What exactly are high income skills that you can learn without a degree? These are skills that are ever in demand in the job market and that pay high income.
We’ve heard repeatedly about the importance of college degrees in the job market, and in fact, it is a prerequisite for some jobs. But what if there was another way to get students into high-paying jobs without a degree? There is a straightforward answer – teach yourself and then gain experience in a high-income online profession.
I for one, never went to college to learn to blog besides many other skills that I have used since I left my corporate job. Whatever I learned in college and what I do today are as different as chalk and cheese. I researched and taught myself how to blog, and although I’m still learning, today I run a successful blog.
The internet gives you the chance to learn high-profit skills you can use to put some serious money in your pocket. The good thing is that you can learn these skills from the comfort of your home in the evening or over the weekend if you already have a day job.
High Income Skills You Can teach Yourself Without Going To College
Here is a list of 20 high income skills you don’t need a college degree to earn money doing.
1. Web Development
You can start your career as a web developer right now. There are plenty of online-based projects that you can work on, but to become financially successful, you will have to go the corporate route.
Web development is a very high-demand skill and even if you don’t get high corporate jobs at the beginning, think about the many individuals and small businesses that require websites today. Everyone needs a web presence to succeed in today’s competitive world.
2. Coding
Basic coding isn’t tough to learn online. If you are willing to put the time into becoming a proficient coder, then you can be successful without ever attending college. Coders make good money, too, and they’re always in demand all the time.
3. SEO
Search engine optimization is an excellent skill for anyone who wants to make money online. It’s not too difficult to become a proficient SEO specialist, and if you’re willing to dedicate the time, you can do well with SEO. This is a highly sought-after skill all around the world.
4. Internet Marketing
Internet marketing is an excellent example of a skill that everyone can learn, but it’s a vital aspect of their success for those who want to make a lot of money online. Internet marketers put their knowledge of the internet to work and use it to generate huge profits. It’s not an easy way to make money, but it’s always available, and you can start your journey right now.
5. Blogging
Blogging is a great way to earn money online, but you need to put the work into it. You can start up your own blog today but it’s going to take time before you start seeing the benefits of your blog.
It usually takes one to two years before you see serious money start to roll in while blogging. However, once your blog grows and you get a sizeable following, you can make a full-time income with it.
6. Graphic Design
Graphic design is another skill that you can learn online without spending any time in college. It’s easy to find an outlet for your graphic design skills, so if you’re willing to put the time into developing your skills, then you can start making money almost immediately.
7. Web Design
Being a web designer will get you paid well because the need for skilled web designers is always there. There are plenty of opportunities to get hired for this job so that you will have opportunities available to you almost every day.
8. Copywriting
If you’re willing to put the time into learning how the internet works and the lingo behind it, then you can work as a copywriter and begin making money right away without ever having to attend college for this skill. Copywriters get paid very well, and they’re always in demand because businesses need them at all times.
9. Social Media Marketing
We’re all familiar with it. It’s everywhere. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram… The list goes on and on. As a social media marketer, you need to know the lingo of social media to work in the field. However, there are plenty of companies that will pay you well to manage their social media pages.
10. Video Editing
Video editing has become popular because of YouTube. There’s a lot of money to be made in the industry, and if you know how to edit video and make it look great, you will make a good living out of the business.
11. Article Writing
Article writing is another skill that is super hot right now. The backbone of the web is written content, and there is always a need for it. You can work as a freelancer or find a company that will hire you to write articles for them.
12. Email Marketing
Companies hire people all the time to manage their email lists for them. You would run the technical side of the list, such as using software and checking the bounce rates. You would also write the emails and perform any other tasks required to ensure that messages find their way into the subscriber’s inbox.
13. Podcast Editor
If you know how to edit podcasts or audio files, then you can find work very quickly. Podcasts are becoming more and more popular, so there’s always work for people who can edit them. It’s tedious work, but you can start your podcast editing career for free by using free audio editing software such as Audacity.
14. Transcriptionist
Transcribing audio is hot right now, primarily due to YouTubers. However, there are other types of audio available now, such as podcasts. If you can write what you hear quickly, you can earn as much as a dollar per minute or more as a Transcriptionist.
15. Lead Generation
Companies are always willing to pay big bucks to anyone who can do lead generation for them. The job of the lead generator is to go out and find leads for their company. You can do this by using any number of techniques. You can learn high income skills such as lead generation by taking free courses and watching YouTube videos.
16. Create Online Courses
This is an excellent skill for anyone who wants to earn money online. Think of the people on Udemy. They’re making big bucks by sharing their skills online with others. You don’t need a college degree to do this, but you do need some kind of expertise that others would pay to learn from.
17. eBook Ghostwriter
As an eBook ghostwriter, you write eBooks for other people who will sell them. If you consider yourself a bookworm, it’s possible to write eBooks in the genre that you enjoy reading. The best advice is to stick to a genre and find a company or person who sells eBooks within it that will hire you to write for them.
18. Online Coaching
The best online coaches are people who are an expert in their field at something. That doesn’t mean you have to go to college to become an expert. For example, if you are a social media marketing expert, you can coach people for an hourly rate. Usually, people charge hundreds of dollars per hour during coaching sessions if they can prove their expertise.
19. App Developer
Apps are big money makers, and companies are willing to pay a lot to people who can develop them. So if you can develop Android apps or iOS apps (or even both), you can make big bucks.
20. Blockchain Expert
If you’re involved with the cryptocurrency market, you already know that blockchain is big right now. You can use your skills in blockchain programming to help legitimize companies in the market. You can also learn about digital currency and make money doing it.
Wrapping It Up
If you are serious about developing high income skills without paying college tuition, note that all of these skills take time to learn and master, but if you feel that you have what it takes to succeed in any of them, start learning right away. Any of these skills will help you start a new career or find a new job.
The good thing is that once you gain the skills and have enough experience, you can easily replace your day job income working part-time and at the time you become marketable enough to get other high-paying jobs
These are amazing! I have friends who struggle finding jobs these days due to the pandemic and they weren’t able to finish college and get a degree. I will definitely recommend this to them. Thank you for sharing! x
Thank you Martina, please do share.
I learned most of those things myself. I think practical skills are achieved outside of a formal education setting. But there are also so many benefits to going to college or university. I have 2 university degrees, and a few certificates. But I still learned so much on my own and through online courses (pick wisely). I think both are important.
Sure, Patricia, both are important but even with a degree, you can still teach yourself extra skills.
Many of these are exactly what I’ve been working on learning the last few months. Hopefully they will turn in to steady income with a bit more mastery. Thank you.
My husband works with software and is working towards getting accreditations to make more money. It’s nice to know we don’t have to pay for a bunch of school for him to move ahead.
Thanks for checking these Krysten
Love this! These are skills they won’t teach you in school, but I personally think these are the coolest ways to gain income! thanks for sharing
Great and exhaustive list! I wish I knew these when I was younger, but of course it’s never too late 😉
Thanks for sharing!
True Ronald, never too late
All of these are great ideas!! I am working on learning SEO as best I can haha Im glad there are so many good resources out there!
These are good ways of making income, especially for a person who is willing to be self-taught and invest in growing in those areas. I immediately gravitated to the writing ‘jobs’ because writing brings me joy. Really liked the list.