While everyone’s fighting for the “lucrative” remote jobs at Netflix and Google, smart job seekers are quietly landing $80,000+ roles in industries most people ignore.
You’re probably wasting time applying to those same trendy companies where 500 other candidates want the exact same position. Meanwhile, boring but high paying remote jobs sit unfilled because no one thinks insurance or compliance sounds exciting.
Here’s the truth: these unsexy industries offer better pay, job security, and faster hiring than any startup. In this guide, you’ll discover 9 specific work from home jobs that pay well, exact salary ranges, and which companies are actively hiring high paying remote jobs 2025.
Why Boring Remote Jobs Pay More (The Hidden Advantage)
You scroll through job boards and see the same thing. Marketing roles at trendy startups pay $50K. Data entry at insurance companies? $65K. What gives?
Here’s the truth: boring jobs often pay more because fewer people want them.
Less Competition Means More Money
While 500 people apply for that “exciting” social media role, only 50 apply for accounts payable positions. Companies know this. They pay more to attract good people to roles that others ignore.
The numbers prove it. Fun jobs like marketing coordinator get 15-20 applications per opening. Boring jobs like compliance specialist? Just 3-5 applications. Less competition means you have more power to ask for what you want.
Essential vs. Nice-to-Have
Boring jobs usually keep businesses running. Payroll, accounting, customer service, data management – companies can’t survive without these. But that cool brand ambassador role? Nice to have, but not essential.
When budgets get tight, essential functions stay funded. The average tenure for “exciting” roles is 18 months. For boring back-office jobs? 4.2 years. Companies invest more in roles where people stick around.
Recession-Proof Industries
Insurance, utilities, government, healthcare – these aren’t glamorous. But they’re stable. People always need electricity. They always need insurance. They always get sick.
During the 2008 recession, tech startups laid off thousands. Boring companies? They kept hiring. Utility companies actually grew their remote workforce by 23% during that period.
Better Benefits, Less Drama
Boring companies compete with benefits since they can’t offer “unlimited snacks” and ping pong tables. Better health insurance. More PTO. Actual work-life balance.
Plus, you avoid startup chaos. No pivoting every quarter. No “we’re like a family” pressure. Just steady work that pays well and lets you log off at 5 PM.
The salary premium for essential functions averages 15-25% above market rate. That boring accounts receivable job might be your ticket to financial freedom.
1. Insurance Underwriter – $75,000-$95,000
You decide if someone gets insurance and how much they pay. That’s an underwriter’s job in simple terms.
What You Actually Do
Your day starts with applications. Someone wants car insurance after three accidents. Do you approve it? At what rate? You look at their driving record, credit score, and claim history. Then you make the call.
You might review 15-20 applications daily. Each one tells a story. The small business owner who wants liability coverage. The homeowner in a flood zone. The teenager getting their first car policy.
Skills That Matter
You need good math skills but not calculus. Basic statistics help. More important? You can spot patterns and think logically. Does this applicant seem risky? Why?
Most companies want a bachelor’s degree. Any major works. Business, math, or economics give you an edge. But plenty of underwriters started in customer service and moved up.
Tools You’ll Use
Every company has underwriting software. Progressive uses their own system. State Farm has theirs. You’ll learn whatever your employer uses. Most systems pull credit reports, motor vehicle records, and claims data automatically.
You’ll also use Excel daily. Simple stuff – no complex formulas needed.
Companies Always Hiring
Progressive, State Farm, Allstate, and Geico hire remote underwriters constantly. Smaller regional companies do too. Liberty Mutual alone posts 50+ remote underwriter jobs monthly.
Career Growth
Start as a junior underwriter. Move to senior underwriter in 2-3 years. Then team lead or specialty underwriting (commercial lines pay more). Some become underwriting managers making $120K+.
Most companies pay for training and certifications. They want you to succeed because good underwriters make them money.
2. Compliance Officer – $70,000-$110,000
Companies break rules by accident all the time. Your job? Make sure they don’t.
You’re the company’s rule keeper. Banks have thousands of financial regulations. Healthcare companies must follow HIPAA. Environmental firms track pollution limits. You make sure everyone stays in line.
Your day might include reviewing new policies, training employees on regulations, or preparing reports for government agencies. When auditors show up, you’re their main contact.
Financial services pay the most. Banks, credit unions, and investment firms face heavy regulation. One mistake costs millions in fines. They’ll pay well to avoid that.
Healthcare compliance officers ensure patient data stays private and billing follows Medicare rules. Environmental compliance tracks emissions and waste disposal. All three industries hire remote compliance officers regularly.
Most employers want a bachelor’s degree. Business, law, or the industry you’re entering work best. But experience beats education here. Five years in banking? You can become a financial compliance officer without additional school.
Certifications help but aren’t required. The Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) for banking pays off. Healthcare has the Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC). These take 6-12 months to earn.
This job works great remotely. You review documents, attend virtual meetings, and write reports. Most compliance officers spend 70% of their time on computer-based tasks.
Start as a compliance analyst. Move to compliance officer in 2-3 years. Senior compliance managers earn $120K+. Chief compliance officers at large companies make $200K+.
Companies invest in compliance training because regulatory fines hurt more than salaries.
3. Technical Writer – $65,000-$85,000
You know how to explain things clearly. Companies will pay you well for that skill.
What You Actually Do
You turn complex information into simple instructions. Software companies need user guides for their apps. Manufacturing firms need assembly manuals for their products. Medical device companies need documentation for FDA approval.
Your typical day involves interviewing engineers, testing products, and writing step-by-step guides. You might create a manual for new accounting software or write safety procedures for factory equipment.
Industries That Pay Best
Software companies lead the pack. They launch new features constantly and need documentation fast. SaaS companies like Salesforce and HubSpot hire remote technical writers regularly.
Manufacturing comes second. Think John Deere, Caterpillar, or medical device makers. They need manuals for everything from tractors to heart monitors.
Building Your Portfolio
Start by rewriting terrible instructions you find online. Take a confusing software setup guide and make it better. Document a process at your current job. Create samples for 2-3 different industries.
GitHub welcomes contributions to open-source documentation. Volunteer to write or improve their guides. This gives you real portfolio pieces and connects you with potential employers.
Tools You Need
Learn MindTouch, Confluence, or GitBook. These are standard documentation platforms. Most companies train you on their specific tools, but knowing one helps you get hired.
Freelance vs. Full-Time
Freelance technical writers charge $50-$100 per hour. But income varies monthly. Full-time roles offer steady paychecks plus benefits.
Many technical writers start freelance to build experience, then move to full-time roles. Companies often hire their best freelancers as employees.
The work is always there. Every new product needs documentation.
4. Data Entry Specialist/Analyst – $45,000-$65,000
You think data entry means typing numbers all day for minimum wage. Think again.
What High-Level Data Entry Actually Involves
You’re not just copying information. You clean messy data, spot errors, and fix problems before they cause bigger issues. A hospital might have patient records from five different systems. You make sure everything matches and makes sense.
Data analysts in this range also create basic reports. You might track customer trends, monitor inventory levels, or prepare monthly financial summaries. It’s detective work with spreadsheets.
Specializations That Pay More
Medical data entry specialists earn the most. They work with patient records, insurance claims, and clinical trial data. One mistake affects someone’s health care, so companies pay extra for accuracy.
Financial data entry comes second. Banks need someone to process loan applications, investment records, and regulatory reports. These roles often require background checks but pay $55K-$65K.
Skills That Matter
Excel is essential. Know formulas, pivot tables, and data validation. SQL helps but isn’t required for entry-level roles. Many companies teach you their database systems.
Accuracy matters more than speed. A 99.5% accuracy rate is standard. Fast typing with lots of errors won’t cut it.
Quality Control Role
You often become the final check before data goes live. Marketing teams send you customer lists to clean. Accounting sends expense reports to verify. Your stamp of approval matters.
Getting Hired
Healthcare companies like UnitedHealth and Humana hire remote data specialists constantly. Banks like Chase and Wells Fargo do too. The work is steady because every business generates data that needs processing.
5. Bookkeeper/Accounting Clerk – $40,000-$60,000
Small business owners hate doing their books. You can solve that problem and get paid well for it.
What You Actually Do
You track money coming in and going out. Record sales, pay bills, reconcile bank accounts, and prepare basic financial reports. A restaurant owner hands you receipts and bank statements. You organize everything so they know if they made money last month.
You might work for one large company or manage books for several small businesses. Remote bookkeepers often handle 5-10 clients part-time.
Master QuickBooks First
QuickBooks runs 80% of small business accounting. Learn it inside and out. The free training takes about 20 hours. You can practice with sample companies they provide.
Xero and FreshBooks come second. These cloud-based systems let you work from anywhere. Many clients prefer them because they can see their numbers in real time.
Certification Pays Off
The QuickBooks ProAdvisor certification is free and takes two days. It puts you in their directory where clients find bookkeepers. Certified ProAdvisors earn 15-20% more than uncertified bookkeepers.
Seasonal Money Patterns
January through April are busy months. Everyone needs tax prep help. You might work 50-hour weeks but earn extra income. Summer slows down, then picks up again in fall when businesses prepare year-end reports.
Small Business vs. Big Companies
Small businesses pay $25-$50 per hour for freelance bookkeepers. You work directly with owners who make fast decisions. Large companies offer steady salaries but more bureaucracy.
Many successful bookkeepers start with one small client, do great work, then get referrals. Word spreads fast in small business communities.
6. Customer Success Manager – $60,000-$90,000
Your customers bought the software. Now they’re not using it. That’s expensive for everyone involved.
What You Actually Do
You make sure customers get value from the product they bought. A company spends $50,000 on project management software but their teams still use email. You step in, train their people, and show them better ways to work.
Your goal is simple: keep customers happy so they renew their contracts. You might manage 50-100 accounts, checking in monthly to solve problems before they become cancellation requests.
Why SaaS Companies Pay Well
Software companies live or die by renewals. Losing a $10,000 annual customer costs more than your monthly salary. That’s why they pay customer success managers well and give them good tools.
Companies like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoom hire remote customer success managers constantly. They know happy customers buy more products and refer new business.
Skills You Need
You don’t need technical skills, but you should learn the software you’re supporting. More important: you can talk to people, solve problems, and stay organized.
Many successful customer success managers come from sales, support, or account management backgrounds. The key is caring about helping people succeed.
What Success Looks Like
You’ll track customer health scores, usage rates, and renewal percentages. Good customer success managers keep 90%+ of their accounts and help them buy additional products.
Moving Up
Start as a customer success associate. Move to manager in 1-2 years. Senior customer success managers earn $100K+. Directors make $150K+.
The best part? Customers remember great service and follow you to new companies.
7. Grant Writer – $50,000-$75,000
Nonprofits need money to operate. But most can’t write grant proposals that actually win funding.
What You Actually Do
You write detailed proposals asking foundations and government agencies for money. A homeless shelter needs $200,000 for a new kitchen. You research which foundations fund housing projects, then write a compelling case for why they should give money to your client.
Each proposal tells a story with numbers. How many people will this project help? What’s the budget breakdown? How will they measure success? You might spend two weeks on one $50,000 proposal.
Research Skills Matter Most
Writing is important, but finding the right funders makes or breaks your success. The Foundation Directory Online lists thousands of grant opportunities. You learn to match client needs with funder interests.
A foundation that supports education won’t fund an animal shelter. But they might fund an after-school program that teaches kids about animal care.
Your Win Rate Determines Your Pay
New grant writers win 10-15% of proposals. Experienced writers win 30-40%. That difference affects how much clients pay you.
Successful grant writers charge $75-$125 per hour or take 5-10% of awarded grants. Win a $100,000 grant and earn $5,000-$10,000.
Specializing Pays More
Healthcare grants are complex but well-funded. Environmental projects get foundation attention. Arts grants require different skills than social service grants.
Pick one area and become the expert. Clients will pay more for someone who knows their field.
Building Your Client Base
Start with small local nonprofits. They need help but can’t afford big agencies. Do great work, and they’ll refer you to other organizations.
8. Virtual Assistant (Specialized) – $35,000-$55,000
Basic virtual assistants answer emails for $15 per hour. Specialized VAs run executive calendars for $40 per hour.
Beyond Basic Admin Work
You’re not just scheduling appointments. Executive VAs manage C-level calendars, prepare board meeting materials, and handle confidential projects. You might coordinate a CEO’s travel across three time zones or research potential acquisition targets.
Real estate VAs know MLS systems, create listing presentations, and follow up with leads. Legal VAs understand court filing deadlines and client intake procedures. Medical VAs handle patient scheduling and insurance verification.
Industry Specializations That Pay More
Real estate agents pay well because time equals money. A $50/hour VA who generates one extra listing per month pays for themselves. You learn real estate software, market analysis, and lead management systems.
Legal VAs earn $30-$45 per hour. You handle case management, client communication, and document preparation. Many law firms prefer VAs who understand legal terminology and deadlines.
Medical practices need VAs who know HIPAA rules and medical billing codes. These roles pay $25-$35 per hour but offer steady work.
Premium Services Command Premium Rates
Offer project management, not just task completion. Take a CEO’s idea and turn it into a complete action plan. Research competitors, create timelines, and manage vendor relationships.
Social media management for executives pays well. You’re not just posting – you’re protecting their reputation and building their personal brand.
Keeping Clients Long-Term
Great VAs become essential. You know their preferences, handle crises, and anticipate needs. Long-term clients refer you to their network, creating a waiting list for your services.
Some VAs scale into agencies, hiring other specialists and keeping management fees.
9. Quality Assurance Tester – $50,000-$70,000
You break things for a living. Companies pay you well to find problems before customers do.
What You Actually Do
You test software and websites to find bugs. A banking app crashes when users transfer money? You find that before it goes live. An e-commerce site won’t accept credit cards on mobile? You catch it during testing.
Your day involves following test scripts, trying to break features, and documenting every problem you find. You might test a new login system 50 different ways to make sure it works perfectly.
Manual vs. Automated Testing
Manual testing means you click through websites and apps like a regular user. You don’t need coding skills, just attention to detail and good problem-solving abilities.
Automated testing pays more but requires basic programming knowledge. You write scripts that test software automatically. It’s faster for repetitive tests but manual testing catches user experience problems that scripts miss.
Gaming Industry Gold Mine
Video game companies hire remote QA testers constantly. You play games before release, looking for glitches, balance issues, and crashes. Gaming QA starts at $45K but senior positions reach $80K+.
Companies like EA, Activision, and indie studios need fresh eyes on their games. Remote work is common since you just need the game and testing tools.
Skills That Matter
Strong communication matters most. You write detailed bug reports that developers can understand and fix. Learn basic SQL for database testing. Jira and TestRail are common bug tracking tools.
Moving Up
Start as a QA tester. Move to senior tester in 2-3 years. QA leads and managers earn $80K-$120K. Some become product managers or move into development.
How to Land These Boring But Profitable Jobs
You want one of these stable, well-paying remote jobs. But where do you actually find them? And how do you beat other candidates?
Start With the Right Job Boards
Skip Indeed and LinkedIn for now. These boring companies post on specialized sites where fewer people look. Flex Jobs focuses on remote work and screens for legitimate companies. Remote.co lists quality remote positions. Angel List has tons of insurance and fintech companies.
Government contractor sites like Clearance Jobs post compliance and technical writing roles. Industry-specific boards work best – Health care Job Site for medical roles, e Financial Careers for financial compliance.
Optimize Your Resume for Boring Work
These companies want reliability, not creativity. Use a simple, clean format. Lead with years of experience and specific software skills. “5 years Excel experience, QuickBooks certified” beats “dynamic problem-solver with passion for numbers.”
Include keywords from job posts. If they want “attention to detail,” use that exact phrase. Applicant tracking systems scan for specific terms before humans see your resume.
Prepare for Different Interview Questions
They won’t ask about your passion for insurance underwriting. Instead, expect questions about handling repetitive work, managing deadlines, and working independently.
Practice explaining how you stay motivated during routine tasks. Share examples of catching errors or improving processes. These companies value steady performers over superstars.
Build Skills Fast
Most boring jobs need specific software knowledge. Take free QuickBooks training for bookkeeping roles. Learn basic SQL for data entry positions. Get Google Analytics certified for digital marketing support roles.
Coursera and edX offer certificates in compliance, project management, and technical writing. These take 2-8 weeks and cost under $100.
Network in Unsexy Industries
Join LinkedIn groups for compliance officers, technical writers, or bookkeepers. Comment thoughtfully on posts. Many jobs come from referrals, and these communities are smaller and more helpful than general business groups.
Local chamber of commerce events connect you with small business owners who need bookkeepers and virtual assistants.
Apply Strategically
These always hiring remote jobs get fewer applications, but timing still matters. Apply within 48 hours of posting. Monday through Wednesday applications get more attention.
Follow up after one week. These companies move slowly but appreciate persistence. A simple “still interested” email often moves you to the top of the pile.
The key is showing up consistently and proving you can handle the work without drama.
Conclusion:
These nine boring but high paying remote jobs offer real paths to financial security. Insurance underwriters earn $75,000-$95,000. Compliance officers make $70,000-$110,000. Technical writers bring in $65,000-$85,000. Customer success managers earn $60,000-$90,000.
Even entry-level roles pay well. Data entry specialists make $45,000-$65,000. Bookkeepers earn $40,000-$60,000. Grant writers bring in $50,000-$75,000. Quality assurance testers make $50,000-$70,000. Specialized virtual assistants earn $35,000-$55,000.
The best part? These companies hire constantly because few people want these jobs. Less competition means better pay and faster hiring.
Stop chasing flashy startups that pay less and offer no stability. Boring companies pay their bills on time, offer real benefits, and won’t lay you off when trends change.
Pick one job category that matches your skills and start applying today. Check the specialized job boards we mentioned. Build the skills you need. Apply within 48 hours of job postings.
Your future self will thank you for choosing boring but high paying remote jobs over exciting ones that barely cover rent.
