Would you like to get your job done without that long commute by car or mass transit? Do you want more flexibility to work around your kids’ crazy schedules? Do you want to be able to work during your most productive hours, be that early in the morning, at midday, or late at night? Then you’d probably be interested in learning more about high-paying work from home jobs. Although it goes by many names—telecommuting, telework, working remotely, working from home—more people want it, no matter what we call it, and more people are doing it. The percentage of people working offsite, at least part-time, grows each year. It continues to be a significant consideration when employees are considering taking or leaving jobs.

However, despite the fact that the majority want it, and so many types of jobs can be done from home these days, not everyone has that option. Although working from home used to be limited to jobs like freelance writing, data entry, and childcare, that’s no longer the case. Technology makes it possible for many types of jobs to be done remotely—including some you might not expect.

If you’d like to skip the commute on occasion, work free of the many distractions of the busy office environment, be able to get your run in mid-day rather than at the end of the day, or easily make it to the next parent-teacher conference, take a look at six of the surprising jobs that can be done from home and how you can get started in these careers.

High-Paying Work From Home Jobs in IT

Plenty of articles will discuss high-paying jobs from home; Entrepreneur Magazine lists 50 here. But these aren’t necessarily jobs with potential career advancement because they sometimes tend to be self-employment options. For that reason, you might have assumed that working from home was a pipe dream for you if you work in a corporate environment in a specialized IT-type job. However, that is no longer the case. A recent study found that multiple tech jobs can be done remotely while paying six-figure incomes. (Note that the salaries listed are those FlexJobs stated, but these are often higher.) These jobs include:

1. Data Architect, With a Median Salary of $101,000 per Year

Like the architects who design buildings, data architects “build” complex computer database systems. Data architects work as a team to ensure data is readily available and carefully maintained. Becoming a data architect usually requires a bachelor’s degree and experience in IT. Although certification is not required, it can help. Simplilearn offers a Data Architect Masters Program with seven courses, each building on the previous, to give you a solid foundation in data architecture.

2. Solutions Architect, With a Median Salary of $102,000 per Year

A solutions architect also “builds” but their job doesn’t necessarily revolve around data. Instead, they are in charge of bridging the gap between a business problem and a technical solution. This can be in any number of software domains, including a specific area like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure, or a broader category like cloud computing.

3. Software Architect, With a Median Salary of $105,000 per Year

A software architect defines and documents software solutions, making the “solutions” that the solutions architect designed become possible. As with a solutions architect, a software architect might need to know multiple types of software, and there is always something new on the horizon! Robotic process automation would be good software to master, for example.

4. Software Engineering Manager, With a Median Salary of $107,000 per Year

A software engineer applies engineering principles to develop software. A software engineering manager oversees the team to ensure goals and standards are met and provide leadership. You don’t have to take on a management role to work remotely in software engineering. However, if the manager works offsite, you probably can too. And the software you engineer can be of many types as well. Simplilearn offers a Software Engineer Masters Program that will teach you C, Java, MongoDB, Node.js, Angular, AWS and DevOps to prepare you for almost any software engineering role. Or you could also move into one of the newer software fields when you learn Masters in Artificial Intelligence.

5. Software Development Manager, With a Median Salary of $109,000 per Year

While the engineers “engineer” solutions, a software developer is responsible for the whole development process. As with the managing role above, you probably don’t have to take on a leadership role to work remotely in software development. Plus, you have several areas you can choose from, including Full Stack Web Developer and AWS Developer, to name only two.

Also, although it didn’t make the list of highest-paying jobs, a position after doing DevOps bootcamp is another in-demand and high-paying position that could be done remotely part-time!

6. Enterprise Architect, With a Median Salary of $116,000 per Year

An enterprise architect develops the long-term IT strategy in support of the business strategy. They create the roadmap that steers the organization based on standards for technology infrastructure, and they are responsible for ensuring that every part of the flow is defined and that processes run smoothly. Becoming an enterprise architect usually requires years of experience, but you can put your career on the fast track when you earn a TOGAF® certification. TOGAF®, which stands for The Open Group Architecture Framework, certification is recognized worldwide as vital for enterprise architects.

The Next Step Toward a High-Paying Remote Job? Convincing Your Boss

Now that you’ve learned more about some IT jobs that can be done remotely while paying high salaries, your next step is to convince your current or future boss that telecommuting is worth it to them. Some employers have reasons to be against remote work, although most of their reasons are unfounded or based on a lack of trust.

While we can’t help you address the lack of trust issue, we can offer you the following reasons you can put forward to make your case:

  • A two-year research study shows that telecommuters are far more productive, take fewer sick days, and stay with their employers longer than employees who work onsite full-time.
  • Offering flexible office hours and telecommuting helps with recruitment, especially when appealing to millennials and parents.  
  • Letting employees work from home at least part of the time dramatically reduces overhead costs for office space, utilities, supplies, and parking.
  • It’s good for the environment! Employees who telecommute don’t contribute to carbon emissions or traffic congestion.

Highest Paying Work From Home Jobs Without a Degree

We've got you covered if you’re looking for the highest-paying work-from-home jobs without a degree. At Simplilearn, we offer specialized training in a wide range of tech jobs that allow ambitious professionals to earn lucrative salaries without college degrees. Instead, our focused programs allow students to train exclusively in the industry they’re pursuing and earn certifications. 

While this article focuses on finding well-paid jobs working from home, there is one other consideration regarding the training aspects: much (if not all) of your training can be done at home and on your own time. Technology enables working remotely and learning remotely, with self-paced learning that can be fit in as needed to help maintain the work/life balance you want to achieve by working remotely. Simplilearn offers hundreds of courses that are available anywhere, at any time.

Earn Certification to Qualify for High-Paying Jobs From Home

We will always have offices and commutes, and experts say working remotely 100 percent of the time can be a challenge for many employees who end up feeling isolated as a result. However, part-time remote work is on the rise and makes our busy modern lives easier to live. If you’re not yet in a job that allows you to work off site while earning a six-figure income, the list above should help you find a new path.

Disclaimer: "TOGAF® is a registered trademark of The Open Group."

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