Like most of you, we’re ready to turn the page on last year, but we wanted to share some of the biggest insights from 2021 before thinking about the next 12 months. From $1,000 in tips earned in one day by a Solopreneur to the best months to work—we took a data deep dive into what the year looked like for the thousands of workers using the Solo platform. Join us as we take a closer look at the most interesting insights from 2021.
#1: The Highest …and Lowest Paying Jobs for 2021
Let’s start with the basics—what jobs paid the highest hourly average v. which jobs paid the lowest in 2021?
Delivering packages and groceries via Amazon Flex topped the list for Seattle-based gig workers in 2021 coming in at over $32/hr on average. The holidays in particular had strong demand for the online retail giant, but we also saw many more workers participate in their grocery program. Coming in at #2 was working with Uber (providing rides, not food) as the pandemic (kind of?) subsided and people began to return to travel, nightlife, etc. Doordash came in at #3 and was the most popular platform for gig work in Seattle with Solopreneurs racking up more than 250k deliveries in 2021. To learn more about Amazon Flex, Uber, and Doordash check out our guide to the gig economy.
Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Shipt took the lowest ranking spots on our roster coming in at $23/hr, $22, and $20/hr respectively. Bottom line—Shipt just doesn’t quite have the demand that Instacart does in the grocery space. In 2021, it wasn’t abnormal for us to see hours where workers were earning as low as $13-$15/hr. We profiled both grocery delivery services last year—check it out to learn more.
#2: The Highest and Lowest Earning Months for Workers
- Best Month: December at $25.15/hr
- Worst Month: January at $21.52/hr
When planning for your finances, it’s important to understand the seasonality and subsequent impact on earnings for your metro area. Seattle has its unique patterns where the year starts particularly slow (Jan - Mar) across most gig jobs before picking up in the Spring. The Summer then experiences a slowdown before crescendoing to its peak over the holidays in December. If you’re looking to guarantee your earnings and optimize your schedule, especially during the slow season coming up, check out Solo’s Pay Guarantee program to earn up to 20% more and protect against downside earnings risk.
#3: Those that Guaranteed Their Pay make up to 20% more than non-schedulers
Speaking of Pay Guarantees, did you know that Solo uses community earnings insights to create optimal schedules for you? We back our Pay Guarantee predictions so that you don’t have to guess how much you’re making every shift. We guarantee the daily earnings amounts we show you in the Solo App when you schedule your work with us and if what you end up making falls short of our predictions, we will pay you the difference.
In 2021, Solopreneurs in Seattle guaranteed more than $600k of their income with Solo! Our users that guaranteed their pay also made a whopping 20% more on average than those that didn’t schedule their work with our Pay Guarantee. If you want your custom cheat code to the gig economy, be sure to download the app and head to the Pay Guarantee section to start scheduling!
#4: 29% of Solopreneurs Added New Jobs in 2021
Thinking about adding more gig work to your job portfolio? We recommend it. Nearly 30% of Solopreneurs started working for more platforms in 2021, which gives you more flexibility and freedom over your schedule as you get to pick and choose from a wider set of companies competing for your time. Solopreneurs that work on 3 job platforms make 15% more than those that only have access to one job platform.
Worried about managing/trying to figure out which jobs pay the most? Good news—we solve that for you by showing you the highest paying jobs that you have access to as well as the broader trends in the market via the Jobs Marketplace in the Solo App.
#5: Queue the fireworks and champagne —The Biggest Tip, Highest Earnings Day, Highest Earner, and Most Efficient Earner
Finally: we get to some of the fun stuff. Solopreneurs completed an incredible 579,823 jobs in Seattle in 2021. We are blown away by the amazing work you all are doing every day! Check out some of the highlights below!
- Biggest Tip Day: $1,000 by a worker on February 9th, 2021
- Highest Single Earning Day: $1,184.28 earned by a worker on February 13, 2021
- Highest Annual Earner: $117,924.17
- Most Efficient Earner (Average Hourly with minimum 1k hours worked): $71.34/hr
Manage All Your Gig Work in One App and Make the Most of 2022
Solo’s New Year’s resolution? Help the millions of app-based workers tackle the lack of stability in the gig economy by providing them with tools, data, and resources to manage their business of one. The Solo App has made it easier than ever for gig workers to enjoy the flexibility of being their own boss. Make the most of your year by becoming a Solopreneur—download the app on the Google Play Store or App Store!
