“You have to go to school to get a good job.”
That was a phrase that my father continually beat into my head harder than Lars Ulrich could pound on his bass drum. (In case there is a generation gap, Lars is the drummer from the rock band Metallica).
While I’m thankful that I followed my father’s advice and obtained my finance degree, an interesting article by Wallet Pop.com caught my curiosity. The article had taken a look at some of the highest paying jobs that one could get with no college degree.
College is freaking expensive! According to College Boards.com the average cost for one year of tuition is $7000. The cost of a full four year degree is increasing every year, making the idea of getting that beloved college a degree a pipe dream. So what are your other options?
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Plug is over. Back to the post….+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There are many careers that you can obtain without an actual degree, but most require either a trade school certification, or just time on the job and working your way up through the ranks.
A trade school certificate can be obtained in as soon as six months, or as long as four years. Best part is that these jobs pay well – some very well!
If you have decided to not attend a four year college out of high school, or are looking for a fresh start at a new career, here are some of the highest paying careers with no degree.
Disclaimer: While there are definitely some good paying jobs on this list, I still think having a college degree is still worth it. Yes, tuition is high and will continue to rise, but the experience, connections, and mindset that college offers is invaluable. Now on to the jobs….
Highest Paying Jobs Without College Degree
1Margin Department Supervisor: ($83,000)
A margin department supervisor oversees a company’s credit department which manages customer credit accounts and approves or denies credit to customers. This job will most likely require lots of on the job training/shadowing. You will not be required to have a finance or accounting degree to obtain the job, but you will have to know the process well because the scope of the job requires mathematical calculation as well as debt analysis and recognition of accounting principles.
2Air Traffic Controller: ($74,922)
An air traffic controller is required to pass vigorous testing by the FAA, which includes health checks, as well as mental stability tests. Being an air traffic controller has been voted most stressful job in the United States many years because of what the job entails.
photo credit: Sprengben [why not get a friend] via photopin cc
This job does not require a college degree but is a very highly competitive industry; it does help to know someone already in the business.
3Automobile Service Station Manager: ($72,000)
Essentially the role of the service station manager is to run the day to day operations of a gas station. The scope of the work includes setting the gas prices for the day, scheduling the rest of the employees that work at the station, ordering new merchandise to keep the shelves stocked as well as being the direct manager to the other employees. Some skills that would be helpful to obtain this job would be good personal skills as well as some managerial experience. Once again, you could probably obtain this type of a position by working your way up the ladder through on the job experience.
4Real Estate Broker: ($71,000)
To become a real estate broker you will still need to take a couple of classes to become certified, but still much less of an expense to you relatively to a college degree. You will be trying to sell houses as well as filing the paper work for the transaction and helping with the loan agreements.
Anyone who has passed through high school can acquire the license required for real estate transactions, but if you are considering this career you should be very friendly and have flexible hours because you will most likely be working on your customers schedules.
5Landscape Architect: ($66,000)
With this career you will have the option of whether you would like to be certified or not. However if you are certified you will have access to larger contracts and a wider scope of work. If you do not mind getting a little dirty and working hard for a living than this might be a good career for you. This career may require you to take some classes at a community college on horticulture as well as landscape design, but these types of classes are not required. Make sure you have a good eye for design and a strong work ethic to consider this career.
6Lead Carpenter: ( $63,000)
This job will require you to have lots of experience in the field. This type of experience can be acquired through either going to a trade school to teach you the techniques, or by being an apprentice to a lead carpenter. By going to trade school you will actually have some type of certification which might make you more marketable in the field, but being an apprentice would most likely land you in a job replacing your teacher. Either way you can be very successful in this type of career, just make sure you enjoy working with your hands.
7Director of Security: ($62,000)
This job will most likely be acquired by starting off in an entry level security position, then working your way through the ranks to become the director of security.
Depending on the company you will work for, you might be required to pass a background check as well as some minor health inspections. You might also be required to pass a security guard training program but this will most likely all be paid for by the employer so the actual educational cost to you would be zero. Some good skills to have for this type of job would be some above average physical characteristics as well as integrity to do what is right.
8Elevator Mechanic ($61,000)
Just like the lead carpenter job, this job will most likely be acquired through a trade school degree or lots of years experience. Being an elevator mechanic does have a couple more stipulations. Lots of major corporations will require you to have a license and work for an insured company, which in this case would force you to go through the trade school route so that you could work on these large corporate jobs. Most of this industry is unionized so make sure you are willing to join a union before entering this line of work.
9Cable Supervisor: ($60,000)
This career would be a managerial type setting. You would be responsible for overseeing the maintenance as well as installation workers that set up cable boxes and internet connections. You would be responsible for the scheduling aspect as well holding the workers accountable to be where they need to be. A good way to acquire this type of a position is to either apply for the job with some type of managing/scheduling background, or to apply for the entry level position and work your way up by knowing the business.
10Flight Service Manager: ($54,000)
This career would most likely be obtained through lots of on the job experience. You would be responsible for helping schedule flight crews as well as taking care of customer complaints and filing the necessary paper work for them. This job would require great personal skills as well as lots of patients with angry customers. The airlines can be a stressful area to work in, so if you are considering this line of work make sure you can keep your cool in the toughest of situations.
11Freelance Photographer: ($47,000)
Being a freelance photographer takes dedication to ones tasks as well as a great eye for artistic detail. This type of a career may also require you to travel distances to be able to acquire the right “shot” for the right story. In a sense being a freelance photographer can take many molds such as taking pictures of nature for magazines, or taking picture of stories for newspapers, or even being a paparazzi type photographer and searching for the next big celebrity scandal. Whichever you choose to be, this career could pay well with no educational experience required.
12Personal Trainer ($37,500)
This career will most likely require you to have a certification so that you are qualified to teach proper physical fitness techniques. This certificate is not very difficult to obtain however and is relatively cheap compared to any other type of trade school mentioned above. To be successful in this line of work you will most likely want to be a very physically active person yourself, as well as have a passion for this line of work. If you love the newest trends in fitness, and spend lots of time in the gym already, this could be the perfect career option for you.
So if you are looking to head back to school for some quick training, or have decided that college is not the right option for you, there are still plenty of careers out there for you to choose from. Whatever you do, don’t get distressed. Remember the following names: Henry Ford, Michael Dell, Walt Disney, Rachel Ray, and Simon Cowell. Guess what all these entrepreneurs had in common? Yup, you guessed it. No college degree.
Getting started as a personal trainer is simple, but here are some guides to get you started: Bootcamp Basics will show you how to start your own bootcamp. You can also try getting your Yoga certification.
Other Notable Careers, No Degree Required
13Funeral Director ($80,000)
You do need some training to be a funeral director, but once you have it, you can make as much as $80,000 a year. It is important that you be able to handle the macabre, and you do need to have a degree of tact and warmth, since you are dealing with people in difficult situations. However, if you can take the job, it is something worth considering.
14Commercial Pilot ($50,000)
You can make more than $50,000 if you get on as a commercial pilot at the right airline. Training is required, but you will not need to get a college degree. It can be a fun job if you like flying, and you can get discount fares when you aren’t on the job. You do have to be away from home, though.
15Truck Driving ($45,000)
After six to eight weeks of training, and after you obtain your commercial driver’s license, you can make $45,000 or more as a truck driver. Work your way up to becoming a trainer, and you can clear more than $70,000 a year. Team drivers, those with hazmat certifications and others can make different salaries as well. You do need to be able to deal with the monotony of driving, and deal with being away from home.
16Salesperson (Unlimited)
For those with the right skills, sales can be a financially rewarding job without the need for a college degree. A salesperson might work on a commission structure, or base + commission. In either case, how much you end up making depends on how well you sell, whether you are selling cars, furniture, real estate, pharmaceuticals, credit card processors or high-end clothes. Depending on what you do, you may need to complete a certification or become licensed. A people person with the right talents can make six figures a year. But it usually requires a large amount of hustle.
17Fire Fighting ($30,000)
The starting salary is often just a little more than $30,000, but you can make more than $50,000 a year, depending on where you work, and whether you reach a supervisory position.
You don’t need a college degree, but you will need to go through a training program. You will need to show strength and stamina if you want to be a firefighter. You can also pick up additional pay if you work fighting wild fires.
18EMT ($45,000)
If you are about to take your EMT classes to become an EMT, you will be happy to learn that the job outlooks in this field are very promising. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a growth of position by 9% from 2008 to 2018. However, chances of having a good job in the EMS are given to those who have more EMT certifications (like paramedics). The hourly wages can vary from $9.08 (10% of the work force earns less than this) to $23.77 (10% earn more than this bracket). The median hourly wages of EMTs is at $14.10 (as at May 2008).
19 Railroad Jobs ($75,000)
Do you like trains? If so, a railroad job might be just for you. There’s a variety of positions from engineers, conductors and management positions available. Railroad jobs give you a chance to see new parts of the country while getting paid very well in the process.
20Medical Coder ($46,800)
The healthcare industry is currently booming and you can expect it to continue to with the Baby Boomer generation getting older. There aren’t enough doctors and nurses available. Behind all of the doctors is a team of medical coders that type up what procedures you had done and bill you or your insurance company the amount owed. This is a growing industry that doesn’t require a degree. The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) released a salary study last year that showed on average a medical coder earned $46,800.
21IT Technician
There are a number of career paths within information technology that do not require a degree. Starting out you’ll probably do support calls on a helpdesk and only make $11-13 per hour. But as your skills progress and you get more experience you can easily make $50,000 to $70,000 per year as you get into systems administration and network engineering.
Bottom Line
Every job has its pros and cons. And, no matter your job, it is likely that you will need some sort of training. While a college degree may not be necessary, some sort of education or skills training is required to do most jobs.
“Formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune.”
- Jim Rohn
Sources:
- http://www.dailyfinance.com/blog/2010/08/11/skip-college-make-money-fast-10-high-paying-jobs-that-dont-re/
- http://www.payscale.com
- http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/add-it-up/4494.html
{ 75 comments… read them below or add one }
You MUST be licensed to call yourself a landscape architect (except for one, small, state). To get licensed without a professional degree from an accredited institution you have to have a licensed practitioner sign off on at least 6 years of work under their license and pass the arduous licensure exams (which are intended to be impossible for people who don’t have a degree in the field). Most people graduate with a 5-year bachelors of landscape architecture or a MLA + 2 years of work experience and then pass the exams. It is a true profession like physician, CPA, architect, or attorney.
That is just plain ridiculous and a scam.College for landscaping.LOL
Anyone who would pay thousands of dollars to get a useless piece of paper deserves to be in debt for life.
Do you realize what a landscape architect does compared to a landscape designer? They don’t just install plants or work in your backyard. They are stewards of the environment and connect the environment to people among many other things. There are things in this profession, as there are in many others, that don’t require school leaning, but there are also many analytical skills and design techniques that do. Before disregarding someone’s hard work and education you might want to take some time actually learn what it is that you are talking about instead of overgeneralizing.
@ Some Guy Do you realize what the difference is between a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Certified Financial Planner?
The intent of the post was to not give a detailed synopsis of the various careers just a “general” overview – a suggestion of what potential careers exist out there that don’t require a college degree.
Instead of complaining that the post didn’t meet your standards, why not give a more helpful breakdown so that others can benefit?
I’m 99.9% sure he was referring to ELM’s derogatory (and completely uninformed) comment.
If someone had similarly said that people who go to school to be a Certified Financial Planner are stupid for doing so, you may have felt the same way. .
@ Some Guy
Sorry about that! I was viewing my comments from the backend of my blog and didn’t realize who you were responding to. My bad!!
If the intent was to give a general overview of professions that do not require a degree, then Landscape Architect should be removed from the list. I think you have fallen for a common pitfall, Landscape Architects and Landscape Designers are not the same thing. Landscape Architects do require A degree and a licensure test to be a landscape architect, some states allow for a non-degreed individual to become licensed, but the number of people in the US without a degree that are LAs are very small. The vast majority of LAs work behind computer terminals and rarely get dirty. Landscape Architects design Master planned communities, Theme parks, Commercial Centers, Apartments Communities, Senior Care Facilities. Ect. Most Landscape Architects are more closely related to Civil Engineers than to Landscape Design. In my personal experience the landscape component of the job is typically less than 10%. Landscape designers will rarely make the average of $66,000 that you state unless they have a full installation crew. Landscape Architects with 10+ years of experience should be making in the $80,000 – $115,000 range
I agree with you, but you have to admit even when some people get their degrees, it does not mean they know what they are doing. It is sad but true.
I still believe in collage though, I am struggling trying to get my degree, hopefully i will graduate soon.
You believe in college not collage.
I myself am a self taught I.T. Administrator and Application/Database Developer who earned several certifications in the field, spent many years working with upper management reading books that target my challenges and putting things into practice while learning new techniques that have been very successful and have built a portfolio over time, which college heads were not able to do. In our try before you hire session, at my company we ended up getting rid of a few college grads because their knowledge was so far behind and seem to be spoiled. I think experience and character overrides College by far, remember in college courses you just read a little try to memorize till test time pick and choose teachers who most of time has spent little time, if any, in the field they are teaching. What is the difference between this and jumping on Google and reading the latest information about a subject, then putting it into practice. People that hire based on degrees are just selfishly looking out for themselves, because perhaps they have a degree, and end up hurting themselves and their company by passing up someone with more knowledge, certifications, character and experience, remember results is why you hire, not because you might have read something in a outdated textbook. That being said, I am working on a degree although as I take the classes it is confirming what I feel to be true.
I so agree with you, i taught myself how to repair computers and other electronics, but since i dont have the degree no one wants to give me a shot that sucks but, without that lovely paper companies wont or do not want to take a chance on you. not fair.
Rosa, I respect that you taught yourself how to do some things. I did that as well. I worked for more than a decade at jobs that went nowhere. At my last job, where I spent eight years, I was promoted several times and learned a lot. I taught myself how to do things. But at the same time, in the “working world,” it’s hard to keep up unless you’re educated. Along with this, I worked full-time, attended school full-time, and cared for my husband who ended up dying. However, when you say it’s not fair for companies to mainly look at people who have degrees, I disagree. I worked my tail off working and going to school. I spent many late nights studying, writing papers, etc until one or two in the morning. I happen to be an English and History major. I know that people scoff at us English majors, BUT this is a skill I can use anywhere. Because all the responsibilities I dealt with, I had to stay extra focused and work extra hard. It has taken me eight years. This is not true of most spoiled, twentysomething college students whose parents pay for their education. I ended up remarrying and having two kids.
Through all this, I learned how to write creatively and on a professional level. I see so many grammar mistakes in the general public, and while I understand that not everyone knows the standard practices of professional writing, these types of mistakes have drifted over into the professional world. This is why I hope that I can use my training and education to improve businesses. The so-called “business” writing that I see is terrible–”your” for “you’re” and things like that. People don’t know how to be professional anymore.
People can think what they want about people like me, but the truth is, my education will pay off in the long run. Computers, phones, and other technological devices can correct things and run “apps,” but human thoughts will never be replaced.
Thing is, I’ve worked long and hard through tragedy. I’m not about to have anyone make fun of me for it. I deserve this degree. I have sacrificed a lot for it.
I am in no way disrespecting anyone who doesn’t have a college degree. My parents didn’t, and my dad worked extremely hard as did my mom, but these days it’s hard to find a decent job without a degree. This job list? Where are these jobs? I never see any of these advertised. Oh, and it’s especially hard for a woman to find a job.
College students do not just read outdated book. Outdated books are used to learn about foundations of each certification, but we spend a LOT of money for new editions of books. At my university they use new books for each course after at least 2 to 3 years.
It was a surprise to me what some of these jobs were. I would have thought more sales types of jobs would have made the top 12. I know some tire salesmen that make boo koo $$$
I know a lot freelance photographer myself, and it is true that if you have contacts, your photos can sell like hotcakes.
Knowing people is always good
Location is also key though!
In a small town, you can take bad pictures and still make money at it… In a city though, you need to be pretty good because there’s a lot more competition, and people are not willing to pay for mediocrity.
And if you’re great AND live in a small town… you probably won’t make what you would like/think you deserve, BUT you will get good business.:)
You can try affiliate program as well. It’s a nice paying job if you know how to do it properly.
Becoming an EMT-basic can also be done without a college degree. It’s about 120-150 hours worth of training.
Air Traffic Controller is very stressful job!
I think college does more for you simply than the degree. It should be considered to offer much more than just a piece of paper.
It does cost a lot to go to University and if I was thinking about going now then I would probably choose not to and get into a training program of some sort.
That said I did grow-up a lot at University and am happy that I went.
Security Guard jobs are the highest paid and especially Law Enforcement Agents are highest paid and one can Join Police department and get their training. This indeed is a great opportunity to server the community
college gives you a good relationship network
but won’t teach you how to be an entrepreneur i guess
college degree should not be related to the job compensation. After a while, compensation is purely based on your ability to sell yourself and perform your duties. Lot of successful business people don’t have any degree.
I think it all depends on your end goal. If you are going to work in a very specific niche, in a white collar profession, then yes….ongoing education is probably the way to go. However, I know too many small business owners who retired with more money than any of these college graduates at the end of the game because they worked hard building a business over 30 years. I could probably argue either way.
In today’s current financial climate it makes sense to get experience in a job rather than go to college. Spend 3 years in further education or use that time to earn money and progess in your job.
A degree will help get your foot in the door.
You can get in without a degree, but you may need to do some hard knocking.
In general , college is worth the investment, but I guess for some there is success without it. For most people without a college degree, they don’t finnd success, so not having one and being successful is the exception, not the rule.
I completely agree. I think that articles like this are misleading. A lot of the jobs on here now require education in addition to experience. Times are changing.
I also think there are some exceptions to the rule of going to college = success. People like Bill Gates and Harvard drop-out Mark Zuckerberg are all wealthy and did not go to/finish college, but what about the 100s and 1000s of individuals who did not go or finish college? No one ever discusses what they’re doing. Also, there are some jobs that pay more to those who did not go to college than to college graduates, but there are by far more jobs that have higher salaries that college graduates are eligible for than those with just a high school diploma.
In other words, college is worth the investment. I know older people who did not go and are now either taking courses to go back to school even though they’re working, or they hate what they’re doing now and wish they had gone.
“People like Bill Gates are wealthy and did not go to/finish college”
Yes, but Bill first went to a High School that was toughter than Harvard. Education matters. The Pilgrams passed the General Education Laws in the mid 1600s to punish any community that failed to prepare every child for entering Harvard. Why did these dirt poor farmers have a higher appreciation for a college degree than we do centuries later? Well, for one reason, the schools were harder then. The freshman average Math SAT score at my old Engineering school is 120 points below my class 35 years ago. And, even a 1862 Reader is considered too hard for today’s kids. And so, the most outsourced jobs are ones that require an education with cashier the fastest growing remaining profession.
American children can look to the two kids next to them in class and know one will likely not graduate from High School – key to a living wage. The Army says 3 out of 4 18-25 year old can’t join the military for either failing to graduate High School, having a felony conviction, or simply being too fat. There have been schools in Harlem, East LA, and South Chicago with 100% graduation rates (and more Ivy School alumni than Hollywood High) – so why don’t we require such success from every school?!?
Until American schools are redesigned, declared Bill Gates at a recent summit of the nation’s governors, “We will keep limiting, even ruining, the lives of millions of Americans every year.” Intel and Cisco CEOs later added that America’s lackluster school would be forcing them to look overseas for talent. The number of students from China, India, and South Korea seeking U.S. degrees declined by 16% in 2008 alone.
“It is possible to enter an urban school in China or India or Brazil and immediately recognize a way of organizing education that has become completely taken for granted in the West. Students sit passively in separate classrooms. Everything is coordinated by a predetermined plan, with bells and whistles and rules to keep things moving like one giant assembly line throughout each hour, day, and year.” Page 7 of Presence: Human Purpose, 2004 by Dr. Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, and Flowers (which Harvard Review described as the most important text in 75 years).
“People still believe in the tradition of dedicated, self-sacrificing school teachers. They don’t know how the profession has changed… What was once the poor man’s burden has become everyone’s.” – Marva Collins (you can stream The Marva Collins movie from Netflix)
Hello,
Very interesting post. I just wanted to add a little bit about personal training certification programs. You might quickly find that getting your certification to become a personal trainer is confusing. There are a number of different programs that offer certification and choosing which is the best for your needs can be very difficult. Check out our website to learn more about the certification process.
The problem with the traditional college degree is that it has become the new high school diploma. If you really want to separate yourself with education, a Master’s or Doctorate is a good investment in many cases.
Actually a Master’s degree can keep you from NOT getting job. I was talking to my Veterans liaison at a local job center and he told me that because I was putting my Master’s degree on my resume that was probably keeping employers from calling me for entry level management jobs that require a bachelor’s degree.
HR departments view you as a flight risk or they are afraid that you might take their job. I am never putting that I have a Master’s degree again unless employers ask me straight up.
Wait.. keep you from NOT getting a job? Doesn’t that mean..it helps you get a job?
But I agree. I am 21 and still working toward my bachelor degree, but I’ve heard this a lot from other people. Potential employers can view you as “overqualified” for a lower-level job. Kind of sad though…
I think degrees are getting overrated considering the number of successful entrepreneurs who are college dropouts…
IT is a great field for people without degrees with strong hands on technical skills. I have a friend thats a DBA and doing quite well so I’d definitely recommend the IT route and even information security can be an option as well. Often times the network is more important than a degree alone.
I do think that college is overrated, for some people. Too many people are going to college who shouldn’t, and end up with average jobs and enormous debts.
College teaches you life skills, how to survive without mommy and daddy. It is a valuable learning curve lol
This site seems to be dated with salaries. Elevator mechanics make about double the salary listed and air cOntrollers make between 100 – 140 k
Unbeknownst to most, the US bachelors degree is very undervalued by most employers. Since most college grads from the US don’t have the communication, critical thinking, and complex reasoning skills needed for complex non-technical jobs, most employers look to those with graduate degrees or foreign sources. Also, most US colleges have been in decline or declining for the last 15 years or more. Where the US used to rank high, in recent rankings the US ranked 14th out of 14 nations in graduation rates. Another factor is that there are more people with bachelors than there are jobs that require them. And most are not getting degrees in fields where there is great demand for graduates. Things have changed considerably but nobodies talking because colleges and universities still want your money. And that’s another issue. In three years, from 08-11 total $ spent on loans has increased by 25% from $440 to $550 billion / yr. The cost of college has increased twice that of the rate of inflation. Better get your fact before you waste too much time and money on a degree that cost too much or won’t get you a job.
Another point of concern is don’t look to existing success of what others have done. If a friend says his friend got a job with a such-and-such degree doing some type of work, you are NOT that individual. Just like investing in real estate is not a good investment across the board. It’s good if you’re intrinsically motivated, have the talent and ability and so many other intangibles. What’s good for one investor is not necessarily good for another investor. Same goes for college and work. Don’t do ANYTHING just because someone else says they are doing well or enjoy it. That can lead to a major waste of money, education, training and time. Half of the people in the US do not like their jobs. And within 5-10 yrs of graduation, 70% of graduates are no longer working in a field related to their major. The AFTER affects of college are never thought about or heard about. And this is where the greatest focus should be for those looking to obtain training / college and a career, not just a job. Don’t make mistakes that you’ll be sorry for for years even a lifetime to come. Too many have.
One last thing. There’s a lot of guessing going on, like that in the comments left here. Don’t leave YOUR future up to opinion or guessing. Know the truth, the facts, and not some vague notions to commit to a strong plan of action to greater, even greatest success. There are many, many, many options outside the traditional bachelors degree. I worked most of my life making a very high salary in the computer field with NO COLLEGE DEGREE. And the jobs posted here that make “decent money” are more about propaganda for staying in college than not. The author of the article is a financial planner and not an education or career expert. You’ve really got to know how to think logically, rationally, clearly, and thoroughly to achieve at any level And most colleges don’t give you the 60-70% you need in skills, knowledge, and attitudes to achieve or that which many employers complain even college grads don’t have. So much to know, so many myths and sacred cows to kill.
I can’t agree with those that are saying that too many people are going to college or that certain folks shouldn’t go to college. It’s education. You can never have too much of that! If you can do it without putting yourself in the poor house to get there, DO EEEET!
Not sure how how I feel that Attorneys are not on the list. Being an attorney, I know the general public thinks they are all super wealthy but that is not the case. I know many lawyers who are not making any more money then someone with a corporate job. Then there are the articles coming out now that there are more law school grads then jobs. I feel sorry for those students, especially those straddled with 6 figure student loan debt.
Justin Hope
Very interesting post. I like lists like this. Of all those I reckon landscape architect looks most interesting.
Funny thing is.. that’s the one you do need a degree for
Master’s degree, actually…
I don’t think that college education should directly account for how much money you make. In this world its mostly who you know not what you know. I have come across this first hand many times.
So true Bill. It’s more based on who you know, NOT what you know!! It’s sad cause you have students graduating high school that don’t want to take loans out to go to college and want to work, make money, start a career but companies don’t want to hire them. My son is very smart with computers but doesn’t necessarily like school and wants to get into a IT career but how do you get in the door when you have no job experience. If he could get in the door with a good company that will pay for your education that would be great. Then I have a daughter who graduated from Drexel University in Pennsylvania and owes over $150,000 in school loans after getting her RN degree at Drexel University and has a RN position but can’t afford to have her own place and rides around in a used car that barely gets her from A to B because she has so much money going out in paying loans from colledge education. I mean what do I want my son to go that route, hell no. Yes college is overrated and if you can find a career that you can get paid well and are satisfied with then I say go for it because bottom line if you at least make enough money you can always go to school to pay for that education that should net you that higher income you desire.
An industry not mentioned where you can earn a decent salary is in Information Technology, where depending on the branch you don’t need a college/university degree. A lot of web designers are self taught and the potential earnings are large due to the majority of businesses now having an online presence both in terms of self promotion and affiliate marketing schemes.
Hi Phil, How do you get a high school student into a career of Information Technology to begin a career without college/university degree? Would you be so kind to list the branches in relation to IT that you won’t need degrees? Are the corporate businesses included in these branches you speak of?
What is interesting is that many people who have advanced degrees are now working or looking at working in the jobs listed, which includes myself! That Masters degree that I have and the credits I have from Harvard University are doing me a lot of good right? ha ha Oh yeah throw my years in the Marine Corps as well. All totally worthless!
Note to the youngsters:
The smart man/woman applies for the jobs listed above and never goes into the military or college.
I think college is about more than just getting a degree too though… For sure, it makes a difference whether you will be completely in debt or not (in my case, I will graduate with very little debt, if any).
But I know that for me college has been quite a learning experience and an opportunity to grow as a person. I think it’s a good “transition” stage from child to adult. . .
I am a personal trainer. At first I only made $1,500 per month. After deciding that I wanted to be the best in the world, and after a lot of hustle, I built a $30,000 per month training business, got interviewed my magazines and news stations, trained models and singers, and even trained celebrities.
I would say that no matter what field you are in, what you make has far more to do with your ability to deal with people. Some great books I would suggest are How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie, the 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, and Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. These three books are the forgotten text books that even college won’t teach you.
Very nice! Kudos!
I have been considering a career change into the heating and air conditioning field. Any idea what the average salary is for a HVA certified tech?
I got a college degree after I was discharged from the military. I worked days and went to school at nights and it hasn’t done a thing for me, hangs on the wall a reminder I have loans to pay back. So I started my own garage door business and make more money than I would have ever made being a teacher. Yeah, it’s physical work but I always have jobs to do and I am my own boss.
While the job titles listed are good, the number figures are wrong. In reality, many people will get stuck making much less. It’s the “who you know, mentality which translates to “Who’s ass you kiss” or “Who’s back you stab” that gets you the higher pay. I have seen this in many places over many years. It’s why you see complete boneheads being supervisors and managers. The job force might as well be a board game. Money ruins more happiness than it provides.
So true!
So, so true Joe M. I agree with you on that. I work for a company that have some supervisors and managers that don’t know much of anything and they got the position because of who they knew and whose ass they kissed. Many of the workers below them teach them what they need to know in order they be able to do the job. Not only that workers under them who have degrees were turned down for the supervisor of management positions because they are not ass kissers or in with a certain crowd of people but could very well do a great job if only giving the opportunity. It’s ridiculous.
Joe, I have experienced this first-hand myself, so many times I can’t even count.
I’ll give you a little background first: I’m a 50 something, the youngest of six kids (so my parents couldn’t afford to pay for my college; though I did attend a community college for a few semesters to try to “get ahead” – it was the Catch 22 scenario that I’m sure a lot of people my age had, “when I had the money to go (by working my a** off all the time), I didn’t have the time to go to college” or either “when I had the time to go (in between jobs), I didn’t have the money because I went through all of my savings in between jobs, just to survive, instead of putting it into an education”.
Especially if you’re in a “good ‘ol boy” southern small town (in Florida) like I am. I have heard all those lame excuses, when being dismissed from my job for absolutely no good reason whatsoever! “You’re not a good fit”…”We just don’t think you’re going to work out for this position”…”We’re laying you off due to a lack of work, and I’m going to do the work myself ” (and then you find the SAME job you did, from the SAME employer in the newspaper the following week).
They won’t be honest and tell you the REAL reason why you’re being let go…i.e., “I just don’t like you”, “You’re too slow” (at doing detailed job costing, sales tracking and invoicing mainly, for small businesses), “We don’t have enough work for you right now”, etc., etc., etc.
I guess it’s fair play, because I’m not really honest with them and reply back to them: “I just don’t like you”- “I don’t like you either, in fact, I think you’re an a**hole”; “You’re too slow” – “You didn’t tell me at the job interview you’d rather have me do the job FAST and HALF-A**ED; “We don’t have enough work for you right now” – “My sister, mother, brother, cousin, niece, nephew, friend or neighbor needs a job right now”. Yes, I’ve heard every lame excuse in the book.
Even though you show up to work on time, do as you’re told, are never out sick, hardly ever take vacation (if you can even get through your probationary period long enough to earn vacation pay), and busting your a** proving that you’re worthy of being hired for the job; only to get some lame excuse in the end.
It all boils down to a few things like you said, “It’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know”, who’s a** you’re willing to kiss on the way up (even if there isn’t one), or that they’re younger than you or half your age and they’re intimidated by you once you start working with them and show them what you know or what you can do, that they let you go (and lie to their boss) because one day you might take their job.
I just lost my job on Friday, I’m back in the job market again – for what – only to find LOW paying jobs that want you to have an associates or bachelors degree in whatever, just to do an accounting, administrative assistant, customer service or receptionist position – oh, and they make sure that they leave out of the ad that there’s NO overtime, NO benefits like sick time (yes, we expect you to come to work sick as a dog, so everyone else in the office will get pissed off at you) or holiday pay (oh, and on some holidays like 4th of July we’re closed for 2 days), oh and did I mention you only earn one week of vacation per year!
It make’s me want to give up looking for a job, but I’m not old enough to even think about collecting social security and it probably won’t even be there in 10 more years when I’m due to retire. I think I’ll just try to do something on my own to earn a living, at least that way I don’t have to put up with the B.S. that the employers in this town dish out.
Don’t know how important degrees are these days. Australia is a good example. I don’t understand how someone with minimum qualifications can earn up to double with people who studied hard in college. Time to take up an apprenticeship?
People,life is not easy to deal with.Specially when you dont have an education.
I used to be one of the bunch,but not any more after i got my hands
into the IT field with only a certification.
Now i have more than enough.
You should check it out,,,,,, http://www.mycomputercareer.com
I made it as a hotel sales manager. Earned 42K plus bonus entry level. Moved up through the ranks and hit 187K
Each hotel has 1 -10 or more sales people that sell blocks of guestrooms, meeting space, services and ameniteis to event planners.
Move up fast if you stick with it. All General Managers typically start at line level or mid managment and work their way up.
Try http://www.aprinda.com for an online certificate in just a few days.
Hospitality is a fun, sometimes glamorous job that pays well. Anyone can do it, you don’t need a college degree. There is no need to be unemployed….hotels alway have opening. Take anything, and work your way up.
In my accounting field I’ve found a bachelors degree only gives you foundation courses and educational discipline and is not an end in itself. What I realize in the end is; learning goes on all the time and is actually necessary, as information and technology changes all the time.
The bottom line of what a number of employers look for is experience and while those with bachelors degrees are being looked for in first hires (in this recovering economy), exact experience that shows one can get going quickly with less training or has potential for future growth is what has been speaking for job winners. I say this after four years of only getting temp positions (while looking for a perm one) despite my BSA and over ten years of general accounting experience.
In trying to advance in my account career my frustration has been; while I hit a glass ceiling without my BSA (could only get accounting specialist positions), the degree has made me a monkey in the middle due to looking overqualified (they’re afraid I’ll run) and lacking exact experience (ex: full-charge bookkeeping, accountant). I tend to wonder if I would have done better getting an online bookkeeping certification and joining a bookkeeper network, but I don’t take to working for myself and have been struggling to find a permanent employer I can work for and grow with. Hopefully my new opportunity through a temp agency will lead to the perm opportunity – time and experience will tell…
One never knows where an opportunity may come up: In a small town, my niece started four years ago working in a hardware store stocking shelves, took a few needed college classes, and now manages the store operations! Her husband; who didn’t get enough work as an electrician, is now working there too, makes a steady income, and enjoys helping others.
Nice list. Thanks for posting.
No degree required…………
Hotel sales and catering is lots of fun, work in nice hotel, meet lots of people, free food at most hotels, and advance fast to 80-100 thouand or more per year.
Jump in entry level at 40-60 thousand. Try ahla or APRINDA DOT COM for fast online certificates that can help.
As an entry level sales person you will sell blocks of guestrooms, meeting and banquet space, and services and ameniteis to event planners and travel managers. Each hotel employs 1-10 or more sales people………..there are always lots of jobs available
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Hotel sales and catering is lots of fun, work in nice hotel, meet lots of people, free food at most hotels, and advance fast to 80-100 thouand or more per year.
Jump in entry level at 40-60 thousand. Try ahla.com or http://www.aprinda.com for fast online certificates that can help.
As an entry level sales person you will sell blocks of guestrooms, meeting and banquet space, and services and ameniteis to event planners and travel managers. Each hotel employs 1-10 or more sales people………..there are always lots of jobs available
No degree to be a commercial pilot? That’s not realistic! Aside from military experience, most pilots have over 1000 hours of training they pay for – although some work as Flight Instructors to gain hours. Almost any reputable airline requires a 4 year degree in some field of study. And not to mention a $30-50k investment in training. Then you can look forward to something like 500-900 applicants for every available job that pays well…but if you like to fly and want to do it for a living, the rewards are incredible. Just don’t call it an entry level job. That’s like saying a surgeon is an entry level job. At best these jobs are highly sought after, highly competitive openings that only the cream of the aviation crop will ever land.
In the United States you have to have at least an Associates degree of mortuary science to be a funeral director.
It’s mostly true that you can apply for, and be accepted w/o college for an air traffic controller and get OTJ for the position…..BUT I once read somewhere that FAA requires that if you’ve never done it before, you have to be under age 30.
“Landscape Architect” on this list made me laugh and stop reading the rest of the article.
Landscape Architects need 4-5 year bachelor degrees at minimum and usually 2-3 masters degrees after that. Plus at least 2 years outside college working with a “Licensed” Landscape Architect Firm (if your lucky enough to get a job in one) BEFORE you can even qualify to take the Licencing Exam. Only THEN can you even call yourself a “Landscape Architect”. They work alongside engineers and architects and take classes like site engineering.
They don’t plant shrubs or cut grass. They work in professional firms and design studios. They create the site master plans for pretty much anything you can think of- college campuses, parks, housing developments, etc.
“Landscape Designer” or landscaper, design/build etc would be the title this author is looking for. Anyone can start their own company and do landscape planting and be but it helps to have an eye for good design and education in plants, hardscapes, soils, etc to be successful.
Edit- should read 2-3 year master degree. Not 2-3 MLA’s that would be ludicrous
College should be a place to learn medical. I don’t see any use for it’s education, for I have self taught myself everything (Web development, game development, game theory, web & graphic design, etc.) I have 6 certificates, and I know more than a college grad friend of mine (He went for game development). I find the ones that self teach themselves to be the more “Motivative,” and love what they do other than a person going to college just to get a job, and make the money to support their college sweethearts. The only thing that I am missing is the socialization of college. I could care less about the social life. I make the money I need, and enough to sustain my self relied life.
Salaries on a lot of these jobs are completely wrong. I am a current ATC specialist in NY and last year i made close to 130k in compensation. I would say about 70 percent of my co workers make well over 100k
Also the Elevator mechanics make well over 70 k not 61k.
Also the possibilty of a sales person making over 100k without a degree is highly unlikely unless promoted to manager which usually requires a degree
There’s a shorter route to getting a Nursing Associates Degree for someone not looking to study for four years. An Associate Degree in Nursing can be earned at a low-cost local community college and many people may qualify for some type of financial aid. This is a good alternative to medical coding. I suspect that with the implementation of Obamacare, medical coding will become redundant in a single-payer system and electronic medical records can automatically assign medical codes when the records are updated.