Networking and Career Advice

How To Make $100K a Year – No BS Strategies & Advice

Marcie Wilmot

Certified Resume Writer, Career Coach, and Business Owner


If you’re like most of us, you’d love to be wealthier. Having more money would alleviate stress. It would make it easier to pay your bills and buy nicer things. Maybe it’d allow you to spend more time with your kids and go on more vacations. You’re not alone if you wish you could somehow earn a more significant income.

But is it feasible to significantly boost your cash flow? The good news is that the answer to this question is a resounding yes. Without a doubt, there are legitimate ways you can make more money. So if you’re wondering how to make $100K a year or more, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive in and figure out what needs to happen for you to reach that goal!

7 Tips to Make More Money Each Year

How to Actually Make $100K a Year?

Trying to make $100K a year can seem overwhelming if you’re already working really hard and not raking in nearly that kind of income. If we break down this big number, it will appear less intimidating, and it’ll be easier to wrap your mind around potentially achieving this impressive feat.

So how much is $100,000 per month, week, day, and hour? See below:

  • $8,333.33 per month
  • $2,083.33 per week
  • $416.66 per day
  • $52 per hour 

Looking at the numbers this way helps us see that this really is doable. Can you manage to earn $52 per hour? Of course you can!   

This begs the question: is there one tried-and-true formula to make this kind of money, or are there many different ways someone can reach this milestone? The answer is that although there are many ways you can earn this much annually, the most common methods are to land a job that pays this much or scale a successful side hustle (or a combination of these two). 

With that in mind, let’s talk through some of the ways you can increase your earnings to $100K a year.

employee standing on coins each stack of coins is a promotion

Get Better at Your Job to Get a Promotion

Sometimes it’s easiest to start right where you are. If you’ve already worked extremely hard to get where you are and make decent money, making six figures might be a matter of maximizing your current salary. How exactly? Get promoted by leveling up your skills. Here are some ways you can do that:

Increase Your Knowledge

Nowadays, it’s relatively easy to earn more certifications and degrees – all of this is available online. Spend some of your time taking online courses to increase your industry knowledge. When you do this, focus on skills and fields that are in high demand but aren’t possessed by many. 

For example, a liberal arts degree is great to have, but they are plentiful. Instead, work on obtaining a more obscure skill set or degree that few people have, such as data analysis or trade skills. As a result, you’ll land right in a field where the demand is high, but the supply is low, making you a highly coveted candidate.

Deliver Serious Results

Building solid relationships is essential, but ultimately, you can’t network yourself into $100K a year. You must prove to the people around you that you’re an exceptional performer who delivers real results. You must show them that you know what you’re doing and that you’re an invaluable asset to your organization.

Once you’ve done this, you can go to the negotiation table feeling confident as you ask for a raise. Just remember to point out all the additional value you will add in the future. 

Consider Shifting to a High-Paying Career

Maybe the industry you’re in tops out at $80,000. Then perhaps it’s time to consider switching to a field that pays better. Thanks to salary transparency, we were able to compile the following list of high-paying career options:

Physician

With an average salary of $147,916, physicians diagnose and treat patients for illnesses and injuries. They prescribe medicines, perform examinations, and interpret diagnostic tests.

Pharmacist

Pharmacists earn an average salary of $118,968. They provide patients with prescription medicines and advise them on safety precautions. In addition, pharmacists maintain compliance with laws, prevent bad drug interactions, and give immunizations. 

Actuary

A business professional who measures and manages financial risk and uncertainty using advanced statistical skills, actuaries make an average six-figure salary of $140,243.

Tax Manager

The average wage for a tax manager is $106,641 per year or $51.27 an hour. Their primary purpose is to ensure that an organization’s tax strategy complies with local and federal laws. They also prepare tax documents and strive to minimize audit risk.   

Creative Director

The base salary for a creative director typically falls in the range of $117,636 to $163,388. These individuals run an organization’s advertising and marketing efforts. They design advertisements, monitor marketing campaigns, and manage teams.

Risk Manager

As a risk manager, there’s a good chance you’ll earn around $122,607 per year. Risk managers oversee the risk management and insurance programs for an organization. They provide guidance and recommendations regarding preventative measures.

Software Architect

The average salary for a software architect in the U.S. is $135,630. The role of a software architect is to plan and organize software systems and create customized software for clients.  

Data Scientist

Data scientists make an average of $145,668 per year. Put simply, a data scientist analyzes data in search of actionable insights. They source and organize data, identify trends, and generate reports.

Software Development Manager

As a software development manager, you’d likely make a base salary of around $150,220. Your main task would be to lead a team that designs, optimizes, and troubleshoots software programs. You’d also need to interact with clients and manage budgets.

Surgeon

We’ve left the most impressive for last. A surgeon earns an average base salary of a whopping $299,195. So if you’re interested in operating on patients, providing them with guidance, managing a surgical team, and working with other medical experts, this might be right up your alley!

Sometimes you just need to recognize that the career you’re currently in won’t pay six figures and look to make a move into one that will. So do your research and find the salary range for the job that interests you, making sure it pays enough to help you reach your $100K goal. 

Small cacti next to a jar labelled "side hustle" as a way to make $100k a year

However, one caveat is that many high-paying jobs require a significant amount of training in addition to being highly specialized. There’s a reason people in these fields make a lot of money – they put in substantial time and hard work.

Start a Side Hustle

One great way to earn enough income to reach (and maybe even surpass) the $100K mark is to run a side hustle or two. What’s a side hustle? Essentially, it’s a job you have outside of your primary one that brings in extra income. In many cases, this means you’ll get paid hourly, so it’s important to understand how salary pay work compares to hourly pay. Let’s talk through some side gigs that might appeal to you:

Virtual Assistant

Working as a virtual assistant will give you the opportunity to earn $30 or more an hour from the comfort of your own home. Virtual assistant roles tend to be flexible and part-time, making them easy to fit around your regular work schedule. 

Proofreader

If you’re detailed by nature and like to read, then proofreading on the side is a great way to earn extra money. The average pay is $26 an hour, it can be done remotely, and there’s high demand for this skill.

Food Deliverer

Do you like to drive? Then making deliveries for any of the popular food delivery services like UberEats or DoorDash might be an enjoyable way for you to supplement your regular income. Many drivers make between $1,000 and $2,000 a week. 

Freelance Writer

Freelance writing is a great way to make money on the side since you can do it during off-hours like evenings and weekends. Plus, freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr make it easier to land writing jobs.

Online Tutor

Maybe you like to teach others. If so, becoming an online tutor outside your regular work hours can certainly be profitable. 

Blogger

Then there’s blogging. If you market your blog properly and attract traffic to your site, you can potentially earn meaningful passive income via affiliate ads and sponsored content. Better yet, this income will likely compound over time. Eventually, you might even be able to sell your blog for 30-40x its monthly income. 

Website Tester

There are online platforms that make it easy to find available website and app testing jobs. This can be a fun and interesting way to earn additional funds on your way to $100K a year.

Data Entry Representative

Data entry is easy to do from home and can provide consistent part-time work. So if you have a knack for powering through sometimes tedious tasks, don’t discount data entry as a possible lucrative side hustle. 

Create Assets That’ll Work for You

The idea behind this suggestion is to build assets that create passive income. This type of income is desirable because it’s earned with minimal to no active effort. Some examples of ways you can generate passive income are via a blog (monetizing affiliate advertising and sponsored content), YouTube channel (again, monetizing ads), book (write one and sell it), online course (create one and then sell it on either your website or a site like udemy), real estate (rental properties), and Airbnb rentals.  

In each of these cases, there’s an initial outlay of time, effort, and money, but ultimately, you do very little or nothing as you earn recurring income.     

Make Investments

Another way to make it to six figures a year is to invest your money. Take a certain percentage of your salaried income and begin investing it in the market or other investments that will give you consistent returns. Some examples of assets you can invest in include:

  • Dividend stocks
  • ETFs and mutual funds
  • High-yield savings accounts
  • Annuities
  • Bonds
  • Real estate investment funds (REITs)

Don’t forget to diversify your portfolio to lower your overall risk. It’s also an excellent idea to set your dividends to automatically reinvest.

graphic photo with numbers and investments for how to make $100k a year

Day Trading

While riskier than investing in more conservative investments like dividend stocks, day trading is a learned skill that can indeed be used to bring in additional money. It’s advised to thoroughly educate yourself before trying this – even follow an expert day trader if you’re unsure – to avoid losing money. But with a good amount of training, experience, and some acquired skill, day trading can be a viable option for some folks to make $100K a year in income.

Consider Moving to a High-Paying City

The pay for the same job can be significantly higher in some cities and states than in more rural areas. The catch with this, however, is that while you might make more money working for a company in a high-paying city or state, the cost of living also tends to be higher in these locations. The key is to keep your living costs as low as possible so you fully benefit from your high salary. 

You can do this in simple ways that include:

  • Sticking to a budget
  • Meal planning to avoid eating out all the time
  • Investing in smart home technology that can lead to savings
  • Buying refurbished items
  • Carpooling
  • Keeping your heat turned down
  • Cutting your cable 

Rent an Apartment on Airbnb

Another way to reach $100K annually is to rent your house, apartment, or even just a room on the online marketplace Airbnb. You can do this occasionally or regularly, depending on what works for your schedule. Not everyone is comfortable with this idea, but if you are, you can easily make a nice side income that will help you get closer to your financial goals.    

Having Multiple Income Streams is the Best Way to Make $100K a Year

We’ve talked about many different ways you can earn additional money, and these are just some of them! One thing to note is that most wealthy people have more than one income stream. In other words, they don’t make all their money from just their salaried job or just investments. In fact, most get their income from at least three to five different sources. Perhaps, for example, they hold down a regular job, collect dividends from stocks, drive for DoorDash in their spare time, and own rental properties. 

Having multiple income streams is perhaps the best, and easiest, way to earn the coveted $100K a year.

Final Thoughts

As you can see above, if you’re intent on earning extra money, there are myriad ways to accomplish this, from delivering food in your spare time to making passive income from a blog. So put your head down, work hard (and smart!), and you can definitely earn six figures a year!

4 Comments

  1. Thomas J Jeffers Reply

    I’m 67 in two months. I like the idea of being a surgeon. At my current would it be feasible to try to get the schooling and training for this field?

    • The author has not done the readers any favors with her suggestions in this article. She has minimized the vast amount of expense and time one must invest to be a physician /surgeon. As a physician, I can attest. One needs a four year college degree, four years medical school, one year internship, residency between three to seven years (depending on the program and research commitment), fellowship one to three years. With this, one can anticipate significant loans during medical school, minimal pay during internship through fellowship. Exceptions would be a spot at a medical school that covers all tuition or pursuing an MD PhD that pays a stipend, but adds additional training years. Unless one has significant funds to invest and sufficient time to recapture the investment, this is a ridiculous recommendation. One should especially not pursue this route for financial motives, you actually need to care about taking care of patients. There are faster and more efficient ways to make money.

  2. Some of the suggestions were/are helpful. But yes, the logistical factor is a major hurdle, assuming one has the talent.
    The writer makes it sound as though all you have to do is click here and get some info. and you’re on your way. Not that easy.
    Ancient Chinese proverb, ” Talent does what it can; Genius does what it must”.

  3. Can I become a brain surgeon by watching some Tik Tok videos (I’m willing to watch a lot of them)?

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