Top 20 Overnight Jobs in 2024
Overnight employment is not a novel idea. However, more roles now work graveyard shifts as our lives have become more globalized, sometimes to account for different time zones.
15 million Americans worked evening, night, or rotating shifts in 2018.
There have always been overnight shifts for those employed in the emergency services and aviation sectors. Workers in the hospitality industry are also accustomed to working late into the night.
However, the demands of our modern lifestyles necessitate round-the-clock customer service. We want access to food at three in the morning, and we want everything to be available when we need it.
To give you what you want, supermarkets, call centers, and even news stations now operate around the clock.
Some people do not like the idea of staying up late at night. Even so, a lot of people prefer to work through the night when they are naturally awake because they consider themselves to be night owls.
The ability to work from home in the evenings can be helpful for parents who have young children when adjusting to their schedule.
Equally, those who struggle with sleeping disorders like insomnia may benefit from the freedom of working rather than spending the entire night awake.
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What Advantages Come With Working Overnight Jobs?
A person might decide to work an overnight shift for a variety of reasons.
Graveyard shifts might be required for occupations like flight attendants and medical professionals. However, there are advantages to working overnight if you have the option:
There is little to no commuter traffic, which speeds up and improves the tranquility of your commute.
Your income may rise as a result. Some employers offer an additional payment as a perk to entice volunteers to work the shift even though you are going against their natural body routine.
On the graveyard shift, the team is much smaller, so you have more control over your workflow and decisions. Additionally, there are also fewer office politics to contend with.
Depending on your line of work, working late at night can be a more sedate and peaceful experience.
What Are the Drawbacks of Overnight Employment?
The health consequences of working overnight are the main drawbacks.
A disruption in your circadian rhythm increases your risk of developing certain cancers, developing diabetes, and gaining weight.
As your routine is probably different from that of your friends and family and lacks the customary inter-office socializing, it can also cause loneliness.
How to Stay Healthy While Working Overnight
Some of the drawbacks of working an overnight shift can be offset by:
Follow a schedule. Your body will be able to regulate your sleep better with a routine. If you enjoy reading for an hour before bed and working out in the morning, make sure to include these activities in your schedule when working overnight.
After your shift is over, try to stay out of the sun. Your brain will signal you to wake up if you see sunlight. When leaving work, disguise the time of day to your brain by donning dark glasses or a hat.
Make your bedroom a relaxing place to sleep. Invest in blackout blinds or curtains, wear an eye mask and earplugs while you sleep, and set your room’s temperature to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you reside in a noisy area, you might want to use white noise to mask some of the annoying noise.
Eat healthily and exercise. These are necessary for daily life, but they become even more so when you take into account the negative effects of staying up all night on your health. Your body will be better able to control itself and handle the stress of an inverted routine if you’re feeling your best.
A healthy diet and regular exercise can also improve your mood and give you more energy, enabling you to interact with others during the day.
Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine. Both prevent you from dreaming during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep. You must have this if you want to feel rested. Coffee is okay when you first get up or arrive at work, but try to avoid consuming caffeine too late in your shift.
If you want to fit your new daytime sleeping pattern, invert the advice that you typically hear to avoid caffeine after 4 p.m. to avoid affecting your night’s sleep. If you’re feeling sleepy, try getting some exercise, drinking some warm water, or listening to upbeat music as alternatives.
Top 20 jobs for overnight
Here are some potential jobs to take into consideration if you think working overnight might be a good fit for you:
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Journalist or independent author
The average salary for journalists is $62,400, with more seasoned ones earning $117,170
You can choose the hours you want to work as a freelance writer. It is one of the factors that so many people are considering careers as digital nomads.
Freelancing might be the right career for those who are awake in the wee hours of the morning. Depending on your level of experience, you could make $25 or more an hour as a freelance writer.
To be a writer, you don’t need any special education or training; all you need is talent, drive, and the capacity to market yourself.
Most media organizations require you to have a journalism (or related) degree if you’re specifically working in the journalism field.
Since 24-hour news stations and digital media have become more prevalent, journalists must now work nights to:
interview people who live in different time zones.
finished conducting research for the morning show
While everyone else is sleeping, report any news that occurs in writing.
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Television Technician
Senior technicians earn $82,080, with the average salary being $45,510.
Radio and television signals must be kept strong and clear by broadcast technicians.
Since radio and television stations now operate around the clock, technicians are required all through the night to resolve any technical problems.
The smooth streaming of live events also depends on broadcast technicians. Especially if the show is in the morning, the setup and fine-tuning of all the equipment can sometimes be finished during the night.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the following ten years, employment in this position will grow by 9%.
Additionally, there may be opportunities for broadcast technicians in new media outlets that stream live content all night long, such as YouTube and other platforms.
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Doctor in the Emergency Room
Typical pay: $208,000
It comes as no surprise that healthcare workers must put in graveyard shifts.
Especially on weekends or right after a sporting event, evenings and late nights are when many accidents happen. Patients also require care around the clock.
Doctors who work the night shift need to be rested and attentive at all times.
Before becoming fully licensed doctors, they must earn a medical degree and complete years of training.
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Paramedic
Paramedics at the highest level earn $59,860, with an average pay of $35,400.
Paramedics are always the first responders, just as emergency room doctors are required for nighttime emergencies.
They provide first aid while making every effort to keep the patient stable.
Anyone interested in becoming a paramedic is advised to pursue a higher education qualification in emergency medical technology. Advanced paramedics have completed 1,200 hours of training in addition to having an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
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Licensed Nurse
Average pay: $73,300, with experience bringing it up to over $100,000.
The majority of nurses frequently work 12-hour night shifts.
In their wards, nurses support and help the doctors and patients. The smooth operation of emergency rooms is due to the nurses.
Although nursing salaries are lower than those of doctors, the BLS predicts that over the next ten years, nursing roles will grow by 7%.
Depending on the type of nursing role, nurses must have completed specific courses or qualifications, which can range from a 75-hour vocational course to a doctoral degree.
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Doctor Assistant
Earnings on average: $112,260
Using a physician assistant instead of an ER doctor is a common cost-saving measure. Like doctors, they can examine, diagnose, and treat patients as well as give them medicine.
A master’s degree in a physician assistant program that has been approved and a graduate degree in science or medicine are requirements for training to become one.
By 2029, an increase in the number of job roles of 31% is anticipated.
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Medical Assistant
With more experience, aides can earn up to $47,690 per year in salary, on average.
A psychiatric assistant’s main responsibility is to help with the care and treatment of patients. Aides are common in
- Facilities for drug abuse
- centers for residential living
- Psychological institutions
The night shifts may be viewed as a “rite of passage” for new employees to prove themselves doing something that is not desired by others because they are entry-level positions.
Psychiatric assistant does not need a formal education because they learn everything on the job.
The American Association of Psychiatric Technicians also offers certification and licensing.
Psychiatric assistants can give medication and monitor vital signs, but they must be under the direction of a licensed nurse or physician.
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Residential therapist
$12 to $14 per hour, or about $21,000 to $26,000 annually, is the average wage.
The main responsibility of a residential counselor is to assist those who are unable to care for themselves with activities like meal preparation, bathing, and dressing.
Residential counselors can also offer guidance and emotional support.
They cooperate with:
- troubled children
- people with disabilities
- those who abuse drugs
- Those who require nighttime supervision
High schools and colleges with on-campus housing also employ residential counselors.
To work as a residential counselor, you only need a high school diploma, but a college degree in social work, human services, or psychology is helpful.
On-campus employees may receive meals and a reduced education.
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Officer of the Law
Typical pay: $65,170
Another emergency service that can experience extreme busyness or extreme quietness during the graveyard shift in law enforcement.
Police respond to emergency calls for things like robberies, road accidents, and public disturbances just like they would during the day.
For police applications, a high school diploma is sufficient. After that, you must finish a 12-week training program that covers civil rights, criminal investigation, and local, state, and constitutional law.
Some police positions require additional education in criminal justice or law.
