Most high paying easy jobs lists make a promise they can’t keep. They mix up easy with no effort, or they list a job that pays well only at the top of a long career. I’d rather be straight with you from the start. The high paying easy jobs below need little formal training, but they still ask for real work, and a few of them will not be easy to get hired into. Short answer: paralegal work and insurance sales have the highest medians here, above $62,000 a year, while phlebotomy has the best growth outlook.
This guide covers five options that take a short path to start. For each one I used the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, which gives median pay for May 2025, typical entry route, and job growth for 2025 to 2035. I haven’t done any of these jobs myself, so I’ve tried to say where the official numbers stop and my own opinion starts. There are no affiliate links here.
Last updated: October 2026. Pay figures are BLS May 2025 medians, which can change each year.
Key Takeaways
- “Easy” here means short training. None of these high paying easy jobs needs a four-year degree, but insurance sales needs a state license and paralegal work typically needs an associate’s degree.
- Median pay is a middle point, not a promise. Half of workers earn more and half earn less, and your first year will often sit below the median.
- Job growth matters as much as pay. Two of the five jobs are projected to shrink between 2025 and 2035, so the pay is only half the story.
- Check the license before you spend money. Insurance sales requires a state license, and that takes time and sometimes fees.
- Use the numbers to compare, not to decide. Your location, your schedule and your tolerance for commission will matter more than a national median.
How I Picked These High Paying Easy Jobs
I looked at BLS pages for common jobs where the typical entry route is a high school diploma, a short certificate, some college, or an associate’s degree, and kept the five high paying easy jobs with clear, usable figures. For each one I checked three numbers: median pay, the training route, and the 2025 to 2035 job outlook. I didn’t pull figures from third-party salary sites, because they often mix in old data and different time periods. Other high paying easy jobs exist, so treat this as a starting shortlist, not a complete ranking.
The result is a short, honest list. It isn’t the biggest list you’ll find online, and that’s on purpose.
The 5 Jobs at a Glance
| Job | Median pay (May 2025) | Typical entry route | Outlook 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance sales agent | $62,280 a year ($29.94 an hour) | High school diploma plus state license | 3%, about average |
| Paralegal | $62,890 a year ($30.24 an hour) | Associate’s degree | 0%, little or no change |
| Bookkeeping clerk | $50,670 a year ($24.36 an hour) | Some college, no degree | -6%, a decline |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 a year ($21.75 an hour) | Short postsecondary certificate | 7%, much faster than average |
| Customer service representative | $44,770 a year ($21.53 an hour) | High school diploma | -5%, a decline |
Source for every row in this table of high paying easy jobs: the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook pages for insurance sales agents, paralegals and legal assistants, bookkeeping, accounting and auditing clerks, phlebotomists and customer service representatives.
1. Insurance Sales Agent
Insurance sales is among the high paying easy jobs here, with the second-highest median, just behind paralegal work, and it has a clear path in. The BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry route, followed by moderate-term on-the-job training. The catch is licensing. You must be licensed in every state where you sell, and life and health insurance need separate licenses from property and casualty. Some agents who sell securities also need FINRA licensing.
Pay in this kind of work often includes commission, so the median can hide a wide spread. A new agent may earn much less than the median in the first year, while an established agent with a book of clients can earn far more. If you like talking with people and you can handle rejection, this is the one to look at closely. If you don’t, the commission structure will wear you down.
2. Paralegal
Paralegal work is one of the high paying easy jobs on paper, and its median is above the insurance figure in this table. But this is not a short path for most people. The BLS lists an associate’s degree as the typical entry route, and it’s a good example of a job that is easy to do well once you’ve learned the work, but takes a while to learn. The handbook also projects little or no change in jobs through 2035, which means competition for openings can be real.
I’d put this one on your list only if you already have a two-year degree, or if you’re comfortable with a longer study path. Otherwise the time to qualify may outweigh the easier start the other jobs give you.
3. Bookkeeping Clerk
Bookkeeping clerks earn a solid median, and among high paying easy jobs they are one of the steadiest first steps, since the work is routine once you know the software. The typical route is some college with no degree. The honest problem is the outlook: the handbook projects a 6% decline in employment from 2025 to 2035.
That decline doesn’t mean the work disappears, and many small businesses will always need someone to keep the books. It does mean that a bookkeeping job is a better place to build skills than to plan a long career. If you’re a student or someone returning to work, it can be a decent first step.
4. Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, donations and treatments, and they are one of the fastest-growing high paying easy jobs on this list. The typical route is a postsecondary certificate, and the BLS says some employers hire high school graduates and train them on the job. This is the strongest growth story on the list: the handbook projects 7% growth from 2025 to 2035, which it calls much faster than the average for all jobs, and about 9,800 new jobs.
I’d call this job easy to start and hard to love. It involves patient contact and a steady focus on accuracy. If you’re comfortable with people and with medical routines, it’s a practical option. If the sight of a needle makes you queasy, skip it.
5. Customer Service Representative
Customer service is the most accessible of these high paying easy jobs. The typical entry requirement is a high school diploma. The BLS pay median is the lowest of the five, and the handbook projects a 5% decline in employment from 2025 to 2035.
I’d treat this as a bridge, not a destination. It’s a good way to get paid while you learn a skill, or to build a work history if you have a gap on your resume. If you want a higher pay ceiling, plan to move into a role that uses the experience, like training, quality or account management. For a wider look at part-time options that fit a busy schedule, see my guide to best part-time jobs.
What the Median Doesn’t Tell You
Before you judge any high paying easy job by its median, here are three things the median can’t show you.
First, your first year will likely sit below the median, especially in high paying easy jobs with commission or on-the-job training. Plan your budget around the lower end of the range, not the middle.
Second, your location matters a lot. BLS publishes figures by state and metro area, and the gap between a high-cost city and a smaller town can be large. Check your local numbers before you decide.
Third, the outlook is a forecast, not a guarantee. A job that’s projected to decline can still be a good first job if the work teaches you something you can use later.
If You Want Income Faster
If you need money in the next few weeks, the high paying easy jobs above may take longer than you can wait. Many people start with short-term gigs while they study for a license or a certificate. My guide to odd jobs lists options you can start quickly, and ways to make money covers the wider range, including ideas that need no training at all.
These jobs won’t fit if you’re under 18. Start with how to make money as a teenager instead.
FAQ
What is the highest paying easy job?
By BLS median pay, paralegal work is the highest on this list at $62,890 a year in May 2025, with insurance sales close behind at $62,280. Paralegal work usually needs an associate’s degree, and insurance sales needs a state license and often includes commission, so your first-year income may sit well below those medians.
Do you need a degree for a high paying easy job?
Not for every option. Insurance sales and customer service usually need only a high school diploma. Phlebotomy typically needs a short certificate, and bookkeeping clerk work usually asks for some college. Paralegal work typically needs an associate’s degree.
Which high paying easy jobs will still be around in 2035?
According to the BLS projections, phlebotomy is expected to grow about 7% from 2025 to 2035, while bookkeeping clerk and customer service representative roles are projected to decline, at 6% and 5%. Insurance sales is expected to grow about 3%, and paralegal work is projected to change little.
Can you get a high paying easy job with no experience?
Some can, but it depends on the job and your location. The BLS says some phlebotomy employers hire high school graduates and train them on the job, and insurance sales typically needs only a high school diploma plus on-the-job training and a license.
Where can I check the latest pay for these jobs?
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook is the official source, and it updates its figures each year. Check the page for each job and look at your state or metro figures, because national medians can hide big local differences.
The Bottom Line
High paying easy jobs exist, but the honest version is “short training, real work, and a few trade-offs.” Insurance sales and phlebotomy are the two high paying easy jobs I’d look at first, one for pay and one for growth. Check the license or certificate requirements before you commit, and don’t judge any high paying easy job by its median alone.
My advice: pick one job, check the training route on the BLS page, and talk to someone who does it before you spend money on a course or a license. And if the BLS figures change by the time you read this, send me a message through the contact page so I can update the guide.
Writes and tests every guide on hustle&passive. Everything here is something we have actually run — including the parts that did not work.
