Here are 15 high-paying, low-stress remote jobs for 2025

With many companies requiring employees to return to the office, consumers may be wondering if the era of remote work is over. 

A new report from MyPerfectResume is highlighting the top 15 high-paying, low-stress remote jobs consumers can apply for this year. 

“While finding a remote job right now remains competitive, there are still ample opportunities for remote work across a wide range of industries and career fields,” career expert Toni Frana told ConsumerAffairs. 

“In fact, even though there have been many companies requiring employees to return to the office to work in-person, many companies still prioritize remote work schedules.”

How was the list curated? 

After analyzing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET, which creates stress tolerance scores from 0-100 – with higher scores being more stressful and lower scores being less stressful, career experts at MyPerfectResume came up with a list of the top 15 high-paying, low-stress remote jobs. 

Some of the criteria that went into the final selection, included: 

• A stress tolerance rating of 60 or below according to O*NET. 

• A median annual salary of $48,060 or higher – the 2022 U.S. median salary.

• Verification that the job can be performed remotely based on industry standards and job descriptions.

• Occupations with positive growth projections.

• Broad or vague job categories were excluded. 

What are the top jobs?

Based on the analysis, here’s the full list of the top 15 highest-paying, lowest-stress remote jobs: 

1. Astronomer

   1. Median annual salary: $149,530

   2. Stress rating: 59

   3. Job growth (2023–2033): 7%

2. Bioinformation Scientist

   1. Median annual salary: $145,080

   2. Stress rating: 56

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 26%

3. Actuary

   1. Median annual salary: $120,000

   2. Stress rating: 57

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 22%

4. Environmental Economist

   1. Median annual salary: $115,730

   2. Stress rating: 52

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 5%

5. Mathematician

   1. Median annual salary: $104,860

   2. Stress rating: 56

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 11%

6. Computer Systems Analyst

   1. Median annual salary: $103,800

   2. Stress rating: 60

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 11%

7. Remote Sensing Scientist & Technologist

   1. Median annual salary: $92,580

   2. Stress rating: 59

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 5%

8. Geographer

   1. Median annual salary:  $90,880

   2. Stress rating: 60

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 3%

9. Transportation Planner

   1. Median annual salary: $81,800

   2. Stress rating: 60

   3. Job growth (2023-2033): 4%

10. Industrial Ecologist

    1. Median annual salary: $78,980

    2. Stress rating: 53

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): 7%

11. Cartographer & Photogrammetrist

    1. Median annual salary: $76,210

    2. Stress rating: 52

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): 6%

12. Search Marketing Strategist

    1. Median annual salary: $74,680

    2. Stress rating: 58

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): 8%

13. Geodetic Surveyor

    1. Median annual salary: $68,540

    2. Stress rating: 58

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): 6%

14. Computer Numerically Control (CNC) Tool Programmer

    1. Median annual salary: $67,650

    2. Stress rating: 53

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): little to no change

15. Craft Artist

    1. Median annual salary: $52,910

    2. Stress rating: 58

    3. Job growth (2023-2033): 3%

How to make your application stand out

According to Frana, the best thing for consumers to do to get noticed at the remote job of their choice is to fine tune their resumes. 

“For job seekers who want to land a remote job, concentrating on tailoring their resume to the job they are applying for, emphasizing remote work experience, and highlighting remote work-friendly skills will help ensure employers know they are capable and ready to be an effective remote worker,” she explained. 

The future of remote work

As it stands right now, Frana said that remote workers tend to have better work-life balance, and a different level of flexibility than in-office workers. 

While employers and job-seekers are torn on return-to-office mandates and remote work, Frana believes the future will include a mix of both. 

“As this evolution of how people work settles, it’s likely that going forward, employees and employers will find a balance between in-office vs. remote work and implement more of a hybrid schedule for organizations,” she said. 

“Hybrid schedules allowing for some remote work, and some in-office work, can appeal to both workers and employers. The key to finding a successful solution that allows employees and companies to thrive is through having effective communication between all parties, and ensuring any policy changes are communicated directly and effectively.”