There are several factors that affect productivity and job satisfaction: the rate of pay, the nature of the work, and the demands of the job. These are the primary considerations why people decide to take the job being offered to them. But the workplace is also another factor that is taken into consideration. If the individual is comfortable with the place where he is supposed to do his work, he is bound to perform better.

And where else would a person feel most comfortable? Yes, at home. That is where he feels most at ease and relaxed, so it can also be said to be one of the places that are most conducive to working and productivity. But not all jobs can be done directly from home, right?

49 High-Paying Work-From-Home Jobs

© Shutterstock.com | Jacob Lund

Well, that’s how it used to be back in the day. Times are changing in the labor landscape, and careers can now flourish even from home. Surprisingly, many of these people who prefer to set up their offices at home even earn quite a substantial amount of money, probably even more than those who regularly travel to work.

In this guide, we explore 1) why work from home and 2) high-paying jobs you can perform from home.

WHY WORK FROM HOME?

Telecommuting is clearly the trend in the workforce today, with more and more workers able to work from home (or from anywhere, really) as long as they have access to the internet and a telephone. But what, exactly, are the advantages that an individual can have if he decides to work from home instead of looking for a job in a regular office?

More quality time with family

One of the biggest gripes against family men (and women) having their own careers is that they end up spending less time with family. They tend to become too busy and too caught up with work that they rarely see their children or spouses.

Working from home changes that, because they will be basically doing all the work in the same place where their family members are. It is easier to spend time with them, and even monitor them when they are doing their homework, or simply playing around in the yard.

Working from home is a great way to improve one’s work-life balance, because they have their personal lives and professional lives in very close proximity with each other. They are even in the same place!

Reduced travel time to and from work

Time is money, and any idle time spent travelling to and from home and work is already money wasted. There are many employees who complain about spending more than an hour on the ride or drive to work, so they have to get up extra early to prepare for work.

When they get home, it is already very late, and they are too tired to do anything else except go to sleep.

Greater flexibility

One of the greatest attractions of working from home is that you are your own boss. There is no one to tell you what to do and how to do them, because you make the decisions.

You call the shots. You decide your schedule and other work-related timings, and you can rearrange or fix your schedule with the most convenience.

Cost savings

Compare your expenses when you go to a regular office every day and when you work from home instead.

  • Transport costs. These include the fare (if you commute to and from work), toll, fuel (if you drive your own car to and from work), and vehicle maintenance. These will be greatly reduced if you work from home, because you’d be using your car less, maybe only for that trip to the supermarket or the grocery store.
  • Food or meals. When you are outside, you have no choice but to eat out at a restaurant or get takeaway. Even snacks to eat in between meals will cost you. At home, you can prepare your own meals, and you can even choose what you want to eat, instead of having to pick from a menu.
  • Wardrobe costs. Going to the office requires that you adhere to a certain dress code. You’d have to spend money on clothes and shoes, and other accessories that will make you look presentable and professional. You do not have to worry just as much if you work from home. You don’t have to go by a strict formal dress code, or impress anyone else with how dressed up and made up you are.
  • Utilities and other fixed expenses. If you have an office somewhere else, you’d have to pay for fixed expenses such as rent, telephone, electricity, water and overhead. You are looking at two separate sets of bills every month: one for the office and another for your home. The good thing about working from home is that you can split and share these expenses, and you’ll only have to pay for one set of bills.

But we have to be fair, and point out that working from home has its disadvantages, too.

Distractions

It may be hard to concentrate on your work if your pet is constantly sniffing around you. You may have a difficult time getting anything done if you are also busy keeping an eye on the kids playing in the yard. In the middle of a crucial task, you may suddenly remember that there is a pressing chore that you have to do. Some friends, neighbors, and relatives may even drop by unannounced for a spontaneous visit, and that means you have to set your work aside for a while.

There are a lot of distractions that you may contend with when you work from home. After all, it is not a place originally meant or designed for working.

Lack of competition

You are mostly by yourself at home, working. If you are naturally competitive, this may not be the most ideal environment for you. At the office, you’d probably be working really hard, if only to make sure that you turn in as much output as the others.

At home, there is no one to compete with, and nothing to motivate you into finishing a job quickly.

Plenty of opportunities to slack off

When you are feeling less motivated to do some work for the day, it is easy to find reasons to slack off and delay doing anything for the next few hours or so.

There is the bed; you can just take a nap. There is the pool; maybe you can take a dip for a bit, just to cool yourself off. Oh, and there is the kitchen. How about whipping something up and do some work after?

Melding of personal life and work

There is also the danger that your personal life and work may overlap. There won’t be any clear separation between the two, and this can be quite problematic, since it is bound to affect any major decisions you make.

It gets lonely

The kids are off to school. Your spouse is off to work. Except for your pets, there is no one else in the house with you. This can be quite lonely. It is also harder to form relationships with people other than family. There are no employees to chat or brainstorm with. If this persists, your network may become very limited, which won’t do your business and professional prospects any good in the long term.

But these should not be a problem. As Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer said, “when you love what you do, you’ll work like you mean it, no matter where you are”. It quickly becomes a question of whether you love and enjoy the job that you are doing. Whether it is done in a regular office, or from home, as long as it is something you find satisfaction in doing, the location of the workplace does not matter much.

Read this interesting vision of the future of work.

[slideshare id=45483056&doc=thefutureofworkfinaljanuarysm-150305120946-conversion-gate01&w=710&h=400]

 

HIGH-PAYING WORK-FROM-HOME JOBS

The pay is another incentive for people to decide to work remotely from home. Surprisingly, there are a lot of work-from-home jobs that allow you to earn at least USD 70,000 a year, and you don’t even have to work every day and all hours of the week to earn that much!

Freelance work these days offer the highest degree of flexibility, particularly in terms of where the work will be performed. That is why they are the first ones that come to mind when we speak of work-from-home jobs.

But freelance jobs are not the only ones that provide substantial pay. Here we will try to take a look at what these jobs are, as compiled from sources such as Payscale.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Maybe you can find one that is perfect for you.

#1. Supervisory Attorney

Pay: $150,000 annually

Senior attorneys, or those with substantial experience, reach a point where they are no longer keen on commuting to the office every work day. So they prefer to work from home except, however, for those times that they have to appear in court.

Telecommuting is how they choose to do their work, which is essentially to provide legal advice and even prepare complex depositions for clients, even without meeting with them in person.

#2. Document Review Attorney

Pay: $ 135,000 annual average

Yes, legal jobs may also be performed from home. Legal document review is something that many attorneys do in order to gain legal experience, and make money at the same time. It does not require commuting to and from work, which means it can be easily done from home. He is not required to appear in court or even meet with clients.

Instead, he sorts through a lot of documents and rates them depending on their relevance. A document review attorney often works for law firms, and is meant to provide assistance to lawyers who do not have time to wade through tons of documents.

#3. Software Engineer

Pay: $130,000 annual average

The primary task of a software engineer, which he can do from home, is to develop and run software programs, troubleshooting technical issues and debugging programs. Senior software engineers may also assemble their own team, mostly composed of other software engineers, from all over the globe, to provide their services.

Learn about what a software engineer is doing at Airbnb.

 

#4. Cloud Engineer

Pay: $127,000 annual average

Companies are starting to recognize the benefits of using cloud-based solutions, but they cannot afford personnel to take care of it full-time. Thus, they hire freelance cloud engineers, who will help them implement, maintain and troubleshoot these cloud-based solutions.

#5. Web Designer/Developer

Pay: $75,000 annual average

His task is to develop, create and code web pages for individuals and companies. They take care of the technical and graphical side of things. This may earn them up to $75,000 a year. However, they may stay on to perform maintenance.

#6. Senior Web Designer/Developer

Pay: $130,000 annual average

Highly experienced web designers continue on to become Senior Web Designers and Developers. Granted, this job has heavier and bigger responsibilities, not just the creation and coding aspect.

#7. Senior Medical Writer

Pay: $115,000 annual average

Healthcare companies and similar organizations source services of freelance medical writers, whose main tasks include reviewing medical information, and writing and editing medical-related documents. Of course, preference is given to those who are familiar with the medical field.

#8. Senior Technical Writer

Pay: $110,000 annual average

Technical writers are expected to produce high-quality documentation (often requiring substantial amount of research) on various topics required by the client. He has to create this documentation in accordance with applicable standards and guidelines. Examples of documentation produced are manuals, developer guides, and online help.

#9. Systems Engineer

Pay: $100,000 annual average

Senior systems engineers can easily perform their tasks without stepping out of their homes. They can design and work on software, hardware or network systems and be in charge of their day-to-day administration and upkeep.

They may also be tasked to oversee the planning, design and implementation of system engineering projects of the company they work for.Senior systems engineer can earn as much as $142,000.

#10. Financial Manager

Pay: $100,000 annual average

A financial manager working straight out of his home office to manage client accounts and helps them make decisions on matters such as budgets and spending.

When needed, they also prepare the relevant financial reports. They give advice on investment decisions and basically help the client manage his own finances.

#11. Audit Manager

Pay: $100,000 annual average

Audit managers are the ones who conduct financial and operational audits for their clients. As long as all the financial documents and source materials are available, audit may be performed at the audit manager’s home.

#12. Financial Analyst

Pay: $100,000 annual average

Mainly, a financial analyst assists with the preparation of periodic financial analysis schedules. The client provides him with the data on actual and budget spending reports, and he will come up with the analysis of the variances.

He is also the one tasked to provide detailed financial budgets and forecasts, and make recommendations based on the results of his analysis. An entry-level financial analyst can make $60,000 per year while the most senior position can fetch up to $150,000.

Interestingly there are even high paying jobs for which you don’t need a college degree. Crazy!

 

#13. Freelance Content Writer

Pay: Around $76,000 annually, full-time

Private companies, agencies, enterprises and other organizations that want to establish their online presence through their websites and blogs approach freelance writers to create original and well-written content for them. Content writers that charge by the hour are paid anywhere between $10 and $100 hourly.

#14. Freelance Editor or Copy Editor

Pay: Around $80,000 annually, full-time

All he needs is his exceptional editing, proofreading and communication skills (journalism skills are also an advantage), and he can focus on working on improving various editorial content. Companies hire editors primarily to review content for their publications and other written materials.

They mostly work from home and, just like content writers, are also often bound by tight deadlines that they must meet.

#15. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Specialist

Pay: Around $90,000 annually

This job offers a high level of flexibility. He is responsible for working on organic growth initiatives, analysis on critical head terms, keyword research and backlink analysis, all in the comfort of his own home.

#16. Graphics Designer

Pay: Around $90,000 annually

Artistic skills and an eye for detail can also be marketable skills that will earn you a substantial amount of money, even when you do it from work. Creative graphics designers are in demand in the creation of designs for product labels and various advertising materials, among others.

#17. Legal consultant

Pay: $100,000 annual average

Lawyers may also opt to provide legal advice on a contractual basis. Some charge by the hour, and those who are just starting out may charge around $70 per hour. Once they have established themselves and gained a good reputation as a legal consultant, however, they may start receiving, on average, $100,000 per year. Naturally, lawyers will get paid more.

Non-lawyers, but who are also considered to be experts in the legal field, like a paralegal, may also take on this job, but get paid less. On average, he may receive $60,000 annually.

#18. Business processes and operations consultant

Pay: Around $90,000 annually

Business consultants offer their services to companies and entrepreneurs, using their expertise in business processes, business operations, operations analysis and workflow, among others. They are called in to spot problems, and they may be required to go on site several times.

They will gather all the information they need, and do the rest at home. Whether the business consultant chooses to work part-time or full-time, he can provide his services through telecommuting.

#19. Animator

Pay: $86,000 annual average

Animators can set up shop in their own homes just with their computers and other tools. They are responsible for the creation of works such as cartoons and other similar media. Some opt to be affiliated with established companies, while others prefer to remain freelance as character animators.

#20. Tax Accountant

Pay: Around $85,000 seasonal (higher if retained on an advising capacity)

Although this job is seasonal (mainly during the tax season), tax accounting can make as much as $90,000. His primary task is to complete paperwork for taxes of organizations and individuals. The job can also be full-time if he provides audit assistance on tax-related issues.

#21. Financial Planner

Pay: $80,000 annual average

More and more people are now becoming conscious about managing their finances. They are no longer content with making the decisions themselves, so they seek the help of experts. Many work-from-home financial planners help individuals, groups and companies maximize their income, savings and investments.

In some instances, they also act as instructors, teaching people how to manage their own finances. The highest-paid financial planners can get as much as $120,000 per year.

#22. User Experience Designer

Pay: $72,000 annual average

Basically, a user experience designer is one who creates attractive and functional designs for end users. It could be for a product design or the design of a software application.

They take into consideration the needs and preferences of the users in making the designs, which means that, although they may work from home, they have to immerse themselves in the user experience, to understand what the users want. Established user experience designers may earn up to $112,000 annually.

Interested in what type of work a user experience designer typically does? Watch this video.

 

#23. Freelance Translator

Pay: $72,000 annual average

People who are fluent in foreign languages and highly skilled at translating can also use this ability as a source of income, especially if they prefer working from home. To guarantee higher pay, obtaining certifications would be beneficial.

In the United States, ATA-certified translators can make an average of $72,000 in a year, while non-certified translators can earn a little more than $50,000 annually.

#24. Mobile app/Software tester

Pay: $90,000 annual average

The job of a mobile app or software tester is to test the software or mobile application developed for professional or consumer use. He plays a vital role in the quality assurance and control of the software or app.

He will also create the documentation of the steps performed in the testing. Again, this is another job that can be easily done from home.

#25. Market Researcher

Pay: $90,000 annually

Instead of spending time performing market research, organizations outsource this task to expert market researchers, who will research all aspects on the market on their behalf. They are responsible for gathering data on the market, the competitors, and historical data on pricing, supply and demand.

They play a very important role in the preparation of various marketing plans, since they are also adept at tracking and analysis of marketing and sales trends. Their input aids in the decision-making processes of organizations, and the forecasts they prepare are tools that will be of use to decision-makers.

#26. Grant Writer

Pay: Up to $70,000 annually

A grant writer is one who is in charge of writing applications for grant money. His task is mostly on the identification, development, and writing of grant proposals.

Employers that look for a grant writer include universities, hospitals and other non-profit organizations seeking funding through grants.

#27. Voice Actor

Pay: At least $100 per job or per project

There are several companies that provide home-based voice over job opportunities. How it works is that the voice over actor can do or record his voiceovers at home, send them to the company, and then he gets paid for it! The basic tools are your voice, a great quality microphone, a working computer, and internet connection to use to send or submit the completed audio files.

This can be quite a lucrative job. On average, a voice actor gets paid around $100 for a 15-second recording and $250 for a 60-second recording. Those who get lucky and record an entire audiobook can earn as much as $3,000 for the entire project.

#28. Major Gifts Officer

Pay: $90,000 annually

What does a Major Gifts Officer do, exactly? He uses his sales skills and organizational skills to cultivate and solicit donors for large-sum donations. He may have to travel occasionally, but once he manages to establish himself in the right circles, he can do his work purely from home.

His other tasks include coordinating fund-raising programs and activities and oversee communication with existing donors and prospective donors.

#29. Medical Claims Processor

Pay: $85,000 annual average

Hospitals, health care facilities and other organizations in the health care industry find it a pain to go through paperwork on medical insurance. That is why they leave it in the hands of independent medical claims processors, also known as “coders”.

#30. Copywriter

Pay: $71,000 annual average

If you have superior writing skills, and you also have very good marketing skills and know-how, this work-from-home job is for you. From writing persuasive advertisements to providing creative content, your goal is to help drive sales.

Many companies hire copywriters on a contractual basis, hiring them per project, or every time they have a marketing or advertising campaign to launch.

#31. Information Technology (IT) Specialist

Pay: Around $70,000 annually

The IT specialist provides IT support and troubleshooting services to companies and entrepreneurs. Some travel may be required, but most of the time tasks can be accomplished through telecommuting.

#32. Public Relations Specialist

Pay: $70,000 annual average

PR specialists need not go to work at an office every day, because they are just as effective when working from home. Their task is to help promote the company, elevate public awareness of the brand or the client.

They mostly work with the media in all its various forms, and they can easily do that in their own home office.

So what does a PR specialist do all day long? Find out!

 

#33. Education Research Specialist

Pay: Around $70,000 annually

The main task of the research specialist is to provide support to teachers in redesigning coursework, as well as developing educational resources. Although some travel may be required, he can conduct most of his research from home.

#34. Full-time Bookkeeper

Pay: $70,000 annual average

It is not necessary for companies and entrepreneurs to pay the steep fees that Certified Public Accountants charge just so they can have someone to take charge of their books of accounts. A bookkeeper can do the job, and at a lower rate, too.

#35. Product Reviewer

Pay: $87,000 annual average

The highest-paid reviewers (those who do it full-time and managed to score a gig with the top-paying companies) may get paid up to $95,000 per year. Beginners, however, may have to start small, getting paid per review.

#36. Underwriter

Pay: $82,000 annually

Underwriters, on average, earn roughly $55,000 annually, but senior underwriters get close to $83,000. They are in charge of the analysis of businesses, data, loss experiences, loans and compliance of client companies. Most underwriters work in banks, but they may also take on contracts and freelance gigs

#37. Virtual Recruiter

Pay: $75,000 annually

Many companies, especially those without in-house human resource departments, outsource their recruitment processes to outside contractors. A recruiter’s job is to find qualified employees for the open position in the company that acquired his services. From home, they go through the different job boards and resume-posting websites.

#38. Property Manager

Pay:  $71,000 annually

Real estate investments also require some management, and a property manager does exactly that. He helps owners of investment properties, homeowners and other real estate owners make decisions on how to preserve the value of their real estate properties, and increase their value. And they can do all that in their homes.

#39. Travel Agent

Pay: $70,000 annually

At some point, a travel agent has to go out there and actually travel. However, many can pull it off even without stepping out of their doorway. Through telecommuting, he can make arrangements for transportation, accommodation, and travel dates. He can also draw up itineraries and coordinate with key partners easily even without meeting them in person.

#40. Telephone Nurse

Pay: At least $50,000 on a part-time basis

Registered nurses take on side jobs as “telephone nurses”, providing duties such as case management, treatment authorization and patient education over the phone with clients.

#41. Survey Taker

Pay: $1 to $50 per survey (depending on number and types of surveys taken)

A survey taker gets paid an average of $25 per survey taken and, if he takes at least 8 surveys per day, in a year, he’d be able to earn $73,000. The survey taker usually takes polls, shares his opinions, answer questions and write short reviews. All these can be done from home, while keeping an eye on the kids.

#42. Medical Transcriptionist

Pay: Around $17 per hour, depending on hours worked

Medical transcriptionists are usually paid by the hour. Those who do it full time are likely to earn around $70,000 annually. The main tasks are transferring or transcribing codes from doctor’s notes into a document or a database. Knowledge and familiarity with medical language and jargon is required.

#43. Virtual assistant

Pay: Around $16 to $30 per hour

A virtual assistant does what an office assistant does. Entrepreneurs, businesspeople and small businesses that do not have time to handle day to day tasks usually taken care of by a personal office assistant or secretary will hire a virtual assistant to do it for them.

Virtual assistants are usually assigned tasks such as email management, scheduling appointments, and organizing files. Full-time, annual salary may reach $65,000 to $70,000.

#44. Virtual tutor

Pay: At least $25 per hour, depending on number of hours worked, and the area of expertise

Tutors can now be found online for practically any field or area of expertise. For example, math teachers can have a side job of tutoring children over the internet.

#45. Corporate English Trainer

Pay: At least $25 per hour (depending on number of hours)

Native English speakers are sought after by non-English speaking clients working in companies and corporations in countries such as Japan and Korea.

These companies encourage their employees to learn English, so they seek online trainers they can have English conversation practice sessions with. Established English trainers or tutors for corporate clients can earn as much as $65,000 in a year.

#46. English tutors

Pay: At least $15 per hour (depending on number of hours)

Corporate clients are not the only ones who seek to learn how to speak English using online tools such as Skype and other internet video applications.

Students from countries such as Japan, Korea and France are the biggest clients of English tutors, who teach everything from grammar to conversational English. Of course, the primary skills that an English tutor must have are teaching and oral/verbal communication skills.

#47. Social Media Manager

Pay: Around $15 per hour, depending on the number of hours worked

This is a perfect job for people who are often at home and on the Internet. Companies may have their hands full, so they just hire the services of social media managers to administer their social media marketing and advertising.

Basically, what they do is develop a social media marketing plan for the client, manage the client’s social media accounts and take care of the branding, again, through the use of social media. This may even require the social media manager to create content.

#48. Tech Support Provider

Pay: Around $13.50 per hour, depending on number of hours worked and area of expertise

The job of a tech support provider is to assist in handling any technical issues that customers may have with a specific product. Manufacturers and sellers hire these tech support providers to field all calls looking for technical assistance.

Again, all that is needed is a telephone, internet connection, communication skills, and knowledge or familiarity of the tech support provider about the technical issues encountered.

#49. Customer Service Representative

Pay: At least $12 per hour, depending on number of hours worked

You have a working phone, a computer and internet connection, and you can work part-time or full-time as a customer service representative, without leaving the comfort of your own home.

Online stores, large companies and other organizations hire these representatives on an hourly basis, and their task is to provide assistance to customers on matters such as sizes, product inquiries, placing orders and resolving conflicts.

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