Cheapest Professional Certifications That Pay Pretty Well
The American economy as a whole may be an unstoppable force these days, but on an individual level, most of us feel pretty poor . While some of this may be “ money dysmorphia ,” the fact is that everything costs more these days, and until recently our incomes lagged behind that level .
In a capitalist society, the answer to any problem is usually “more money”, so many people wonder how they can improve their earning capacity , especially if they don’t have a college degree or experience in the welfare sector. payment field. While there are many jobs that only require a certificate or license, paying for them when you’re already broke can be challenging.
But not every professional certificate costs a fortune. Here are eight professional certifications that are relatively cheap but can lead to a rewarding career.
Drone pilot
Cost: $225.00.
Potential salary: $98,249.
A career as a drone pilot feels like a glitch in the matrix. Chances are, if you’re good at video games, you could probably be a good drone pilot, and yet this career path averages six figures in terms of income. What’s even more amazing is that to become a certified drone pilot, you simply need a Part 107 certificate , which costs just $175 . If you need help passing the exam, the drone flying course will cost you about $50 , for a total cost of $225 (though you’ll likely need a drone for practice, which may cost you a little more). Even if you find a job for much less than six figures, it’s a very good deal.
You may be wondering who is hiring drone pilots—the main industries that need these skills include photography businesses (including real estate photographers), film and television production companies, and surveying companies .
Home Inspector
Cost: 500–800 US dollars.
Potential salary: $48,000 to $78,000.
Home inspectors are always in demand because people are still buying houses and still worrying about the money pit of buying. While experience in construction or home maintenance may give you an advantage, it’s not required—if you can meet your state’s requirements (and some states don’t even require a high school diploma to certify you as a home inspector), you’re good to go. All you typically need to do is take a home inspector education course, which costs between $500 and $800, pass the state exam, and start your business. How much you earn is entirely up to you; although the range is typically $48,000 to $78,000 per year, it depends on how many inspections you can schedule each day.
Real estate agent
Cost: 1325 US dollars.
Potential salary: $139,286.
Real estate often seems like everyone’s backup career option. To lose a job? Resign? Get into real estate! Well, there is a reason for this: getting a license is not difficult, and there is a chance of making a lot of money. The key word here is potential , because real estate is not a magical journey where money falls from the sky – most new real estate agents work for brokers who sponsor them, and they often start by working on the lowest paying properties and pay a portion of them commissions to their broker.
But getting a real estate agent license doesn’t cost much —about $1,325 including fees—and the average income is just under $140,000 if you stick to this strategy. The only catch is that this exam requires a lot of knowledge to pass, so be prepared to study hard.
EMT
Cost: from 1000 to 2000 dollars.
Potential salary: $98,000.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) are an integral part of our emergency medical care system. These are the people who come in the ambulance and offer emergency stabilizing care while you are taken to the hospital. It’s a stressful, stressful job, but the pay can reach six figures . Getting certified as an emergency physician is also not a big hurdle if you can master the necessary skills and knowledge. Most courses cost between $1,000 and $2,000 (equipment and exam fees may apply additionally). If you have a passion for serving your community and saving lives, this certification will provide an excellent return on investment.
Funeral director
Cost: from 4,000 to 21,000 US dollars.
Potential salary: $64,617.
Obviously, being a funeral director isn’t for everyone, and getting a license may cost a little more than some of the other certifications on this list ( up to $21,000 depending on the program). And it won’t get you into six figures easily, averaging just under $65,000 per year. But if you can find a program that costs less than $5,000, this career offers something priceless: job security.
Medical coder
Cost: 3564 US dollars.
Potential salary: $48,780.
Medical billing involves knowing how to correctly code medical services so that insurers and health systems can bill for them correctly. This is a precise job, but can be done by anyone with effort and proper training. Although the average salary is just under $50,000 , it is a growing industry, and getting a two-year certificate to work in it typically costs less than $4,000 (though you can spend much more), making it a sound investment.
Masseur
Cost: $10,000+
Potential salary: $57,060.
Just because your friends tell you that you have “magic hands” doesn’t mean you’re ready to just open a massage therapy business. To become certified as a massage therapist in most states, you must complete 500 (or more) hours of training. And this training is not as cheap as some of the other programs listed here, costing around $10,000 or more . But that’s still much less than the average cost of a four-year degree ( about $38,270 ). If you complete this training, you can look forward to a career earning an average salary of about $57,600 .
Air traffic controller
Cost: from 10,000 to 35,000 US dollars.
Potential salary: $129,750.
You might assume that you need all sorts of secret experience to become an air traffic controller, responsible for preventing air disasters and preventing your planes from crashing into each other. You’re wrong: becoming an air traffic controller (ATC) is relatively easy . You don’t need an advanced degree, although obtaining one is often helpful. All you absolutely need to do is take the training offered by the Federal Aviation Administration and pass the exam.
Technically, you can become an air traffic controller without any degree if you pass an exam, but it is usually necessary to either undergo training (such as during military service) or complete at least a two-year Collegiate Training Tier (CTI) program. ) school. The FAA has a list of approved CTI schools on its website . Total costs can be as high as $35,000, but can be as high as $10,000, and the average salary for air traffic controllers is $129,750.