The advent of the digital world has revolutionized the way we conduct many aspects of our daily lives, including our work, paving the way for some of the best paying virtual jobs. The typical workplace is no longer a tiny office where you have to show up between 9 and 5 every single day. While the traditional office cubicles will probably never go away completely, as there will always be a need for live collaboration and communication in certain fields, more and more people are now able to immerse themselves in virtual careers; jobs which they can easily perform from home or even from their favorite coffee shop, through the use of an internet-connected device.
Such positions hold great appeal for many people, as they often come with the perks of being able to set one’s own schedule to some extent, as well as the freedom to work in the environment one chooses (and away from nasty, nagging bosses). As such, we would like to present you with a list we have compiled of the best paying virtual jobs, based on statistics recently released by Forbes Magazine. The following careers are ranked according to their estimated annual and hourly earnings, figures which are based on wage estimates released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual yearly salaries for each of the following jobs may differ, according to the number of hours an individual chooses to work.
The top three best paid virtual professions all originate from the medical field: teleradiologists, telepharmacists, and telenurses. These professions, which are based on the use of Internet devices and telephones, provide medical professionals with the opportunity to offer health care services without actually having to see the patient in-person. For example, a teleradiologist will be able to examine patient images like CT scans or X-rays and transmit the information to wherever the patient and their primary care physician are located. The advent of such technology has not only enabled medical professionals to specialize in a new and rewarding field, but it has also aided patients who were in need of expert advice which could not be located in their immediate vicinity.
Writers have also made our countdown, with an estimated hourly rate of $30. However, we’re only talking about technical writers. These professionals are in charge of writing detailed reports or essays pertaining to academic, scientific, or technical topics. All they need in order to do their job? A laptop or a tablet and an internet connection, so as to communicate with their clients.
Curious to see which other professions have made it on the list of the best paying virtual jobs? Let’s take a look at the countdown and find out. And if you’re interested in such virtual work and the freedom that comes with it, we recommend you also check out our feature on The 5 Most Profitable Online Businesses You Can Start Today.
No. 10: Customer Service Representative
Estimated annual earnings: $30,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $15
No. 9: Medical Transcriptionist
Estimated annual earnings: $33,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $16
No. 8: Virtual Tax Preparer
Estimated annual earnings: $39,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $19
No. 7: Phone Sex Operator
Estimated annual earnings: $40,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $20
No. 6: Translator
Estimated annual earnings: $43,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $21
No. 5: Online Post-secondary Teacher
Estimated annual earnings: $62,000
Estimated hourly earnings: N/A
No. 4: Technical Writer
Estimated annual earnings: $63,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $30
No. 3: Telenurse
Estimated annual earnings: $65,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $31
No. 2: Telepharmacist
Estimated annual earnings: $112,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $54
No. 1: Teleradiologist
Estimated annual earnings: between $100,000 and $400,000
Estimated hourly earnings: $80
