29 Best High Income Skills to become Financially Free 2022
Are you looking for high income skills you can learn right now?
Learning high income skills can open the doors to a dream career, new business opportunities, earn six figures per year or simply start a new side hustle!
In this article, I have provided a mix of high income skills that are applicable either as a paid salary or if you are keen to start something yourself.
Read on to find some suggestions, and also find out that one skill that I believe everyone should learn regardless of the career path they are pursuing!
What is a High Income Skill?
A high income skill is defined as a skill that has the potential to make you an annual income of six figures or more per year. There are two categories of high income skills – soft skills and hard skills.
Hard skills – Teachable abilities, technical skills or skillsets that are easy to quantify, which you typically learn through books, online courses, and can be verified through a certificate or require a degree
Soft skills – More subjective, mostly interpersonal skills and how you relate to others
Soft skills and hard skills complement each other to help you improve your effectiveness. Certain professions require a combination of both, for example, becoming a YouTuber requires you to learn video editing and also learn communication skills.
List of High Income Skills
1. Copywriting
What is copywriting?
Copywriting is the act or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing. Top copywriters can earn an income of six figures or even up to seven figures annually.
If you have strong writing skills and communication skills, you should definitely consider learning copywriting. The benefit is that you do not need to get a degree to become a qualified copywriter. There are many free and paid writing courses to help you get started.
2. Blogging
Blogging is another option of a high income skill you can learn if you enjoy writing.
The key to making high income in blogging is to decide on a niche. From there, focus on writing valuable content and increasing your blog traffic through search engine optimisation, building backlinks, and promoting your writing through various social media channels.
Once you have built an audience for your blog, there are various ways you can monetise it like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, placing ads on your site or selling your own products.
3. Creating an Online Course
Have a skill that you would like to teach others? You can transform your expertise to an online course! There are many websites which you can easily publish your course like Udemy, Skillshare and Teachable.
The best part about this is that you can create a course on many different types of subjects! Did you know you can create a course on unconventional topics like creating your own jewelry, acrylic painting, photography, and learning how to play a musical instrument? Something that feels like a hobby to you can be something else that someone would be willing to pay to learn!
Think about what you are naturally good at, do additional research on the subject and develop expert knowledge to teach it effectively.
4. Becoming a YouTuber
It is no secret that a top Youtube star can earn millions of dollars per year.
According to Forbes article on the Highest-Paid YouTube Stars of 2020, Ryan Kaji, a 9 year old kid that has a Youtube channel called Ryan’s World, earned an annual income of $29.5 million through Youtube.
You can start a YouTube channel on various topics. There are Youtube videos on health & fitness, lifestyle, tech reviews, beauty, gaming and even cooking! You don’t have to do it full-time in the beginning, it can be a side hustle until you generate a substantial income from it.
To become a successful YouTuber, you need to learn additional skills like content creation, video editing, and a good understanding of Youtube analytics.
5. Becoming a podcaster
Have a gift for talking and expressing ideas well, but you are camera-shy? You can learn to become a podcaster instead!
A podcast is a digital broadcast made available on the internet. People love podcasts because they can listen to it anytime, anywhere as long as they have an internet connection. You will need to learn audio production to become a podcaster.
Once you have an audience to your podcast, you can monetise it through sponsorships, affiliate marketing and donations.
6. Becoming a Twitch streamer
Believe it or not, you can make a lot of money for live-streaming yourself playing games!
The skills you will need to learn to become a streamer include soft skills, like being engaging on a live stream and networking with other streamers. Some technical skills are also required, like having good gameplay and technical production.
If friends around you know you for being a natural entertainer and a gamer, you can consider picking up this skill.
7. Coding
In a world that is increasingly becoming dependant on technology, coding is a career choice that is high paying and will continue to be in high demand.
Indeed.com listed being a software architect, full stack developer, and java developer as the top 10 jobs of 2020, with the annual salary range being at six figures or more.
So what is coding? Coding, also known as computer programming, is the process of designing and building an executable computer program to perform a specific task. There are many different types of programming languages you can learn like Java, Python, HTML, Javascript.
Once you’ve learnt to code, you can either work in a company that requires software developers, or you can even create your own software and sell it as a product.
8. Starting an Online Business
When you start an online business, there is no cap to your potential earnings. You can sell either a product or service with an online business.
A major benefit of having an online business is you have much lesser overheads than a physical store, you don’t have to worry about rental costs.
To be successful, generating large amount of traffics is key. You will need to learn or work with someone who knows digital marketing, search engine optimization and social media marketing. It is also essential to create a product/service that people need.
Starting an online business is a low cost way with the potential to make a lot of money without requiring you to get a college degree.
9. Sell Insurance
Passionate about helping people to protect themselves from unforeseen disasters? You can learn to sell insurance. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10% of insurance agents earned more than $127,840.
Soft skills will be required here, like learning how to sell, building relationships and providing good customer service. Taking courses in finance will also give you an added advantage.
10. Sell Real Estate
Other than selling insurance, you can also consider learning how to sell real estate. There are similarities to both – you can work at your own time, it doesn’t require a college degree, and you are paid based on commission-based income.
11. Sales Manager
If you like the idea of having both a basic salary and the ability to make more through commissions, you can work in a corporate firm as a Sales Manager. High income skills required for this job include sales, leadership, management and business strategy.
You can earn a six figure salary from this role, and the highest 10% earned more than $208,000 annually.
12. Investing
Investing is another high income skill which is essential for people who want to learn how to grow their money. Learning how to invest properly will help you build your nest egg for retirement.
This skill becomes especially important as you grow older and require a source of passive income, instead of having to exchange your time for money.
It’s always good to learn how to invest early so you can take advantage of compound interest, which Albert Einstien once called the eighth wonder of the world.
13. Public Speaking
Public speaking is a skill that requires excellent communication skills, enthusiasm, and the ability to engage a crowd.
It is important for leaders to learn this skill, as you help set the team’s direction and vision for the future. Learning this skill opens up opportunities to get promoted at work to become a manager, director or even a CEO.
It is also listed as the number one fear for most people, people fear it more than death! There are courses you can take to learn this skill, and constant practice will help you become better at it.
14. Digital Marketing
There are many components to learning digital marketing.
This includes content marketing, email marketing, analytics, social media marketing, paid search, and search engine optimization. Digital marketing continues to be in high demand in a technology-driven age.
Marketing managers earn a median income of $133,460, and the top 10% earned more than a whooping $208,000 annually!
15. Graphic Design
If you love creating art, you can consider a profession in graphic design!
What is graphic design?
It is a profession where you create visual content to communicate ideas and marketing messages.
Graphic designers can be self taught or you can also go to a design school to learn the craft. Other than learning the fundamentals like working with color, contrast, hierarchy and balance, you will also need to learn how to use tools like Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
16. Web Design
Web design is another growing industry becoming higher in demand. As more businesses shift to online and e-commerce channels, they will require web designers to help them.
Picking up this skill will also allow you to do it freelance as a side hustle. You can make money by publishing your services on web design & development on sites like Fiverr.
17. Blockchain
What is blockchain?
Blockchain, in simple terms, is a data structure that holds transactional records while ensuring security, transparency, and decentralization. It is listed as one of the most in-demand hard skills of 2020 on LinkedIn.
Blockchain is seen as a transformational technology that can help to create smarter, more efficient supply chains. This is one of the best high income skills you can learn if you believe in the future of blockchain and its potential as a next disruptive industry.
18. Cloud Computing
What is cloud computing?
Cloud computing, as defined here in Microsoft’s Beginner’s Guide, is the delivery of computing services over the Internet (“the cloud”) to offer faster innovation, flexible resources, and economies of scale.
According to Salary.com, a cloud computing engineer’s average salary range is from $95,400 to $119,924.
If you have a dream to work at companies like Google, Amazon or Microsoft, this skill is definitely something you should learn as big tech companies are always on the lookout for candidates who possess this skill.
19. Artificial Intelligence
In the technology field, we definitely can’t miss out artificial intelligence.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is a model that uses machine learning algorithms and deep learning neural networks to draw insights which can be used to make decisons. There are endless possibilities in which artificial intelligence can be used to enhance existing applications and systems.
According to salary reports submitted to Glassdoor.com, learning this skill will allow you to become an AI Engineer and earn an average salary of $118,000 a year. Even at entry level, you can expect an income of $90,000 a year.
How to learn Artificial Intelligence?
You will need to have a bachelor’s degree a related subject, like Computer Science, Mathematics, Information Technology. You will also need to learn technical skills like computer programming, statistics, natural language processing, deep learning. Problem-solving skills and an analytical mind are also helpful in this role.
20. Cybersecurity
With all the emphasis on technology, cybersecurity will becoming increasingly important as companies want to ensure that critical information and systems are protected from digital attacks.
If you are someone who is detailed, good at problem-solving, and technical skills, you can consider to learn Cybersecurity.
21. Business Analysis
What is Business Analysis?
It is gathering data and measuring business performance to produce conclusions that can help provide businesses with information to make decisions on the future directions of the business.
According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a business systems analyst is $84,000 annually, while seniors can fetch up to $108,000.
How to become a business analyst?
You typically require a bachelor’s degree, prefably in business, economics or computing.
22. Consulting
What is consulting?
Consulting is to provide business advice on various topics including marketing, operations, sales and management.
You can make money as a consultant either through a fixed salary, choose to start a consulting business, or do it freelance.
If you have a knack for thinking out of the box and love coming up with ideas to solve problems, this could be the right career for you.
23. Coaching
Love teaching and helping others? Consider learning how to coach! There are many different types of coaches, we have fitness coaches, life coaches, business coaches, leadership coaches, and many more.
If you become a coach, you make money by providing services to help clients achieve their personal/corporate goals.
In coaching, you have the flexibility to charge per hour or on a project basis. You can also add additional income streams by selling related products to your clients.
24. Leadership
Leadership is an important skill to learn because anything big is always accomplished by a team of people working towards a common goal. Whether you want to become an entrepreneur or be part of a company’s management team, learning this skill is crucial in your career path.
All organisations and businesses need effective leaders and can directly impact a company’s success.
25. Time Management
This skill is one of the most highly sought after skills that employers look for. This is also the skill I believe that everyone should learn no matter which career path they are pursuing in life!
The good news is time management is a skill anyone can learn. There are courses and books on the subject, as well as apps that can help you plan your time better.
Always remember – being busy is not the same as being effective. Time is the only resource in which everyone has the same 24 hours a day, and it is vital that we learn how to use it in the best way possible.
26. Teamwork
Whichever career path you choose, it is essential to learn to be part of a team and learn how to collaborate with others to achieve a specific objective.
Learning how to communicate clearly with others, building interpersonal relationships and establishing common goals will help you to improve your teamwork skills.
27. Project Management
Project management is the process of leading a team to achieve all project goals within a limited time and budget.
This skill is applicable to different types of industries, and usually comprises of five stages – initiating the project, planning, execution, monitoring and closing.
This skill is essential for managers and will help teams reach their objectives and reduce possible risks.
28. Critical Thinking
What is critical thinking?
Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a rational judgement.
Certain high paying professions require critical thinking, like being an analyst, a lawyer, a judge, a scientist and a doctor.
29. Crisis Management
Crisis management is a skill in which an organisation deals with a large and unexpected event. It is a high income skill that is required in top leadership positions, like being a politician or a CEO.
A crisis has the potential to cause huge unrest in an organisation. We have a tendency to discount events that have not yet happened, but by having a crisis management plan in place, an organisation will be better equipped to respond when the unlikely and unexpected happens, and minimise damage.
Final Thoughts
These high income skills listed here are still very relevant in 2021.
The amount of education level required varies, and I hope it inspires and gives you some ideas of possible career paths that you can look at while fetching an income that can put you on a path towards financial freedom!
What are you waiting for? Learn a new high income skill today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which high income skills should I learn?
Think about what stands out to you in the above list. I suggest to start on something you are naturally drawn towards. It is easier to develop high income skills which play well to your natural strengths.
How can I develop high income skills?
There are many different ways you can start learning, through online and offline courses, books, and finding a mentor who already has the skill you want to learn.
I also recommend picking up Scott H. Young’s book on Ultralearning, which teaches you how to master hard skills. It will shorten your learning time and provide you a framework on learning a skill set quickly and effectively.
