Flexible jobs that pay well for women
The flexible jobs that pay women well are usually skilled roles where output matters more than hours at a desk: project management, accounting, nursing (for schedule flexibility), bookkeeping and sales. In Australia, SEEK lists typical full-time advertised salaries from $70,000 to $160,000 across these roles, and in the US, full-time women in them had median weekly earnings from $1,011 to $1,977 in 2025 (BLS). The catch is that the best-paid flexibility is usually negotiated, not advertised, and in sales part of the pay is often commission. She Sells, with a team in Australia and the US, trains women for remote sales (closing and appointment setting) and helps She Soars graduates land a role.
Pay vs flexibility: the comparison table
Australian figures are SEEK’s typical range for full-time roles, based on salaries employers disclosed in job ads (checked October 2026). US figures are median weekly earnings for women working full time, from the BLS 2025 annual averages. Part-time pay is roughly pro rata, and every figure varies by employer, experience and location.
| Role | Australia, typical (AUD a year) | US, women’s median weekly (USD) | Main kind of flexibility | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project manager | $140K to $160K | $1,977 (project management specialists) | Location, some schedule | Usually full-time; deadlines and meetings limit hours flexibility |
| Accountant | $80K to $95K | $1,576 (accountants and auditors) | Location, part-time possible | Usually needs a degree; busy seasons around tax time |
| Registered nurse | $90K to $100K | $1,517 | Schedule (shifts, part-time) | Mostly on site; nights and weekends |
| Sales consultant / sales rep | $70K to $90K | $1,263 (sales reps of services) | Location and schedule in remote roles | Often commission-heavy; results take time |
| Bookkeeper | $75K to $90K | $1,011 (bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks) | Hours, location, freelance | Deadlines at month and quarter end |
For context, the BLS median weekly earnings for all US women working full time in 2025 were $1,089, and US women earned less than men in every role in the table above (registered nurses, for example: $1,517 for women vs $1,900 for men). In Australia, the gender pay gap is real too. That’s a big reason the negotiation section below matters.
Want a wider list of roles rather than the pay angle? See the best remote jobs for women.
What “flexible” actually means
Job ads use “flexible” to mean very different things. Before you chase a role, decide which kind you actually need.
| Type | What it means | Example | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours | How much you work | Part-time, 3 days a week, school hours | Mums who don’t want full-time work |
| Schedule | When you work | Flexible start and finish, split shifts, evenings | Fitting around school pick-up or a partner’s roster |
| Location | Where you work | Fully remote, hybrid | Cutting the commute, regional living |
Here’s the honest pattern: high-paying roles often give you location flexibility but expect full-time hours. Roles with real hours flexibility (part-time, freelance) usually pay less in total, even if the hourly rate is fair. Shift work like nursing gives you schedule choice but rarely location choice. Few jobs give you all three at a high rate from day one.
Where remote sales fits
Remote sales is one of the few paths that can offer location and schedule flexibility without a degree. Appointment setters message and call leads to book sales calls; closers run the calls and help buyers decide. Setting is often more bite-sized and part-time friendly. Closing calls tend to happen when buyers are free, which can mean evenings.
The trade-off is pay structure. Many remote sales roles are commission-heavy or commission-only, and the first months are usually lean while you build skill. When you’re experienced and working with a good offer and steady leads, commission can reward you well, but it isn’t a fixed salary. Read commission-only sales jobs: pros and cons and how much remote closers make before you decide.
What She Sells offers
She Launches is the foundation program: live coaching, role play and frameworks for setting and closing. It doesn’t include direct placement. She Soars is the career program through the She Sells “Cert III in Remote Sales” certificate, with placement facilitation: once you’re certified, our recruitment team works with you to land a role within 90 days, or your money back. Details are on our programs page.
Want to see if remote sales could give you the flexibility you need? Book a free call with the She Sells team.
How to get well-paid flexibility: negotiating
Australia: your right to request
Under the Fair Work rules, full-time and part-time employees who’ve worked for the same employer for at least 12 months can request flexible working arrangements if, among other reasons, they’re the parent or carer of a child who is school aged or younger. Requests can cover hours, patterns and location of work. The Fair Work Ombudsman says:
- Your request must be in writing, say what changes you want and explain why.
- Your employer must respond in writing within 21 days.
- They can only refuse on reasonable business grounds, and only after discussing it with you and genuinely trying to find an alternative.
- If a dispute can’t be resolved at work, the Fair Work Commission can help.
US: negotiate it like pay
In the US, flexibility is mostly something you negotiate with each employer, so treat it as part of the offer, just like salary. Ask about it once there’s genuine interest in you, not in the first sentence of your application.
Tips that work in both countries
- Lead with the work. Explain how the role still gets done: coverage, response times, deadlines.
- Be specific. “Start at 9:30 and finish at 5:30, with Fridays from home” is easier to approve than “more flexibility”.
- Offer a trial. A three-month review lowers the risk for your manager.
- Negotiate pay separately. Flexibility isn’t a favour that should cost you salary. Check the public ranges above before you talk numbers.
- Get it in writing. Whatever you agree, confirm it by email.
How to choose the right flexible role for you
- Start with your non-negotiables. Hours, school runs, childcare, the income floor your household needs.
- Be honest about training time. Accounting and nursing take years of study. Bookkeeping and sales can be learned faster, though skill still takes practice.
- Check the pay structure. Salary, hourly, base plus commission or commission-only? Employee or contractor?
- Watch for red flags. Pay-to-join schemes, recruit-to-earn models and income promises aren’t flexible jobs. Walk away.
Coming from healthcare? Our guide on career change for nurses into remote work covers moving from shifts to working from home.
I started as a primary school teacher in a small town and made $440 in my first month of remote sales in 2020. That’s my result, not a typical one, and a reminder that flexible pay often starts small and grows with skill.
Results vary. Nothing here is a promise of income. See our earnings disclaimer.
Ready to find flexible work that pays? Book a free call with the She Sells team.
Frequently asked questions
What flexible job pays the most for women?
Of the roles compared here, project management paid the most: SEEK lists a typical $140,000 to $160,000 for full-time project managers in Australia, and US women project management specialists had median weekly earnings of $1,977 in 2025. These roles usually offer location flexibility rather than part-time hours.
Can I get a well-paid part-time job?
Yes, but part-time pay is usually pro rata, so the total is lower even when the hourly rate is good. Bookkeeping, nursing and some sales roles often work part time. Negotiating flexibility in a role you’re already good at is often the best way to keep your rate.
Can I ask my employer for flexible hours in Australia?
If you’ve worked for the same employer for at least 12 months and you’re the parent or carer of a child who is school aged or younger, you can make a written request under the Fair Work rules. Your employer must respond in writing within 21 days and can only refuse on reasonable business grounds.
Is remote sales a flexible job that pays well?
It can offer location and schedule flexibility, and pay can grow with skill. But many roles are commission-heavy or commission-only and results take time, so it isn’t a fixed salary. Look for base-plus-commission roles while you learn.
Do flexible jobs pay less?
Not always. Location flexibility often comes with full pay in skilled roles, while reduced hours usually mean lower total pay. The bigger risk is accepting less salary in exchange for flexibility, so negotiate the two separately.
