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Last Updated: September 25, 2023

Top 20 Certificate Programs Which Pay Well

Successfully completing a certificate course from a reputed university is one of the easiest ways to get a promotion, increase your wages, or switch your job. Varying in length from a few months to years, with classes in the evening, nights, weekends, and online, these courses will provide you with the advanced skills that are required to succeed in today's workplace. Below is a list of some short certificate programs which can lead to a good career.

Top 20 Certificate Courses in USA

  1. Digital Marketing: There are lot of opportunities in this area and you can even become freelancer or start your own agency.It's a high paying job you can charge ftom $20/hr to $50/hr for Digital Marketing, Brand Building etc. Many universities and colleges offer 3-6 month certificate programs.
  2. Systems Security: Due to the increase in hackers, system security professionals are in high demand. With salaries up to $130,000 for the best, a certificate course in system security will teach you how to protect your employer's data and infrastructure from attacks. This course is meant for people familiar with coding and computers.
    Cyber Security Programs.
  3. Cloud Engineer: If you have a certification in AWS, Azure, GCP (Google) then you have a good chance at making a decent salary. There are plenty of job requirements in this area. Many junior to senior-level jobs are available. These are the best IT certifications to get these days.
  4. IT Certifications: IT certifications like RHEL, MCSE, CCNA VMware, Java, etc. are always in demand (some experience always helps with certifications). With 2-3 years of experience, one can easily make a $100k+ salary. Always try getting certified even when working in that field - it helps a lot in getting a new job and keeps you up to date with industry requirements.
  5. Medical Coder/Medical Biller: Medical industry is always on the look-out for certified medical coders and billers to smooth out the medical payment process. Certified medical coders and billers are in high demand in hospitals, insurance companies, doctor's offices, pharmacies, and almost any place medical. They are responsible for coding and decoding the procedures and diagnosis codes by following CMS guidelines. The most popular certificates for medical coding are CPC (Certified Professional Coder), CCS (Certified Coding Specialist), and CMC (Certified Medical Coder). On average, a medical coder earns $60,000 per year just after a few years in this field.
  6. Court Reporter: Since crime will always be a part of human society, jobs for court reporters will always be present. A simple certificate course will teach you the skills you will require to be successful in this job. Additionally other than the justice system of the country, the typing skills of a court reporter are also in demand in the television industry. The average pay is around $40,000 in a year.
  7. Website Designing: Considering the large number of websites that are created every single day, finding a job will not be tough. These courses usually cover the entire gamut of topics required to successfully create a website i.e. everything from coding the website to designing graphics for the website to working with different types of multimedia. Average salaries range from $40,000 to $70,000 depending on the company you work for. An additional advantage is the option to freelance your services while maintaining a full-time job. You can take a boot camp course on web designing, learn HTML/javascript/Graphics design, wordpress etc.
  8. Finance For Managers: This course is meant for managers in companies who are looking to increase their chances of getting promoted into upper management. This course teaches the techniques, tools, and skills a person will require to analyze different business problems and models, to apply concepts to solve problems in management, finance, and accounting. Average salaries upon promotion range from $70,000 to $100,000.
  9. EMT Certificate Course: There will always be a need for EMT's (Emergency Medical Technician) as long as humans exist. While the exact requirements vary according to state, a certificate course from a reputed university will teach you all of the necessary skills you will require to perform on the street. While the work itself is stressful, average salaries range from $35,000 - $45,000, at the end of a day's work you know that you have saved lives.
  10. Restaurant Management: Thanks to the exponential growth in the tourism and hospitality industry, the number of restaurants in every city just keeps rising. A certificate program will help develop and teach strong leadership, effective communication skills, problem-solving skills, along with team building and motivational skills. While the work can be strenuous at times, the job satisfaction and pay are high, with salaries ranging from $35,000 to $125,000.
  11. Medical Transcriptionist/Medical Scribe: Hired by doctors, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers, medical transcriptionists play a very important role in typing doctor's reports/notes from dictated recordings. A medical scribe, on the other hand, helps in documenting patient-physician encounters in real-time. Both, medical transcriptionists and medical scribes need to be fluent in medical terminology. Their average annual salary is $35,000.
  12. Insurance Appraiser For Cars: If you are looking to switch to an industry where your work will be split between office and the field is relatively stress-free, then a certificate course in insurance appraisal will provide you with just that opportunity. All the skills that you will require to estimate the cost of repair for a damaged car will be taught, you have the option to work directly with an insurance company or to work independently. The average salary is $50,000-$60,000.
  13. Car Mechanic: A certificate course with a duration of a few months will allow you to become a car and motorcycle mechanic. A recession-proof industry (since people tend to repair their cars instead of getting a new one when a recession is underway), average salaries of up to $50,000 is the norm.
  14. Massage Therapist: It is well known that massage is a great way to lower everyday stress and tension. A certificate course will teach you the skills you will require to practice effectively. With the number of people opting for a massage increased every day, finding work is easy, and an average salary of around $38,000 is offered. An added advantage is that you have the option of working for yourself as an individual masseuse.
  15. Installing Alarm and Fire Systems: Security is a major industry, every building in the country needs fire alarms, and a large number are adding security cameras and alarm systems for added protection. So if you love electronics and electric devices, a certificate course will allow you to become an installer of such systems. Everything from installing to maintaining to repairing the different systems you will use will be taught. Average salaries range from $42,000 to $50,000 a year, an added advantage of a job in this field is that it is no desk job, you will always be on the move from one project to another.
  16. Personal Fitness Trainer:If you love hitting the gym, have a passion for helping others, then getting certified to become a fitness trainer is a good opportunity to earn a lot of money while simultaneously having fun on the job. With the number of job openings expected to increase by 25-30 percent over the next two years' time, salaries ranging from $30 per hour to $300 (if you hit it big), if you love fitness then this is the course for you.
  17. Transcriptionist For Hospitals: Doctors see a large number of patients every single day since they do not have the time to type out and keep up to date the patient's charts, the need for medical transcriptionists will always be present. The only requirement for the job is a fast typing speed and the ability to decipher what the doctor is saying through the audio recordings (both of these skills are taught in the certificate course). Average salaries are $32,000-$40,000.
  18. Language Interpreters: Thanks to globalization, the number of people from different countries in the US is increasing on a daily basis. Not all of these people speak English, hence the need for effective interpreters. If you successfully finish a certificate course in a popular language (Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, etc.) then there will always be a job for you in hospitals, social services, and courtrooms, to name just a few. All that is required to practice is to get certified. Many universities offer courses that teach the language and grant certification at the end. If you already know the language then just write the exam (a few hours in length) to get certified. Average salaries range from $45,000 to $ 55,000.
  19. Interpreter Of Sign Language: If you are a people person, love to be independent in your work, a certificate course will allow you to act as an interpreter for the deaf. There are not many ASL (American Sign Language) fluent people. With work available in schools, universities, social services, and businesses, finding a job is easy. Average pay is $37,000-$40,000.
  20. Embalming: While not for everyone, if you have a strong body constitution, the certificate course will teach you the necessary skills required to prepare the dead for their final place of resting. Salaries average upwards of $40,000, job security is final since recession or not you will always have a job.
  21. Engineering Soft Skills: Engineers will always be in demand, but if you are an engineer who wants to set yourself apart from the rest then a certificate course in engineering soft skills will do just that. These courses are designed to create engineers who understand the principles of finance, management, business. This provides a huge competitive advantage over other engineers for those who successfully complete the course. Average salaries range from $30,000- $80,000.
  22. Homeland Security Course: If you are interested in working for homeland security, a certificate course will teach you all the necessary skills required to keep the country safe and secure. With salaries up to $100,000 a year and complete job security, a homeland security certificate course might be the perfect match for you to protect your country and earn lots while doing so.
  23. Veterinary Assistant: If you love animals, want to work with them, a certificate course to become a veterinary assistant will teach you how to work with different animals, take care of different animals, how to help the veterinarians in the office. Salaries range from $15,000 to $35,000.
  24. Dressmaking & Design: Whether you want to work as a tailor in a major clothing's brand or start your own clothing's line the skills you will require (everything from selecting the fabric to working with it to caring for it) can be learned via a certificate course in your local college. With salaries ranging from $25,000 to $60,000 (more if you start your own clothing line), if you have a love for designing clothes, then a dressmaking course will be the perfect match for you.


Considering a large number of certificate courses on offer, finding one to suit your needs and requirements should not be difficult. While it will require a few months of hard work and an investment of time and money, once you successfully complete the course you will be ready to achieve your goals no matter what they are.

There are many computer certifications which can build your career and you may earn a lot more money. Computer certification is a good choice if you have an interest in computers and have a bachelor's degree.




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