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.

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
MethodIncomeRequirements
TopAviation
$107k – $464k
wage
70Piloting
MidMobile business
$90k – $280k
profit, per job
50Auto electronics30Locksmithing30Small business
MidSpecialization · combo
$100k – $200k
profit, per job
50Welding50Commercial diving
TopAviation
$78k – $216k
wage
70Air traffic control
MidInsurance · deployable
$60k – $150k
profit, per job
50Estimating30Documents & compliance
TopTrades
$55k – $150k
wage
60Mechanical45Electrical30Rigging & safety
MidTrade-to-tech · hot demand
$54k – $110k
wage
40IT & networking30Rigging & safety
MidUtilities · hidden gem
$38k – $120k
wage
30Water treatment25Mechanical
MidInfrastructure · travel
$55k – $90k
wage
50Fiber optics10Rigging & safety
MidFlexible / semi-remote
$40k – $100k
profit, per job
50Documents & compliance30Small business
EntryHealthcare
$28k – $45k
wage
20Patient care
EntryRetail
$25k – $40k
wage
10Customer service
EntryFood service
$25k – $38k
wage
10Food service10Customer service

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? Suggestions are coming soon.