Create Online Courses | Earn $10 to $50 per student

Do you possess knowledge or talents that could be of great benefit to the world? As an online course creator, you can transform your expertise into a thriving business—working from the comfort of your home.

Make money creating and selling online courses worldwide.

The field of online education is experiencing tremendous growth, and right now is the perfect opportunity to transform your passion into a profitable business by helping others learn and grow.

What Is an Online Course?

An online course is a structured program of study that is delivered digitally through platforms like Udemy, Teachable, Coursera, or even your own website. These courses can cover virtually any subject, from business and technology to personal development, cooking, or creative arts. Online courses allow students to learn at their own pace and from any location, making education accessible to a global audience.

Online courses often include:

• Video lessons
• Written materials
• Quizzes or interactive activities
• Assignments or projects
• Discussion boards or community features

Whether it’s a one-hour crash course or a comprehensive multi-week program, online courses give learners the flexibility to access information on-demand.

What Is an Online Course Creator?

An online course creator is someone who develops and designs educational content to be shared with an online audience. These individuals use their knowledge, skills, or experiences to build courses that teach others. Online course creators do more than just provide information; they create a structured, engaging learning experience that helps students achieve specific goals. The process typically involves:

• Identifying a niche or subject you’re passionate about
• Planning the course structure (modules, lessons, quizzes)
• Creating content (videos, PDFs, worksheets)
• Uploading and marketing the course on platforms or websites
• Interacting with students through forums or live sessions

Successful online course creators are not just experts in their field, but they are also effective communicators who know how to break down difficult concepts into lessons that are simple to grasp.

Who Is an Online Course Creator Career For?

An online course creator career is perfect for:

• Experts in any field: If you’re skilled in a particular area—whether it’s web design, fitness, marketing, photography, or knitting—you can create an online course to teach others.
• Educators and teachers: If you have a background in teaching, online course creation is a natural extension of your skills and allows you to reach students from around the world.
• Professionals looking to diversify income: If you already work in a certain industry, creating courses can supplement your income and establish your authority in your field.
• Entrepreneurs: If you love building your own business and working independently, course creation allows you to do that while helping others. You control the content, pricing, and delivery.
• Anyone passionate about sharing knowledge: If you’re a life coach, hobbyist, or just love helping others, creating a course is one way to transform your passion into a profitable career.

This career is ideal for self-starters who enjoy working remotely, creating content, and providing value to others. If you enjoy public speaking, teaching, or mentoring, this role might be for you.

How Much Can You Make?

An Online Course Creator Job Pays: $10 to $50 per student sign up

Your earning potential as an online course creator depends on several factors, including the subject matter, audience size, and the platform you choose to use. Here’s an overview of possible earnings:

1. Selling on Marketplaces (Udemy, Skillshare):
   • Courses listed on platforms like Udemy can bring in $10 to $50 per student, depending on pricing and promotions. Udemy handles marketing, but they take a significant cut, so profits depend on the number of enrollments.
   • Skillshare pays creators based on watch time. The more minutes your content is viewed, the higher your payout. Creators can earn anywhere from $200 to $3,000+ per month.
2. Hosting Your Own Course:
   • Using platforms like Teachable or Kajabi, you are able to determine your own prices and keep the majority of the revenue for yourself. Many creators charge anywhere from $50 to $500+ per course.
   • If you build a following or create high-demand content, you could make $1,000 to $10,000 per month or more by consistently selling your courses and growing your student base.
3. Membership Model:
   • Some creators offer a subscription-based membership where students pay a monthly fee for access to all of their courses or content. This can result in recurring revenue of $20 to $100 per student per month.
4. Corporate Training:
   • If your courses cater to businesses or professionals, you can create more specialized, higher-priced programs. Corporate training courses can fetch $1,000 to $10,000+ depending on the depth and duration of the training.
5. Additional Income:
   • You can also earn money through affiliate marketing, offering consultations, or selling related products and services in addition to your courses.

Overall, top-earning online course creators can make six figures annually, while part-time creators can still earn a significant side income with the potential to scale.

Where to Create Courses

1. Udemy

Udemy is one of the world’s largest marketplaces for online learning. It allows you to create video-based courses in anything from Python programming to baking. With over 75 million students, it gives you a massive audience to monetize your expertise.

Payouts:

Instructors earn 50%–97% of course sales depending on how students find your course (organic or direct via your promo links). Some instructors earn $1,000+ per month from top courses.

Requirements:

• At least 5 video lectures
• Minimum 30 minutes of total video content
• High-quality audio/video and a structured curriculum
• No teaching credentials required

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Sign up at Udemy for Instructors
2. Plan your course outline and record your lessons
3. Upload your course and submit for review
4. Once approved, start promoting and earning

2. Teachable

Teachable is a course creation platform that gives you full control over your brand, pricing, and student data. It’s ideal for entrepreneurs who want to build a personal brand and sell courses from their own website.

Payouts:

You set your own prices and keep up to 100% of course sales (minus transaction fees). Creators can make hundreds to thousands of dollars per month.

Requirements:

• High-quality video or written course content
• No teaching certificate required
• You must create and manage your own marketing strategy

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Visit Teachable and create an account
2. Use their drag-and-drop builder to create your course
3. Set your pricing model (free, one-time, subscription, etc.)
4. Launch your course and market to your audience

3. Skillshare

Skillshare is a popular platform for creators, designers, and entrepreneurs. It rewards short, engaging classes and is perfect for teaching creative skills like illustration, writing, marketing, and design.

Payouts:

Instructors earn royalties based on minutes watched + bonuses for referrals. Some top teachers make $1,000–$5,000+ per month.

Requirements:

• Video-based course with at least 10 minutes of content
• Class projects and structured lessons are encouraged
• Strong focus on visual/creative skills

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Go to Skillshare Teaching Page
2. Sign up and plan your class
3. Record your videos and submit your course
4. Start earning from student views and referrals

4. Thinkific

Thinkific is a platform that lets you launch your own online school. You can create courses, host webinars, and build an entire brand—no coding required. It’s perfect for coaches, consultants, and educators who want full ownership of their business.

Payouts:

You keep 100% of revenue (minus payment processor fees). Potential earnings depend on your pricing and traffic.

Requirements:

• No formal education credentials needed
• Requires effort to market and drive traffic
• Courses must include structured lessons and quality content

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Sign up at Thinkific
2. Build your course using their easy editor
3. Set up your own pricing, landing pages, and checkout
4. Publish and promote your school

5. Kajabi

Kajabi is a premium all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling digital products. More than just a course platform, it includes email marketing, landing pages, and sales funnels—perfect for high-end creators.

Payouts:

Creators keep 100% of sales, minus Kajabi’s monthly subscription (starts at $149/month). High-income creators can earn $5,000 to $100,000+ annually.

Requirements:

• No degree or experience required
• Great for those building a business around their expertise
• Requires marketing and email strategy knowledge

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Sign up at Kajabi for a free trial
2. Use the course builder to design your content
3. Set pricing, launch sales pages, and start enrolling students
4. Leverage email marketing tools to grow your audience

6. Podia

Podia is a creator-friendly platform where you can sell online courses, webinars, digital downloads, and memberships—all from one dashboard. It’s perfect for educators who want simplicity and control without needing a tech team.

Payouts:

You keep 100% of your course revenue, minus Stripe/PayPal transaction fees. Monthly plans start at $39/month.

Requirements:

• Create your own curriculum and videos
• No formal degree needed
• Requires personal effort in marketing your content

Regions Available: Worldwide

How to Join:

1. Sign up at Podia
2. Build your course using their user-friendly editor
3. Set pricing, connect payment methods, and publish
4. Promote your content via email and social tools

7. Coursera (via Partnering)

Coursera partners with universities, institutions, and experienced educators to deliver professional-grade courses. If you’re an expert affiliated with a university or company, you can apply to co-create structured academic courses for global learners.

Payouts:

Revenue-sharing models vary by institution. Professors and partners are compensated through institutional deals or revenue share agreements.

Requirements:

• Generally requires academic credentials or institutional affiliation
• Courses must meet Coursera’s curriculum and production standards
• Best for professors, educators, or corporate trainers

Regions Available: Worldwide, but partner-led

How to Join:

1. Go to Teach on Coursera
2. Apply as an organization, institution, or instructor
3. Collaborate with Coursera on course design
4. Launch to Coursera’s global student base

Creating and selling courses online is one of the best ways to monetize your expertise while enjoying flexibility, passive income potential, and global reach. Whether you prefer all-in-one platforms like Kajabi, marketplaces like Udemy, or creative communities like Skillshare, there’s a home for every kind of course creator.

Want to Start Your Own Business?

If you would like to start this career as a business, it is essential to know that the success of your online courses business starts with you having an online presence. Your customers should be able to find you online, and a course website is exactly what you need….But what if you don’t know how to create one? Well, creating a website with no coding experience is easier than you think with SiteGround. SiteGround is our recommended easy-to-use web design platform that gives you free domain names, email addresses, web design templates, and website hosting. Start building your website in minutes!

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