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Upwork Names Most In-Demand Skills for 2024

SAN FRANCISCO — Upwork, a leading site for freelance talent, has unveiled the most in-demand skills that organizations are expected to seek from skilled professionals in 2024.

As new technologies continue to emerge and companies recognize the need for new skills to stay competitive, Upwork’s study reveals the extent to which businesses are increasingly turning to skilled freelance professionals to meet key project needs and address skills gaps. While businesses are looking to freelance talent for scale and specialization, independent professionals are also leading the charge in adopting new technologies and upskilling. In particular, the AI & machine learning subcategory on Upwork saw 70% year-over-year growth in the fourth quarter of 2023, as clients and independent professionals collaborate on today’s most cutting-edge projects.

“Every company is vying for the best talent and there remains huge demand for a broad range of skills across the Upwork marketplace as businesses big and small are finding solutions in the growing reservoir of skilled independent professionals,” said Kelly Monahan, managing director of the Upwork Research Institute. “In 2024, emergent technologies like generative AI are having a major impact on the skills-based economy. Of course business demand for these types of skills is increasing, but we’re also seeing a complementary impact, whereby AI technology is driving greater demand for all types of work across our marketplace.”

Among the lists of most in-demand skills, Data Science & Analytics is one of the fastest-growing types of work, and generative AI modeling and machine learning were the two fastest-growing skills in that category. Additionally, notable new skills to make the top 10 most in-demand skills lists this year include medical and executive virtual assistance, as well as development & IT project management and digital marketing campaign management.

“As technology rapidly changes and more specific expertise is needed, more and more businesses are coming to Upwork to find the solutions they need,” said Jacqueline DeStefano-Tangorra, an AI consultant on Upwork. “Consequently, the demand for my skill set has never been higher. Upskilling and becoming an AI professional on Upwork has opened many doors. I get to work on interesting projects and I am a stronger partner for my clients as I’m more efficient, productive, and can deliver better outcomes.”

Here are the in-demand work skills for 2024:

Upwork’s Data Science & Analytics Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
Data Analytics
Machine Learning
Data Visualization
Data Extraction
Data Engineering
Data Processing
Data Mining
Experimentation & Testing
Deep Learning
Generative AI Modeling

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Generative AI Modeling1
Machine Learning
Data Analytics

Upwork’s Coding & Web Development Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
Full Stack Development
Front-End Development
Web Design
Mobile App Development
Back-End Development
Ecommerce Website Development
UX/UI Design
Scripting & Automation
CMS Development
Manual Testing

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Scripting & Automation
Database Development
Web Design

Upwork’s Sales & Marketing Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
Social Media Marketing
SEO
Sales & Business Development
Lead Generation
Telemarketing
Search Engine Marketing
Marketing Automation
Email Marketing
Marketing Strategy
Campaign Management

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Marketing Automation
Sales & Business Development
Email Marketing

Upwork’s Accounting & Consulting Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
Accounting
Bookkeeping
Recruiting & Talent Sourcing
Financial Analysis & Modeling
Management Consulting
HR Administration
Instructional Design
Business Analysis & Strategy
Tax Preparation
Financial Management/CFO

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Personal Coaching
Financial Management/CFO
Bookkeeping

Upwork’s Customer Service & Admin Support Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
General Virtual Assistance
Data Entry
Digital Project Management
General Research Services
Dropshipping & Order Processing
Market Research
Executive Virtual Assistance
Manual Transcription
Development & IT Project Management
Medical Virtual Assistance

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Business Project Management
Medical Virtual Assistance
Supply Chain & Logistics Project Management

Upwork’s Design & Creative Skills for 2024:

Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills
Graphic Design
Video Editing
Presentation Design
Illustration
Image Editing
3D Animation
Video Production
Product & Industrial Design
Cartoon & Comic Illustration
Logo Design

Top 3 Fastest-Growing Skills
Packaging Design
Music Production
Videography