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Can you drive exceptional results? Demonstrate jaw-dropping business outcomes? Solve problems tangibly? To advance your career and earn $100,000 or more in 2025, this is all that really matters.
If you have a strong portfolio, the unique ability to market yourself effectively, and of course, the right skill set, companies will pay top dollar to have you work for them (whether you’re working in an employee capacity or as a freelancer). Some may even be willing to adapt their policies to allow you to work remotely or according to your terms because you’re in such high demand.
Having this combination of ingredients–a portfolio, in-demand skills, and knowing how to position yourself in the job market–makes you an irresistible candidate who employers would compete over because you’re hard to find, especially with the growing issue of the talent and skills gap.
Employers are not only prioritizing outcomes over credentials because of the skills gap, but they’ve been encouraged to do so by the U.S. Department of Labor, who released a skills-first hiring handbook in November 2024 that promotes this practice in lieu of making hiring and recruitment activity degree-based.
That being said, there are still roles where you need a degree to be successful and to be able to demonstrate strong expertise, such as nursing, being a doctor, or practicing law.
What Remote Jobs Pay $100,000+ Without A Degree?
That being said, the below five roles are becoming increasingly popular, not only for their lucrative salaries but also because you don’t necessarily need a degree to pursue them. Additionally, the industries they represent are some of the most popular for remote jobs (information technology and marketing), according to the World Economic Forum’s 2024 report.
1. Remote Freelance Digital Marketing Manager
- Average pay: $87,719, while top earners bring in as much as $122,000
- Helpful certifications: AMA (American Marketing Association) marketing certifications; Google Career Certificate in Digital Marketing and E-commerce
2. Remote Tech (SaaS) Sales Representative
- Average pay: $81,617, with top earners reaching $136,500
- Helpful certifications: Salesforce Trailhead Sales Representative certification, Salesforce Sales Development Representative via Coursera
3. Remote Software QA Tester
- Average pay: $89,334, with top earners making up to $130,000
- Helpful certifications: Coursera recommends, “For beginner QA testers (little to no experience with coding or testing): Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate, Continuous Delivery & DevOps by the University of Virginia, and The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) offers several related certifications, including Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL), Test Analyst, Test Manager, AI Testing, Game Testing, Agile Tester, Strategic Test Management, and more.”
4. Remote UX/UI Designer
- Average pay: $106,224, top earners bring home $152,000
- Helpful certifications: Google UX Design Certificate, Nielsen Norman Group UX Certification (this is a pricier option and may have in-person elements to the training)
5. Remote Project Manager
Average pay: $145,690, with top earners making as much as $179,229
Helpful certifications: Google Project Management Professional Certificate, PMI (Project Management Institute)’s PMP certification, and Microsoft Project Management Professional Certificate via Coursera
And don’t forget, even with the high salaries here represented, you still have potential to make more as you add to your training and gain more specialized skills. For example, as a project manager, you could climb the ladder to becoming a project director and earning as much as $214,612, according to Salary.com. You are ultimately the one who determines how far you want to go in your career and how much money you’re able to make; your degree (or lack of it) doesn’t determine this.
Tech and marketing are two of the most popular industries for high-paying remote jobs
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FAQs
Where do I find remote jobs?
Check out this list of companies hiring fully remote jobs in 2025. Additionally, use remote and flexible job boards like FlexJobs, We Work Remotely, and Remote.co.
Can I do these remote jobs part-time?
Absolutely! One of the easiest ways to work part-time while also building experience and credibility is to gain a certification and start working remotely as a side hustle or as a freelancer first. This enables you to control the hours you work and limits your workload to fit around your lifestyle.