Computer and mathematical occupations have the highest share of fully remote workers in the US, with 34.9% of employees working entirely from home, according to a new study.
The research, conducted by virtual business address and digital mailbox provider iPostal1, analysed the proportion of employees working fully remotely, those working remotely for part of their hours, and the overall share who do any remote work. The findings show that remote working varies significantly by occupation, with office-based professions far more likely to offer flexible arrangements than roles requiring a physical presence.
Of the 6.5 million people employed in computer and mathematical occupations, 2.3 million work entirely from home, while 63.2% work remotely for at least part of their week, the highest proportion of any occupational group.
Business and financial operations occupations rank 2nd, with 27.6% of employees working entirely from home. Of the sector’s 10.4 million workers, 2.9 million are fully remote, while 55.8% work remotely for at least part of their week.
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations rank 3rd, with 24.5% of employees working entirely from home and 45.5% working remotely at least part of the time.
Legal occupations place 4th, with 18.1% of employees working fully remotely. The sector also has the highest share of hybrid workers, at 29.4%.
Management occupations round out the top 5, with 16.0% of employees working entirely from home. Although they rank 5th by percentage, management occupations have the largest fully remote workforce in absolute terms, with 3.3 million people working entirely from home.
The remaining occupations in the top 10 are office and administrative support; architecture and engineering; sales and related occupations; life, physical, and social science occupations; and community and social services occupations.
Occupations with the highest share of remote workers
-
Rank Occupation Number of Fully Remote Workers (Million) Number of Total Workers (Million) Percentage Working Hybrid Percentage Working Remotely (Any Amount) Percentage Working Fully Remotely 1 Computer and mathematical occupations 2.263 6.481 28.3% 63.2% 34.9% 2 Business and financial operations occupations 2.874 10.409 28.2% 55.8% 27.6% 3 Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations 0.835 3.408 21.0% 45.5% 24.5% 4 Legal occupations 0.337 1.859 29.4% 47.5% 18.1% 5 Management occupations 3.256 20.408 20.6% 36.5% 16.0% 6 Office and administrative support occupations 2.106 15.580 10.0% 23.5% 13.5% 7 Architecture and engineering occupations 0.457 3.563 27.2% 40.0% 12.8% 8 Sales and related occupations 1.563 13.620 11.6% 23.1% 11.5% 9 Life, physical, and social science occupations 0.178 1.875 21.2% 30.7% 9.5% 10 Community and social services occupations 0.232 2.656 21.5% 30.3% 8.7%
Hands on occupations remain least suited to remote work
Food preparation and serving occupations have the smallest share of fully remote workers. Of around 8.0 million employees, just 25,000 work entirely from home, representing 0.3% of the workforce. Overall, only 1.7% work remotely in any capacity.
The next lowest-ranked occupations are transportation and material moving; building and grounds cleaning and maintenance; construction; and installation, maintenance, and repair. Across these occupations, the share of fully remote workers ranges from 0.5%–1.9%, while the proportion working remotely in any capacity ranges from 1.7%–4.2%.
These roles are largely hands-on and require employees to be physically present, making widespread remote working impractical compared with office-based professions.
Jeff Milgram, CEO and founder of iPostal1, said: “The data shows that remote work has not evolved into a one size fits all model. Instead, different occupations have developed their own approach depending on the nature of the work. Some sectors have embraced fully remote teams, others have found a balance through hybrid working, while many frontline roles still require employees to be physically present. As a result, where people work is becoming just as closely tied to their occupation as what they do.”
“Within that broader trend, there are some interesting differences. Management roles, for example, rank fifth by percentage of fully remote workers but have the largest remote workforce in absolute numbers, highlighting how common remote leadership has become. Legal occupations stand out for having the highest share of hybrid workers, suggesting many employers see value in combining office collaboration with flexibility.”
“Office and administrative roles also show that employers are making distinct choices, with many opting for either fully remote or primarily office based arrangements rather than hybrid schedules.”