Leveling skinning is easy but it can be very boring and slow process. This guide will help you to level skinning as soon as possible. There is also a list of general tips that will speed up your leveling.

Choose the best zones and mobs for your level range. This guide has all steps for doing 1–450. It contains the zone to visit and list of mobs to skin. If you click on mob's name you will see a zone map with marked location of these mobs. This feature will help you to level skinning quickly.

There are two formulas to calculate the maximum level of mobs you can skin:
For skinning level 1–100: max_mob_level = (skill_level)/10+10.
For skinning level 20: 20/10+10 = 12 (you can skin mobs with level <= 12)
For skinning level 100..450: max_mob_level = skill_level/5.
For skinning level 150: 150/5 = 30 (you can skin mobs with level <= 30)

Always choose the nearest trainer when you need to advance your skinning skill. You can find a complete list of trainers in the end of this guide.

Great way to level up your skinning skill quickly without having to kill every mob yourself is to visit a region where quests are being performed. When people have to kill mobs for a quest (Kill 10 of these and return), they will often leave the bodies, especially if they are not skinners. You can then swoop in and skin the hides they leave behind, leveling up your skill faster without having to spend time looking for mobs to kill.

The best profession pair for skinning is leatherworking. With leatherworking you can craft different items using hides you've skinned.

Leveling Skinning 1–180 (Alliance)

Learn Apprentice Skinning and buy Skinning Knife.
At skinnig level 50 visit trainer and learn Journeyman Skinning and at level 125 learn Expert Skinning

Leveling Skinning 1–180 (Horde)

Learn Apprentice Skinning and buy Skinning Knife.
At skinnig level 50 visit trainer and learn Journeyman Skinning and at level 125 learn Expert Skinning

Leveling Skinning 180–250

Don't forget to visit trainer and learn Artisan Skinning when you hit skinning level 200.

Leveling Skinning 250–300

Leveling Skinning 300–375

Travel to Outlands and learn Master Skinning.

Leveling Skinning 375–450

Travel to Northrend and learn Grand Master Skinning.
You can use both "starting" zones of Northrend to get 400, so I'll mention two variants for 375–400.

If you get stalled in Sholazar Basin (the last five or so levels can be tough in this zone), head to Stormpeaks and skin a few of the mobs here to max out your skills to 450.

Skinning trainers