents are needed to support the main singer or band members on their tour. Also, lighting, sound, and stage crews are needed to set up equipment and ensure the concert goes off without a hitch.

Salary will vary depending on your position, but being part of a music tour will give you a great opportunity to travel the world and get paid.

18. Humanitarian Workers

Humanitarian workers are in need now more than ever. With the pandemic taking a toll on global economies and natural disasters occurring more frequently, medical emergencies affect families in need more than ever.

In disaster-stricken countries, aid workers offer their services during these emergency times. Therefore, they have to be on call and willing to travel wherever they are needed.

Positions of importance include emergency medical workers, human resource workers, translators, and general laborers. In addition, depending on the severity of the disaster, emergency shelters may need to be constructed.

Entry-level workers bring home an average of $25,000 per year. However, upper management can earn upwards of $100,000.

19. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms Worker

There are farms known as WWOOF exchanges, and these programs are in constant need of people with a background in organic farming. This is an emerging sector for people willing to work abroad.

Farms that participate in this program accept farmers abroad and send farmers back in exchange. The trade allows the traveling workers to learn about organic farming in the region and teach workers about methods from their homeland.

You’ll receive food, housing, and compensation for other expenses you may incur in exchange for this work. All travel is paid for as well. The most rewarding part is the knowledge and insight you gain from local cultures participating in the program.

WWOOF exchange workers participate on a volunteer basis.

20. Ski or Scuba Instructor

People all around the world take vacations every year to ski and scuba dive in specific locations. Others simply want to visit a ski town or tropical destination and have little or no experience in either of the two activities.

Luckily, ski and tropical resorts have instructors on staff who can teach these activities and take vacationers out on tours. If you have high enough certification, you’ll be able to teach almost anywhere there is a need.

New instructors flock to places like the Gili Islands and the Bahamas each year to teach new scuba divers.

Huge mountains in Switzerland, Germany, and Tibet need ski and snowboard instructions on a seasonal basis. As a result, there is a need for foreign instructors to come in and assist tourists all around the globe.

The average salary for ski/snowboarding instructors and scuba instructors is around $46,000 and $51,000 per year, respectively.

21. Yacht Crews

This one may not be one of the most common jobs traveling abroad, but it might also be one of the most enjoyable.

Celebrities, business owners, and other well-off individuals often own their own yacht, and if the vessel is large enough, they’ll require a crew to help run it.

Yacht captains travel abroad constantly, navigating new paths and plotting their next adventure. These captains sail their way around the world, sometimes for pleasure and sometimes for competition.

Aboard these yachts, there’s a need for engineers, nannies, cooks, and sometimes captains if the yacht owner isn’t certified. However, landing a job on a yacht crew isn’t easy.

Yearly salary rates for higher positions are about $75,000 per year. Lower-level employees make around $50,000.

22. Interpreter

Professional interpreters are needed all around the world for a variety of assignments. This job is in demand at political and business conventions, universities and schools, hospitals, and international corporations.

You can enlist in the American Association of translators once you receive your language degree and become a certified translator. This will land you on the list of people qualified for international translating positions.

Average positions earn around $60,000 per year. High-level United Nations interpreters can bring home nearly $200,000 per year.

23. Scientists/Biologists

Anyone who has ever watched National Geographic, Animal Planet, or a host of other television shows has seen a scientist on location.

You may be surprised to learn that not all scientists and biologists will remain planted in one location or university. Instead, many of them will have the opportunity to travel the globe.

There is a need to survey and research sites on a global scale. There is a constant need for information on how our environment and earth are developing. They will gather data about different geographic locations and wildlife to study their findings.

The average salary for scientists and biologists who travel abroad is around $86,000 per year.

24. Archaeologist

The job of an archaeologist requires travel to any given location at any given time. When discoveries are made, their job requires travel to random countries to dig for artifacts.

They can spend as little as a week at a site and as much as multiple years. Only the findings at the site will determine the time spent there.

Archaeologists will earn about $81,000 per year.

25. Security Consultant

We aren’t talking about security workers from the previous section. Instead, we’re talking about prior members of the military (usually) who work with multiple businesses as private consultants. These individuals pinpoint vulnerabilities and work to strengthen them against hackers or other threats.

It’s a bit of a shadowy job that’s somewhat mysterious. However, it’s well worth it with an average salary of over $100,000 per year.

Remote Jobs That Allow Travel

Now that we’ve covered the major domestic and international traveling jobs let’s look at remote jobs and thus allow for travel.

Please note that most of these jobs involve a level of self-employment or commission. This causes the potential pay to fluctuate greatly.

26. Writer

A writer is more of a freelancer in that pay is typically based on how much you write. However, if you write for a living, the job certainly can be remote.

Writers might travel for multiple reasons. Research and motivation are probably the biggest two reasons. Still, writers may also choose to write as a part of their travels rather than traveling specifically to inspire writing.

Writers could be novelists, researchers, or freelance article writers who take advantage of their remote position to travel.

27. Website Designer

You can do everything needed to fulfill the role of a website designer from your laptop. This means you can take your work with you anywhere you go.

Not only is traveling considered a luxury as a website designer, but it could be a necessity. For example, traveling to foreign countries may be required to obtain clients abroad and from different markets.

There are marketing and website design needs in demand in countries where specific programs aren’t available, making these things easy. This is where traveling can land you newer and more diverse clients.

Or, you simply may wish to take advantage of your remote position to travel more.

28. Accountant

For many accountants, their work can be taken with them in a briefcase. However, most of an accountant’s work is done via laptop, and most communication with their clients is done electronically.

While many accountant jobs will want you in the office regularly, others may only require you to check in periodically or allow for almost complete remote work.

Traveling abroad means the opportunity to gain customers abroad. Many people living in foreign countries have interests in American businesses. This translates to a need for assistance from American accountants.

The average salary is between $40,000 and $80,000 a year but ranges significantly based on the company you work for.

29. Tech Support

The days of technical support workers spending their days in colossal call centers are all but over. Presently, most technical support agents work remotely via their phones and computer.

Although the ability to travel is open, that doesn’t mean this job is easy. These workers are often on call for their clients, and there’s a need to have tech support available 24 hours a day and 365 days per year.

Related: The Ultimate Travel Gifts Guide for Any Jetsetter

Seasonal Jobs for Traveling

Some traveling jobs are seasonal in nature and are perfect for those with a flexible schedule. Students, freelancers, and other remote workers with flexible schedules may find these jobs a great way to get paid while traveling.

30. National Park Worker

National Parks all across the country requires a certain amount of workers per season. Many of the parks aren’t open year-round, but during peak season, they are booming.

Many places like Yellowstone and other seasonal parks need a large variety of different workers. For example, large numbers of park rangers, camp hosts, guides, maintenance workers, janitors, and vending-stand workers are needed.

Most of these positions require living on-site, aside from the hired locals and those who commute each day. Cabins and other lodging are provided for the workers that are employed seasonally.

National Park employees earn an average of around $66,000 per year.

31. Theme Park Workers

Locals aren’t the only ones who work theme parks during the peak season. Many seasonal workers from neighboring states, and some from even further, make their way to theme parks like Six Flags, Busch Gardens, and Universal Studios every year.

More significant parks provide lodging for more vital employees since they’ll be more on call. These positions include performers and other hosts that wear costumes or lead tours.

There’s also a considerable need for maintenance and cleanup workers, ride operators, and concessions workers.

Depending on the position, theme park workers can earn between $35,000 per year and $75,000 per year.

32. Alaska Excursion Workers

Every year a plethora of cruise ships travel to Alaska, bringing thousands of tourists to the wilds of Alaska. With each port of call comes the opportunity for excursions offering a variety of adventures.

Even if you’re not traveling to Alaska via cruise ship, most traveling to this vast state will get the most out of their time by taking tours and excursions.

There’s a company called AlaskaX that leads a wide variety of tours in this wild state. Their options include dog sledding, ziplining, horseback riding, and glacier tours.

An average season for AlaskaX runs typically from April until September. There is a huge variety of specialty positions needed for the attractions they provide.

Their list of open positions includes tour guide, dog musher, dog handler, photographer, and many more. So not only do you get paid for the work, but you also get to experience all of the fantastic adventures Alaska has to offer.

AlaskaX workers will earn around $45,000 per season.

Moral of the Story

Travel is expensive and time-consuming, especially flying overseas. Even if you can get the cost down with travel hacking and rewards credit cards, it can be difficult to find the time to get away enough to truly see what the world has to offer.

Luckily, with the advances in technology and the move toward remote work ever-increasing, you have more opportunities than ever to get paid while seeing the world with traveling jobs. While not all the jobs we discussed are for everybody, we hoped to display a traveling job for almost anybody.

Depending on your scope of work and experience, some people can travel for a living. With enough creativity, you can at least travel while you make a living.

In today’s age of e-commerce and nearly everything being kept alive electronically, work can be taken with you anywhere. As a result, more business and relations are being done between foreign countries leading to more international trade.

Between the demands of traveling jobs and the ability to work remotely, there’s no excuse for anyone that has the dreams of traveling not to achieve those dreams. However, any healthy and able-bodied person with a little bit of vision can get up and decide to travel the world.

The dream certainly isn’t as far-fetched as it used to be.