Job-searching might be stressful, but the actual job doesn't have to be.
With inflatation and price-gauging plaguing the average worker in these troubled times, stress is soaring across age groups in the US. The American Psychological Association found in 2023 that 24% of adults rate their average stress between 8 and 10, which marks a 19% increase since the pre-pandemic average in 2019.
Thanks to the Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network and its online ranking of 873 different occupations, we can now tell you exactly which jobs demand the least stress — as measured by positions that require “accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.”
The lowest stress remote jobs are:
1: Actuary
Median wage: $113,990 a year
As an actuary, you'll analyze stats and data to weigh the rates of mortality, accidents, or retirements in order to forecast the risks and liabilities for companies that pay out benefits to workers. If you're willing and able to gain the knowledge you'll need in statistics or the correct software, you may be able to land the single least stressful work-from-home job possible.
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Actuaries are rated a low 57 out of 100 on the Occupational Information Network stress scale, thanks in part to a dependable 40-hour work week. Median wages in 2022 were estimated to be $54.80 hourly and $113,990 annually. You will likely need a bachelor's degree in mathematics or statistics (or the equivalent experience), and you'll probably need to talk on the phone on a daily basis (52% of actuaries say they do).
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Financial Analyst (Actuarial Focus) at Humana – South Carolina, Remote
- Specialist, Financial Reporting at Nationwide – Ohio, Remote
- Assoc Actuarial Analyst at Molina Healthcare – Long Beach, CA, Remote
2: Travel Agent
Median wage:Â $46,400 per year
If statistics aren't for you, travel might be. As an agent, you'd be planning and packages transportation and accommodations for your clients. Pick out a hot destination, the right travel dates, and deal with all the tricky details that many people would rather skip. It's not just selling tour packages: You might be asked to help resolve travel-related problems in real time, too, keeping you on your toes.
You won't need a ton of tech skills, but a few software options that you might find yourself using could include Zoom, scheduling software, online booking software, and database query software, as well as data analysis tools like DataSwell or Illusions Online.
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Corporate Travel Agent at Cain Travel – Remote
- Travel Agent at FlyTrips Travel – Remote
- Travel Consultant-Account Executive at Railbookers Group – Remote
Looking to have Fridays to yourself? Companies currently offering a 4-day work week.
3: Search Marketing Strategist
Median wage:Â $68,230 per year
Search engine optimization (SEO) tactics can dramatically boost company's marketing efforts and revenue will follow along with effective marketing. By figuring out how to analyze all available research along with your company's data on what its audience wants, a search marketing strategist can plan out all the most effective ad buys and all the best marketing investments.
And it's a natural fit for a remote position, given that valuing the importance of the internet is key to success in this job.
Of course, there's no end to the variety of technologies that can help you out, from business intelligence and data analysis tools likeBrightEdge, IBM Digital Analytics, Searchmetrics Suite, or Tableau to web page creation and editing software like Adobe Dreamweaver, LinkedIn, and WordPress. Coding skills aren't needed, but wouldn't hurt: A little AJAX or CSS know-how goes a long way.
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Digital Marketing Strategist at Saga Education – Remote
- SEO Strategist at Wallaroo Media – Provo, UT, Remote
- Content Marketing Strategist at Red Door Interactive – Remote
4: Computer Systems Analyst
Median wage:Â $102,240 per year
Systems analysis is a broad bucket, but it might cover figuring out solutions to “applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns,” according to the Occupational Information Network, where the gig is rated a 60 out of 100 for stressfulness. You'll have deadlines, but a lot of downtime and (hopefully) very few crises.
This is among the most tech-heavy jobs in this guide, with a seemingly endless list of software and hardware knowledge that could prove useful depending on the situation. The top five software categories that you may need functioning knowledge of include database user interface and queries, development environment, object or component oriented development, program testing, and web platform development software.
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Teamcenter Developer at OPUSING STAFFING – Remote
- Computer Systems Analyst at B.E.A.T. LLC – Remote
- Programmer Analyst II at Public Health Institute – Remote
5: Proofreader or Copy Marker
Median wage:Â $45,410 per year
Love reading? This position challenges you to read through transcripts or proofread copy. This isn't about editing; it's for catching and correcting grammar, typographic, or composition errors. You'll need to have an eye for the details, but it's regular, low-stress work if you can get it.
Once again, working knowledge of the right software solutions can give you a foot up over your competitors. Your training software might include Adobe Captivate or InScribe, while you may find yourself working within the rest of the Adobe suite for everything from video editing to desktop publishing software like FrameMaker. And don't forget the trusty Microsoft Word: Love it or hate it, Word has embedded itself in most companies.
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Medical Proofreader at IAS-USA – Remote
- Proofreader at Implico Communications Inc. – Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, Remote
- Copy Strategist at Coalition Technologies – Culver City, CA, Remote
6: Statistician
Median wage:Â $98,920 per year
Figure out the right theories and methods to parse your business's data, and you could uncover hidden benefits that can guide future business decisions in the short term or long term. At the very least, a good statistician can filter information until it becomes a useful database for a business to refer to and build upon.
You're unlikely to be caught up in a statistics emergency, which might have helped the job role when it scored a pretty-low 64 out of 100 for stressfulness. Your position might be solely for crafting and interpreting surveys, or you might have a focus within a more specific field like biostatistics, agriculture, business, or economics.
Analytical or scientific software that might prove useful includes IBM SPSS Statistics, Minitab or MathWorks, and you may work with C++, Python, or Java. Of course, Microsoft PowerPoint is a must. How else can you communicate all your beautiful data-crunching methods with your team?
Examples of open remote positions (from Indeed.com)
- Statistician at Jackson Lewis – New York, NY, Remote
- Data Analyst at Smartstart Education LLC – Remote
- Biostatistician at Talentech Consulting LLC – Remote
