25 good jobs that don't require a college degree
In the spring a young person's fancy turns to thoughts of graduation and then work. While people with a bachelor's degree have many more job options than those without one, the truth is college isn't for everyone. Some people can't afford it and even some who can just don't find higher education to be a good fit.
Fortunately there are still a number of desirable jobs which only require a high school diploma. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook these are the 25 occupations which are expected to add at least 10,000 new jobs between 2012 and 2022 while paying a minimum of $30,000 annually and which do not require more than a high school diploma.
Job title | Est. # of new jobs (2012-22) | Est. percent growth rate* | Approx. median income (2012) |
Real estate broker | 40,600 | 11 | $41,000 |
Purchasing agents | 19,700 | 4 | $60,000 |
Power line install/repair | 18,300 | 7 | $59,000 |
Police officer | 42,000 | 5 | $57,000 |
Building inspector | 12,000 | 12 | $53,000 |
Property manager | 35,000 | 12 | $52,000 |
Electrician | 114,000 | 20 | $50,000 |
Iron worker | 12,700 | 22 | $46,000 |
Industrial mechanic | 77,400 | 17 | $46,000 |
Bricklayer | 29,000 | 34 | $45,000 |
Sheet metal worker | 22,000 | 15 | $43,000 |
Machinist | 33,700 | 7 | $41,000 |
Construction equip. operator | 78,000 | 19 | $41,000 |
Carpenter | 218,200 | 24 | $40,000 |
Drywall installer | 18,000 | 16 | $38,000 |
Substance abuse counselor | 28,000 | 31 | $38,000 |
Auto body/glass repair | 22,900 | 13 | $37,000 |
Auto/truck mechanic | 82,000 | 9 | $36,000 |
Welder | 20,800 | 6 | $36,000 |
Bookkeeper | 204,600 | 11 | $35,000 |
Financial clerk | 154,200 | 11 | $35,000 |
Dispensing optician | 15,800 | 23 | $33,000 |
Fitness trainer | 33,500 | 13 | $32,000 |
| Pest control | 12,800 | 20 | $30,000 |
| Pharmacy tech | 70,700 | 20 | $30,000 |
*Growth rate means the percent change in the number of jobs added or lost in a U.S. occupation or industry over a given projection period.
- 22 percent or more = much faster than the average
- 15 percent to 21 percent = faster than the average
- 8 percent to 14 percent = as fast as the average
- 3 percent to 7 percent = more slowly than the average
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a very useful tool for high school students or recent graduates wondering what types of jobs they might want to consider.
Even if you can only manage a two-year degree, it is still likely to be worth the investment in terms of earnings. The BLS reports the average median weekly salary for a worker without a degree is $651, compared to $777 for those with an associate's degree and $1,108 for those earning a bachelor's degree.