7 Best High Income Skills Anyone Can Learn at Home

There’s no shame in wanting to make more money, which is exactly why it can be a good idea to focus on developing certain high income skills.

In particular, the data has shown that there are particular skills that can easily lead you to be more likely to get certain roles that tend to pay better than others.

This includes those high income skills you can learn for free without a degree. That is, even though it’s important to focus on your traditional education in some fields, it’s just as important to focus on continuing education, building skills that might be attractive to employers that can help you compete in the modern job market. 

What are a few examples of skills you can learn to earn more money? Take a look at some of them below, including examples of jobs where you can use this based on this list of the highest paying jobs.

What are the best high income skills to learn?

1. People management

No matter what field you end up working in, if you’re planning to earn a lot of money, you’re probably going to need to manage people at some point. That may include your team members, clients, customers or other businesses you’re working with but, either way, having them work with you rather than against you is always going to serve you well.

Unfortunately, you’re probably well aware that not everyone has this skill. If you’ve ever had an overly critical or micromanaging boss (haven’t we all…), you’ll know this personally.

And while those people can get ahead in life, there are also those CEOs or other higher-ups who are well known for how great they are to work for or with, helping them attract the best of the best. I don’t know about you, but I know which one I’d rather be known for.

Tips to develop this

Take a look at the international bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People. It’s focused on helping readers be successful in both their personal and professional lives, largely based on how they interact with other people.

And with 15 million copies sold, it seems that there are definitely some great lessons to be learned here.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

Basically every job on earth involves working with other people in some form in order to be successful. 

Whether it’s with patients as a family medicine doctor (with a median salary of $207,380 per year), clients as an architect (median salary of $149,530 per year) or literally everyone you come across as a chief executive (median salary of $185,950 per year), this is definitely a high income skill where you can benefit.

2. Web developer

It’s not exactly a secret that technology is becoming more important in our everyday lives. Similarly, it’s hardly breaking news to acknowledge that many people working in tech are some of the highest earners around. This means that if you’re looking to develop high income skills, you may want to learn computer coding.

Of course, you don’t actually need to be a professional developer to work online. For example, launching your own website to make money from it needs absolutely no tech experience (and I speak from first hand knowledge of this!)

At the same time, there are plenty of high income computer skills that are worth learning to boost your income. This includes those you can learn online that don’t require a degree, meaning this really is a skill that anyone can develop without having to go to college.

Tips to develop this

If you are interested in learning this, the most important thing you have to do is focus on the fundamentals. Even though you probably want to learn this as quickly as possible, you have to start from the ground up.

There are even certificates and courses you can take, some of them free of charge. For example, you may want to check out MIT OpenCourseWare, which gives you access to free online course materials. There, you can take a look at courses you can use to learn computer coding.

Finally, you might also want to take a look at the Beginner’s Step by Step Coding Course. This is a book that can help you learn coding from the ground up. There are even problems you can work on to practice computer coding.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

There are countless jobs where you can use developing to make more money. Given that just about every industry relies on computers, you can put this to use in numerous ways.

One job that you may be interested in working is a Computer and Information Systems Manager, which is someone who’s responsible for overseeing a lot of computer technicians. It will be your job to make sure the computers and information systems of the company are working properly. This is a lucrative position that pays a median salary of just over $151,000 per year.

3. Writing

Without a doubt, writing is one of the best high income skills for the future, especially given how many different ways this could be useful.

For example, you may want to become a copywriter. This is a specific type of writing that has been specifically designed to sell a product, with plenty of freelance jobs on sites like Upwork being available in this field. In particular, this can be a great choice if you’re looking for various part time online jobs.

You could also use this skill to write your own book, which can definitely be a huge money maker. Services like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing will even let you write and self-publish your next literary masterpiece, giving you access to Amazon’s millions of customers.

There are also options for niching down even further to help you make even more money. For example, technical writing is an important skill in numerous academic fields, like engineering, where you’ll be called upon to explain how something works to someone else.

Tips to develop this

If you are interested in becoming a better writer, the most important thing you have to do is practice. You should practice writing on a daily basis. Even if you are simply writing in a journal, this can help you become a much better writer.

You may also want to familiarize yourself with an online tool that can help you become a better writer. For example, you may want to take a closer look at Grammarly, which is a free tool you can use to check your work as you write.

You may also want to check out this book called Everybody Writes by Ann Handley. This is a book that will give you a step-by-step guide for how to create better content. This could help you develop stronger writing skills.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

Ever thought about becoming an engineering manager? Their median salary of just under $150,000 per year is nothing to sniff at and with their still being a lot of demand for people in this field, working on high income skills for engineers like this one can be a good idea.

You could also go in another direction and consider becoming a judge. It’s hardly surprising to hear that working in the legal profession requires good writing skills and given that their median salary is $141,080 per year, you can probably see why developing your abilities in this area can really help.

4. Marketing and sales

You don’t have to work directly in marketing for this to be one of the top high income producing skills. After all, plenty of jobs (including plenty of the highest paying online jobs out there) have customers or clients they need to attract and even if you’re not directly selling a product, you may be selling the idea of yourself or your business to someone – which is exactly where having strong marketing abilities can really help you to make money.

Notably, with most people turning to the internet when they need a product or service, digital marketing is where it’s at. This is a combination of technical know-how (that is, ensuring that website you launched works properly) and more communication-based aspects (like getting the right messaging across.

Tips to develop this

If you would like to make yourself more marketable to potential employers in this field, you may want to consider earning some relevant certifications. For example, you may want to check out a few certifications that signify your skills with Google Ads. Google is still the most popular search engine, so if you demonstrate you are familiar with it, you might make yourself more marketable to employers.

You might want to consider reading a great book on this called Digital Marketing Strategy: An Integrated Approach to Online Marketing. This is a detailed guide that will teach you everything you need to know about digital marketing and can easily be applied either to your own business or that of your employer. 

High income jobs where you can use this skill

There are lots of jobs where you can put digital marketing to work for a potential employer. Given that just about every company relies on digital marketing to some extent, you will instantly become more marketable. You can even use this directly by getting paid to advertise as a marketing manager, which has a median salary of just over $142,000 per year.

A marketing manager is someone who is responsible for overseeing some or all of a company’s advertising campaign. Given that more people are using the internet, digital marketing is going to be at the centerpiece of advertising. 

5. Money management

Money management is possibly one of the easiest high income skills to learn at home – which is kind of funny to think of when you realize how many people struggle with this.

But with so many great resources out there, learning how to manage money – whether it’s your money or that of your business or employer – is both possible and critical. Many people focus only on the act of making money but if you don’t manage it properly, you’re not really going to get very far.

And while this is obviously important if you’re working in a financial field, every business (ideally!) makes money, so knowing how to handle this can really put you in a potential employer’s good books.

Tips to develop this

If you want to improve your money management skills, the first thing you need to do is stay up to date on everything that’s happening in the news. This includes things like which companies and wider industries are doing well and which ones are struggling. 

You could also demonstrate your commitment to this area by earning a certification. For example, you might want to become a Certified Financial Planner, which is a credential that will signify your skills regarding money management. 

From a more personal perspective, you should also consider reading The Simple Path to Wealth. It’s easily my top pick for the best money management book out there when it comes to building your own wealth rather than that of an employer. And when it comes to high income skills for the future, ensuring your own financial security going forward definitely meets that criteria.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

There are a lot of jobs where this skill might be helpful. For example, you could be hired as a financial analyst or a financial advisor. From there, you might be able to work your way up to a chief executive position.

A chief executive is someone who is responsible for managing an entire department. For example, you might get hired as a Chief Financial Officer, which is responsible for managing the financial books of the business. Even though there are multiple types of chief executives, the median pay is over $185,000 per year.

6. Project management

Whether you’re looking to develop certain high income skills for a side hustle or high income business skills, one of the best examples of either of them is project management.

We’ve all experienced the feeling of having to juggle multiple balls in the air at once and that’s especially the case if you’re trying to build a new income stream for yourself. This is why someone who’s able to effectively manage all these competing priorities is always going to be sought after by employers, not to mention being able to succeed at your own business.

Tips to develop this

There are a number of well renowned project management training courses out there, with something like the PRINCE2 certification being one of the best.

That said, you can certainly work on this yourself before committing to a more time intensive (and expensive) course like that one. For example, Product Management’s Sacred Seven is a hugely popular book in this field and will definitely put you on the right path to building your project management abilities.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

Project management is one of the most useful high income producing skills out there given how well this applies to a huge range of jobs.

Whether you’re a chief executive, like I mentioned in the previous point, or in any one of the health-related professions on the list of the highest paid jobs, managing a team and all the competing priorities that come with a role will make you well positioned to boost your earnings.

7. Training and coaching

It may sound strange when discussing high income skills to talk about teaching these skills to someone else, but there’s no question that a critical part of almost any job as you climb the ladder of seniority is being able to mentor more junior team members.

This can also be used as a job in itself, with coaching in any number of fields becoming more popular these days. And with some coaches being paid serious money, especially when they have expertise in a particular area – or even in coaching itself – it should be clear why this can be one of the most profitable skills to learn.

Tips to develop this

Good communication skills are going to be critical here, but it comes down to more than simply telling someone what to do.

In fact, this very point is encapsulated in a great book in this field called Telling Ain’t Training. It shows you how to get your message across in a way that your audience will truly be able to use, rather than you simply explaining something and hoping that’s enough.

You could also consider reaching out to someone who’s mentored you. After all, if you’ve been inspired by them yourself, then there’s a good chance they have some great training skills to share that allowed them to get their message through to you.

High income jobs where you can use this skill

Any sort of leadership role has an element of training and coaching involved, especially when you’re supervising a team. This is actually one reason why this is such a great high income skill to develop: as it’s basically universally applicable.

What are the most profitable computer skills?

As mentioned earlier, more and more businesses are turning to the online world and becoming increasingly reliant on computers. If you demonstrate that you have skills with a computer, you might be able to make yourself more competitive. 

A few examples of the most profitable computer skills you can learn include:

1. Web developer

When someone is looking for a product or service they require, the first thing they do is turn to the internet for help. Therefore, it is essential for companies to make sure they have a strong website. 

As a web developer, you will be responsible for building a strong website for the company. You will also be responsible for managing that website, making sure it is responding quickly. 

2. Search engine optimization expert

Because people use search engines when they are looking for something, it is critical for companies to rank as high as possible on search engine results pages. That is where a search engine optimization expert is critical. 

Usually shortened to SEO, this is the process of crafting an online presence to be attractive to search engines. You will be responsible for monitoring the rankings of the company, doing everything you can to make sure it ranks as high as possible for certain words and phrases.

3. Automation professional

Finally, if you can learn automation skills, you will become very marketable to a lot of companies. Time is the most valuable resource for many businesses, so it’s critical for them to make sure they are using the time of their employees appropriately. 

This is why a lot of companies are looking for ways to automate a lot of the tasks that their employees used to do by hand. As an automation professional, you will be responsible for writing programs that can automate a lot of clerical tasks, freeing up the time with your co-workers for other responsibilities.

What high income skill can I learn in three months?

You might be looking for a way to build a new career quickly, which is why it can really help to find high income skills you can learn in three months. A few examples of skills you might want to learn include:

• Sales skills. One quick high income skill you can focus on is sales. Every company needs to make a sale at some point to generate revenue, so if you demonstrate you understand the basics of identifying prospects, moving them down the sales funnel, and closing a deal, you can get your foot in the door. Consider building strong sales skills by focusing on improving your communication with people. 
• Online marketing basics. You can also learn the basics of online marketing in three months, with a number of quick courses out there available to lay the foundations for your skills in this area. For example, you might want to focus on learning the basics of search engine optimization and pay-per-click marketing campaigns. Both of these are important for online advertising, and companies usually use those in order to build a strong digital marketing campaign. 
• Project management: Effective project managers have become more important than ever before, with broader teams having wider ranges of skills having to come together to deliver a project. While there are certainly more detailed project management courses out there, there are also a number of foundational trainings for getting you on the right track quickly. In particular, if you show that you understand how to keep multiple team members on the same page, you will make yourself more attractive to potential employers.