I got a high paying job with only HTML and CSS but I wouldn't say it is the norm. I don't think it is because CSS and HTML is basic compared to JavaScript. They are just different skillsets. Many great JavaScript developers write horrible CSS and HTML and vice versa. Companies now want CSS experts to either have Design skills or or also know JavaScript. Larger companies can afford to have niche experts (I've worked as just an animation developer for several companies) but smaller companies look more and more for anyone with front-end skills to gravitate more towards full-stack. I think it has more to do with trying to get the most "bang for their buck" from developers.

I think there are at least two profitable* paths you could take:

Emails

One of the ways for building email templates (newsletters, transactionals, some announcements, etc) is by writing HTML & CSS only (well, mostly). Of course there are ready-to-use templates and services providing templates and similar functionality (mailchimp, etc) but I know at least several people with their primary focus being on emails creation. Building emails, even though it's just HTML & CSS is so much different than building web sites.

I consider myself pretty experienced when it comes to HTML & CSS but at the same time it's extremely hard for me to build bulletproof email. And I think "bulletproof" is the key word here - there are tons of email clients (maybe even more than web browsers) and lots of them require very special treatment. And it's not only about the very old clients (aka IE6 of email clients) but also modern ones.

To better visualize differences between websites coding and emails coding: building emails still requires using tables for creating layout or sometimes even simple buttons.

Again, it depends on what email clients you're required to support but using tables is basically unavoidable.

And because of that, I think building emails requires very special set of skills even though it's just HTML & CSS.

Animations

There are companies/startups that care A LOT about interactive elements and how content is visualized on their pages. Very often this shares territories with animations (think of fancy landing pages with flying elements, etc). Even though there are JS libraries helping with this task, there are still people primarily focused on building these animations. And in most cases, HTML & CSS is just enough to build even pretty complex animations.

* - you asked about high-paying job but it's very subjective to determine what's high vs low paying job. That's why I chose to use word "profitable" which you can understand as simply as "paying job".

You can get a high-paying with CSS and HTML as useful skills but not on their own... If you are on the business or content or design side of things, having a great understanding of HTML/CSS can be a great skill set to augment you.

So: Designers/content creators can do great without knowing more than CSS/HTML (and don't even need that a lot of the time), but for software development work, the dividing line between tasks is rarely granular enough to get by without a slightly broader skillset.

While you won't get universal agreement on anything like this, the idea of the T-shaped engineer is one worth considering. Your main thing can be CSS/HTML but you want other complementary skillsets so you can best fit into a team fluidly as needed. Sometimes you'll only need to do markup/design, but it helps if you can dip int JavaScript as needed. And the more flexibly you can contribute, the higher likelihood you get to "high paid".

Thank you for asking this! I keep wondering if there are actually any jobs available to someone new to development and learning these two fundamental skills (as so strongly advised). There’s so much praise about JS and frameworks, and it’s made to seem like learning HTML & CSS fundamentals can be done overnight to jump to JS and frameworks.

It’s possible to land a job focusing primarily on HTML and CSS, especially in roles like web designer, email developer, or content editor. However, the salary for these positions might not be as high as roles requiring more advanced skills like JavaScript or frameworks like React.

HTML and CSS are fundamental skills for web development, but they are often considered entry-level. Employers typically expect front-end developers to have a working knowledge of JavaScript to handle more complex interactions and dynamic content on websites. Without these additional skills, your job opportunities and earning potential might be limited.

If you’re looking to boost your income potential, learning JavaScript and frameworks like React can be very beneficial. These skills are in high demand and can significantly increase your job prospects and salary.

On a side note, if you’re considering a career change and need financial support, exploring loan options could be useful. There are various loan apps available that can provide quick access to funds, helping you invest in further education or a coding bootcamp to enhance your skills. However, it's important to research and compare different loan options, including interest rates and repayment terms, to ensure that you know answer to the question how to make 2000 fast.

While CSS and HTML are fundamental skills for web development, they alone might not be sufficient for securing a high-paying job in the tech industry. Most high-paying roles require a broader skill set, including proficiency in JavaScript, frameworks like React or Angular, and experience with backend technologies. However, mastering CSS and HTML can be a great start, and you can leverage these skills to build a strong portfolio. Adding complementary skills such as web performance optimization, responsive design, and UX/UI principles can enhance your job prospects and potentially lead to higher-paying opportunities. Additionally, obtaining a nbi.gov.clearance can be a valuable asset in certain roles, particularly those involving sensitive information or government contracts.