Top paying remote jobs and how to land one
Working remotely is a chore for some, a luxury for others. It largely depends on the kind of job you have and whether or not you are making at or above the market rate for the work while operating from home. Some remote labour markets are highly saturated and are characterized by race to the bottom prices and undercutting that, depending on where you live, makes it almost not worthwhile to pursue. Others, if you have in-demand high-value skills, allow you to earn as good a living as you could working from a physical office space while never having to leave your home.
Below are the top-paying remote jobs and how to land one.
Remote project manager
Project management skills are in high demand across industries because they teach students the kind of holistic, strategic thinking that adds value regardless of the industry or business segment. If you have a modern project management education, which focuses on both traditional project management as well as digital transformation and enterprise-level data analysis, you could be earning anywhere from $60,000 to $120,000 dollars per year, all while working remotely.
To become a project manager, you first need to get your PMP certification, which involves both a test and, depending on your level of post-secondary and relevant work experience, many hours of fieldwork.
Remote video editor
If you have video editing experience and skills, you can easily ply your trade from home and make a comfortable living while doing it. Video editor salaries range from $33,000 to around $100,000, which is quite a spectrum, but if you have the skills and the portfolio of work to back it up, you could land yourself a well-paid gig that lets you do what you love while working from home.
Keep in mind that video editors are often hired for piecemeal work. While there are always opportunities to work as an in-house editor, making a success of this line of work is usually a hustle and involves networking and constant pitching and solicitation. If you’re good, you’re good, however, and people will want to work with you.
Remote software developer
This is one of those industries where there are many people willing to accept under-market rates to do the work, but where there are also big opportunities for people with strong skills and, importantly, an impressive portfolio of successful projects to their name. Remote software developers can earn anywhere from $84,500 to $150,000 per year, depending on their niche, the employer and their experience. You often need to wade through lowball offers from people trying to get the cheapest labour possible before finding something worthwhile, but it is entirely doable.
Remote software developers can work on their own or as part of a team, for small startups trying to put together a mobile application, or for large companies looking to bring on people with specialized skills and experience for one-off contract work. If you make a name for yourself in one place, especially if you secure work at a large organization, there is a good chance you will be able to survive off the word-of-mouth referrals alone.
Remote clinical psychologist
The demand for remote clinical psychology work has gone up dramatically during the pandemic, and for good reason. People feeling overwhelmed and burned out are looking for professionals to talk to and the demand far exceeds the supply. Video calls with psychologists, despite being less expensive than visiting someone in a private practice, are not cheap. A remote clinical psychologist can expect to make at least $90,000 per year, and that is at the lower end of the spectrum.
These jobs require a significant amount of education and the corresponding credentials to do, but for any psychology professionals that have either seen their practice suffer because of the pandemic or who are looking to transition to a remote practice, this kind of counselling pays well and offers flexible hours.
Remote web developer
Remote web developers make around $85,000 per year in the United States, which works out to around 40 dollars an hour. Web designers frequently charge anywhere from 500 to 5000 dollars per job, based on the number pages and the complexity of the project.
This is another one of those niches where there is a dismaying number of people offering their services and trying to undercut one another, but if you have a quality portfolio to your name, it is an in-demand skill and there is no reason why you can’t make a good living providing it.
Conclusion
Remote work is here to stay. Whether you are already gainfully employed or looking to find a remote job, the chances that you will be working in a physical office again any time soon are not very high right now. You may find something offering a hybrid arrangement where you work from home and on-site, but remote work is the future. If you are trying to maximize your salary as a remote employee, keep the above industries and positions in mind and earn a living wage while working from the comfort of home.
