Best Work-at-Home Courses to Start Earning Money This Year

By Holly Reisem Hanna

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You don’t need a college degree to have a good paying home-based career. Even though I have two college degrees; a bachelor’s degree in culture anthropology and an associate’s degree in nursing — I’m not using any of what I learned in college to make money today.

In fact, everything I’m doing today to earn money from home I've learned along the way. I read books, attended conferences, and took online courses. Not only am I the happiest I’ve ever been in my professional life, but I'm earning more than I was when I worked full-time as a nurse.

There is absolutely no excuse for you NOT to be making money from home this year! With advances in technology more jobs can be done from home, and startup costs for launching your own business are little to nothing. Best of all there are affordable courses in a variety of niches, that can get you up and running in as little as 30 days!

If you’re ready to make money from home this year — here are some online training courses you MUST check out!

Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers

1. Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing School – Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, Making Sense of Cents

I interviewed Michelle on The Work at Home Woman years ago. Since that time her blogging business has skyrocketed to the tune of $100K a month! How does she do it? The majority of Michelle's blogging income is earned through affiliate marketing, and now she's sharing her affiliate marketing secrets in her new training course. I had the chance to look over this course, and it's an awesome foundation for beginners. The course includes six modules with over 30 lessons, plus worksheets, bonuses and a private Facebook Group which is very active. The cost is $197 or two payments of $99. Michelle offers a 30-day money back satisfaction guarantee on her course.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Self-paced

Blogger

2. Elite Blog Academy – Ruth Soukup, Living Well Spending Less

I've purchased a lot of blogging resources over my career, and this is the one that has helped me the most. In fact, it's what helped me take my blog to the next level. This program is excellent for new and intermediate bloggers alike and it consists of 12 units and includes videos and worksheets, as well as bonuses, membership to private Facebook Group, and you'll get added to the Best of EBA Bloggers Group Board on Pinterest — which has over 134K followers! Enrollment for this training course only opens up ONCE a year, so be sure to get signed up for the waitlist and grab this FREE e-book, 7 Surefire Ways to Boost Your Blog Income Overnight. Cost is $797 or 3 monthly payments of $297.

• Level: Beginner to intermediate
• Duration: 12 weeks

Bookkeeper

3. How to Start & Grow Your Virtual Bookkeeping Business – Bookkeeper Business Academy, LLC

After starting his own accounting firm, Ben Robinson needed to hire some bookkeepers to help him with his business clients. Unfortunealty, finding good bookkeepers was tough. So Ben decided to take his CPA knowledge and train individuals to meet his needs. Over time he found that great bookkeepers shared seven main personal characteristics. Now Ben teaches others how to work from home as bookkeepers. To figure out if you have the right personality for bookkeeping — sign up for Ben's FREE three-part training series. Full 10-week training course is $1,197 or three payments of $437. The Bookkeeper Business Academy, LLC has an A- rating on the Better Business Bureau website.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: 10-week course

Copywriter

4. The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting – American Writers & Artsists Inc. (AWAI)

If you want to work from home as a copywriter — then you need to check out AWAI's copywriting course. This in-depth course (586 pages) covers all the nuts and bolts of writing persuasively, plus it gives you lifetime access to AWAI's members-only website and copywriting job board. Cost is $497 or five payments of $99. AWAI has a no-risk, 100% satisfaction guarantee for one full year and they have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

• Level: Beginner to intermediate
• Duration: Self-paced program – can realistically be completed in 12 weeks.

Event Planner

5. Event Planner Certificate Course – International Association of Professions Career College (IAP Career College)

This home-study course teaches the basics and techniques for planning events and getting started as an event planner. Explores both getting hired on as an employee and starting your event planning business and getting clients. The cost for this course is $297, and IAP Career College has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

• Level: Beginner to intermediate
• Duration: Six weeks

Freelance Writer

6. 30 Days or Less to Freelance Writing Success – Horkey Handbook

After a decade-long career as a financial advisor, Gina Horkey realized it wasn’t what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, and started looking into freelance writing. In six short months, Gina was able to build up her freelance writing business from zero to $4K a month! Now (just two years later) Gina is making five-figures a month! In Gina's course, she shares the framework she used for her freelance success. This course has three different packages to choose from: The Starter Package – $59, The Growth Package – $99, and The Rockstar Package – $199. Gina offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: 30 days

General Transcriptionist

7. General Transcription: Theory & Practice – transcribe anywhere

If you want to do transcription work from home, this is the course for you. Theory & Practice covers everything from equipment requirements, transcription style guides, to where to find legit jobs as well as practice dictation sessions so you can hone your skills. This course comes in three different levels ranging in price from $97 to $497.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Self-paced program – can realistically be completed in two to four months.

Graphic Designer

8. Become a Graphic Designer Learning Path – Lynda.com from LinkedIn

If you want to learn a new skill Lynda.com is the platform for you! Unlike other courses, Lynda.com is a membership platform where you have access to all of their tutorials in business, technology, and creative courses. Besides the individual courses, they have learning paths which can teach you a new career, like graphic design. The graphic design career path consists of 10 videos in 10 different topics. You can test-drive Lynda.com FREE for ten days. Membership is $19.99 a month for the basic plan and $29.99 a month for the premium plan.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Self-paced

Home Stager

9. Home Staging Business Training Program – Staging Diva

Debra Gould is an internationally recognized home staging expert and has staged millions of dollars worth of real estate through her company. In 2005, Debra started teaching others how to do the same via her Home Staging Business Training Program. The instant download training program is $995, and the mail to-your-door option is $1,295.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Series of fives courses – each one takes up to two hours to complete.

Medical Transcriptionist

10. Medical Transcription and Editing – CareerStep

If you'd like to work from home doing medical transcription — you’ll need formal training. CareerStep offers this training through an online program that can be completed at home and finished in four months. CareerStep has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and they’re endorsed by the well-known financial advisor, Dave Ramsey. The cost of this course is $2,995; payment plans and military tuition assistance is available. CareerStep also provides graduate support to help you land a job.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Self-paced – this program is designed to be completed in four months, but CareerStep offers 12 months access to ensure you have time to finish it.

Pinterest + Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers

11. Pinaaffiliate Masterclass: 30 Days to Skyrocket Your Affiliate Income Using Pinterest – Addi Ganley

I've known Addi for a couple of years now, and it's been so fun watching her blog explode! She's had so much success with blogging, Pinterest (she has over 115K Pinterest followers), and affiliate marketing that she's created a comprehensive course on how to use them to maximize your blogging profits. This online training course consists of 4 main modules covering Pinterest, affiliate marketing, income growth strategies, and increasing traffic to affiliate posts — plus she has a whole video library of tech training, bonuses, and a private Facebook group.

This is one of the first blogging courses I've seen that covers advanced affiliate marketing topics like lead magnets, sequences, and sales funnels — I came away with some great strategies to use on my own blog. Enrollment for this course only opens up ONCE a year, so be sure to get signed up for the waitlist. Cost is $197 for the VIP option or $97 for the core program. There is also a flex payment option available for two payments of $55.

• Level: Intermediate to advance
• Duration: A self-paced program that can be completed in 30 days.

Proofreading

12. Proofreading: Theory and Practice Course – Proofread Anywhere

Caitlin Pyle has been earning a full-time income proofreading transcripts for court reporters since 2012. Today she teaches other aspiring proofreaders how to do the same. The full cost of her course is $897 — but it can be broken down into payment “chunks” of $197 (modules 1 – 2), $400 (modules 3 – 5), and $300 (modules 6 – 9). To figure out if proofreading is the right career path for you — sign up for Caitlin's FREE seven-day intro course.

• Level: Beginner to intermediate
• Duration: A Self-paced program that takes approximately two to four months to complete.

Scoping

13. Internet Scoping School (ISS)

Linda Evenson has been a scopist for over 35 years and has been teaching others how to scope since 1999. In her course, you'll learn how to edit transcripts for court reporters. The full price of the course is $2,500, or you can pay in installments of 3, 5, 8, or 12-months. Want to know more about scoping? Linda offers a FREE seven-day intro course that sheds light on the profession, what it pays, and how to get clients.

• Level: Beginner to intermediate
• Duration: Self-paced program. If you put in 15-20 hours per week, you'll be able to finish the course within six months.

Social Media Manager

14. Become a Social Media Manager or Consultant – Social Media Manager School

Taught by Phyllis Khare (author of Social Media Marketing eLearning Kit for Dummies) and Andrea Vahl (author of Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies) — this training course will teach you everything you need to know about becoming a social media manager! This course contains six modules that are taught over a six-week period. The cost for this class is $597 with the option to pay in three installments of $208.42. To figure out if this is the right path for you, check out their FREE mini training series, which will teach you how to earn $1,000 a month as a social media manager, how to get clients, as well as tips and tools for being successful. Social Media Manager School has a LOVE It in 30 days or your money back guarantee.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: Six weeks

Virtual Assistant

15. Become a Virtual Assistant in 30 Days or Less – Horkey Handbook

After successful launching a freelance writing business, Gina Horkey decided to add virtual assistant services into the mix. Today Gina is teaching others how to launch their own successful freelance careers. In this 12-module training, you'll learn the essentials of starting, running, and managing a virtual assistant business. The Starter Package is $75, the Growth Package is $150, and the Rockstar Package is $300. Gina offers a 30-day money back guarantee on all of her courses.

• Level: Beginner
• Duration: 30 days

One last note. 

To be successful with any of these training courses and careers — you need to put in a lot of hard work! Success is not going to happen overnight and to be blunt, it's not always going to be easy. But if you're willing to put in the effort, complete the lessons, and work all the way through the course — you can be successful. If you're looking for an “easy way out” this list is not for you.

This page includes affiliate links. I was given a review copy of Pinaffiliate Masterclass and Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. Please be aware we only promote companies and products we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers. Please see our disclosure policy for further information.