In my experience you get paid for what you know, not the effort you put in.
I know loads of people who work much harder than me yet earn less.

Give me a broken server and I can have it running again in minimal time - however, I'll have spent that time sat in a warm office, drinking copious amounts of tea and probably sat on my arse.
Some chap who's called in to repaint the building will put his life in danger on ladders/platforms etc.. get dirty and spend all day in the cold working his arse off at the mercy of the British summer.
It doesnt take a genius to tell you which one of us worked hardest. Yet painter dude will probably go home with just over minimum wage for all his trouble.

The only way to get any cash is to get a skill, whether it be computing, plumbing, joinery..etc.. As soon as you've got the knowledge up there - you can charge for it.

btw, I never went to uni (or college) but went straight to work in the job I'm doing now. Its taken more than 10 years in the job to get where I am now. Nothing happens 'fast'.