For Hunters in modern WoW, the best professions are Engineering paired with a gathering skill (Skinning or Mining). Engineering hands Hunters gadgets, a re-usable pull tool, and quality-of-life items nothing else offers, while gathering keeps your bags full of gold for gear and raid consumables. Want pure income instead? Run two gathering professions and buy what you need.
Quick pick by goal
| Your goal | Best professions |
| Utility & fun in combat | Engineering + Skinning |
| Max gold, low effort | Skinning + Mining (or Herbalism) |
| Self-sufficient raider | Engineering + Alchemy or Leatherworking |
| Leveling on a budget | Skinning + Herbalism |
Why Engineering wins for Hunters
- Combat gadgets and on-use trinkets that scale with your kit.
- A personal way to start pulls and manage packs at range — perfect for a ranged class.
- Convenience toys: portable repairs, res options, and movement gizmos that save real time in dungeons and while farming.
- It pairs cleanly with Skinning, so you gather leather while you level and fund your gadgets.
Which gathering profession should a Hunter take?
Skinning is the natural fit — Hunters kill lots of beasts, so you loot leather from mobs you were already going to pull. Mining and Herbalism both sell well too, especially early in a new expansion when materials spike in price. If you value steady gold over synergy, Mining + Herbalism (a "double gatherer") is the least fussy money maker.
Are crafting professions worth it for a Hunter?
They can be. Leatherworking lets you make and upgrade mail gear, which is exactly what Hunters wear, so it's a strong self-sufficient pick. Alchemy gives you personal flasks and potions for raiding and Mythic+, paying for itself over a tier. The trade-off is cost and time — crafting professions need materials, so many players level a gatherer first, then switch later.
Do professions affect Hunter DPS?
In current retail WoW, professions no longer give big raw damage bonuses like they did in older expansions. Pick based on utility, gold, and self-sufficiency rather than chasing a DPS edge. The real "performance" gain is indirect: more gold means better gear, gems, enchants, and a full stock of consumables every raid night.
Bottom line
Go Engineering + Skinning if you want the most fun and utility, or two gathering professions if gold is the priority. Both are safe, flexible choices you won't regret at max level.
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