Work-from-home jobs have become increasingly popular, even as social distancing restrictions ease. It’s no wonder why — remote work offers flexibility, a better work-life balance, and improved productivity, all without a stressful commute.
It’s not just employees who benefit from remote work. Employers have a lot to gain, too. Organizations that offer remote work opportunities get a whopping 300 times more applicants than those who post in-office opportunities. There are cost savings, too — the average organization saves $11,000/year for every employee who works from home at least half the time.
An estimated 68% of Americans prefer remote work, and thanks to technological advancements, it’s never been easier to work from home. Experts predict that 36.2 million Americans will work remotely by 2025.
If you’re ready to ditch the commute and trade in your business suit for comfy sweatpants, you’re in the right place. Read on for a listing of the best remote jobs in 2022.
Data Scientist
Organizations today have access to a large amount of data about their customers, products, market trends, and more. Data scientists gather, analyze, process and model large sets of data. They interpret the results from their findings, make sense of all the information gleaned from the data, and create actionable plans organizations can take based on their findings.
The work data scientists do helps organizations find solutions to their challenges and successfully meet their goals.
Most data scientists have a background in mathematics, statistics and/or computer science. If you’re detailed oriented, enjoy statistics and have a knack for identifying trends, this may be the career for you.
Growth rate: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that data scientist job openings will increase by 28% through 2026. That’s nearly 11.5 million job openings in the field.
Average annual salary: $114,000
Graphic Designer
From billboards to product labels to online ads, the work of graphic designers can be found virtually everywhere. Businesses of all sizes in nearly every industry have a need for designs — such as logos, infographics, websites and advertisements — to promote their product or service and inspire and inform their audience. Because most designers use computer software to perform their work, this is a job well suited for working from home.
If you’re creative, imaginative and have an eye for what looks good, this may be the career for you. Many graphic designers work as freelancers and find their work on websites like Upwork, but graphic designers can also find work through creative agencies and in-house positions for organizations that require visuals for their ongoing projects.
Growth rate: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3% growth, but others estimate that graphic designers with user experience (UX) know-how will see an 18% growth rate in job openings through 2025.
Average annual salary: $59,769 for graphic designer and $96,124 for UX designers.
Virtual Assistant
Virtual assistants provide remote assistance to small business owners, busy professionals, real estate agents, and organizations big and small. The duties of a virtual assistant are varied and may include interacting with clients or customers, performing clerical duties (e.g., organizing documents, scheduling meetings, sending invoices) and email marketing.
Some virtual assistants manage their employers’ social media accounts and provide editing services, too. Most virtual assistant roles are part-time work from home jobs, but some do work full-time or on a contract (freelance) basis.
Who is it for: If you’re a jack of all (online) trades, are highly organized and have skills in social media management, editing, research, writing, data entry and administrative work, this job may be an excellent option for you.
Growth rate: An estimated 4.5% growth rate by 2025.
Average annual salary: $63,120
Product Manager
A product manager is responsible for the success of a company’s product or product line. Product managers wear many hats — they gather and analyze customer and product requirements, define and communicate the product vision and work closely with engineers and marketing to successfully deliver these products to the market.
Product managers are closely involved with a product throughout its lifecycle: these professionals identify customer needs, monitor market trends, do competitor analyses, and articulate what “success” will look like for a particular product to team members and stakeholders. Then, they turn this vision into a reality by making strategic decisions that help the product reach the right consumers.
Who is it for: If you’re a “big picture” thinker and get excited about building and introducing new products that people will love, this job is for you.
Growth rate: 24%
Average annual salary: $91,276
Content Writer
Content writers create digital and print content that provides accurate, easy-to-understand information on an organization’s products and services. Everything from web content, blog posts, advertisements, and video scripts falls under the “content writer” job description.
In addition to writing, research is a big part of this job — content writers need to have knowledge about the topic they’re writing about in order to provide information that accurately reflects what the organization is trying to convey. Many content writers work as freelancers, but some organizations do hire in-house. Because writing and researching are generally solo activities, this is the perfect role for online work from home.
Who is it for: If you have strong writing skills and are adept at research, this job may be for you.
Growth rate: 8% per year
Average annual salary: $64,587 — this varies widely, depending on your niche. Medical writers, for example, will typically make more than parenting content writers.
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers are responsible for increasing brand awareness and an organization’s market share by retaining existing customers and attracting new ones. They do this by developing, implementing and executing strategic marketing plans for an organization and/or specific product.
Essentially, marketing managers analyze industry trends to craft strategic plans to help their organization meet its goals. They liaise with communications, sales, IT, management and other professionals within an organization to develop and implement their plans.
Who is it for: If you are both creative and analytical and an effective communicator, a marketing manager role may be the perfect role for you.
Growth rate: 10% between 2020-2030
Average annual salary: $142,170
Data Entry Clerk
Data entry clerks use computers and data processing programs to both gather and enter data into an organization’s database. Verifying data, monitoring and updating existing data and retrieving data for team members are also part of the job responsibilities. Some data entry clerks also transcribe meetings from meeting notes and phone calls.
Who is it for: If you’re highly organized, have eye for detail and typist skills, this job may be a good fit for you. Many data entry clerk jobs are entry-level and provide training, but basic knowledge of computers and data entry software programs can be helpful.
Growth rate: 3% between 2016-2026
Average annual salary: $39,425
Translator
Translators take audio or written information from one language and translate it into another. Hospitals, organizations of all sizes, courtrooms and schools hire translators on an as-needed and full-time basis, depending on the demand.
In our increasingly connected world, translators who work from home are in high demand as organizations aim to reach customers from around the globe. Some organizations even hire translators to translate speech in virtual meetings when participants live in different countries or speak a different language.
Who is it for: If you speak two (or more!) languages, are an excellent listener, have some cultural understanding and are highly organized, an online translation job may be up your alley.
Growth rate: 24% between 2020-2030
Average annual salary: $53,090
