Telecommuting Jobs That Pay

Check out these great-paying jobs that let you kiss traffic and rush hour goodbye! Tired of dealing with traffic and rush hour commutes? It might be time to look into jobs that let you telecommute.

According to the U.S. Telecommuting Forecast, 2009 to 2016, published by Forrester Research, more than 34 million workers in the U.S. telecommuted in 2009. Fueled by broadband adoption, better collaboration tools, and growing management experience, the US telecommuting ranks will swell to 63 million by 2016. Those 29 million new telecommuters lined up five abreast would stretch from New York to LA!

Leading the surge are occasional telecommuters and regular telecommuters who work from home between one and four days a week. Regular telecommuters (one to four days a week) will grow to 21.1 million adults. Regular telecommuters, numbering 12.0 million or 5.4% of US adults today, might be working part time but permanently from home or might be splitting their time between home, office, and the road.

Regular telecommuters will grow by 9.1 million adults by 2016. The impact of this expanding remote workforce is far-reaching: It will force firms to expand their digital footprints, harness new social software, crisply define their culture, and examine their real estate and energy policies.

Darwin Regehr, a product manager working for the airline industry in Alexandria, Virginia, telecommutes one day a week. Besides saving money on gas, telecommuting allows him to spend more time with his family. "I find that it works out well with our hectic lives. Since my commute each way is usually 45 minutes, I gain an hour and a half of my life back," he says.

• Full-time telecommuters are the most likely to be married and own a smartphone. This smallest group of telecommuters has some other defining characteristics: Compared with other telecommuter groups, full-timers are more likely to send an instant message at least weekly (33%), maintain a page on a social network (14%), and read blogs (15%).
• Regular telecommuters are most likely to be female and own their home. Half of regular telecommuters are women (higher than the 46% of full-time and occasional telecommuters that are women). And 82% of this group own their home. Otherwise, this group looks much like occasional telecommuters. For example, both groups are equally likely (54%) to bring a laptop home from work.
• Occasional telecommuters are the most affluent and educated. Almost two in three people in this group has a college degree or higher. And 61% have household incomes greater than $70,000, five percentage points higher than the other telecommuting groups. Occasional telecommuters are more likely to have all or some of their mobile phone bill covered by their employer (39%).

Want to join the ranks of telecommuting workers? Check out these jobs that pay $50,000 and up.

Accountant

Accountants work with the financial data of organizations and individuals. Their work covers a wide range of tasks, including preparing data for taxes and making sure a company's money is being used efficiently. Today's accountants work primarily on the computer to track and analyze data and can even access clients' data remotely when necessary. Most positions require a bachelor's degree in accounting, although some entry-level positions are available with an associate's degree. The average annual salary for accountants is $59,430.

Database Administrator

Database administrators work with electronic data and the systems used to store it. They test and design systems as well as work with a company and its employees to make sure they know how to create, access, and use the information the company owns. Most company's systems can be accessed remotely, so with a high-speed internet connection at home, you can sign in to work. You'll be able to update programs, work with data, and communicate with co-workers from wherever you are. A bachelor's degree in database technology, computer science, or information science will prepare you for most jobs. Some entry-level jobs are available with an associate's degree. Database administrators have an impressive average annual salary of $69,740.

Public Relations Specialist

PR specialists help their clients project a positive public image for their clients, keeping them in touch with their customers and the general public. Much of the public relations specialist's job - like writing press releases and arranging interviews - can be done from anywhere that has an internet connection. Earn your bachelor's degree in public relations, marketing, or communications. Salaried public relations specialists have an average annual salary of $51,280.

Web Designer

Are you both artist and scientist? A career as a web designer might be for you. Web designers come up with the style and formatting for websites, then do the behind-the-scenes work to put the sites together and make them work. Much of the work can be done from home with a computer and web design software. Even meetings with coworkers and clients can be done via phone, instant message, or video chat. Email and remote network access program sites allow designers to work with files and upload the necessary data to their company's sites. Most jobs require a bachelor's degree. Consider majoring in information technology or graphic design. Salary.com states that the average salary for web designers is $50,632.

Paralegal

Paralegals assist attorneys with legal matters by conducting research, writing papers, preparing cases for trial, and interviewing clients. So much of the modern paralegal's job is done on the computer. With access to the necessary networks and databases, it's often easy to work from home. Web conferencing allows coworkers and clients to stay in touch, face-to-face, when necessary. Get an associate's degree in paralegal studies or complete a certificate program. Although not always required, getting certified by one of several national organizations can make you a more attractive job candidate. According to a survey by Paralegal Today, those working for corporate employers had an average salary of $61,764; paralegals employed by law firms had an average of $51,686; and government paralegals had an average salary of $51,028.

Computer Programmer

These professionals design, test, and develop software and write the programs that make all the computers in our lives, including our laptops and cell phones, run. Computer programming work is done almost exclusively in front of a computer. With a simple internet connection, and perhaps specialized programming software, you can be programming at home in no time. Most positions require a bachelor's degree in a field such as computer science or information systems. Computer programmers have an average annual salary of $69,620.

Source: Yahoo, 4/26/10