When you ask around about full time travel, digital nomad, and RV life jobs, there are a few that come up in every discussion: transcription, data entry, teaching, and customer service. These are great remote jobs that can be done from anywhere in the world… but these jobs aren’t for everyone. If you’re a digital nomad that needs a higher income, these are unlikely to meet your needs. This blog covers 5 of the best paying remote jobs that most people are surprised can be done easily from anywhere. These do require specific skills and education, but they are fantastic opportunities for full time travelers that have higher income needs.

5 best paying remote jobs that are in high demand:

1. Engineer

When you think of engineering, you might think of someone like Howard Wolowitz that works in person in an academic environment building useful components for government contracts. The truth is, many engineers work primarily on their computers. They can do their job 100% remotely, and several prefer this. As a remote engineer, you control your work environment and only have meetings when necessary. It allows you to do your best work while giving you the freedom to travel full time or just spend more time with family.

Here are some insights from an actual remote engineer to keep in mind if you go this route:

Remotely working as an engineer and project manager has its benefits but drawbacks as well. Just because a job is remote jobs does not mean it will also have the benefit of more flexibility in terms of core hours, but I can work non traditional hours when needed which is a huge benefit when I have young children at home. Also, it is nice to have the option to work from anywhere, whether that means your house, an AirBnb on vacation, or changing your permanent address without needing to change jobs. Teams and zoom meetings have saved me a great deal of time that I used to spend driving which allows for more productive time, but that also means it is more of a challenge to make connections both with coworkers and clients. It takes extra effort to maintain and build relationships. My day to day is not much different than it was when I worked in an office. But instead of meeting coworkers or clients for lunch, I get to sit down with my husband and kids in the middle of the day. It takes a great deal of discipline to work remotely and set boundaries to your work day in order to be successful and for that reason I don’t think I this for everyone.
Meghan Wilson, remote engineer & awesome overall person

2. Attorney & Legal Services

You may think virtual attorneys are a new concept spawned from the pandemic, but there are law firms out there that are fully remote and have been since the start of the firm. One of my freelance clients, Practus LLP, is an example of a fully virtual law firm that was designed to give all attorneys the freedom to travel full time. The founder of the firm initially tested out the concept years ago while practicing law in the US and living abroad in Argentina with his family!

Photo from the very first place that I worked with Practus – the middle of the forest in Payson, Arizona

3. Accountant

How often do you actually see your accountant in person? For most people, it’s once a year at most. Many accountants collect and share documentation virtually over secure doc sharing software. The accounting software itself has been fully digital for decades. In the rare event you do need to see clients in person (… likely during the dreaded week of April 15th), you can rent out an office sharing space to meet with clients while traveling the rest of the year. I know several accountants that travel to their clients, making it a great option for full time RV life!

4. Financial services (advisor and analyst)

Mike has worked in the financial services sector since we first met. His first role as a financial advisor was easily done remotely (which often is salary + commission, making it one of the best paying remote jobs). It gave him the freedom to visit me about every other week in law school (he was in California while I was in Texas). This freedom to travel made long distance much easier and more fun!

He is now on the corporate side as a financial analyst, and his job is completely on a computer. He has Teams meetings and lives in Excel, both things that can be done from anywhere. Mike’s boss even lives in Brazil! His remote position not only lets us continue this lifestyle, it also allows him to stay hyper focused, a huge benefit for his detailed-oriented job.

Working remotely has been the best thing in my life. I get to spend every second I’m not working with my best friend (my wife) and our two dogs. It has allowed us to travel the country and see places I never would have seen otherwise. It does take a great deal of discipline, but it’s 100% worth it.
Mike Palmer, remote financial analyst & fun-loving husband

Mike jumping for joy because he can work remotely in Mexico

5. Physician and Nursing

That’s right… there’s a huge demand right now for virtual physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel. With the boom of telehealth technology and appointments, you can now be a virtual doctor or nurse. While many practitioners enjoy seeing patients in person, there are several that would rather not (and can you blame after the last couple of years?). Some physicians take a consulting route and only take a few patients while others work with companies like K-Health to provide affordable telehealth appointments.

Becoming a digital nomad doesn’t necessarily mean working gig jobs and becoming a content creator overnight. You can use your skills and the career you built to give you the life you want – full of travel and memories that you’ve longed to create. The opportunities are out there, and now is the best time to take that leap. Check out our Job Search Resource Guide or our other remote income content for tips on where to look for these (and plenty of other) best paying remote jobs.