The 2024 Guide to the High-Paying Remote Jobs

For many people, being able to work remotely has shifted from a unique perk to a core part of their request for their career. High-paying remote jobs are now an option for many, but the path here was long, and the future feels uncertain.

Let’s cast our gaze back and use that crystal ball to see Buffer’s 2019 State of Remote Work Report, where 99% of respondents said they wanted to work remotely at least some of the time for the rest of their careers.

Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic happened. Suddenly, remote work shifted from a perk to a necessity. In June of that year, just 26% of the U.S. workforce was going into the office or shop. The rest were either working remotely or not working at all.

Reports now show that 20% of all U.S. workers have remote or hybrid jobs. Remote positions climb to 40% when looking at people who have advanced degrees or are late in their careers.

The experiment is over, and flexible jobs are here to stay. So, let’s work together to discover and share high-paying remote positions that you can use to advance your career.

Is a high-paying remote job the new normal?

Even before the pandemic, high-paying remote jobs were becoming more and more prevalent. Much of that was due to increasing demand from job seekers.

A survey conducted by the International Workplace Group discovered that, when presented with two similar job offers, 80% of people would turn down the one that didn’t include flexible work options. Results like that hold across job titles and expertise. While flexible work is often considered entry-level work, we see it play a prominent role in decisions.

Remote work can boost productivity, with 86% of remote team members rating their productivity as excellent or good. To compete for top talent, employers needed to offer more remote jobs that pay well, and those opportunities continued to rise.

And if you’re hiring, especially in software development and project managers, you’ve got big competition. Some of the top brands that have promised to keep many roles fully remote include:

• Microsoft
• CVS
• Intuit
• Adobe
• Capital One
• Shopify
• And more

And the downside to not embracing remote or going back on your word? Distraught team members. When SAP dropped its remote-first policy to push RTO, more than 5,000 employees signed a letter saying they felt “betrayed” by their employer.

Do remote jobs pay more?

Here’s the short answer: yes.

Research indicates that remote jobs pay more than traditional in-office jobs. Data from PayScale found that remote team members make 8.3% more than non-remote team members with equal experience while doing the exact same job.

Finding remote work: Know your skillset

Since remote work is becoming the norm, your search for the best-paying remote jobs will likely yield many results. That can be overwhelming if you don’t have a way to narrow those results down. It’s true for regular job sites and even your favorite freelancing platform.

Start by understanding your skillset so you can better identify the remote jobs that are a good match for your unique talents. Let’s dig into a few questions you should ask yourself.

1. Is remote work right for me?

Remote work has advantages but can also present challenges in motivation, communication, collaboration, and time management. Some people find that remote work feels too isolated. They crave the social interactions of the office and struggle to make the same connections when working from home.

If someone on your team feels that way, there are things you can do to help. Learn about remoteliness here.

2. What are my skills?

To increase your chances of landing the remote job you want — especially if you’re trying to find high-paying remote jobs without a degree — it’s important that you know exactly what skills and competencies you bring to the table.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What have people always told me I’m good at?
• What software programs and tools am I well-versed in?
• What soft skills do I possess?

Knowing more about your talents will help you find positions where you already fulfill the requirements and can really thrive.

3. What work do I enjoy doing?

Finding a high-paying remote job is great, but money isn’t everything. You want to feel excited and passionate about the work you’re doing.

To make that happen, think through your answers to the following questions:

• What previous projects or positions have I enjoyed?
• What type of work makes me feel particularly challenged or frustrated?
• What would I choose if I had to do one task every day for the rest of my career?

You’ll identify some common trends and themes about the work you really love doing.

4. Is there a demand for my skills?

It’s essential to recognize the difference between work you want to do and work that’s feasible. You’ll only grow frustrated if you realize there aren’t any opportunities for the type of work you want to pursue.

Once you have a better understanding of the types of remote jobs you’re looking for, try this:

• Do some internet searches to see what types of opportunities in your field come up.
• Conduct informational interviews with professionals in your desired field to get a better sense of the market.

The things we’ve talked about so far are part of your calling. If you can find an overlap between what you’re good at, what you love, and what you can get paid to do, you’ve found your calling.

Finding your career calling in a remote job makes you more likely to experience long-term success.

5. How much salary do I need to support my lifestyle?

Money isn’t everything, but it’s certainly an important consideration. You have real-world expenses to cover and need to find a job that meets your salary requirements. But, that’s tough to do if you don’t know what your salary requirements are.

Do some homework to answer the following questions:

• How much do you need to cover your monthly expenses?
• What other financial goals do you have?
• What’s the going salary for people in your field?

Once you have a better handle on the money side of things, it’s another criterion you can use to rule out listings and find the best remote job for you. Look for opportunities that pay fairly and will meet your personal financial goals.

15 high-paying remote opportunities in 2024

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork, you’re ready to find the highest-paying remote jobs in 2024.

You’re in luck because we’ve pulled together this list of well-paying remote jobs. How do we define well-paying? That term can mean something different to everyone, depending on their industry, location, and education level.

Here is a little more about defining hourly rates here.

The roles we’ve included have an average salary at or near the average annual income in the U.S. That was $59,428 for 2023. Positions in our list with lower averages still have the potential to climb to nearly twice that income.

We sorted this list by a mix of demand, average salary from sources like PayScale, and how familiar most people are with these job openings being flexible.

1. Development Operations (DevOps) manager

Average salary: $132,371

As a DevOps manager, you’ll head up a team focused on the building and management of database-driven applications.

You’ll be in charge of the team and support them in completing projects, so you’ll need prior experience as a manager or supervisor.

Risk and resource management, scheduling, and status reporting will be a part of your daily job duties.

A DevOps manager will also often maintain systems and set up vendor contracts. Additionally, you might have to assist with disaster recovery, ongoing maintenance, and stack issues.

Companies that hire DevOps managers look for people who have:

• Prior team management experience
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience using tools like Terraform and CloudFormation
• Knowledge of version control systems such as Git

2. Project manager

Average salary: $79,424

As a project manager, you’ll use your organizational and communication skills to move projects from inception to completion. You’ll create project plans, allocate resources, interact with project team members and stakeholders, and monitor progress.

Your job will involve ensuring projects get completed on time, on budget, and within scope. You’ll be responsible for managing project risks and creating risk assessment reports.

Checking in with your team through stand-up meetings will also be a daily occurrence. You’ll be in charge of balancing your team’s workload and ensuring you’re utilizing all of the company’s resources optimally.

Most project manager job postings ask candidates to have the following:

• Experience leading teams
• Ability to maintain relationships with cross-functional teams
• Strong organizational skills
• Process-oriented mentality
• Attention to detail

If you’ve seen the past few annual updates to our list, this may come as a surprise with a salary dip. Two important things are happening with this role. First, skill requirements have decreased somewhat for project managers, opening the role up to more people. Second, project management for large industries now gets a separate job title or designation, so this salary is for a generalist. For example, project managers in the construction industry could expect to make nearly $81,000 per year.

3. Information Technology (IT) manager

Average salary: $92,083

As an IT manager, you’ll oversee your company’s technology infrastructure and the team that helps roll out improvements and resolve issues. You’ll plan projects and manage a team.

Your duties will involve evaluating the company’s IT needs, assessing vendors, and selecting hardware and software. You’ll perform system audits and maintain internal servers and networks.

You’ll need to develop an IT policy, design staff training programs, and create training documentation.

You’ll also schedule and supervise system updates, migrations, and upgrades.

Most IT manager jobs require the following:

• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology
• Experience leading and managing IT teams
• Knowledge of computer systems, network and systems administration and security, and databases
• Ability to collaborate with vendors and cross-functional teams

4. Attorney

Average salary: $96,680

Attorneys work in a variety of fields, including criminal, family, and corporate law. You can do large parts of the job remotely. As an attorney, you’ll advise clients, explain legal issues, and prepare documents. This work varies significantly, and you may need a specialization for specific practice areas.

These jobs require a license to practice law in their jurisdiction and typically a degree from a law school. Remote legal jobs often focus on case review, managing wills and deeds, contract negotiations, and other document-heavy aspects of the law.

5. Product designer

Average salary: $90,439

Remote jobs don’t just involve routine tasks like data entry—there are plenty of opportunities to innovate from home. As a product designer, you’re responsible for crafting and refining the user experience for a product. You’ll create prototypes, mockups, wireframes, and user journey maps.

Your job duties will involve performing research and working with user experience researchers to understand end-users and their needs better.

You’ll also be in charge of creating new product features and updates and running tests.

Most product designer job postings ask for the following:

• A portfolio demonstrating experience in creating customer journeys, design concepts, and UI designs
• Experience leading design teams
• Ability to work within cross-functional teams
• Experience using tools such as Adobe XD and Figma

6. Business development manager

Average salary: $80,564

Businesses don’t grow independently — they need someone leading the charge.

As a business development manager, you’ll develop strategies to support your remote company in securing new customers, boosting customer loyalty and satisfaction, and increasing revenue.

Your job will be to generate new revenue and help your company grow. This will involve identifying and following up on business opportunities. You might arrange meetings, prepare sales presentations, and pitch products or services.

As a business development manager, you’ll need to understand the company’s target market and the products or services the company sells.

Since this is a manager role, you’ll also lead and train a team of business development representatives. Your daily duties will include overseeing sales pipeline growth and looking for ways to improve the company’s sales process.

Companies that hire business development managers look for candidates who have:

• A proven track record in business development
• Experience leading business development teams
• Strong communication and networking skills

7. Software developer

Average salary: $77,913

Software developers are in demand, and the field is expected to grow by 22% by 2029. You’ll write, test, and troubleshoot software applications in this role. Because of its technical nature, it’s a job that lends itself well to remote environments.

The kind of tasks a developer is responsible for depends on the type of developer they are.

Front-end developers work on developing the visible, front-end part of an application. On the other hand, back-end developers are responsible for creating the logical infrastructure behind the software. Some full-stack developers have both front-end and back-end development skills.

As a software developer, you might also work on mapping out software, designing testing plans, developing quality assurance procedures, and more.

Senior developers will often be responsible for overseeing the work of junior developers and technicians.

Companies hiring developers usually look for people with:

• Familiarity with standard development stacks
• Ability to work cross-functionally across multiple departments
• Strong communication and analytical skills

8. Marketing manager

Average salary: $72,161

A marketing manager oversees the planning and execution of marketing campaigns. They come up with new marketing initiatives and approve the creation of marketing materials.

As a marketing manager, you’ll likely manage a team of individual contributors. Setting and managing your company’s marketing budget will also be among your duties. You’ll perform market research and competitive analysis.

Finally, you’ll track and analyze the performance of marketing campaigns and prepare reports.

Most marketing manager job postings ask for the following:

• A bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, or a communications field
• Demonstrated ability to plan and implement successful marketing strategies
• Experience leading teams
• Strong analytical and communication skills
• Attention to detail

9. Accountant

Average salary: $56,821

If you love numbers and are highly detail-oriented, accounting could be a great career field to pursue. As an accountant, your main job will be to organize and maintain financial records. By doing this, you’ll ensure that a company’s financial documents are accurate.

You’ll also prepare and process payroll and analyze and review budgets and expenditures. Preparing tax returns and financial reports will be a part of your regular duties.

Finally, you might be required to offer guidance on reducing company expenses.

Companies that hire accountants look for people who have:

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, or finance
• Attention to detail
• Strong organizational and communication skills
• Knowledge of database, spreadsheet, and accounting software

10. Recruiter

Average salary: $58,122

Recruiters are tasked with finding qualified employees. They’ll evaluate resumes and other application documents, complete screenings and assessments, and inform employers of the most suitable candidates for their open roles.

Some recruiters work in-house for a single employer, while others work on a contract basis. Either way, many recruiting responsibilities can be handled remotely.

Most recruiter job postings ask for the following:

• A bachelor’s degree in human resources or business administration
• Excellent communication skills
• Knowledge of applicant tracking systems

11. Medical writer

Average salary: $81,310

Medical writers turn technical details and reports into information that patients and regular people can use. They get into the data to find out what’s essential and paint a clear picture of what it can mean for someone providing care or seeking help.

Medical writers will need an understanding of the field they write about, but not as in-depth as a doctor or nurse practitioner. Instead, they’re focused on creating a baseline understanding. For advanced research, these writers will need skills to interview medical professionals and manage time demands.

Companies hiring medical writers often look for:

• Degree or background in a medical field
• Work history in a medical field or knowledge of key terms
• Writing expertise or research background
• Certifications from groups like the American Medical Writers Association

12. Psychologist

Average salary: $88,158

The pandemic pushed many jobs into remote work that we didn’t realize was possible. One significant example is the psychologist as a remote role.

Psychologists study human behavior and offer counseling to help individuals. This may include direct observation of patients to diagnose issues or working across an entire company’s workforce to spot trends like burnout and stress. You are part of their risk management approach to employee health.

You can open your own psychology practice or join many companies that hire them internally.

To get work as a psychologist, you’ll need:

• A master’s degree in psychology
• Relevant state or local license
• Skills in observing people and reporting behavior
• Patience and the ability to accommodate night and weekend schedules

13. Marketing analyst

Average salary: $60,609

Marketing analysts help companies see their products or services through the eyes of their customers.

When a company has a specific goal, such as increasing sales or moving to a new area, it can turn to a marketing analyst to help understand how to reach that goal. Analysts need critical thinking and familiarity with data tools to create multiple plans for success.

A marketing analyst also helps companies understand pricing strategies, changes in the market, and new trends in how people shop. To make that successful, companies look for people with:

• Experience with data reporting or business intelligence software
• A degree in business or marketing fields
• Good interpersonal skills to create relationships with clients and shoppers
• Strong communication skills for speaking with executives

14. Sales manager

Average salary: $70,073

We typically think of sales managers as people in a retail setting who are on the floor trying to make an individual sale. However, with flexible work and a growing tech industry, sales managers can now spend their days at home on the phone and computer, reaching out to potential customers.

As a manager, this role is responsible for the daily operations of sales associates. That can include training and support on calls, setting goals, reviewing opportunities, and creating sales programs. You’re essential to the remote company’s success, which comes with lucrative opportunities.

A degree is often optional in this line of work, though some may find it helpful. What companies and job postings often look for include:

• Highly skilled at individual sales
• Very personable with solid leadership skills
• Experience managing inventory and reporting software
• Strong communication skills
• Comfort with video, phone, and in-person sales techniques

15. Data scientist

Average salary: $99,842

Data scientists look at information to identify patterns and trends in the information that a company collects. You can see what their output looks like with Hubstaff’s research, including our report on how remote team members have fewer interruptions.

These scientists help companies use patterns and insights to make informed decisions through data analysis. Your work would include database management software and analytical tools, creating algorithms, setting forecasts, and even working with AI to look for more complex issues.

This role requires the most real-world career experience on our list due to the sensitive nature of data and the potential impact it has on companies.

Companies need data scientists who understand how to interpret data and validate results, so many job descriptions will require:

• Advanced degrees in computer science and data science
• Experience in data science, statistics, or applied mathematics
• Experience with Excel, PowerPoint, Tableau, SQL, and programming languages
• Strong collaboration skill
• Innovative approach to research and methodologies

Where can you find remote job opportunities?

You’re ready to dig up some remote jobs that pay well and that are also good matches for your interests and skills. Now you want to learn how to find remote jobs. How do you know where to look?

Here are some of the best platforms for finding remote jobs:

• Hubstaff Talent
• We Work Remotely
• FlexJobs
• Remote OK

It’s also possible to find great remote opportunities using some traditional job search platforms—like Indeed and Monster.

With remote being in high demand, you can also find great remote opportunities using traditional job search platforms—like Indeed and Monster. You’ll just need to filter your search by using keywords like “remote” or “work-from-home” and set your desired location to “flexible” or “remote.”

The future of work is here

Getting a high-paying remote job is no longer an exception — it’s now more of a rule for many top fields. More people are working flexibly than ever before, which means you have plenty of opportunities to score a tremendous remote job.

And if you had the good fortune to snag a dream job, let us know below. Be sure to include your tips on securing the highest-paying remote jobs in your industry.

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This post was originally published in October 2018. It was updated in May 2021.