Do you want to wake up feeling inspired to work on meaningful and exciting projects? And do you want to earn a lucrative income while doing what you love?
You’re living in the best possible times!
There are several in-demand, high-income skills you can learn from home without a college degree. And it’s exactly what I did to quit my unfulfilling finance career – and unlock greater freedom and joy.
So, let’s dive in!
- What are high-income skills?
- High-income skills vs jobs
- Benefits of modern skills
- 17 High-income hard skills
- 4 High-income soft skills
- How to choose the most valuable skill?
What is a high-income skill?
High-income skills are abilities that are in high demand, providing more job opportunities and a greater earning potential. Companies happily pay premiums to attract people with those skills, whether that’s through a job or as an independent contractor.
In the current environment, most high-income skills are either technical, creative, or managerial. Some high-paying skill examples include:
- Software development
- Artificial intelligence
- Digital marketing
- Data analysis
- Graphic design
- Project management
High-income skills vs High-income jobs
Most well-paying jobs require a high-income skill by definition. But in the modern context, there’s a different approach to financial success when you speak about high-income skills and high-income jobs.
- High-income skills refer to valuable skills you can often learn from home without a degree. These skills are also transferable, which means you can apply them across industries and jobs. That provides you with options and flexibility. And the modern gig economy raised the need for valuable skills in this category.
- High-income jobs refer to the best-paying professions in the traditional sense. Think about doctors, lawyers, and accountants. Although they require specialized skills, you can only obtain them through conventional education. And these skills rarely transfer to another job or industry.
Learning high-income skills is the modern path to success. And here’s why:
Benefits of building valuable skills in the new economy
Research shows that we’ll lose 23% of our current jobs in the next 5 years. And learning high-income skills prepares you for an ever-faster changing economy.
Here are the benefits of building high-income skills:
- Less financial investment: You can learn high-income skills for pennies on the dollar compared to traditional education. And that means you avoid starting with thousands of dollars in debt.
- Less time investment: Within months, you can get an entry-level job and earn an income from high-income skills, whereas the traditional path takes at least 3 years of full-time education.
- More options: Modern skills are transferable, allowing you to jump from one career and industry to the next. This approach provides flexibility and is perfect if you’re still figuring out what to do.
- Get paid accordingly: You can get paid according to your skill level. And as long as you keep learning and growing, there’s no cap to your earning potential with high-income skills.
Of course, traditional skills have their upside too. For starters, they provide a clear path to financial success. And traditional professions are essential to society, offering a deep sense of purpose and meaning.
So if you’re set on this path, go for it!
But if you’re unsure about your future and seek flexibility, then learning valuable skills is the best way forward. So let’s look at the best high-income skills to earn a pretty penny without a degree:
17 High-income hard skills to thrive in the modern world
Hard skills are measurable abilities like programming, digital marketing, or graphic design. We’ll cover all the information you’ll need about these high-income skills, including:
- General description: Who’s this skill for and what can you expect?
- Average salary: Entry-level careers with 0-3 years of experience.
- Top 10% income: Based on the best career in which the skill itself remains the central part of the role. So it excludes the salary for people who move into managerial functions and beyond.
- Future outlook: AI and other technology will change skill demand in the job market. And in this section, you’ll gain insights into how bulletproof the skill will be for the future.
- Job examples: We’ll list typical jobs related to this skill to inspire you and provide a starting point for further research.
Let’s dig in:
#1: AI and machine learning
Do you value job security?
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are two of the most rapidly growing areas. And the increasing demand makes them the best high-income skills for the future.
It’s perfect if you love data, technical skills, and robotics.
Becoming an AI and ML specialist means you’re at the forefront of the next revolution. And the question you should ask yourself is this:
What area would you like to impact the most?
- Average salary: $130,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $200,000 or more.
- Future outlook: AI and ML are the fastest-growing professions of all. And skill demand is expected to grow by 40% by 2030.
- Job examples: Data scientist, machine learning engineer, software engineer, robotics engineer, AI researcher.
Python is a good programming language to understand the basics of programming for AI and machine learning.
Learn Python#2: Blockchain development
Do you want one of the best high-income skills in an exciting space?
Blockchain is most known for its usage behind popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that allows for secure, transparent, and tamper-proof transactions. And many companies are using or testing Blockchain technology in their products or infrastructure.
So, there’s high demand and plenty of opportunities if you love to develop technical skills.
- Average salary: $100,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $150,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Blockchain is still in the early stages, and the market demand is expected to grow by 25% by 2030.
- Job examples: Blockchain developer, software engineer, cryptocurrency engineer, security engineer, data scientist.
*This course is perfect to see if Blockchain development interests you enough to dive deeper into the topic. But to do the exercises in this course, you’ll need a basic understanding of Python.
#3: Software development
Software development is a broad concept that includes designing architecture, writing code, testing and deploying software, and documenting changes.
And software developers have many options to choose from:
- Gazillions of programming languages you can learn through many online courses, including some free coding courses.
- Hardware options from mobile apps to vacuum cleaners to the Internet of Things.
- And software development skills are needed in any industry, providing many options to extract a sense of purpose and joy.
Software engineering comes in many flavors. And if you want to pursue software development, you should ask yourself the question:
What would you like to build most?
- Average salary: $120,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $180,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Despite the capabilities of AI to write code, the future looks bright for software developers. The entire market is expected to grow by 22% by 2030.
- Job examples: Mobile app development, systems developer, applications engineer, DevOps engineer, software engineer, project manager.
#4: Web development skills
Do you love to tinker with websites?
Then you’ll love to learn web development skills. It’s less lucrative than software engineering in general but it offers a lot of variety, flexibility, and is in high demand.
Web development consists of two paths:
- Front-end developers: Responsible for the visual aspects and interactivity of a website. They use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the user interface you can see and interact with.
- Back-end developers: Responsible for the functionality of a website. They use programming languages such as Java, Python, or C# to make the website run smoothly behind the scenes.
Front-end is more beginner-friendly and easier to learn. Back-end development is more challenging but earns 13% more on average.
Finally, there are full-stack developers, who develop all web-related tech skills. They get paid about 5% more than dedicated back-end developers. However, it’s recommended to choose one as a beginner.
- Average salary: $85,000 per year for front-end developers.
- The top 10% make $165,000 or more.
- Future outlook: The job outlook for web developers is strong. And you can expect the market to grow by 13% by 2030.
- Job examples: Web developer, web designer, front-end developer, back-end developer, full-stack developer.
#5: Graphic design and web design
Do you love visual aspects?
Then graphic or web design is the best high-income skill for you.
Graphic design is the art of using visual elements to communicate ideas and messages. As a graphic designer, you’ll create visual content like branding materials, brochures, images, posters, logos, and more.
Web designers focus on the look and feel of websites. It involves a mix of graphic design and front-end development.
- Average salary: $63,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: The job outlook for web and graphic designers is solid. Expect skill demand to grow by 10% by 2030.
- Job examples: Graphic designer, web designer, UI/UX designer, illustrator, animator.
Learn graphic design — Learn web design
#6: Data science and data analysis skills
Is the bigger the dataset, the better for you?
Then you’ll love data analytics as your high-income skill.
As a data analyst, it’s your task to collect, analyze, and interpret data to extract insights and make predictions. Subskills include data analytics, statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization.
- Average salary: $95,000 per year for analysts.
- The top 10% of data scientists make $200,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Data is a valuable asset for companies. And while there’s high demand for this skill, the expectation is that it’ll explode by 30% by 2030.
- Job examples: Business analyst, data analyst, data engineer, data scientist.
#7: Social media marketing
Social media marketing is the most accessible high-income skill to learn on this list. And if you love to stay on the forefront of change and have a beginner’s mind, social media marketing is perfect for you.
Social media platforms change all the time. And most older folks struggle to keep up with these changes. But what business doesn’t want to attract the next generation of consumers?
Every (online) business needs social media marketers.
Besides, you can always use the digital marketing strategies you learn to promote a future business or your personal brand.
- Average salary: $55,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Social media plays a significant role in people’s lives, especially for the younger generation. That’s why the demand for this digital marketing skill is expected to grow by 20% by 2030.
- Job examples: Social media marketing manager, digital marketing manager, digital marketing consultant, community manager, project manager, content marketer, social media strategist.
#8: Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engines like Google.
It’s the skill I learned to transition away from finance.\
And I’m sure you’ll enjoy search engine optimization if you share similar characteristics: analytical, detail-oriented, and a passion for research.
You’ll also need to understand how the web and search engines work. So if you would love to dig into those areas, you’ll love SEO as your high-paying skill.
- Average salary: $57,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: As long as search engines (e.g. Google, Amazon, and YouTube) exist, so will search engine optimization. And the demand for SEO skills is expected to grow by 15% by 2030.
- Job examples: SEO specialist, SEO consultant, SEO strategist, technical SEO specialist, SEO copywriter, content marketing manager.
#9: Sales skills
Sales is a super helpful and valuable skill. Perhaps that surprises you. After all, the stereotypical salesman gave this field a bad reputation.
But in reality, sales is the ability to solve someone’s problem. And includes the following sales skills:
- Getting to the core of the problem.
- Presenting great solutions.
- Dismantling the customer’s limiting beliefs so they can move forward and live a better life.
Of course, strong ethics are essential to this art. The best salespeople put the customer first and aim for win-win situations.
And if you do this well, you won’t just feel better about yourself and make a real positive change; you’ll earn big bucks too.
- Average salary: $65,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $125,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Sales is an age-old craft with an ever-growing demand, expected to increase by 7% by 2030.
- Job examples: Sales representative, fundraiser, sales manager, telesales representative, sales engineer, account manager, business development representative.
#10: Copywriting skills
Do you love writing and sales?
Then copywriting is a great high-income skill for you.
Copywriting is the art and science of writing texts that persuade people to take action. Such actions include buying a product or service, clicking a button or link, or filling out a form.
In other words, copywriting is sales through the written word.
And it’s everywhere…
Think about website copy and email marketing campaigns. But also consider product descriptions and text advertisements in bus stations.
Copywriting is even used (and abused) for news headlines.
And this skill also offers personal benefits. For example, you can use copywriting principles to convince your landlord to lower the rent.
- Average salary: $60,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $110,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Demand remains as long as we communicate through text, which is expected to grow by 10% by 2030.
- Job examples: Copywriter, content writer, marketing writer, web writer, email copywriter.
#11: Content marketing skills
Are you full of ideas and do you love to create?
Content marketing is an essential part of every marketing strategy. And it’s ever-expanding, always changing, and has many flavors.
So, you can match this skill with your style and preference.
And if you create relevant and valuable content for each platform, you can earn thousands of dollars per month.
Plus, content creation is an excellent high-income skill to learn if you want to start a personal brand or passion-based side hustle.
- Average salary: $55,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Content creation is always expanding and evolving to new channels. That’s why you can expect a growth of 15% in content marketing by 2030.
- Job examples: Content marketer, content strategist, copywriter, editor, blogger, microblogger, social media marketer, digital marketing consultant.
#12: Email marketing
Email is one of the most valuable communication channels.
After all, your inbox is highly personal. And if you can write engaging emails that people love to read, you’ll also earn a good income.
Tasks typically include setting up email automation, writing newsletters, and creating retargeting campaigns.
- Average salary: $58,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $95,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Email has been around for a while and remains an important communication channel. Skill demand is expected to grow by 10% by 2030.
- Job examples: Email marketing specialist, email campaign manager, email marketing manager, email copywriter.
#13: Audio production
Do you love music and sound?
If so, audio production is the perfect skill for you.
It’s all about creating and manipulating audio recordings, including mixing, mastering, and sound design.
Audio producers work in various industries, including music, film, television, and video games. And you may find some luck in the recent podcasting wave, which is still growing.
- Average salary: $60,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Across the board, audio production is expected to grow by 7% by 2030.
- Job examples: Audio engineer, music producer, sound designer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, broadcast engineer, video game audio engineer.
#14: Video editing and production
Do you enjoy telling stories through video?
If so, video production, video editing, or both might just be for you.
Videography is an ever-growing (gig) market that involves filmmaking, vlogging, and creating social media content across all industries.
Video editing is also useful for your personal brand. You can pursue any passion once you master the art of visual storytelling.
- Average salary: $55,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $95,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Video content consumption is growing, and you can expect 15% growth for these skills by 2030.
- Job examples: Video production specialist, video editor, vlogger, video content creator.
#15: Creating online courses
Are you passionate about teaching and online courses?
Most people think you need experience or skills to start teaching. And although that’s the most popular pathway, there are other options.
Consider reaching out to experts and helping them turn their skills and expertise into online courses. For example, help a yoga teacher turn their offline classes into an online package.
Creating online courses involves mastering many other skills like researching, recording lectures, and creating interactive exercises.
- Average salary: $65,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Online learning is the new normal. And demand for online course creators is expected to grow by 20% by 2030.
- Job examples: Online course creator, instructor, online course consultant, 1-on-1 tutoring, running masterminds.
#16: Arbitrage and e-commerce
Do you love to find good deals?
Then any form of arbitrage is perfect for you.
Arbitrage means buying and selling goods or services and profiting from price differences.
A famous arbitrage TV program is Storage Wars. Buyers bid on abandoned storage lockers and hope to flip the contents for a profit.
But there are many forms of arbitrage…
E-commerce is a very popular option, which is the art of buying products in bulk from (overseas) manufacturers and selling them online for a profit.
- Average salary: $63,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $100,000 or more.
- Future outlook: So long as capitalism grows, so will this market. You can expect a 15% growth in arbitrage opportunities by 2030.
- Job examples: Arbitrage and e-commerce specialists.
#17: Trade skills
Almost all high-income skills include a computer in some shape or form.
But what if you prefer to work with your hands?
Trade skills can earn good money too. And while automation and AI are rapidly changing the digital space, these specialized skills appear more secure – at least for now.
The only downside? You can learn a few of those skills online or at home. Sure, you can always learn the basics. However, most trade skills are learned through apprenticeships or on-the-job training.
That said, it’s an excellent alternative for non-digital natives.
- Average salary: $45,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $85,000 or more.
- Future outlook: Trade skills are less impacted by technological innovations (for now). And demand for trade skills is expected to grow by 10% by 2030.
- Job examples: Plumber, electrician, mechanic, carpenter, painter, roofer, HVAC technician, tile setter, flooring installer.
4 High-income soft skills
While hard skills provide a clear direction into the job market, soft skills are often more valuable once you master them.
Of course, you can combine the two.
A common and practical approach is to learn a hard skill first. Earn a good salary. And then learn soft skills to transition into even better roles.
But depending on your personality type and experience, you can also dive straight into these soft skills.
Either way, here are some of the best high-income skills to learn:
#18: Project management skills
Any task that involves planning, organizing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals requires project management skills.
It’s a personal skill everyone should master.
As a high-income skill, it involves breaking projects into smaller tasks, assigning tasks to team members, and keeping the project on schedule and within budget.
Project managers are organized, detail-oriented, and work well under pressure. You’ll also need some problem-solving skills. And finally, you’ll need to communicate well with the team and stakeholders.
- Average salary: $95,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $150,000 or more.
- Future outlook: The job outlook for project managers is strong and expected to grow by 15% by 2030.
- Job examples: Project coordinator, project manager, product owner, product manager, account manager, business development manager, program manager.
#19: Public speaking skills
Communicating ideas and getting people to take action is valuable – specifically, if you can move bigger crowds.
It’s also a difficult skill to master.
And it’s one most people shy away from.
That’s why public speaking is one of the best high-income skills to learn. And mastering it also teaches you how to communicate well, providing many career opportunities and personal benefits.
- Average salary: $95,000 per year.
- The top 10% make $200,000 or more.
- Future outlook: We will always need strong communicators, and you can expect demand to grow by 10% by 2030.
- Job examples: Public speaker, keynote speaker, motivational speaker, trainer, presenter, lecturer, speaking consultant, and various leading company positions.
#20: Leadership skills
Are you the type of person who loves to motivate and inspire others to achieve a common goal?
Leaders are responsible for setting a clear vision, communicating their vision, and rallying people behind it. Other parts include making (tough) decisions and resolving conflicts.
While most people think of leadership as a specific position in a company, it comes in smaller ways too.
For example, self-leadership means having a vision for your own life.
And think about taking the lead on projects when no one else does. Or give a voice to others so everyone feels heard – even when your title excludes the word manager.
Start acting like a leader and you’ll sooner or later get a leadership role assigned to it.
- Average salary: $85,000 per year for most manager roles.
- The top 10% make $200,000 or much more.
- Future outlook: Every country, company, project, and other group setting will always need a leader. And the demand for these skills is expected to grow by 15% by 2030.
- Job examples: CEO, entrepreneur, project lead, product owner, director, coach, politician, or any kind of manager role.
#21: Entrepreneurial skills
Do you want to start your own business?
Then you need entrepreneurial skills.
Entrepreneurship comes down to solving common or important problems through a business venture. It includes market research, identifying opportunities, and developing a business plan.
Once it’s up and running, you’ll need business management skills, organizational skills, and risk management skills. Or you can learn to manage a team to do this for you.
Overall, entrepreneurship has a lot of moving parts.
But problem-solving is its most essential sub-skill. And it’s one of the most profitable skills once you master it.
- Average salary: $100,000 per year – with high fluctuations.
- The top 10% make $200,000 or more. But do note that a fair share goes out of business too.
- Future outlook: Anyone can create a business at any time. And the expectation is that we’ll have 8% more entrepreneurs by 2030.
- Job examples: Entrepreneur, business owner, startup founder, and investor. And with experience, you can become an advisor, coach, or mentor to other entrepreneurs.
How to choose the most valuable skill for you?
Any high-income skill is excellent – but there’s no such thing as one best option. Instead, here’s how you can select the best skill for you:
- Consider your interests and strengths. What are you passionate about? What new skill would you love to learn? What are you good at?
- Learn and experiment. Not sure what to do? Find a somewhat interesting skill to learn. Take a beginner course. And once you finish it, decide if you want to dive deeper or try something else.
- Research. What does a workday look like for the job you’re eyeing for? What skills will be in demand in the future? Reach out to people on LinkedIn and ask a few questions. Many people will be happy to give you some pointers.
- Think about your long-term goals. What are your career aspirations and professional goals? What skills will help you reach your goals? For example, I learned about search engine optimization to grow my blog. And that led to a career as an SEO specialist.
- Set realistic expectations. Learning new skills takes time and effort. You won’t be an expert overnight. And setting achievable goals is an effective way to maintain motivation.
- Find a mentor or coach. Access to someone who guides you can be invaluable when learning a new skill. And while it may pay very little (or nothing) initially, it shortens your learning curve.
Again, there’s no best high-income skill for everyone.
Getting into the top 10% of earners requires skill mastery. And to achieve mastery, you must stay consistent and focus on growth.
That’s why you should find meaningful work that aligns with your core values and personal strengths.
What’s next?
The path to financial freedom is no longer linear. And while you can choose the traditional route, there are other options to get rich.
We covered the best high-paying skills you can learn today from home without a college degree. And the more skills you develop, the easier your job search becomes.
Key takeaways:
- Hard skills are good starting points to earn a high income fast.
- Soft skills have a higher income potential but are often built on the back of hard skills. That said, choosing the best route depends on preference, personality, and your current abilities.
- The gig economy changed the job market forever. You can learn a skill outside the traditional system and get paid well.
- Choosing the best high-income skill requires self-awareness. Look inward to align your interests, strengths, life goals, and market demand. Don’t just pick what you think will make you the most money. That only leads to struggle and frustration. And even if you succeed that way, you’ll likely feel unfulfilled.
Take action: Pick one of the high-income skills on this list and enroll in any of the courses to fully commit yourself. Then, complete the entire course (including exercises). And only then decide what to do next.
Further resources:
- Book: The Gig Economy by Diane Mulcahy
- Book: Mastery by Robert Greene
- Best online learning platform: Udemy offers high-quality and affordable online courses. It’s the first place I go to when I want to learn a new skill.
Do you want to earn $100k or more doing what you love most? Then sign up below to receive free resources to help you thrive and create a fulfilling life!
