Online Degrees for Work-from-Home Careers

By: Bailey Gerber & Jake Hreha

Over the past few years, the popularity of remote work has grown significantly. At first, jobs moved to a remote model out of necessity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent trends show an increase in work-from-home opportunities, even when going into the office is more feasible. Today, remote positions represent 15% of high-paying jobs, a number up from 4% before the pandemic.

The work from home job model is continuing to grow. With the development of technology, the ability to work remotely is more practical now than ever before. Remote workers can find high paying remote jobs that still incorporate many of the same practices as an in-office environment. Meetings can take place online, project management can be done through software, and deep work time can be an opportunity to work distraction free in your own space. Working remotely is a great opportunity for many people looking to take this new path.

Working remote isn't for everyone as it comes with challenges. One of the first difficult parts of remote work is finding work life balance. When work invades your home it can begin to become easy to blend home life and work life. This can lead to the feeling you are never leaving work. It's important for remote workers to set schedules for their work to make sure work life and home life don't get blended.

Another challenge of remote work is simply being alone. It can be helpful to have coworkers who can answer questions and you enjoy being around. For example, if you are working on complex data management projects or business administration tasks you might have a question for an employee. While business management software is helpful in work from home jobs it can also be nice to have casual conversations and discussions in the workplace.

If you think the remote model is a good fit for you, start by preparing yourself with a bachelor's degree that is likely to get you more work-from-home opportunities. The best degree for remote work is a degree that you find interesting and that leads to a job you can do from a computer. The number of college degrees that lead to opportunities for work from home jobs is growing. These five fields of study are some of the best when it comes to remote job options:

Information Technology

If you love computer programming and algorithms, information technology is the career for you. Common responsibilities are providing customer support, ensuring network security, and managing digital information. Companies often allow IT experts to work remotely or in a hybrid role because you can easily access technology from home.

To advance your career, consider pursuing a master’s degree to prepare for a leadership role. As you gain experience, you can also become an independent consultant and set your own hours with private clients.

Business

A degree in business prepares you for opportunities in a wide variety of industries, including banking, human resources, healthcare, and non-profit – just to name a few. It also sets you up to advance your education with a master's degree in business administration to increase your earning potential.

Hundreds of high-paying, nationally renowned companies post remote or hybrid jobs regularly, and that number will only increase as working from home grows more popular. To see an example of some of the careers you could pursue with your business degree, look at these Fortune 500 companies’ remote job postings.

Marketing

One common perk at marketing agencies is the ability to work in a remote or hybrid position. Many companies in the marketing industry pride themselves on forward-thinking, innovative policies – and working from home is the latest in that category. In fact, remote jobs in the marketing field have grown faster than remote jobs in other industries. Getting your bachelor’s degree in marketing is a great first step toward securing a remote position. To set yourself apart, you can also consider specializing in digital strategies. This will give you added experience in evolving technology, social media management, and digital branding and advertising tactics. A marketing degree might be the perfect fit for you.

Accounting

A bachelor’s degree in accounting will prepare you to be an accountant for a firm or for broader private, government, or non-profit organizations. Most of the work associated with being an accountant is clerical, which means it can be done entirely offsite as long as you have access to the information you need. In a rapidly evolving financial industry, remote opportunities for accountants will continue to grow.

Communication

A communication degree sets you up for a career in almost any industry, whether you want to pursue politics, journalism, business, or even ministry. Many of these jobs have work-from-home opportunities. This degree is an especially appealing route to a remote career because people who have invested in developing effective communication skills can easily adapt to new forms of communication – including those required for working from home.

Next Steps for Remote Jobs

If you are considering a future working remote these career paths could be a great fit for you. A few other options not listed are a computer science degree, creative writing degree, and a graphic design degree. All of these and more a great option for finding a high paying job and successful career working remotely.

Working from home is linked to higher productivity and improved performance in employees – and with the right preparation, you can set yourself up to reap these benefits. Best of all, the degrees listed above (along with many others) can be earned entirely online, too. If you want to go from a remote degree to a remote career, check out our online programs.

Bailey Gerber

Content Creator, IWU-National and Global

Bailey Gerber is a vocabulary geek and grammar enthusiast at IWU – National and Global, so she spends most of her time writing and reviewing webpages, video scripts, flyers, and – of course – blog articles. She loves all things involving words, and in her spare time you’ll find her buried in a book (probably with a cup of coffee in hand).

Jake Hreha

SEO Copywriter, IWU

Jake Hreha is a graduate of Ball State University, where he majored in advertising with a concentration in media presentation and design. He is passionate about design, and in his free time he enjoys cycling, traveling, and reading.