Certificate programs, often offered by colleges, provide training in specific fields that can help jump-start a career. You can take certificate programs as a college graduate, but many are designed for people with a high school diploma or GED who want additional training to land an entry-level position that pays well.
“Professional certifications are a valuable way to demonstrate attainment of knowledge and skills,” said Shonn Colbrunn, executive director of the Boerigter Center for Calling and Career at Hope College, in email.
Certificate programs are typically cheaper than college, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but the fees can still add up. You might spend $100 per credit, so a 12-credit course to earn a certificate could cost $1,200. However, some certificate programs cost $5,000 or more. Here are 20 careers, each paying a median of more than $30,000 annually, that you can enter after completing a certificate program. They are listed in alphabetical order.
[READ: 20 Big Companies That Hire Remote and Hybrid Workers]
Bus Driver
Typical time to earn a certificate:It varies, but may last a few months.
Median salary:$50,890
Bus drivers safely shuttle passengers to their destinations.
Where you get your bus driver’s certification depends on your state. Often, you need a certificate that will allow you to have a commercial driver’s license. Your CDL should make you eligible to be a city bus driver or a school bus driver. Some city departments pay employees for the time it takes to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
Learn more about bus drivers.
Computer Programmer
Typical time to earn a certificate:four to 12 months
Median salary:$97,800
Computer programmers write code for software programs. You can certainly go to college for four years to learn computer programming, but there are universities and community colleges that offer certification for these jobs. Some computer programming certificates, like at Southern New Hampshire University, can be earned as quickly as four months. Others, like Nashville State Community College’s certificate program, take a year.
Learn more about computer programmers.
Dental Assistant
Typical time to earn a certificate:Plan on nine months to two years.
Median salary:$44,820
Dental assistants handle a range of tasks, including maintaining patient records and helping polish teeth, depending on their certifications.
To get a dental assistant certification, you may want to take a course from a dental assisting program approved by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. You may be able to get a job as a dental assistant before you get a dental assistant certification, but you’ll be limited in the duties you perform.
Learn more about dental assistants.
Insurance Sales Agent
Typical time to earn a certificate: 20 hours of coursework
Median salary: $57,860
Insurance agents may sell many different types of insurance, including life, health, disability, long-term care and casualty insurance. All states regulate insurance differently, so there is no national standard for insurance certification. But when you get certified to sell insurance, you also receive a license to sell insurance.
The more types of insurance you want to sell, the more coursework you’ll have to do to get your license. Your state’s department of insurance can help you locate courses.
Learn about insurance sales agents.
Landscaper and Groundskeeper
Typical time to earn a certificate:dependent on student
Median salary: $35,890
You don’t need a certificate to become a landscaper or groundskeeper, but securing one may help you land the job you want.
The National Association of Landscape Professionals offers numerous certifications, including business manager, exterior technician, horticultural technician, lawn care technician and more. You can earn a certificate through a self-study program and take the exam for certification online.
Learn more about landscapers and groundskeepers.
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse
Typical time to earn a certificate: one year
Median salary:$54,620
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses do it all, from installing catheters to delivering medicine and starting IVs. It’s an important job, which is why if you’re going to complete a certificate program for either a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse (LVN is what the job is called in some states), it needs to be a state-approved certificate program.
Generally, you’ll find these programs at universities, colleges and nursing schools throughout the country. (Practicalnursing.org is a good resource for research.) You’ll want to make sure the school you attend is accredited by national agencies such as the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Learn more about licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses.
Massage Therapist
Typical time to earn a certificate: two years
Median salary: $49,860
A massage therapist manipulates patients’ muscles to alleviate pain, relieve stress and help heal injuries. If you complete a certification program, you can become a professional and learn more than 80 different types of treatment. While you can get a certification in less than two years — and possibly within weeks — you’ll probably want to take a fairly rigorous program to do it right. Most programs require at least 500 hours of study, and some require 1,000 or more hours, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
For instance, Cuyahoga Community College offers an 810-hour massage therapy post-degree professional certificate. If you already have an associate degree (or a higher degree) from an accredited college or university, you can take a three-semester (one-year) post-degree certificate program in massage therapy. Then you’ll be eligible to apply for the State Medical Board of Ohio license (most states require you to have a license to practice).
Learn more about massage therapists.
Medical Assistant
Typical time to earn a certificate: one year
Median salary:$38,270
If you’re interested in being a medical assistant, which involves administrative, clinical and management tasks within health care organizations, there are a lot of certification programs to explore.
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, for instance, offers the Medical Assistant Certificate program, in which students complete supervised clinical work, including 160 hours of unpaid practicum experience. After that, students take an exam to become a certified medical assistant.
Learn more about medical assistants.
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Medical Records Technician
Typical time to earn a certificate: one year
Median salary:$47,180
Many community colleges offer medical records technician certificates. This job involves organizing medical records, including taking the doctor’s notes and putting them into the patient’s medical record.
One of the many places you can get the training for this career is Johnston Community College in Smithfield, North Carolina, which offers classes in medical office administration with courses on medical legal issues, medical terminology and records management. This is an 18-credit course taken over two semesters. You’ll receive a certificate as a medical coding specialist, which is another term for medical records technician.
Learn more about medical records technicians.
Medical Secretary
Typical time to earn a certificate: It varies, ranging from six weeks to two years.
Median salary:$38,500
Medical secretaries manage a doctor’s office. Their duties include meeting patients, collecting co-pays and scheduling appointments. Essentially, medical secretaries set the tone for the doctor’s office and ensure that operations run smoothly.
This isn’t a career in which you must have a certification, but it could make you more competitive in the job market. A certification course will also teach you the ins and outs of running a medical office. The National Healthcareer Association offers a Certified Medical Administrative Assistant certification. It culminates in a three-hour exam, which covers medical laws, office procedures and clinical patient care procedures.
Learn about medical secretaries.
Nursing Aide
Typical time to earn a certificate: four to 12 weeks
Median salary: $35,760
Nursing aides work in nursing homes or hospitals, taking residents’ or patients’ blood pressure or temperature as well as completing other tasks.
Certifications for this job depend on the state. For instance, Ohio requires 75 hours of classwork in the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program, followed by a state-administered competency evaluation test. Arizona requires 120 hours of training, classroom and clinical experience through the Nurse Aide Registration Program, provided by the Arizona State Board of Nursing, which is followed by an exam. Nursing aides generally have to renew their certification every few years.
Learn about nursing aides.
Ophthalmic Medical Technician
Typical time to earn a certificate:dependent on student
Median salary: $38,860
An ophthalmic medical technician takes a patient’s history and performs some visual testing, along with other duties, before the eye doctor comes in. Many people learn how to do this on the job, but if you want to advance your career or get training, you may consider a certificate program.
For example, the certified ophthalmic assistant certification requires taking a three-hour test with 200 questions. In the longer term, you might want to get an advanced certification, such as certified ophthalmic technician or certified ophthalmic medical technologist. You can learn more from the International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology.
Learn more about ophthalmic medical technicians.
Paramedic
Typical time to earn a certificate: 18 months
Median salary: $49,090
Generally, to be a paramedic, you first train to become an emergency medical technician. You can often get your EMT training in about six months, but then you can expect paramedic training to take a year.
You can get this training without a college degree, although you will need a high school diploma or GED. But to get your license, you’ll likely need your paramedic certification.
Learn more about paramedics.
Personal Care Aide
Typical time to earn a certificate:Typically several weeks
Median salary: $30,180
Personal care aides, sometimes referred to as home care aides, monitor people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. They also help people who have trouble with daily living activities. The amount of time it takes to get a certification varies, depending on the state. In Indiana, for instance, you’ll need 75 hours, including 16 hours in a classroom and 16 hours in which you’ll have supervised practical training.
Learn more about personal care aides.
Pharmacy Technician
Typical time to earn a certificate: a few months to two years, depending on the state
Median salary:$37,790
This is an important job that involves measuring, mixing, counting and labeling medication dosages. Pharmacy techs also communicate with insurance companies and help patients navigate insurance.
You can get a certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association. To find classes, look to your local community college, vocational school or adult education center.
Learn more about pharmacy technicians.
Phlebotomist
Typical time to earn a certificate:four to eight months
Median salary: $38,530
Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions and donations. Most states don’t require certification, but most employers want applicants to complete a phlebotomy certificate program and earn professional certification. You can find these certificate programs throughout the country, often at community colleges, vocational schools or technical schools.
Learn more about phlebotomists.
Plumber
Typical time to earn a certificate: at least 12 months
Median salary: $60,090
Think of a plumbing certificate as the key that gets you in the front door of this industry. It won’t turn you into a plumber, but it should make you a more attractive candidate to any company hiring plumbers who are just starting in the field.
To get your plumbers license, you may need to undergo an apprenticeship program. But some companies will train you for free to help you get your license, and many vocational schools and community colleges offer coursework that can help you get a plumbing certificate.
Learn more about plumbers.
Solar Photovoltaic Installer
Typical time to earn a certificate: a few days to a few months, depending on the course
Median salary:$45,230
This job involves installing solar panels on homes and businesses to help conserve energy. Your local community college or technical school may offer classes that lead to certification. You may be certified and employed within the week, although the more complex the class — like one that lasts a few months — the more likely you’ll find a better-paying job.
Learn more about solar photovoltaic installers.
Surgical Technologist
Typical time to earn a certificate: 12 to 24 months
Median salary: $55,960
Surgical technologists sterilize the operating room and set out tools on the tables for procedures. They may also be involved in other ways, such as helping patients onto the table and preparing medications.
You can often get a certification for these jobs at a vocational or technical school, and at the end of your coursework you’ll take an exam offered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
Learn more about surgical technologists.
Wind Turbine Technician
Typical time to earn a certificate: two years
Median salary: $57,320
Wind turbine technicians, also known as wind techs, are often at the top of wind turbines, replacing parts, performing maintenance and troubleshooting. If you’re looking to get a certificate to be a wind turbine technician, many places throughout the country offer training programs.
This site can help you find a training program in your area, unless you live in a handful of states that don’t offer them. An example program is the 33-credit wind turbine service technician certificate program offered by the State University of New York’s Clinton Community College.
Learn more about wind turbine technicians.
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Update 05/13/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
