a money-making guide for real life
MM Guidance › Methods

Earning methods

Real-world earning methods, laid out like a game guide: what each one pays, which skills and licenses it needs, and what it costs to start. Each row is a method, not a job title. Click one for the full guide.

Entry methods mark the floor: no skills needed, and pay to match. Top methods mark the ceiling: years of training and hard selection. Most of the interesting methods sit in between. Skill levels are the minimum you need to start earning the listed pay, not how hard the job feels.

Note: Pay figures are US estimates and move with location, season and the market, the same way item prices drift. Treat them as a starting point and check your local numbers before committing.
low barrier, high pay Members guide
MethodIncomeRequirements
TopTotal 70Aviation
$107k – $464k
wage
70Piloting
MidTotal 110Mobile business
$90k – $280k
profit, per job
50Auto electronics30Locksmithing30Small business
TopTotal 120Specialization · combo
$100k – $200k
profit, per job
50Welding70Commercial diving
TopTotal 70Aviation
$78k – $216k
wage
70Air traffic control
MidTotal 55Utilities · hidden gem
$37k – $190k
wage
30Water treatment25Mechanical
Free
MidTotal 80Insurance · deployable
$60k – $150k
profit, per job
50Estimating30Documents & compliance
TopTotal 135Trades
$55k – $150k
wage
60Mechanical45Electrical30Rigging & safety
MidTotal 55Utilities · hidden gem
$62k – $132k
wage
30Power plant operations25Mechanical
Free
MidTotal 35Trades · life safety
$39k – $140k
wage
25Fire alarm systems10Electrical
Free
MidTotal 70Trade-to-tech · hot demand
$54k – $110k
wage
40IT & networking30Rigging & safety
MidTotal 60Infrastructure · travel
$55k – $90k
wage
50Fiber optics10Rigging & safety
MidTotal 45Maintenance · hidden gem
$44k – $100k
wage
25Mechanical10Electrical10Welding
Free
MidTotal 80Flexible / semi-remote
$40k – $100k
profit, per job
50Documents & compliance30Small business
MidTotal 60Utilities · side business
$38k – $100k
profit, per job
30Backflow testing30Small business
EntryTotal 20Healthcare
$28k – $45k
wage
20Patient care
Free
EntryTotal 10Retail
$25k – $40k
wage
10Customer service
Free
EntryTotal 20Food service
$25k – $38k
wage
10Food service10Customer service
Free

About this guide

Game guides rank money-making methods by profit per hour and list the skills each one needs. MM Guidance does the same for real work. The focus is on methods people overlook: combinations of a few mid-level skills that pay like a single top-level one, and trades with a paid way in instead of a student loan.

Know a method that belongs here, or a number that's off? Tell us — every suggestion is read and checked before it goes in.

Suggest a method or fix a number