Whether you’re grinding for the best raid gear or simply levelling your very first character, gold is one of the most useful resources in WoW. Not only does it let you buy better gear, but it also gives you access to powerful consumables and more.
Ultimately, every WoW player wants to have as much gold as they can.
Fortunately, the developers built in a great way for you to make a lot of money for only a bit of effort here and there. I’m talking about crafting. WoW crafting professions give you the ability to make things for other players of different professions. With some of those items being in incredibly high demand.
So, let’s explore what makes certain professions stand out and why they’re often considered WoW’s best professions for making gold.
What Are WoW’s Professions?
First off, let’s all get on the same page regarding what professions are. In WoW, professions are the different types of crafting. By choosing a certain profession, players gain the ability to craft a category of item – be that gear, cosmetics, consumables or other useful items.
Primary vs Secondary Professions: What’s the Difference?
There is a huge difference.
Each player can choose two primary professions, but no more. If you want to change a primary profession, you have to unlearn one – meaning you lose all that progress. Primary professions offer the most useful crafting in the game and include both gathering and crafting professions.
Players can indulge in all of the secondary professions, but these professions are generally much less useful and are not great for producing money.
Gathering vs Crafting Professions: Which Is Better at Making Money?
Both types of primary profession, they offer quite different utility.
Gathering professions bring in raw materials you find while exploring. While crafting professions turn those raw materials into valuable, usable items.
Both types of profession have their advantages and drawbacks.
Gathering professions
| Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| cost nothing | low sell costs |
| materials are always in high demand | large time investment |
Crafting professions
| Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
| creates high-value items | you need to spend gold buying materials |
| can create items useful to your own player(s) | requires knowledge to craft the right items |
Ultimately, when crafting it is best to be somewhat self-reliant – gathering your own materials which you then use to craft. Allowing you to craft valuable items to sell, without incurring large fees when gathering the materials!
How to Make Gold from Professions
Ultimately, you’re going to be selling the bounty of your profession on the marketplace (to other players) in order to secure profits. This means that you will want to obtain hard-to-obtain items that are useful to many other players.
For gathering professions, that simply means acquiring large amounts of crafting materials. Which are almost always all in high demand.
For crafting professions, it’s a little more complicated. Requiring you to understand which items are actually useful, and finding buyers.
While crafting professions create greater profits per item, gathering professions can often create a steadier income. Albeit one based on grinding gathering.
Money-Making Professions Tier List
Now that we’re on the same page regarding what professions are – it’s time to rank them.
Remember, this list ranks professions based on their money-making potential, helping you identify WoW’s best professions for consistent gold-making. (not their overall utility or value in WoW). And while all professions can make some money, this list will reveal the professions where money-making is relatively easy to understand and execute.
S-Tier Professions
- Enchanting: A clear contender among WoW’s best professions, Enchanting excels in creating enchantments that are always in demand, especially for new gear upgrades. Its reliance on concentration builds ensures consistent profits. Especially in demand at high ranks. If you’re new or looking to refine your skills, this WoW Classic Enchanting Guide is an excellent resource to help you master the art and increase your earnings.
- Alchemy: Creator of flasks and potions, Alchemy benefits from raid-day demand spikes. Its ability to transmute rare materials also adds further profits.
- Inscription: Offers lucrative opportunities through crafting missives, contracts, and Darkmoon Cards. These items retain value due to their utility. Especially in demand at high ranks.
- Jewelcrafting: Highly profitable due to crafting gems and jewellery.
A- Tier Professions
- Mining: Provides essential materials like ores, which are always in demand for crafting professions. But profit depends on the time and effort spent gathering.
- Herbalism: Similar to Mining, but focuses on gathering the herbs used in Alchemy and Inscription. Great for steady income but can be competitive.
- Skinning: Offers raw materials used in Leatherworking.
- Fishing: While time-intensive, fishing is a secondary profession which can yield rare catches that sell well. Although these can be hard to obtain.
- Blacksmithing: Can thrive when crafting orders and advertising for custom gear but requires effort to find customers.
B-Tier Professions
- Tailoring: Profitable through time-gated cloth cooldowns and crafting cloaks or bags. However, it requires significant investment in knowledge to unlock its full potential.
- Engineering: Produces niche items like mounts and gadgets. While unique, its products have a small market.
- Leatherworking: Focuses on crafting leather gear, which can have limited value in some markets. However, for those interested in exploring its potential, this WoW Classic Leatherworking Guide provides valuable tips.
- Cooking: Faces high competition due to no quality differentiation in its crafts. Profit margins are slim but consistent. It is also a secondary profession.
Which profession is the most profitable in WoW? Among the top-tier professions, Enchanting is often considered the most profitable. Its enchantments are always in demand, especially for gear upgrades, and at higher ranks, it generates consistent income with relatively low competition.
What are the best professions for money-making Dragonflight?
When it comes to making gold in Dragonflight, some professions are just better than others. Enchanting, Alchemy, and Inscription have consistently been crowd favorites – and it’s easy to see why. Enchanting keeps the gears of the game moving with upgrades that everyone needs. Alchemy? Well, raid nights wouldn’t happen without potions and flasks, would they. Inscription sneaks in with Darkmoon Cards and contracts, always valuable no matter how far you’ve progressed.
Now, here’s a pro tip: pair any of these with Mining or Herbalism. Why? If you gather your own materials, you’re saving a chunk of gold while keeping your crafting costs low. Plus, there’s something satisfying about knowing you’ve done it all yourself – start to finish.
Tips for Earning Gold with Professions
While choosing from the WoW’s best professions is one way to define your profits, there are other factors which can help you make even more on the marketplace.
- Track Prices
Use tools like The Undermine Exchange to buy materials when they are cheap and to sell products when they are expensive, to increase your profits.
- Timing the Market
There are peak demand periods in WoW – these come in the form of raid days. Which are typically Wednesday, Sunday and Tuesday. Selling on raid days can often increase profits due to increased demand.
- Crafting Orders
Instead of speculating what people need, crafting orders allow you to work to the demand of actual players. Securing your profits in the process.
- Patience and Market Knowledge
Avoid simply crafting or selling because you think it’s the right thing to do. Understand what items are valuable before you start crafting. It’s also worth focusing on niche markets, in order to minimize competition while being able to churn out crafted items at scale. This will help you secure profits.
- Choose a Profession You Enjoy
It may sound silly, but it’s always easier to make quick progress (and thus quick profits) when you’re doing something you actually enjoy. So whether you’re a player who loves exploring and gathering, or a player who enjoys learning about recipes and executing them – choose a profession to suit your play style and desires. That way you’re likely to make more profits, regardless of what it is!
What are the fastest ways to make money in WoW?
If you’re in a rush to pad your pockets, gathering professions like Mining and Herbalism are your best friends. They’re straightforward, reliable, and always in demand. Think about it: someone’s got to supply the crafters with materials, and that someone could be you. Even better, gathering doesn’t require you to pour gold into materials first – you just need a little time and patience.
But gathering isn’t the only way. Crafting orders are another goldmine (pun intended). Instead of gambling on what might sell, you’re fulfilling specific requests from players who already know what they want. It’s like having a guaranteed paycheck for your effort. Quick, efficient, and no guesswork involved.
How do people make so much money in WoW?
It’s not magic – it’s strategy. Smart players know when to sell (hint: raid days like Tuesday and Sunday) and when to hold. They use tools like The Undermine Exchange to track prices, buying cheap and selling high.
Some even carve out niches, focusing on rare items or crafting high-value gear that no one else is bothering with. And let’s not forget the classic combo: gather what you need, craft what you can, and minimize costs while increasing profits. It’s like playing the stock market, but with shiny loot.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, both gathering and crafting professions have their perks, but choosing one of the WoW’s best professions will give you an edge when it comes to making gold. But some professions are certainly more in demand than others. Leading to a few to come to the top of our tier list.
As you embark on your journey into crafting in WoW, your best bet is to choose a crafting profession you enjoy, and master it. That way you can learn which recipes are valuable, how to acquire the necessary materials on the cheap – and thus secure the highest possible profits without breaking a sweat.