You don’t need a college degree to get a high-paying job. Sure a formal degree can help. But there are also several high income skills you can start learning today without ever going to college!
What kind of skills am I referring to? How do you acquire them? And how much can you really earn? That’s what we’ll be looking at in this post!
So, whether you’re just getting started in your career, planning to change careers, or looking for lucrative side business ideas, the list of high income skills coming up in this blog post will help!. But first…
What Are High Income Skills?
A high income skill is any skill that is in demand in today’s marketplace and, therefore, has high earning potential. It’s the kind of skill that businesses need to grow their customer base, increase their revenue, and stand out from competitors.
There are a bunch of high income skills that require years of formal education or apprenticeship. But there are many others that you can start learning from wherever you are right now.
7 High Income Skills Anyone Can Learn
Here’s a list of high income skills that you can learn on your own, at your own pace, for a fraction of a formal college degree.
And I don’t just want to plant ideas in your head. I want to help you land easy high paying jobs! So, I’m also including the average base salary listed on Payscale for these skills and the best resources to help you learn each one.
#1: Copywriting
Copywriting is one of the most valuable skills for every business imaginable. Copywriters are responsible for writing the text, or copy, found on sales pages, landing pages, emails, search ads, and more. Their job is to use those words to persuade consumers to do things like buy, click, or download a company’s offer.
Copywriting is everywhere. And there’s never a shortage of work. But because the demand is so high, there is a shortage of talent, which is why you can make a pretty decent income once you’ve mastered the skill.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Copywriter is $53,216 per year. Senior Copywriters make an average base salary of $75,837 per year.
How to Learn Copywriting: There are tons of blogs, courses, and free tutorials to learn copywriting on the internet. Here are some of the best: Copy Hackers, Copywriting Course, Copy Posse.
#2: Web Development
Web developers help businesses build attractive, high-quality websites. Usually, these are the types of websites that can’t be built using platforms like WordPress or Squarespace.
A web developer needs to learn advanced programming languages like CSS, C++, Javascript, Ruby, Python, and more. Of course, this isn’t easy and requires you to learn a lot of skills. But once you do, a high salary is the reward!
As you can imagine, gaining the skills to become a web developer takes a lot of work — especially if you’re starting from zero. But thanks to several free and paid online resources you can learn everything you need to know at your own pace.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Web Developer is $60,259. Senior Web Developers earn an average base salary of $87,988 per year.
How To Learn Web Development: Here are some of the best online courses: Codecademy, The Web Developer Bootcamp, The Complete 2021 Web Development Bootcamp. If you prefer in-person learning, there are also a ton of coding courses and bootcamps all over the world.
#3: Content Marketing
As a Content Marketer, companies will pay you to create high-quality content in the form of blog posts, videos, infographics, e-books, case studies, and more. Those companies will use those materials to attract and educate customers, build their brand, and demonstrate authority within their niche.
All of those goals are extremely valuable to a business’s success. That’s why many businesses are willing to pay expert content creators quite well.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Content Writer is $48,203 per year. Content Strategists earn an average of $62,435 per year. And Content Marketing Managers make an average of $68,989 per year.
How To Learn Content Marketing: How you approach learning and mastering content marketing may depend on the type of content (e.g. blogs, videos, etc.) you want to create. But you can learn the basics by checking out Copyblogger, Content Marketing Institute, and Hubspot.
#4: SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of making a website easy to find and relevant whenever someone uses a search engine like Google to look for information.
And since many companies generate more revenue from organic search than any other marketing channel, those companies are willing to invest in employees and freelancers who specialize in SEO.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for an SEO Specialist is $46,860 per year. SEO Analysts earn $66,616 per year on average. And SEO Managers earn an average of $71,830 per year.
How To Learn SEO: SEO is a field that requires you to always be learning and adapting. To get started, check out the blogs, YouTube channels, and courses from Ahrefs, Moz, SEMRush, and Backlinko.
#5: Digital Marketing
Digital marketing encompasses a lot of different skill sets. For example, SEO, SEM, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing all fall under the category of digital marketing.
But you don’t need to achieve mastery in every area of digital marketing to land a high paying job. With a proficient understanding of the principles of digital marketing, companies will hire and pay you well to develop, track, and improve digital marketing campaigns.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Digital Marketing Specialist is $50,399 per year. Digital Marketing Managers earn an average base salary of $68,036 per year.
How To Learn Digital Marketing: There are a lot of great resources online to learn digital marketing. And a lot of the best ones are even free! Here are some to help you get started: Hubspot Academy, Google Digital Garage, Neil Patel
#6: Graphic Design
Companies hire freelance and in-house graphic designers to create things like logos, banners, packaging designs, posters, and templates. And because the quality of these designs can have a huge impact on a business’s success, graphic designers tend to make a pretty decent income.
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Graphic Designer is $46,517 per year. Senior Graphic Designers earn an average of $62,880 per year.
How To Learn Graphic Design: You may be able to find in-person graphic design classes at your local community college. You can also use the following resources to learn graphic design online: Udemy: Introduction to Graphic Design, Graphic Design Certification by Calarts, Udemy: Graphic Design Bootcamp: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Skillshare’s Graphic Design Courses.
#7: Sales
Sales isn’t just a high income skill. It’s the high income skill. And that’s for two reasons. First, companies always need someone who knows how to persuade people to buy their products or services. This is, surely, no surprise. But the second reason might be.
If you’re good at sales, you’ll make more money in whatever career you have. How so? Because you’ll know how to show the value of skills and experience to employers and convince them you’re worth being paid well!
In other words, even if you don’t plan on starting a career in sales, I still recommend learning this high income skill. Your bank account will thank you later!
Average Annual Income: The average base salary for a Sales Person is $46,211 per year, not including commission. Area Sales Managers make an average of $67,864 per year. And Regional Sales Managers earn an average of $83,077 per year.
How To Learn Sales: There are a variety of sales training courses, workshops, tutorials, and books to help you get better at sales. Here are a few online options to help you get started: The Art of Sales: Mastering the Selling Process Specialization, Hubspot Academy’s Inbound Sales Course, and Mastering Sales: A Toolkit for Success.
Final Thoughts
Mastering any skill, whether it be a hard or soft skill, requires an investment of time, effort, and persistence. But the high income skills I’ve shared in this post have the potential for huge returns!
So, if you’re looking to increase your salary, start a side business, or switch to a more lucrative career path, consider one of the skills I’ve listed in this post.
And if you’re ready to start applying for new jobs, be sure to also optimize your LinkedIn profile and update your personal brand to attract the recruiters and hiring managers looking for your new skillset!
