Feb 23, 2026

7 Money-Making Skills You'll Master in Under a Year

Written by Valencia Higuera
|
Edited by Brendan McGinley
media artist editing on computer

Learning a new business skill is an excellent way to break into an industry. Not only can it make yourself more attractive to employers, but it might even earn you more money and responsibility in your current career.



But between work, family and life, the thought of spending years in a classroom can be overwhelming. Fortunately, you don't have to. It's possible to learn many in-demand skills in less than a year — some in just a few weeks or months.

Potential earning increases for adding new skills to your resume are wide-ranging, but the more skill you can bring to the table for an employer, the better your advantage over other candidates, the higher your value in your industry and the more negotiating power you'll have when discussing your wage or salary. Enrich your career and increase your paycheck with these money-making skills.

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Project managers oversee various projects from start to finish. Project management skills are useful in many industries, including healthcare and information technology.

Udemy's Project Management Professional Certification Program takes around 60 hours to complete and costs $130, though it's sometimes on sale for $100 off or more.

Learning video editing and production can open the door to opportunities with marketing and promotional companies or help you land entry-level work in television and video editing.

Training costs and program lengths vary. For example, the New York Film Academy offers 15-week digital workshops with tuition starting at $2,200.

Learning how to develop apps enables you to create your own web applications from scratch. You can work as an independent contractor developing apps for companies or get a job as an app developer.



You can find several free and low-cost online training opportunities — edX offers a variety of app development courses that last about six weeks. Courses are free, but you'll have to pay to become certified.

Translators work in private and public schools, courthouses, hospitals and conference centers. Becoming a translator might be a great opportunity if you already speak and write in another language.

The University of Arizona offers an online Spanish/English Translation Certification program made up of three courses and it lasts 16 weeks. This program costs $2,475 in total, but there are many online courses and programs available for a variety of price ranges.

Several industries use data analytics — including travel, energy, finance, education and health — to identify patterns and trends they can leverage for growing their businesses.

Online learning center General Assembly offers an accelerated one-week course and a 10-week, part-time Data Analytics course that comes with flexible payment options. Upon completing the course, you might be eligible to receive credit toward an online graduate program.

Cloud computing technology is an excellent skill to learn because it's one of the fastest-growing businesses in the IT industry.

Cloud Academy provides a wealth of ongoing training to help you learn cloud computing and prepare for Amazon Web Services certification, starting at $39 a month. The course has no end date and you can learn as little or as much as you like.

Developing strong leadership skills can help you guide a team. These skills are valuable if you are working toward becoming a manager, supervisor or director.



eCornell offers a four-month Executive Leadership Cornell Certificate Program for people in executive roles that costs $4,999 but can be found on sale for $3,499 at times.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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Written by
Valencia Higuera
Edited by
Brendan McGinley