The creative industry is booming right now. What's more, a lot of the highest paying jobs in this space don't care what degree you have hanging on the wall. In fact, they barely care about your degree at all. What they care about is real-world experience, portfolios, and proven results.
And they need people…
Businesses are starving for creative professionals. Research revealed that employers posted more than 376,000 marketing and creative jobs in 2025. That's more opportunity than ever before for someone who is willing to learn the ropes of being creative.
And guess what is driving most of this demand? Social Media Video Content.
Brands, agencies, and start-ups are searching high and low for people who know how to create video content that stops people from scrolling and actually converts leads.
Let's dig in.
You'll learn:
- Why Creative Careers Are On the Rise
- Highest Paying Creative Careers that Don't Require Business Degrees
- How To Land A Job In These Careers
- How Social Media Video Content Connects All Of These Roles
Why Creative Careers Are On the Rise
COVID accelerated the shift to digital faster than anyone ever thought possible. Businesses now know that traditional marketing just doesn't cut it when it comes to reaching new customers.
They need social media video content that performs across platforms. Whether it's TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or LinkedIn. This is why brands are investing so much money into commercial video production with Synima and similar professional video partners these days. Companies need video content that will convert.
Plus, studies show that video outperforms every other content format on the internet. It's why 89% of businesses now use video as part of their marketing strategy. And that number is only growing each year.
The more video businesses use. The more demand there is for qualified creative professionals that can produce it.
Which leads to the main point.
There are so many careers out there in the creative industry that pay incredibly well AND don't require a business degree. You just need to know where to look.
Highest Paying Creative Careers that Don't Require Business Degrees
Okay, so maybe you need to earn a business degree to land your dream job. But here's a list of hot careers that do not require business degrees…
Video Editor
Video editors take raw footage and edit it into content that brands can share on social media, their websites, and within online ads.
Demand for video editors is growing. The BLS projects that employment of multimedia editors will grow through 2033. And as more brands focus on short-form video content for social media… the demand for video editors will skyrocket.
Most editors learn their skills online via video editing courses and bootcamps. You don't need a degree to be great at editing video content.
Social Media Content Creator
Social media content creators are professionals who know how to plan, film, and publish video content on social media.
They know how to craft videos that make people stop scrolling AND deliver the kind of engagement brands are looking for.
Being a social media creator is a skill that is learned by doing. Understanding what works (and what doesn't) on each social media platform takes time. But it's something that can be learned on the job.
Motion Graphics Designer
Motion graphics designers know how to use software to create animated videos. You've probably seen their work in awesome animated explainer videos or beautiful graphics layered on top of brand videos.
There are tons of opportunities for motion graphics designers as social media video content continues to dominate every social media feed. Plus, you can learn programs like After Effects and Cinema 4D entirely online.
UX/UI Designer
UX stands for User Experience, and UI means User Interface. If you're wondering what these acronyms have to do with being creative… just keep reading.
UX/UI designers are in high demand because they know how to use their creative skills to shape the way websites and apps look. And while some UX/UI designers have business degrees, most employers care more about your portfolio than what you studied in college.
Podcast & Audio Producer
Here's a cool career opportunity for creative people who prefer working with audio over video.
Podcasts have become more popular than ever before and there are tons of opportunities for audio producers. Podcast producers handle everything from the recording equipment to sound editing and post-production work.
Many audio producers are self taught or learn their skills through audio production certification programs.
How To Land A Job In One of These Careers
So you don't need a business degree to break into these careers. But how do you actually land a job?
Well first… don't worry about finding a job. Focus on being hired.
Building up a freelance business or clientele as a creative professional is much more reliable than trying to find a job that may or may not be available.
Here are four steps you can take to start producing professional level content that clients will love:
- Create a portfolio. Hands down this is the most important step when becoming a freelance creative. Clients and employers want to see real work that you've produced. So go create it.
- Learn the software. Every single one of these careers requires specific software to do their job. Whether it be Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve for video editors. Or Figma or Adobe Creative Cloud for designers. Learn the programs your industry uses inside and out.
- Get experience. Whether you land a freelancing gig, an internship, or just start working on personal projects. Experience is key. Being able to show someone your skills in action is much better than walking into an interview with a bachelor's degree.
- Keep up with trends. Social media video content is always evolving. New platforms are popping up left and right. You need to stay ahead of the trends if you want to be successful long-term.
Now get to work.
How Social Media Video Content Connects All Of These Roles
If there is one thread that connects all of the careers listed above it's social media video content.
Video editors need to know how to edit it. Content creators produce it. Motion graphics designers animate it. And yes… even UX/UI designers are using video to enhance websites and apps these days.
At the end of the day social media video content is the new commercial. And businesses who aren't taking advantage of video to market their products are getting left behind.
Which means there will always be jobs for talented people who can create high-quality video content.
And you don't need to go to college for four years to learn how to create videos. You can learn the fundamentals online. Not to mention… There are tons of free editing software options to start learning with.
There's no better time than now to start creating videos.
Creative careers are booming. And you don't need a business degree to get paid to do what you love.
Several hot careers that don't require years in college were covered above. But they all had one thing in common…
You need to know how to create awesome social media video content.
So here's what to do next:
- Pick a creative career that interests you.
- Start building up a portfolio of real-world work.
- Learn the software that your industry uses.
- Stay up-to-date on current social media trends.
- Start creating content today.
Good luck!
