Here are ten great ways to qualify for higher paying jobs by enrolling in professional education programs, say government analysts. In many cases, working students enrolled in online degree programs can build skills that can help them earn bigger salaries without switching employers or industries. New data highlight ten jobs with clear paths to certifications that lead to more substantial incomes.
Four Ways to Cash in on the Long Haul
Long-Term: For professionals who already hold bachelor's degrees, additional training and certification can enhance an already substantial salary while demonstrating career commitment.
Marketing Coordinator
The highest paying job on our list requires a blend of gut instinct, communication skills, and business education. Marketing coordinators often earn over $35 per hour in exchange for executing complex marketing and advertising plans. Many self-taught marketers can polish their skills and exchange ideas with other students in online degree programs, in order to qualify for higher paying corporate positions.
Systems Analyst
Understanding the computer systems that run your company can offer a fast track to financial freedom. Earning networking and computer certifications through online degree programs can help qualify many current professionals for jobs that pay $33 or more per hour.
Financial Analyst
Combining expertise in customer service with an advanced degree in business or finance can qualify you for a job as a financial analyst or as a personal financial advisor. Depending on your industry or specialty, an online degree program can prepare you for certifications and licenses that you can earn while still employed with your present employer. In many cases, completing the licensure process can qualify you for positions that pay more than $32 per hour.
Computer Programmer
Thanks to online degree programs in information technology, professionals from a variety of fields can learn how to write code and manage databases. Many of the highest paying information technology jobs, with hourly rates of $31 or more, require a combination of programming training and experience from a specialized field. Learning how to write software for an industry in which you already have experience is a fast way to leapfrog other programmers on the career ladder.
Enhance a Bachelor's Degree for a Career Boost
Medium-Term: Completing an online bachelor's degree program can help convert your existing professional experience into a better-paying job. Experts suggest the following three step-up positions that could be yours with a little extra education.
Nurse
With a little education, many customer service workers in hospitals and in health care practices can make the leap into nursing. While a diploma or an associate's degree can help you land an entry-level nursing job, nursing professionals with bachelor's degrees in nursing enjoy hourly wages of over $27 per hour.
Benefits Coordinator
After building basic skills and earning credentials as a hiring assistant, human resources professionals with strong math skills can transition into careers as benefits coordinators. State and federal laws put more pressure on small and medium businesses to manage benefits programs openly and accurately. Therefore, HR staffers who complete additional business and finance training can earn over $24 per hour by making staff benefits their specialty.
Account Executive
In companies that rely on deeper relationships between customers and staff, account executives handle critical, complex sales. Online degree programs in business, sales, and finance can help prospective account executives land jobs that often pay more than $23 per hour. Best of all, many sales-focused employers often help cover expenses for business and marketing courses.
Three on the Career Fast-Track
Short-Term: Attending part-time, it's possible to earn basic certifications relatively quickly in computers, human resources, and customer service. Hourly workers in retail or temporary jobs can shift to the following positions by making a commitment to professional education.
Hiring Assistant
Teaching and coaching professionals with a desire to shift into the business world often find success in the Human Resources office. Business and finance courses with an emphasis on compensation and communication can lead to certifications for benefits, personnel, and compliance professionals. Hiring assistants with research skills and key industry certifications can often earn over $20 per hour.
Computer Helpdesk Specialist
To quickly turn an information technology certification into a weekly paycheck, round out your resume with a job handling support calls. Many helpdesk specialists earn over $18 per hour by combining quality customer service skills with technical expertise. For current account representatives and service workers, earning an information technology certification in desktop software or helpdesk operation can result in a bigger paycheck.
Account Representative
Customer service positions offer a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in marketing and finance fields. Higher paying positions often require an associate's degree in business or communications to qualify. However, most companies that hire account representatives offer in-house training and development programs that can include professional certifications. Face-to-face account representatives tend to earn slightly more than the typical call center wage of $12 per hour.
Whether your time is money or you're in a position to go the educational distance, you can add some pizzazz to your hourly income without sacrificing the salary you have right now.
This article is sponsored by Lincoln College of Technology
Lincoln gives you the academic reputation and personalized attention of a traditional college along with the convenience, flexibility, and value you need and expect from an online college... That's the Lincoln Difference.
