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IF YOU DECIDE TO FOREGO a college degree, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of American adults don’t have four-year degrees, and the high school diploma is still the most common entry-level credential [9].
Consider a “Dirty Job”
Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” fame has started a foundation to promote and support vocational arts education and the trades. He points out that while more and more high school graduates are heading to college, most jobs actually don’t require a college degree: “We keep lending money we don’t have to people who can’t pay it back for jobs that don’t exist.” The website has an active jobs listing page at jobs.mikeroweworks.org. To find out more about the foundation, visit mikeroweworks.org/about.
Explore Occupations at the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great resource for information about careers. Let’s say you want to search for occupations that pay well and don’t require a college degree. Go to the Online Occupational Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. On top of the page is a pulldown menu allowing you to select occupations by pay, education, and other factors. As of the current edition of this book, police detectives, criminal investigators, communication equipment workers, and logistics managers are among those occupations that typically earn over $75,000 annually and don’t require a college degree.
Search by geography
Once you have a job title you’re interested in and you want to know whether there are any openings in a specific part of the United States, visit careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx. There you can type in a job title and zip code or state.
For example, a search for logistics managers in San Diego shows that the median salary is around $87,000 in San Diego and around $95,000 nationwide. (Note that that’s the median salary for all people in this occupation, not the starting salary.) People starting in this career typically have a high school diploma or equivalent, although some current logistics managers have more or less schooling. From the Outlook: Will there be jobs? Window you can click the Find job openings button in the lower-left corner for live job listings.
Consider a job that requires some additional education
Some decent-paying jobs require training beyond high school, but not a four-year degree. Writing in U.S. News, Senior Editor for Personal Finance Susannah Snider and careers reporter Rebecca Koenig list the 25 highest-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree from the U.S. News list of the 100 best jobs. Additional certification or training may be required [86].
U.S. NEWS TOP JOBS THAT DON’T REQUIRE A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE |
Solar Photovoltaic Installer: $42,680 |
Auto Mechanic: $40,710 |
Insulation Contractor: $41,910 |
Massage Therapist: $41,420 |
Cement Mason: $43,000 |
Bus Driver: $42,080 |
Glazier: $43,550 |
Basic nursing care (LPN, LVN): $46,240 |
Carpenter: $46,590 |
Real Estate Agent: $48,690 |
Surgical Technologist: $47,300 |
Construction Equipment Operator: $46,990 |
Sheet Metal Worker: $48,460 |
Choreographer: $48,420 |
Insurance Sales Agent: $50,600 |
Brickmason / Blockmason: $50,950 |
Plumber: $53,910 |
Structural Iron and Steelworker: $52,770 |
Wind Turbine Technician: $54,370 |
Electrician: $55,190 |
Hearing Aid Specialist: $54,860 |
Sound Engineering Technician: $55,810 |
Sales Representative: $61,660 |
Executive Assistant: $57,410 |
Patrol Officer: $61,380 |
Consider the Military
The military provides training, housing, and job placement benefits. Tuition Assistance is an educational benefit provided to active service members; each branch of the service has its own requirements. You can see each service’s requirements and benefits at bit.ly/2E6MN0Z. In addition to tuition assistance, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, known as the GI Bill or the Forever GI Bill, provides educational benefits to those with 3 or more years of service. GI Bill benefits can be used for apprenticeship, vocational, bachelor’s, and graduate education, and in some cases can be transferred to your spouse or children.
A MILITARY CAREER IS not for everyone. Success in the military requires physical and mental endurance, and a willingness to follow orders. When you enlist, don’t just sign on the dotted line. Negotiate, read your enlistment contract carefully, and don’t believe any promises that aren’t written in the contract. Two thoughtful pieces to read before you make any life-changing decisions are
thebalance.com/what-the-recruiter-never-told-you-3332714
and
military.com/join-armed-forces.
You can find more detailed information about military benefits at explore.va.gov.
