Earning a satisfying amount of income after learning can be an amazing experience. Not to worry, there are short certificate programs that pay well, and taking them might be a step in the right direction for your career.
On successful completion of these certificate programs from an accredited and reputable institution you can start a new career, get a promotion, increase your income, gain more experience and/or become better at what you do.
These Short certificate programs that pay well could vary in their duration of completion. Some being 4 week certificate programs online or offline, while others may be 6 months certificate programs online or offline, others could take a year.
These courses can provide you with the advanced skills that are required to succeed in today’s workplace and increase your earning power. Nevertheless, there are some important things to note, read them below before you continue.
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Some Important Points To Note
✔️ Depending on your choice, some certificate courses may require you to take exams, some might even require a preparation from 3 to 6 months. While you choose which certificate programs to enroll in, plan for a course/certification relevant to the job market.
✔️ This article will help you discover short certificate programs that pay well, but you might need to do some research to know if you will be required to pass an exam, depending on where you intend undertaking them.
✔️ Some of these certifications will expire, and might require renewal at intervals. On the other hand, some cases might require you to earn credits to keep your certification valid.
✔️ Amongst these short certificate programs that pay well, some might require you to undergo a short term course and then proceed to take an exam.
✔️ You might be expected to attend classes for a specified period of time, visit labs and engage in practical work before sitting for the exam.
✔️ While certificate programs are great, being concerned about the knowledge you’d gain from them, will help you stand out and acquire the relevant skill sets to earn satisfying pay.
✔️ Before getting the right job, or applying for jobs, it is advisable to acquire some work experience as many jobs that will pay you well may require you to have some kind of work experience over a period of time. To achieve this, you could do the following:
- Work as a trainee to get some experience.
- Apply for internships.
- Engage in mentorship
- Join Apprenticeship programs
- Volunteer to work for free.
20 Short Certificate Programs That Pay Well
It is true that not everyone has the time or means to go back to school for a full-time degree program. If this is your situation, you can check out cheapest online college per credit hour.
Nevertheless, there is good news for you. The good news is that even if you don’t have the means and time to afford a bachelor’s degree, there are some short certificate programs that pay well in the long run.
Certifications can boost your resume, and give you an extra advantage during recruitment . Some Certificates can lead you to well-paying jobs right away, while others provide aid to get working and earning while you continue learning on the job and advancing in your new career.
Here, we have provided a few options for in-person or online short certificate programs that will pay you well and could be completed in a year or less.
Be our guest, as we show you below in no particular order:
1. Cloud infrastructure
- Job Achievable: Cloud Architect
- Average Earnings: $169,029
Professional Cloud Architects enable organizations to leverage Google Cloud technologies. Cloud Architects design, develop and manage robust and scalable cloud architecture solutions.
To become a Google Certified Professional, you will have to:
- Review the exam guide
- Undertake a training program
- Review sample questions
- Schedule your exams
The professional cloud architect certification includes an exam of 2 hours duration. The exam has a multiple choice and multiple select format, which can be taken remotely or in person at a test centre.
The exam for this certification costs $200 and is rendered in English and Japan. Candidates are expected to recertify to maintain their certification status as the certification is valid for just 2years.
In 2019 and 2020 the Google Cloud professional Cloud Architect certification was named the highest IT paid certification and the second highest in 2021 by soft skill global knowledge.
2. Google Certified Professional Data Engineer
- Average Earnings: $171,749
- Job achievable: Cloud Architects
Data engineers are in high demand, and this demand is constantly growing. Being amongst one of the most in-demand disciplines in the industry, we have listed it amongst the 20 short certificate programs that pay well.
In 2021, the Google Cloud Certified Professional Data Engineer certification is regarded as the highest paying salary in IT. The certification enables data-driven decision making by collecting, transforming and visualizing data.
The jobs of data engineers are includes; analyzing information to gain insight into business outcomes. They also build statistical models to aid decision-making processes and create machine learning models to automate and simplify vital business processes.
Candidates are expected to pass the Google Certified Professional – Data Engineer exam to qualify for this certification.
3. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Average salary: $159,033
- Job achievable: Cloud Architect
The AWS Solutions Architect certification is also a high paying short certificate program.
The certification is proof of an individual’s expertise in designing and deploying scalable systems on the AWS platform.
It’s great for anyone who designs cloud infrastructures, reference architectures or deploy systems and applications.
What candidates need to achieve this certification, is to pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C02) exam.
AWS recommends a year of hands-on experience designing systems on its platform before taking this exam.
The certification has a recommended prerequisite which is the the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification.
4. CRISC – Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
- Average salary: $151,995
- Job achievable: Senior Manager for Information Security (CISO / CSO / ISO)
The CRISC made it to our list of short certificate programs that pay well. Recently, there has been a drastic increase in security breaches all over the world.
As a result, there is a fast growing demand for professionals who understand IT risk and how it relates to organisations. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certification is offered by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA’s) and it helps professionals develop these in-demand skills.
CRISC prepares and equips IT professionals with the necessary knowledge needed to identify, evaluate and manage IT risk and to plan and implement necessary control measures and frameworks.
The most common job roles for a CRISC-certified professional is a role as Security manager and director. They can also work in information security, as security engineers or analysts, or as security architects.
The criteria for achieving this certification, is passing the CRISC exam, which consists of four domains:
- IT Risk Identification
- IT Risk Assessment
- Risk Response and Mitigation
- Risk Control, Monitoring and Reporting.
5. CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
- Average salary: $151,853
- Job achievable: Information Security
This high paying short certificate programs is run by (ISC)² credential validates an individual’s cybersecurity expertise and years of experience.
Interestingly, earning the CISSP certification has been compared to earning a master’s degree in IT security, as it confirms that professionals have the relevant capacity and skill to effectively design, implement and manage a cybersecurity program and framework.
The CISSP exam is covers about eight areas of information security which includes:
- Security and Risk Management
- Asset Security
- Security Architecture and Engineering
- Communication and Network Security
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Security Assessment and Testing
- Security Operations
- Software Development Security
You need to have about five years of relevant work experience where you are paid in two or more of the CISSP domains, to enable you to become eligible for this certificate.
Nevertheless, you can still take the certification exam and become an Associate of (ISC)² when you pass even though you lack the necessary experience. After which, you will be allowed up to six years to obtain the required experience to earn your CISSP.
6. CISM – Certified Information Security Manager
- Average salary: $149,246
- Job Achievable: Information Security
For professionals who are seeking IT leadership positions, this Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification offered by ISACA is very vital.
It validates a high level of technical experience, qualification for leadership and management role competence.
CISM validates a professional’s ability to manage, design and assess an enterprise’s information security.
CISM exams cover four key domains. Which are;
- Information Security Governance
- Information Risk Management
- Information Security Program Development and Management
- Information Security Incident Management.
These above areas covered by CISM exams must be passed by candidates before they can obtain the certification.
Candidates must also meet the 5 years experience benchmark requirement to qualify for the certification.
7. Real Estate Agent
- Average salary: $73,955
- Job achievable: Real estate broker
Some say real estate is the new gold. While we have no facts backing that statement, it is popularly known that real estate has a lot of potential.
However, you need a real estate license to get started. It takes about four to six months to train online or offline ( in a classroom) before you can acquire the relevant license. Although licensing depends on the requirement of your State.
Also, you need to pass the real estate licensing exam, after which you can begin working under the supervision of a broker and start making money.
Nevertheless, you can become a full-fledged real estate broker after years of practice and experience.
8. HVAC-R Certification
- Job Achievable: HVAC Technician
- Average Earnings: $50,590
HVACR technicians are responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems.
HVACR is short for Heating, Ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration. HVACR mechanics and installers which are often called technicians work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.
HVAC certification is the certification for HVAC or HVAC-R technicians. This certification is meant to validate the technician’s training, experience and qualifications to perform installations and repairs within their state.
To become a certified HVAC-R professional, you require; a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
Then, you’re expected to receive an HVAC certificate from an accredited trade school or program, where you obtain your HVAC license from your state, and pass the certification exam for different types of HVAC or HVAC-R careers.
9. PMP® – Project Management Professional
- Average salary: $148,906
- Job Achievable: Project Manager.
Projects management is very important to organizations these days. Projects live and die based on how well or bad they’re managed. Skilled project managers are in demand, and are critical to any organization.
The Project Management Institute (PMI®) Project Management Professional (PMP) is a highly regarded project management certification.
It validates that a project manager has the experience, prowess and knowledge to define, organize and manage projects from start to finish for employers or organizations.
The institute has requirements that candidates must meet in order to earn the certification which includes:
Candidates must have a four-year degree, three years of experience leading projects, and 35 hours of project management education or a CAPM® Certification. OR
Candidates must have a high school diploma, five years of experience, and 35 hours of project management education/training or hold the CAPM® Certification.
10. Medical Coder/Medical Biller
Job Achievable: Medical Coder
Average Earnings: $43,980
We have the medical coder/ biller certification amongst our list of 20 short certificate programs that pay well because certified medical coders and billers are in high demand in the Medical industry to help smooth out the medical payment process.
Medical billing and coding is the process of identifying diagnoses, medical tests, treatments, and procedures found in clinical documentation and then transcribing this patient data into standardized codes to bill government and commercial payers for physician reimbursement.
Certified medical coders and billers have become a vital need in hospitals, insurance companies, doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and most medical related institutions. They are responsible for coding and decoding the procedures and diagnosis codes by following CMS guidelines.
Some of the most popular certificates for medical coding are:
- CPC (Certified Professional Coder).
- CCS (Certified Coding Specialist).
- CMC (Certified Medical Coder).
If you’re looking for a high pay in a lucrative field, then a medical coding certification is a great option for you.
A medical coder could earn an average of $60,000 per year just after a few years of experience in this field.Interestingly, some medical coders are allowed to work from home.
11. National Funeral Directors (NFDA) Certification
- Job Achievable: Funeral Director
- Average Earnings: $47,392
A funeral director, is also known as an undertaker or mortician. A funeral director is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites.
Their tasks often involves the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the arrangements for the funeral ceremony.
NFDA certification is offered by the national funeral directors association. The NFDA offers a range of training, whiy includes:
- NFDA Arranger Training
- NFDA Cremation Certification Program
- NFDA Certified Celebrant Training
- NFDA Certified Preplanning Consultant (CPC) Program.
12. Firefighting Certification
- Job Achievable: Firefighter
- Average Earnings: $47,547
Firefighting is an important but risky career. There is no specific licensure that is required by the fire department. However, you are expected to write an exam and attend a physical ability test that would prove that you can handle the stress of the job.
If you want to do this, you should first apply to fire departments. They usually hire every one or two years. But, this time frame varies from one city to another, depending on the fire department’s needs.
However, since the majority of a fireman’s duties are to rescue the citizens, they need a well versed knowledge in emergency medical services. It is mandatory for all firefighters to a be certified Emergency Medical Technician or EMT. However, you are not expected to have this at the time of application.
You can also opt for higher studies in the field of paramedics.
13. Certified Data Professional (CDP)
- Job Achievable: Application Analyst
- Average Earnings: $95,000
The CDP is an updated version of the the Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), created and offered by the ICCP from 2004 until 2015 before it was upgraded to the CDP.
The ICCP examinations are regularly updated with current subject matter experts who are leading practitioners in industry.
The CDP and Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP) uses broad and current industry scenario questions to examine and test candidates professional competency and how current their knowledge is. It involves a comprehensive 3 exam requirement.
The following Job Roles and specialty credentials are catered for within this credential: business analytics, data analytics and design, data integration, data and information quality, data warehousing, enterprise data architecture, information systems or IT management, and more.
Candidates can choose to specilize in any area suited for their experience and career goals.
14. NCP-MCI – Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure
- Job Achievable: Systems Architect
- Average salary: $142,810
The Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructure (NCP-MCI) certification is aimed at recognizing a professional’s skills and abilities to deploy, administer, and troubleshoot Nutanix AOS in the Enterprise Cloud.
To earn this certification, candidates are expected to pass the Multicloud Infrastructure exam .
Earning this certification which is amongst our list of short certificate programs that pay well, gives proof of your professional ability to guide an organization through the different phases of its cloud journey and framework.
Along the exam preparation path and training for the NCP-MCI, professionals acquire the essential knowledge and skill to deploy and manage a Nutanix environment.
15. Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
- Job Achievable: Cloud Architect or Cloud Engineer.
- Average salary: $121,420
With the Azure Administrator Associate certification, you can find jobs as a cloud architect. The certification validates your ability as a cloud administrator to manage an Azure instance, ranging from storage to security and networking.
This certification aligns with in demand job roles as It is one of Microsoft’s role-based certifications. To achieve this certification, you need to an in-depth understanding of the services across the Microsoft’s full IT lifecycle. Candidates must pass: AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator.
Candidates will be gain the needed skills to make recommendations on services used for better performance, scale, provision and size. They must monitor and adjust resources as appropriate.
16. CompTIA Security+
- Job Achievable: Network Engineer or Information Security
- Average salary: $110,974
Cyber security is becoming predominantly important as the day goes by. On every trending news these days are reports of cyber hacking, cyber attack and lots of threat fired towards the security framework of big organizations.
Professionals building a career and seeking jobs in cybersecurity, should consider CompTIA’s vendor-neutral Security+ certification.
Professionals in this certification should have competency each of the following:
- Network security
- Compliance and operational security
- Threats and vulnerabilities
- Application, data, and host security
- Access control and identity management
- Cryptography
17. Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment
- Job Achievable: Salesforce Developer
- Average Earnings: $112,031
The Salesforce Certified Development Lifecycle and Deployment Designer credential is tailored for professionals/ individuals who have the skills and experience at managing lightning Platform development and deployment activities, and effectively communicating technical solutions to business and technical stakeholders.
A number of certifications are available for you to undertake including certifications as a technical architect, an application architect, a system architect, a data architecture and management designer, an identity and access management designer, or a certification and integration architecture designer.
Some of the jobs you may pursue include technical lead, developer lead, project manager, released manager, technical architect, developer, tester, etc.
18. VCP-DVC – VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization
- Job Achievable: Systems/Enterprise Architect
- Average salary: $132,947
The VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization certification continues to rank highly, as VMware empowers organizations to adopt digital environments, improve experiences and streamline operations and workflows.
The VCP-DCV certification gives proof of a professional’s prowess and ability to design, implement, manage and troubleshoot a vSphere infrastructure.
To earn this certification, VMware requires candidates to attend at least one course offered by an authorized training provider or reseller. In addition to attending a class, candidates should have at least six months of experience working with the latest version of vSphere, VMware’s server virtualization software.
There recommendations and tracks available to candidates who seek to stay updated on their VMware credentials and certification as the latest version of the certification (2021) is obtainable.
19. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Job Achievable: Nursing Assistant
- Average salary: $30,024
Another health care position that is amongst our short term program for entry is the certified nursing assistant (CNA). Nursing assistant program.
The requirements may vary by state, therefore, it is important you choose from among state-approved certificate programs. On completion of your training, you can begin working for healthcare organizations or in medical offices. Nursing assistant jobs are expected to grow 8% in the next 10 years, which is faster than average.
Certified Nursing Assistants ( CNAs) offer direct care to patients in hospitals, nursing homes and home care. Certified Nursing Assistants are a vital part of a larger care team, as they assist patients with a range of basic needs, including eating, bathing, grooming, mobility etc.
20. Commercial Truck Driver
- Job Achievable: Truck Driver
- Average salary: $59,370
The road might be long, but becoming a commercial truck driver doesn’t take that long. It takes about 3 to 6 months to complete training after which you can start your career as a truck driver.
Candidates interested can take training from a truck driving school, community college or other certified institutions. After you’re certified, you can choose to work for companies or become a self employed truck driver.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I earn a certification?
There are several reasons why a short certification program may be for you. It all depends on your present needs, interest and other personal preferences.
To know if a certificate program is for you, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- Do you have the time and/or means to attend a full-time, four-year bachelor’s degree program?
- Is the certification relevant for your present career, and can it offer you the additional training for a job promotion or position?
- Would you like a fast training program that aids you to get out into the workforce quickly?
If your answer was Yes for any of these questions, then maybe a certificate program might just be right for you.
However, if you don’t have the financial means to attend college, but you desire to be in college, these online colleges that pay you to attend, might be your answer.
How long do short certificate programs last?
Short certificate programs like the name implies means that these programs are not as long as traditional college education.
Some short certificate programs can last up to two or more years while others last for as little as a few weeks. It all depends on institution, career and needs.
How can a short certificate program lead to a lucrative salary?
We have listed certificate programs above that will definitely pay you well, but you should understand that certificate programs can be utilized at any stage of your career, even if you are just starting up.
However, the most money to be made by obtaining certification is if you have some job experience and you need specific certifications to receive a raise or job promotion.
Conclusion
As the world advances, our needs increases so also the competition. It is valuable information to know that no knowledge is a waste, and constantly improving yourself and your knowledge will keep you ahead of your contemporaries.
We hope you found answers to your questions on this article specially written to help you find solutions to your needs.
It’s our pleasure at World Scholars Hub to constantly research for useful information on your behalf, and bring it right before your eyes.
In case you have any unanswered questions, feel free to drop a comment, we would give answers to your questions.
Bonus: To confirm the average salary potential of your short certificate programs of interest, visit payscale.
