Don’t stress about getting a college degree, you can get a certification online with ease and earn up to six figures annually. Curated lists of these certifications are discussed in this blog post to help you find one that suits you best. Let’s get started.
Not everyone is cut out to earn a college degree especially because of the cost and the duration it takes to earn the degree. A bachelor’s degree takes 4 years while an associate’s takes 2 years but some people find it long and want a faster and cheaper alternative. If you are one of these people, then you have come to the right place.
A better option or route for such persons is to earn a certification in a program relating to a field that they like, have some knowledge of or is the highest paying one at that time. Unlike their degree counterparts, certifications are cheaper and faster to complete, in fact, there are some free online certification programs, as for the aspect of duration, they take weeks or months to complete.
Certifications are offered by colleges and universities, trade schools, vocational institutions, organizations, and online learning platforms. The certifications discussed in this blog post are the kinds offered online. The perk of online certifications is that they are much cheaper and faster to complete compared to their offline counterparts. And for its biggest advantage, you get to learn from the comfort of your home, at work, or anywhere you find convenient enough to learn.
However, you should know that even though these professional online certifications are taught online by colleges/universities, trade schools, and organizations but they were offered online for easy accessibility and to reach as many people as possible irrespective of their location.
Just like there are hundreds of degree programs in various fields and disciplines, there are also varieties of certification programs. However, the ones discussed in this blog post are the easy certifications to get online that pay well. So that even without a college degree and with just your certification you can earn up to six figures annually and it can go higher if you have a college degree in an in-demand niche.
Certifications are for everyone, whether you have a college degree or not, it isn’t specifically for those who want an alternative aside from going to college and earning a degree. You can get certification because you want to switch careers, explore a new field, polish your existing skills, advance your career, or gain new skills and knowledge.
You could be doing either of these to gain a promotion in your workplace or to get a raise. The awesome thing about this is that you do not have to go back to school to do any of these, you could literally lay on your bed and earn one of these easy certifications that pay well.
All in all, certifications are designed to equip you with professional skills and prepare you for a specific job role. For those with a college degree, you can even go ahead to attach your certificate to your resume to get a competitive edge over those with just a college degree. And if you fall among those without a degree but with just a professional certification, you will equally gain a competitive edge over those with just a GED.
The right certification program can increase your earning potential, get you working sooner, improve your credibility, and provide a competitive advantage in your field. Before taking a dive into the main topic, it may also interest you to know that we have other related articles that you definitely will find useful. Among them are the professional data analytics certification courses and fast certifications that pay well. We also have a wide range of articles on free online courses that comes with certificates.
Having said that, let’s explore the list of easy certifications to get online that pay well and how much they actually pay.
Easy Certifications To Get Online That Pay Well
Here is a list with details of the easy certifications to get online that pay well to help you find one to go for:
- Human Resources
- Marketing
- Medical Coder or Biller
- Computer Support Specialist
- Bookkeeper
- Audio and Sound Technician
- Project Management
- Court Reporter
1. Human Resources
If you want to get promoted in your workplace or seeking an advanced position in a new workplace, then you should get an online certification in human resources. HR is one of the easy certifications to get online that pay well with annual earning between $45,000 to over $100,000.
The online HR certification can be completed within a few weeks or months of study. You can find the course on Coursera, Udemy, edX, and Alison. Before taking the course, ensure that there is a certificate attached to it upon completion.
2. Marketing
Marketing is a skill that will forever be needed and the rise of social media has made digital marketers even hotter than before. You can earn a digital marketing certification online from Google or Coursera and gain skills that every business is currently searching for and will forever need. Doesn’t matter whether you have prior experience or not, a certification in digital marketing is a great way to break into the industry.
If you are already a digital marketer, you can then go for certifications as a marketing manager to gain promotion and advance your career. Depending on the level, the salary of a marketer in the US is $65,000, and over $140,000 for a marketing manager.
3. Medical Coder or Biller
If your interests are aligned with the healthcare field but you do not want to spend all those long years in med school for a medical degree then you should look into becoming a medical coder or biller. You can enroll in an online medical coder and billing program with just your high school diploma or GED. The program will train you on the human anatomy and how to code ICD and CPT diagnostics.
The online certification program plus training takes about 6 months to complete and you can start working nearly immediately. One of the perks is that you do not need to have prior experience to break into the field. The average salary of a medical coder or biller is $48,270 per year.
4. Computer Support Specialist
Computer support specialist is an easy certification for those who love computer systems, being around them and working on them. This is a role that does not require a college degree as you can be trained for the job within a few months. Your responsibilities as a computer support specialist will include helping companies with technical issues such as login problems and software glitches.
It is also a skill that is required by every company because no one wants their customers to complain about apps and websites being down and other related issues. A certification in computer science courses can even help you break into the industry. The average annual salary of a computer support specialist is $57,910.
5. Bookkeeper
Bookkeeping is a job role perfect for individuals who are good with numbers and figures and also have a great retentive memory. As a bookkeeper, you will be responsible for taking and keeping records of all the income and expenses done within an organization. You will also ensure that all financial records and documents are correct.
You don’t need to have a degree or prior experience in finance or economics to break into this field, only an online certification in bookkeeping is enough and from there, you can climb up the ladder and advance your career. To be relevant in this career, it is best that you master the latest technologies and gain high-tech accounting and finance skills. The average annual salary of bookkeepers is $45,560.
6. Audio and Sound Technician
If you love sound and know how to manipulate it then you should look into becoming an audio and sound technician and be in charge of operating equipment used to create, record, and enhance sound. With this skill, you can work with movie producers and artists and make magical sounds.
Breaking into this field is very easy, there are online courses for sound engineers that offer certifications. Through such courses, you will earn professional skills and knowledge to work efficiently as a sound technician. It is one of the stress-free jobs that pay well with an average salary of up to $48,000 per year.
7. Project Management
Project management is another in-demand skill after HR and marketing. The need for project managers is becoming high as the day goes by and this is because more and more startups are rising thus the increased need for project managers. You can earn a degree as a project manager which takes 3-4 years but if you don’t want to wait that long before entering the field then a certification will do.
There are online project management programs that come with certification and will properly equip you with professional skills and knowledge to plan and execute projects with ease and efficiency. The program takes a few months to a year to complete. The average salary of project managers with certificates is $83,000.
8. Court Reporter
Court reporting job is best suited for those who enjoy writing. The job is an easy one that entails transcribing spoken words for legal proceedings. There are varieties of certifications offered online by technical schools and community colleges that will help you break into the field. To consider this field, you must have basic writing and reading skills and be able to use a stenotype machine.
Court reporters in the US earn an average annual salary of $60,380.
These easy certifications can either be free or paid depending on the institution offering the program. If you are lucky, your employer might even be able to pay for your certification. Whether you decide to get one of these easy certifications or not, always ensure that the one you go for is offered by an accredited institution so that it can be recognized by employers.