I used to think remote jobs meant taking a pay cut. $12/hour "customer service" gigs. $10/hour data entry. Barely enough to cover rent.
Then I found out I was looking in the wrong places.
Real remote jobs pay $20, $30, even $40+ per hour — and many don't require a degree or years of experience. You just need to know where to look and what to apply for.
Here's exactly what I found, with real pay rates and companies actually hiring in February 2026.
Quick access
All jobs below are on our verified job board — filter by salary range
The Truth About Remote Pay Rates
Before we dive in, let me clear up some misconceptions:
- $20/hour is NOT unrealistic for beginners. Many entry-level remote roles start here.
- You don't need a degree. Most of these jobs care about skills, not diplomas.
- Experience can be self-taught. Certifications, courses, and practice count.
The key is knowing which roles pay well AND are accessible to beginners.
Customer Support Specialist — $18-$28/hour
This is the most accessible $20+/hour remote job. Companies need people to help customers via chat, email, or phone.
What You'll Do
- Answer customer questions via chat/email (mostly)
- Troubleshoot basic issues
- Use help desk software (Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk)
Pay Range
- Entry-level: $18-$22/hour
- With 1+ year experience: $22-$28/hour
- Technical support: $25-$35/hour
Companies Hiring Now ($20+)
- Automattic (WordPress) — $25-$35/hour, fully remote
- Shopify — $22-$30/hour, remote-first
- Zapier — $24-$32/hour, async-first culture
- Buffer — $23-$28/hour, transparent salaries
- GitLab — $25-$35/hour, all-remote company
Read: Complete guide to landing your first remote customer support job
Virtual Assistant — $20-$35/hour
Virtual assistants handle admin tasks for busy professionals. The pay varies widely based on specialization.
Pay by Specialization
- General VA: $15-$22/hour
- Executive Assistant: $25-$40/hour
- Real Estate VA: $20-$30/hour
- Social Media VA: $20-$35/hour
- Bookkeeping VA: $25-$45/hour
Where to Find $20+ VA Jobs
- Belay — $20-$28/hour, US-based, great training
- Time Etc — $20-$25/hour, flexible hours
- Boldly — $25-$35/hour, premium clients
- Fancy Hands — $20-$30/hour, task-based
VA Resume Template — $4.99
ATS-optimized template designed specifically for virtual assistant roles. Includes skills section.
Data Entry Specialist — $17-$25/hour
Yes, data entry can pay $20+/hour — if you know where to look. Avoid the $10/hour freelance gigs.
Higher-Paying Data Entry Roles
- Medical Data Entry: $20-$28/hour (requires HIPAA training)
- Legal Data Entry: $22-$30/hour
- Financial Data Entry: $20-$26/hour
- CRM Data Entry: $18-$24/hour (Salesforce, HubSpot)
Companies Paying $20+
- CVS Health — $20-$24/hour, remote data entry
- UnitedHealth Group — $21-$26/hour, healthcare data
- Conduent — $18-$23/hour, various industries
- Robert Half — $20-$28/hour, contract roles
Read: Complete data entry pay guide with 50+ companies
Bookkeeper — $22-$40/hour
You don't need an accounting degree. A bookkeeping certification (which takes 2-4 months) can land you $25+/hour.
What Bookkeepers Do
- Record financial transactions
- Reconcile bank statements
- Prepare basic financial reports
- Use software like QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks
Pay Rates
- Entry-level (certified): $22-$28/hour
- Experienced: $30-$40/hour
- Full-charge bookkeeper: $35-$50/hour
How to Get Started
- Get QuickBooks certified (free at quickbooks.intuit.com)
- Take a bookkeeping course (Coursera, Udemy, or community college)
- Start with small clients on platforms like Belay or Bench
Social Media Manager — $20-$35/hour
If you're already on social media, you might as well get paid for it. Small businesses pay well for someone to manage their accounts.
What You'll Do
- Create and schedule posts
- Respond to comments and messages
- Track analytics and report results
- Run basic ad campaigns
Pay Rates
- Small businesses: $18-$25/hour
- Agencies: $22-$32/hour
- In-house (corporate): $25-$40/hour
Companies Hiring
- ICUC — $20-$28/hour, social media moderation
- ModSquad — $18-$25/hour, community management
- Acceleration Partners — $22-$30/hour, marketing roles
Transcriptionist — $18-$30/hour
Turn audio into text. The faster and more accurate you type, the more you earn.
Types of Transcription
- General transcription: $15-$22/hour
- Legal transcription: $22-$35/hour
- Medical transcription: $20-$30/hour
- Court reporting: $25-$45/hour
Companies Paying $20+
- Rev — $18-$25/hour (experienced transcribers)
- TranscribeMe — $20-$28/hour for medical/legal
- GoTranscript — $18-$24/hour
- Scribie — $20-$30/hour for specialists
Online Tutor — $20-$40/hour
If you're good at something — math, English, test prep, music — you can teach it online for $20+/hour.
Pay by Subject
- K-12 tutoring: $18-$25/hour
- SAT/ACT prep: $25-$45/hour
- College subjects: $25-$40/hour
- ESL teaching: $20-$30/hour
- Music lessons: $25-$50/hour
Platforms Hiring
- Varsity Tutors — $20-$35/hour
- Tutor.com — $18-$25/hour
- Wyzant — Set your own rate ($25-$60+)
- Preply — $20-$40/hour for languages
Insurance Agent (Remote) — $20-$35/hour + Commission
Many insurance companies hire remote agents with no experience. You get licensed (usually paid for), then earn base + commission.
What to Expect
- Base pay: $18-$25/hour
- With commission: $25-$50+/hour
- License required: Yes, but companies pay for training
Companies With Paid Training
- Lemonade — Modern insurance, remote-first
- Assurance IQ — Pays for licensing, $20+/hour base
- USAA — $22-$28/hour, great benefits
- Progressive — Remote claims roles, $20-$26/hour
Tech Support — $22-$35/hour
You don't need a CS degree. Basic troubleshooting skills + willingness to learn = $25+/hour.
Entry Points
- Help Desk Tier 1: $18-$24/hour
- IT Support Specialist: $22-$32/hour
- Technical Support: $24-$35/hour
Certifications That Help (but aren't required)
- Google IT Support Certificate (free on Coursera)
- CompTIA A+ (entry-level IT)
- Specific product certifications (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.)
Companies Hiring
- Apple (At-Home Advisors) — $22-$28/hour
- Amazon AWS Support — $24-$35/hour
- Concentrix — $20-$26/hour
- TTEC — $18-$25/hour
How to Actually Get These Jobs
Knowing they exist is step one. Here's how to land them:
Step 1: Update Your Resume
Add a "Remote Work Ready" section. Include:
- Your timezone and availability
- Remote tools you know (Slack, Zoom, etc.)
- Home office setup (reliable internet, quiet space)
Step 2: Get One Relevant Certification
Just one. Whatever role you're targeting:
- Customer support → HubSpot Service Hub (free)
- Virtual assistant → Google Workspace certification (free)
- Bookkeeper → QuickBooks certification (free)
- Tech support → Google IT Support (free on Coursera)
Step 3: Apply to 5 Jobs Daily
Not 1. Not 50. Five quality applications per day = 25 per week = results within 2-4 weeks.
Step 4: Follow Up
After 1 week, send a brief follow-up email. Shows initiative.
Get Weekly $20+/Hour Job Alerts
Fresh remote jobs paying $20+/hour, delivered every Monday. Only verified opportunities.
Red Flags: Jobs That Won't Actually Pay $20+
Watch out for these:
- "Up to $50/hour" — Usually means $12/hour with impossible bonuses
- "Unlimited earning potential" — Commission-only, likely MLM
- Requires you to pay for training — Real companies don't charge you
- Vague job descriptions — If they can't explain the role, skip it
- Interview only on Telegram — Almost always a scam
Read: How to spot remote job scams (complete guide)
Start Applying Today
Stop scrolling job boards that pay $12/hour. These roles exist, they pay well, and many are hiring right now:
- Browse our job board — Filter by salary range
- Pick ONE role from this list that matches your skills
- Get the free certification mentioned above
- Apply to 5 jobs today
Questions? Hit reply to any of my emails.
— Mel
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