Key takeaways
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Content creation, web and software development, virtual assistance, remote support, e-commerce, and online sales are among the valuable skills necessary in growing areas of online work.
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Skills you can learn online to make money could come from learning paths such as online courses, certification programs, joining communities, and networking.
Many people are interested in finding ways to earn money online, and experts predict that remote work will grow by 25 percent by 2030, with 94 percent of workers who can work remotely doing so at least part of the time [1, 2]. Continue reading to learn more about the skills you can learn to make money online and, more specifically, the skills that will likely be in demand, easiest for you to learn quickly, and profitable.
For example, if you want to build your leadership skills and learn more about generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), you might consider enrolling in Vanderbilt University’s Generative AI Leadership & Strategy Specialization. During this three-course series, you’ll have an opportunity to develop diverse skills, including working with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, succession planning, AI enablement, risk management, AI-powered creativity, and leadership.
The digital income landscape and opportunities in the remote economy
With online jobs projected to grow by 25 percent to over 92 million by 2030, learning in-demand digital skills is a key strategy for earning money remotely [1]. For many, the journey will begin with developing the necessary, in-demand skills for securing the right online job.
In 2027, approximately 94 percent of those who can work remotely will do so, with 61 percent preferring a hybrid work arrangement and 33 percent preferring to work fully remotely [2]. Despite executives urging employees back to the office, employee demand for remote work is high, whether you choose to work remotely for an employer or are self-employed.
The reasons for this demand are various. You likely share some of the top reasons that more individuals are desiring remote work, including wanting a greater work-life balance, increased productivity, reduced need to commute, and the cost savings that follow, and the ability to possibly make more money from home. One study found that, in general, remote workers can earn nearly 10 percent more than in-person workers in the same industries [3]. When you look at office managers specifically, they can earn more than 30 percent more when working remotely versus in the office [3].
Read more: 12 High-Paying Remote Jobs to Explore
Which skill is best to earn money online?
You won’t find a single “best” skill to learn; however, you can use some of the most in-demand skills as a guide, ideally aligning them with your interests and the field you want to pursue. For example, the Upwork Research Institute identified AI integration as a skill experiencing 178 percent year-over-year growth. Additional in-demand skills include [4]:
• Accounting and consulting
• Coding and web development
• Customer service and administrative support
• Data science and analytics
• Design and creative
• Sales and marketing
What skills can I learn to make money online?
Developing in-demand skills for popular remote jobs can help you make money online. The World Economic Forum predicts that some roles will take up a larger percentage of remote and online jobs in 2030 than others. The organization’s study expects that the following jobs will lead to remote work growth [1]:
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Software developer
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Finance manager
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Financial risk specialist
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Paralegal
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Graphic designer
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Insurance investigator
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Telemarketer
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Customer service representative
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Account collector
As such, consider developing the following valuable skills as you prepare to seek out an online role.
Content creation
Content creation covers a vast array of content mediums and purposes, including video, photography, writing, audio, marketing, social media, and design. You might focus on a specific content creation skill set before diving into the 200 million-strong content creator pool [5].
For example, you might choose a specialty specific to the remote jobs expected to grow over the next five years, such as that of public relations specialist rather than the job of writer, which is expected to provide about 23,000 job openings every year through 2035, or a job in media, such as photography or journalism, where overall employment is likewise anticipated to only grow at the average job growth rate.
The median pay for a public relations specialist in 2025 was $74,750 per year [6].
Whatever niche you end up choosing, if you get into content creation, you’ll find various ways to use content creation skills to make money online, whether working directly for a brand, for a content creation agency, or for yourself as a freelancer.
Web and software development
If you grow your web development and software development skills, such as being able to build and design a website, maintain a website and ensure it’s working properly, learn computer programming, and write code, you may be able to find work as a software developer, software quality assurance analyst, software tester, web developer, or digital designer.
All of these roles are growing much faster than average, with web development-related roles expected to grow by 5 percent through 2035 and software development-related roles expected to grow by 10 percent through 2035 [7, 8]. Meanwhile, the 2025 median pay for those in software development roles was $134,040 per year, and the 2025 median pay for those in web development roles was $99,520 per year [8, 7].
You can find remote work in web and software development through a range of employers, including those in the retail, finance, insurance, advertising, and education sectors. You can also work for yourself, as a freelancer, or start your own company.
Virtual assistance and remote support
While some remote jobs may require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a certain skill set, you can earn money online without committing to a degree program. For example, you can become a virtual assistant, providing administrative support to clients from afar.
Only around half of virtual assistants hold a bachelor’s degree [9]. Still, many of them possess certain skills that attract potential employers, such as communication and time management skills, as well as general tech and administrative skills. Virtual assistants may also choose to specialize in offering support to certain types of industries, including marketing, real estate, sales, and legal, in which case, knowledge of those industries is helpful.
Virtual assistant roles are remote by their very nature; it’s right in the name, after all, and the virtual assistant market is growing, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.4 percent through 2032 [10]. Trends fueling growth include the broader move to remote operations overall, the continual growth of technology companies and startups, and the desire for more affordable administrative assistance. Virtual assistants make a median total pay of $53,000 per year, which includes base salary and bonuses, profit-sharing, commissions, and other forms of additional compensation [11].
Virtual assistants are freelancers or self-employed business owners, and you can make money online as a virtual assistant by finding clients through your personal and professional networks or on job boards such as Upwork and Flexjobs.
E-commerce and online sales
Similarly, you don’t need a degree to make money online through e-commerce, but as you strive to sell products online, it can be helpful to know the ins and outs of sales, product marketing, and business operations. To start, though, you need to determine what you’ll sell and how you’ll get it, and then put together an online store or decide to use a sales platform such as Amazon or Etsy.
In 2025, online transactions generated more than $6.42 trillion, and experts anticipate that number will grow to more than $7.8 trillion by 2028, due to factors such as mobile technology and artificial intelligence (AI) creating a shift to more online shopping and greater reliance on the convenience of technology [12].
How large a slice you get of this amount, though, depends on factors such as the market for what you’re selling. In general, however, as of 2025, more than 75,000 sellers exceeded $1 million in sales, with the average annual sales for US independent sellers surpassing $375,000 [13].
Build your skill set
If one of the above ways to make money online, whether in a remote role for a specific employer or as a freelancer, appeals to you, begin pursuing these opportunities by building the appropriate skills. More and more, tangible skills are becoming just as important or more important to employers than a degree, and you may find that proven experience in a desirable skill set will assist you in securing an in-demand role.
Take courses and earn certifications
While, as mentioned, not all online money-making opportunities require formal credentials, even for those who don’t, taking courses and earning certifications can help you gain valuable, related skills that are attractive to potential employers or clients. For example, while you can become a software developer either with or without a degree, pursuing a certificate like the IBM Full Stack Software Developer Professional Certificate could provide a good foundation of knowledge.
Practice
If you’re building skills that you can practice on your own, such as content creation, do so regularly. That might look like taking and editing photos on the weekend or writing marketing copy for fake brands if you’re interested in pursuing online content creation jobs in photography, photo editing, or marketing, respectively. You could also practice developing logos or brand designs if you’re interested in pursuing an online graphic design job. This practice strengthens skills like a muscle and may allow you to use the results of your practice in a portfolio to show potential employers or clients.
Network and gain community insights
Virtual assistants aren’t the only online, remote professionals who can benefit from networking; network with others in your field, viewing them as colleagues rather than competition. You may find not just a valuable support system but also potential work leads. Getting involved with a professional association dedicated to your chosen career, such as the Python Software Foundation if you pursue a career in software development or the Creators Guild of America if you pursue a career in content creation, can provide support, work leads, and news and insights on industry trends and changes.
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