High-income remote and hybrid jobs are disappearing fast, according to a new report by Ladders, a career site for jobs that pay $100,000 or more.

High-paying work-from-home roles have dropped by 60% in the last year — but a growing number of professionals are finding a workaround to skip long commutes, in-person meetings and continue earning top dollar from home.

They’re turning to side gigs, said Michael Fleischner, author of The 7-Figure Freelancer.

“There are high-income earners who are either burned out or tired or maybe they’ve gotten used to remote work and they don’t want to go back into the office,” he said. “The world of work has changed.”

Freelancers now make up nearly 40% of the U.S. workforce, and by 2028, that number is expected to jump to about 50%.

But for professionals and high-earning executives, bosses are calling them back into the office.
Fleischner tells them to look at their skill set and take those talents to the marketplace with a higher price tag.

“You don’t have to work for a corporation to do what you love,” he said. “It’s changing the lens by which you look at the services and value you provide and ultimately, you can charge more.”

But don’t quit the day job just yet, especially if health insurance is needed or other expenses are pressing, he said.

“I use the phrase ‘crawl, walk, run,’” he said. “Don’t start from zero. Instead, find something that you really enjoy and start doing it in small ways.”

Also, keep at it when business becomes slow — because it will.

“What the most successful freelancers have in common is grit,” he said. “It takes time and focus. You can’t do it for two weeks and give up.”