Earning a master’s degree has become popular for students who want to set themselves apart. According to the US Census, in 2021, 23.5 percent of people over 25 in the US held a bachelor’s degree, while only 14.4 held an advanced degree such as a master’s or doctorate. The number of people with a master’s increased by over 50 percent from 2011 to 2021, indicating a significant rise in pursuing higher education.
For many, pursuing a master’s degree is more than an academic milestone. It can be the essential tool needed to launch a career and open up previously unavailable opportunities. With the rise of remote work, many options exist for those who have achieved their master’s degree. Working remotely gives flexibility and freedom while pursuing a career from anywhere with an internet connection.
Keep reading to explore remote jobs available specifically to those with a master’s degree. The list is divided into the most commonly earned master’s degrees according to the National Center for Education Statistics for the 2020-2021 school year—the latest data available as of November 2023. Finally, the career projections and salaries are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023).
Twenty-three percent of master’s degrees awarded in 2020-2021 were MBAs. While this can be a general degree, there are options to specialize in several fields, including marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and even sports.
A marketing manager is responsible for driving brand awareness, increasing customer engagement, and ultimately contributing to the overall growth and success of the company through strategic marketing activities. Due to the desk-centric nature of this job, it is a role that can easily be remote. An MBA prepares graduates to be marketing managers by equipping them with a comprehensive understanding of business principles, strategic thinking, and analytical skills necessary for effective marketing leadership.
Financial advisors help individuals and businesses manage their finances and investments and achieve their financial goals. They provide expert advice on budgeting, retirement planning, tax strategies, investment portfolio management, and risk assessment. While an MBA is not a requirement to become a financial advisor, it can significantly benefit aspiring professionals in this field as it provides a strong foundation in business principles, including finance, accounting, economics, and strategic management.
Sales consultants play a crucial role in driving revenue and business growth by providing clients with expert advice, solutions, and strategies. They typically work in retail, real estate, technology, or professional services, where they help clients identify their needs, recommend suitable products or services, negotiate contracts, and close sales.
An MBA equips sales consultants with a comprehensive understanding of business principles, including marketing strategy, finance, operations, and organizational behavior. This knowledge enables them to analyze market trends, develop effective sales strategies, understand customer behavior, and make data-driven decisions.
Supply chain managers, also called logisticians, oversee the flow of goods and services, ensuring efficient operations and optimizing supply chain processes. They coordinate and manage all aspects of the supply chain, including procurement, logistics, inventory management, and distribution. They are critical in optimizing operations, reducing costs, improving efficiency, and ensuring timely delivery of goods or services.
Many supply employers require that supply chain managers have an MBA, as this degree provides a solid foundation in business principles, including operations management, logistics, finance, and strategic planning.
For the 2020-2021 school year, 18 percent of the master’s degrees awarded were in education.
An online tutor provides academic support and guidance to students through virtual platforms. They assist students in various subjects, helping them understand concepts, improve their skills, and excel academically.
Online tutors can work with students of all ages, from elementary to college, and may offer individual or group tutoring sessions, depending on the needs and preferences of their students. A master’s degree in education equips tutors with teaching skills, lends credibility to their expertise, and allows them to tutor more advanced subjects.
A curriculum developer is responsible for designing and creating educational materials, programs, and courses. They collaborate with educators, subject matter experts, and instructional designers to develop comprehensive and effective curricula that align with educational goals and standards. With technological advancements and online collaboration tools, curriculum developers can work from anywhere as long as they can access the necessary resources and communication channels.
A master’s degree in education is beneficial to curriculum developers in that it provides them with advanced knowledge and expertise in instructional design, educational research, and curriculum development methodologies. It also helps them better understand learning theories, assessment strategies, and pedagogical approaches.
An instructional designer is responsible for designing and developing effective learning products and experiences. This dynamic job requires collaborating with subject matter experts, educators, and stakeholders to create instructional materials, courses, and programs that facilitate learning and achieve specific learning outcomes.
Remote instructional designers can develop engaging and interactive online courses and training programs. Other job duties include analyzing learning needs, determining learning objectives, and designing instructional strategies and materials to meet those objectives. Earning a master’s in education is critical as instructional designers need an advanced understanding of learning theory, educational psychology, and assessment practices.
Education consultants work with various stakeholders, such as families, schools, and organizations, to provide guidance and support in making educational decisions and improvements. Their role can vary based on who they work for but typically involves assessing educational needs, offering recommendations, and implementing strategies to enhance learning experiences.
Some education consultants may even assist with college selection, curriculum development, policy analysis, and innovative changes in educational practices. Completing an advanced degree like a master’s in education will give education consultants the educational theories, research methodologies, and best practices to provide informed guidance and evidence-based recommendations to their clients.
A master’s in health professions or related program is a broad field that includes everything from nurse practitioners to genetic counselors, mental health therapists, and exercise and movement science. At least 16 percent of master’s degrees awarded in 2020-2021 were in this field.
Due to the rapid growth in telehealth services, mental health counselors now have the opportunity to pursue fulfilling careers in their field while working remotely. Telehealth allows counselors to provide therapy and support to individuals from the comfort of their own homes or offices, eliminating geographical barriers and expanding access to mental health services. This shift to remote work has opened up new possibilities for mental health professionals, enabling them to reach a wider range of clients and accommodate individuals who may face challenges accessing traditional in-person therapy. A master’s degree in counseling or related field, as well as state licensing, is required for this job.
Many healthcare organizations rely on the expertise and advice of healthcare consultants to improve operations, implement new strategies, and comply with regulations. They focus on various aspects such as administrative efficiency, legal compliance, work environment, procedural flow, and financial management, aiming to streamline operational effectiveness.
Due to the complex nature of this job and the expertise required, a master’s degree in healthcare administration or related field is generally required. A master’s degree can demonstrate to prospective clients that a healthcare consultant has the research-based strategies to develop comprehensive solutions and drive meaningful change.
Training and continuing education are a requirement for most healthcare careers. To facilitate this, large facilities hire healthcare education coordinators to organize and manage educational programs, including planning and overseeing training programs, coordinating continuing education opportunities for staff members, and assessing the educational needs of staff. This job is ideal for remote work as it can be managed easily with virtual training, online education materials, and coordination with co-workers with online tools.
A master’s degree is essential for this role as it provides candidates with the necessary background and skills to develop effective and engaging educational materials and programs tailored to the specific needs of healthcare professionals.
Healthcare can be challenging to navigate. To help patients with complex medical needs, many healthcare centers employ case managers. Their primary responsibility is to assess patients’ needs, develop care plans, and coordinate the delivery of healthcare services to ensure optimal outcomes.
They collaborate with healthcare professionals, patients, and their families to ensure effective communication and coordination of care. A master’s of science in clinical case management is an ideal option for pursuing this career. This is also a common career path for those with a master’s of science in nursing.
Computer and information science is a growing field. For the 2020-2021 school year, six percent of master’s degrees awarded were in this field.
Software developers design, code, test, and maintain software applications. They work as part of a team of programmers, engineers, and designers to develop functional and efficient software solutions that meet the needs of users or clients.
Professionals in this field must be skilled in various programming languages, frameworks, and tools to implement innovative and reliable software applications. While it is possible to perform this job without a master’s degree, completing advanced education provides software developers with in-depth research and analytical skills that can set them apart.
Data is only useful if it is interpreted accurately. Data scientists analyze complex data sets, build predictive models, and provide insights to drive decision-making. Much of their work revolves around data analysis and modeling, which can be accomplished using software and cloud platforms accessible from any location with an internet connection. Collaboration with team members and stakeholders is a critical part of this job.
A master’s degree in computer and information science is beneficial in this career as it provides the framework for conducting analysis and the skills to efficiently extract, transform, and load data from various sources.
Computer systems and networks are protected from cyber threats by cybersecurity specialists who implement security measures and conduct risk assessments. Their responsibilities involve developing and implementing security policies and procedures, analyzing security risks and threats, monitoring for vulnerabilities, and investigating and analyzing security incidents.
Due to the complex nature of this field, a master’s degree in computer and information science can provide significant benefits, including an advanced understanding of computer systems, network architectures, and security protocols, as well as the ability to analyze better and address security risks, design robust security solutions, and implement adequate security controls.
IT project managers oversee and coordinate technology-related projects, ensuring deadlines and objectives are met. With the availability of project management software, communication tools, and virtual collaboration platforms, project managers can effectively coordinate and lead teams from anywhere with a stable internet connection.
A master’s degree in computer and information science can benefit project managers by providing technical knowledge, advanced analytical skills, and expertise in project management methodologies.
Social service and public administration master’s degrees are amongst the most commonly earned degrees during the 2020-2021 school year. Six percent of degrees awarded that year were in this field.
Grant writing requires an in-depth understanding of the grant and the potential grantee. To help write them, companies hire grant writers responsible for preparing and submitting grant proposals on behalf of the organization, typically non-profits or educational institutions, to secure funding for various projects and programs. Their role involves researching funding opportunities, writing compelling proposals, and coordinating with stakeholders to gather necessary information.
A master’s degree in public administration and social services equips grant writers with research, data analysis, and program evaluation skills that can help them succeed in this role.
Government agencies and nonprofits often rely on expert policy analysts to analyze policies, conduct research, and provide recommendations. Typical duties can include researching institutions to assess the impact of existing policies, proposing improvements, and developing new policy initiatives.
Policy analysts must have advanced knowledge of policy-making processes, be able to analyze policy issues from multiple perspectives and employ rigorous research methods to gather and analyze relevant data. For this reason, a master’s in public administration is very common in this field.
Public affairs specialists develop and implement communication strategies, manage public relations, and handle media relations for government or nonprofit organizations. They are crucial in managing communication and promoting the organization’s services or initiatives to the public.
A master’s in social service or public administration can provide public affairs specialists with the necessary understanding of public policy, government processes, and public administration principles. This knowledge equips them with a deep understanding of how organizations operate within the public sector and the regulatory environment in which they function.