High-earning remote jobs vanish amid inflation woes: Ladders study
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — New research from career site Ladders reveals that nearly none of the highest paying jobs are still available as remote or hybrid roles.
An analysis of over half a million job postings found that remote opportunities for roles paying $250,000 or more plummeted by around 60% in the past year, while hybrid roles crashed by 95%.
“Given the inflationary pressures on wages, this information impacts more people than you might think. You could even say that thanks to inflation wreaking havoc on family budgets, $200,000 is the new $100,000 when it comes to careers,” said John Mullinix, Ladders Director of Growth Marketing who led the research.
“It’s clear $100,000 is no longer the gold standard salary.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, someone would need to earn $212,000 today to match the buying power of a $100,000 salary back in 1994.
Advanced degrees and in-person work required
The data shows that to earn $250,000 or more annually, job seekers will likely need advanced degrees and/or years of specialized training. Most roles require at least five to 10 years of experience, with the highest paying jobs needing 15 years or more.
“It’s absolutely a myth that you can earn this type of job income without making some serious sacrifices to get there. We’re talking advanced degrees, specialized residencies, certifications, and substantial experience,” Mullinix emphasized.
Ladders previously revealed that landing a job paying over $200,000 annually also requires in-person work. “Applicants increasingly have to choose between going with the biggest paycheck or getting to stay home,” said Mullinix.
Healthcare dominates high-income roles
Among the top jobs that command a $250,000 salary are physicians, dentists, psychiatrists, and principal software engineers, all requiring extensive education and specialized training.
Other notable high-earning positions include Chief Financial Officers, orthopedic surgeons, and medical directors, underscoring the high qualifications and experience necessary for these roles.
“Considering America’s aging population and increasing need for medical professionals, I expect healthcare will remain a top high-paying job for decades to come,” Mullinix noted.
Ladders’ research also identifies fields where competition for high-paying jobs is most intense. While roles in healthcare, science, education, engineering, and technology tend to offer salaries upwards of $250,000, professionals in operations, general management, and marketing are less likely to reach these income levels.
Despite Ladders’ data, the World Economic Forum projects a 25% increase in digital jobs by 2030, coming to around 92 million globally. An economist also predicted that current rates of remote and hybrid work would remain consistent over the next five years.
