Nowadays most people agree that you don’t need a college degree to generate high income. In today’s gig economy, many people in self-taught careers earn more money than people with a college degree. There are plenty of high-paying jobs and high paying skills, you can get without a degree. But how do you decide what skill and what job are the right match for you?
Whatever you decide to do, the key is to make sure it’s what you actually want.
Steve Jobs once said: “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” In other words, don’t do something you don’t want to do (like to go to college) just because someone else wants that path for you. Instead, you can choose to develop a monetary skill on your own time and craft a career that’s truly meant for you. You can make money online or offline if you have proper skills.
Some people simply have natural gifts, like a knack for writing or talent for interior design. While you might not be one of these people, you can easily acquire any skill you want. No matter what you do, you don’t need a college degree to start building a career off of your natural abilities.
Self Taught Careers Are Often More Lucrative Than Careers That Require a Degree
It’s a myth that self-taught careers are any less lucrative than careers that require a college degree. Many people quickly master a lucrative skill by taking a short online course. For example, copywriting is a popular self-taught career, and a lawyer is a common career that requires a degree. However, many copywriters make more money in one hour than a lawyer does. Below, we’ve detailed 15 self-taught careers that you can get as an entrepreneur without a college degree.
1. Social Media Strategist and Manager
Social Media Strategist are Social Media experts responsible for planning, developing and implementing company’s overall social media strategy in order to support and improve online presence and the overall digital marketing efforts. This is a high paying skill.
2. Graphic Designer
Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and reports .This is one of the high paying skills.
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3. Copywriter
Copywriting involves writing compelling descriptions of products or persuasive sales copy for businesses. You won’t need a degree to get started in this field. Many successful copywriters have a natural knack for writing engaging and persuasive content. Copywriting is one of those skills that stands the test of time. The demand for copywriting services will never go away. Businesses will always need effective copy to draw in customers. This career also appeals to workers seeking remote positions. You can establish a successful copywriting business regardless of where you are. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. This is a lucrative skill that can be mastered with experience and an independent strive to succeed. You can take online courses (typically about 8 weeks long) to master the skill of copywriting on your time. This is high paying skill.
4. Freelance Writer
Freelance writers write content for media outlets, blogs, and for ghostwriting projects. Through ghostwriting services, they write books, articles, and blog posts. They do this under someone else’s name. Many celebrities and public figures, for example, hire ghostwriters. The demand for well-written blog content is ongoing in our digital economy. Many business owners simply do not have the time to craft daily or weekly blog content. But they know that the need for it is high, which is why they hire writers. Freelance writing is one of the self-taught careers that is smart to pursue because of high demand. Another advantage is that you can work from anywhere.
5. YouTuber or Vlogger
This career path may take a bit longer to start. However, it certainly pays off in the long run if you’re consistent and dedicated. You can make a lot of money by becoming a YouTuber who provides tutorials. You can also be a vlogger, a video blogger who provides valuable insight on specific topics. In your videos, you could sell a product or simply provide knowledge. You can combine vlogging with traditional blogging – with more content output are more chances for earning higher returns. YouTube videos can potentially earn you steady passive income while you sleep.
And just because you put out a new video, doesn’t mean you’ll stop earning money off of old ones. But it could also take just one highly poignant, viral video, to launch your career into outer space. As you develop your skills and online presence, you can create videos for others. Many companies would like to maintain a consistent video output as it’s good for sales. However, they often don’t have the time or don’t know how to create great videos. This is where a good vlogger comes in. Most videographers master their, this high paying skill with time. This is a skill that tends to get better with practice.
6. Motivational Speaker
Do your friends constantly look to you for advice? Are you told that you’re wise beyond your years? Do you tend to captivate people who truly listen when you speak? If this is the case, you may make an excellent motivational speaker. This job is not limited to those with a college degree. All you really need to succeed is charisma and expertise in a specific field. Even if you feel as though you do not have the raw talent to become a motivational speaker, you can build your skills. Learn by yourself and through mentors. Practice constantly. Even the most talented speakers practice and build on their high paying skills
You can attend toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills. Rehearse your speech often in order to perfect it. There are many courses you can take as well as great coaches who can help you master your craft. There are many things you can do with as a motivational speaker. You can earn money through live ticketed events for example. But you can also monetize online. How about recording a motivational speech and uploading it to YouTube? With consistent effort and commitment, you’ll be able to make money while helping others. This is definitely one of the best career paths for passionate high-energy entrepreneurs.
7. Digital Marketing Specialist
Digital marketing jobs can be some of the most lucrative simply due to the high level of demand. Learning digital marketing can make you a valuable asset to any company or business. There are many courses and resources available online. There are also plenty of companies hiring on-site or remote digital marketers. You may start out by managing daily content generation, creating Facebook ads, or monitoring analytics. Eventually, you may be able to provide marketing strategy consulting for businesses. Digital marketing is one of the self-taught careers with an ongoing demand. There are plenty of different career opportunities to keep you thoroughly engaged.
8. Interior Decorator
Interior decorating is another career that can be self-taught. Some people just have a natural talent for home decorating and interior design. But with some talent, research, and keeping up with current home decor trends, anyone can do it.
9. Photographer
Photography is a self-taught career that can be extremely lucrative. If you find a niche such as wedding photography, you can make a lot more money. You can easily find the best camera to buy online. It’s easy to teach yourself this skill online and through courses or apprenticeships. You can also find a mentor who is a highly successful photographer and ask to shadow them while they work. You can easily build a portfolio that will bring attention to your work and attract clients. Besides taking photos yourself, you can also teach others about photography. If this is your passion, then you can start your own course. This will allow you to monetize on sharing your knowledge and skills with others. This is also one of the high paying skills.
10. Online Educator
According to recent trends, the demand for online education is only set to increase. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a degree to excel in online education. You just need to have already established yourself as an expert. An online educator can set up their business on Zoom or Skype and teach from the comfort of their own home. You could also teach specialized skills such as guitar or jewelry-making virtually. One of the best parts of being an online educator is that you are in complete control of your business model. You can set hourly rates or flat rates per lesson. Plus, you’ll most likely have a dependable, weekly work schedule. Online educators have the opportunity to profit doing something they care about. This is also one of the high paying skills.
11. Data Entry and Coding
If you have a meticulous eye and a drive to succeed, you can execute a successful data entry career. Data entry positions offer both in-person and remote job experiences. This means that you have lots of flexibility in that sense. There aren’t really any prerequisites for data entry jobs. You can even opt to take on a remote data entry job while you work on developing a more niche high paying skills. Coding is a skill that is also in high demand, especially with such a large booming online market. Like data entry, you don’t need a degree to become a skilled coding expert. Coding can be learned through free online video tutorials via YouTube or Vimeo. Best of all, coding can lend itself to a wide variety of high-earning jobs. You can specialize to build software, mobile apps, and websites.
