Deciding on a career path is one of the rather challenging obstacles you face after graduation. Some people want to use their degree and work in the field they’ve studied, while others decide to work in other fields and acquire new skills. In either case, you need to understand the job market so you could make an informed decision, which is sometimes a luxury since people occasionally find themselves forced into a line of work. There are profitable jobs out there, but what most people don’t know is plenty of those jobs require a license. This is a list of some profitable jobs where you can make a lot of money, but you will need to get a license first.
Auctioneer
This is one of the jobs that you probably didn’t know were profitable or needed a license. Auctioneers are required to carry a license in 33 US states, and the price for the requirements of the license varies from $15 to over $600 depending on the state. Auctioneers make an average income of around $50,000 a year, so it is a line of work that pays well. If you want to become a licensed auctioneer, you should research the requirements in your state and apply for a license so you could get to work.
Loan Officer
Loan officers play a vital role in any applicant’s loan process. They help clients find the loan that works for them, so they need to have a detailed knowledge of the different available loans. A loan officer often specializes in mortgages, consumer loans, or any of the other types of loans. For this job, they need licensing as well. The great thing about this job is that the salary is quite good and you can make a decent annual income. Each state often has varying licensing requirements, so you need to check your state’s regulations so you could get your license and work as a loan officer or a loan officer assistant.
Makeup Artists
Believe it or not, makeup artists are licensed in 36 states, and to get the license, you need three to nine months of education and work experience. There are also exams that a makeup artist has to take to become licensed, and the fees for the license are a little over $100. This applies to makeup artists working in spas, salons, or making house calls. Makeup artists can earn a lot of money depending on the field they’re in, with an annual median salary of over $65,000 in the US, while the top earners working in cinema and video production could make over $100,000.
Lawyers
In case you didn’t know it already, lawyers are required by law to pass the bar when they graduate from college. Unlicensed law school graduates are not considered lawyers and may not practice law –– they can’t also identify themselves as lawyers. Needless to say, there is a lot of money in being a lawyer once you get the proper licensing.
Doctors and Nurses
Medical professionals are required to obtain licenses to work in healthcare so that they could prove that they meet the requirements to work in that field. The medical field can be profitable for doctors obviously, but it is quite rewarding for nurses as well, contrary to popular belief. In 2018, the average salary for a registered nurse was around $71,000. If you want to become a nurse, look up the licensing requirements in your state so you could apply for the license.
Teachers
While you can work as a teacher without a license, getting one would open up a lot of doors for you and make your job a lot easier. Teacher certification or licensing allows teachers to teach a certain subject or in a certain field after they have completed the necessary degrees, coursework, and tests. In the US, teachers can get national certification that allows them to work in all states. There are also different licenses and certifications that teachers can acquire to help them work abroad, like teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), which qualifies English teachers to teach it as a second or foreign language in countries abroad. This kind of licensing can be quite profitable because teachers with licenses like TESOL are in high demand in foreign countries.
You shouldn’t think of licensing for a job as an obstacle or something to slow you down. It is in fact a learning opportunity. These jobs we mentioned can earn you a lot of money, but to get there, you need to make some effort and work so you could earn that money. Whether you want to become a doctor or a teacher, you need to study and acquire a license so you could be deserving of your job.
