The world is changing. Because guess what? You can now make good money working online even without a college degree.
I’m sure that many of you, like myself, have been told that we needed to go to college and earn a degree or certification before we were allowed to have the job that we’ve always dreamed of. But that’s just simply not true anymore in this day and age.
Colleges make you think you have to go to them to be successful, but the college industry is a business at the end of the day. They want you to think you need them so you pay them tons of money – it’s a business tactic. And, yes, there are professions like lawyers, doctors, or engineers that will still require a professional degree, but so many well-paying jobs like graphic design, web development, virtual assisting and writing don’t.
Thanks to e-learning, you can learn online for less money and a lot faster. The starting salary for working online is typically $20 – $30 per hour depending on your experience level, and those who went to college often have to go back to school if they want to make more than that in a corporate environment.
Someone with an online job can learn faster, upskill, and make that higher-income sooner than the college graduate. Plus, you won’t have to pay off school loans. You’ll get to keep more of the money you make!
If you’re still hung up on the lie that you need a degree to be successful, here’s some food for thought: so, so many multimillionaires don’t have degrees. So many times, the wealthiest ones are entrepreneurs. They work for themselves online or on their own terms.
If you’re thinking you can’t do this, I want to change your mindset. If you’re holding yourself back with things like, “I don’t qualify,” or, “I can’t apply for the job I want,” stop doing that!
Focus on the things you can do. If you don’t apply, you’re not going to get the job. Don’t let your mindset hold you back. Just get started and apply.
To help you get started, here are 10 online jobs you can score without ever taking a college class!
1. Virtual Assistant
This is a great job to start your online work adventures with! It exposes you to a lot of different skills and you get to dip your toes in each to see what you most enjoy. Check out the current free class on the virtual assistant industry and how anyone can get started.
The women who take the 90 Day VA course are super successful. Many don’t even have to finish the course before they find work. They gain the skills they need, then find jobs and internships through the special Facebook group for the course.
2. Project Management and Business Management
This is the next level after virtual assistant. You can take the skills you gained as a VA and level up into this job that pays really well. Becoming a project manager is perfect for people who love admin and management roles.
A project manager or business manager is responsible for things like invoicing, budgeting, documentation, and managing teams. If you have a detail-oriented mind, you can really rock this job! The 90 Day VA course has a module on project management, so that could be a good place for you to start.
3. Digital Marketing
Yes, colleges offer degrees for digital marketing, but it’s such a waste of time! What they teach in a college class is going to be irrelevant by the time you graduate because technology changes quickly. Don’t waste 4 years of your life getting a degree that’s going to be irrelevant when you apply for jobs.
Digital marketing is something you can learn through awesome online programs. If you do take a program to get a certification, just make sure that it’s up-to-date with everything from the past 6 to 12 months.
In fact, get the idea of needing a certification out of your mind right now. Potential clients care more about your experience and samples of your work than if you got a fancy certification. They want to know what you’ve done, so show off your work and let it speak for itself.
4. Coding
You may have seen that word and been intimidated, but don’t let yourself be afraid of coding. There are actually awesome communities of women who code. Plus, there are coding bootcamps that you can go to in person for a few weeks if you want that extra boost. It is totally within reach for you.
Again, the world of coding moves so fast that any college degree for it is going to be outdated when you graduate. Save yourself the fees and time you’d waste in a college classroom. There are women out there who make 6 figures coding on WordPress. Why hold yourself back with fear when you could be one of them?
5. Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing encompasses things like managing Instagram accounts, Pinterest accounts, and Facebook pages. This can include creating content, scheduling posts, and responding to comments or messages. A portfolio showing what you’re capable of can go a long way in the world of social media marketing.
You probably already spend hours on social media every day, and you’ve been subconsciously picking up on things. If you have a good eye or sense for what works, you can supplement that with articles and YouTube videos to develop your skill. Or, you can go even more in-depth with the 90 Day VA course Skills Shop, which has tons of info on social media marketing.
6. Teaching English
This is an option, and it’s one people bring up a lot, but you’ll want to know a few things before you apply to an English-teaching job. Teaching English online is HARD. Teachers get burnt out on it quickly, and it doesn’t pay well. The most you’ll make is around $23/hour, they often have very specific hours that you can work, and they don’t offer many hours.
Even if you have a teaching credential and years of experience, they won’t pay you any more than if you didn’t have them! But, if you do want to try this route, a TFEL certificate is inexpensive and will allow you to qualify.
7. Translation and Transcription
If you’re reading this and saying, “Well, I can’t do any of these jobs because I’m not a native English speaker,” this online job negates that excuse. You can translate for your native language, right?
Translation and transcription don’t pay well and are very quickly becoming obsolete because of AI. Business owners are still looking for editors to check and edit what AI spit out though, so if you can learn some AI and copy editing skills, this can still be an option. ,It can be your stepping stone to something bigger and a way to build your confidence in going for online jobs.
8. Video Editing
Video editing is HUGE right now. You see video content everywhere online, all the time. There are tons of people out there who need you to edit their videos for them. Influencers, companies, and advertisers are putting out videos every day and need someone to help them edit all of it.
If you have a Mac, it has iMovie on it and you can use that to edit video. There’s also free video editing software online that you can download and teach yourself to use. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You can learn online with the help of YouTube videos, articles, or 90 Day VA video editing skills course, then get a portfolio started.
9. Graphic Design
Graphic design is an exciting one because you can be successful even if you’re self-taught. Again, you can play around with free tools like Canva and watch YouTube videos to learn the skills you need. It’s possible to build a 6-figure agency in a matter of a few years.
There’s no excuse to not try graphic design if it sounds at all interesting to you. You can use Adobe Suite software or Canva, which has free classes. Besides, it can be really fun if you enjoy visual media. Make samples and get out there!
10. Podcast Management
Podcast management is another online job that’s HUGE right now. And, just like many of these other jobs, you can teach yourself how to do it. There is no such thing as a degree for this, so no excuses. You can do this!
Play around with software like GarageBand. Read blogs that get into the nitty-gritty of how to edit audio. Practice uploading podcasts to hosts and writing podcast bios. Soak up all the info you can get and develop your skills through trying it out. Plus, you’ll then have samples to show prospective clients. 90 Day VA just added a mini course on podcast management if you want to dig deeper into the skills needed and get some practice.
Need help getting started with this whole online job thing?
We’ve got you covered! If being a virtual assistant sounds even remotely interesting to you, that’s a great place to start. You can enroll in this free class on how to be a VA. You’ll get a free worksheet in addition to all the awesome, helpful information on what exactly a virtual assistant does and if it’s the right fit for you.
Let this give you hope that there is a job online out there for you! You can work from home, make good money, and still love your life. Take that next step today!
Join the free intro class now and find out how you can get started working online!
Becca Johnson is a virtual assistant here to help entrepreneurs manage their businesses and create content so they have more time to focus on doing what they love. When she’s not working with small businesses to extend their reach, she loves to read books, write stories, travel, and cuddle her cat. She’s a member of 90 Day VA and assists with everything from blog writing, content repurposing, and social media management to general business management. To see all of the services she offers and how she can help you, check out her Facebook page here.
1 thought on “10 Online Jobs that DON’T Require a College Degree and Pay $20+/hr”
Thanks a lot for this post