It is possible to find a good job that pays well and doesn’t require a college degree.
CareerBuilder, the online employment website, has released a list of hot jobs that don’t require a college degree and:
- pay about $20 or more per hour
- have grown over the past five years
- are projected to grow over the next five years
“The path to success is different for everyone,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder and co-author of The Talent Equation. “You can build a lucrative career through apprenticeships, post-secondary certificates or on-the-job training. There is significant demand for workers in everything from skilled trades to technology and health-related fields, and you can get your foot in the door without a formal degree.”
Here are CareerBuilder’s recommendations for hot jobs that don’t require a college degree that you may want to consider based on the opportunities they present:
Electricians:
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 11%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 5%
- Average hourly earnings: $26.33
- Required education: high school diploma and apprenticeship
Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 15%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 5%
- Average hourly earnings: $25.76
- Required education: high school diploma and apprenticeship
Computer User Support Specialists
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 10%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 7%
- Average hourly earnings: $25.50
- Required education: some college
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 9%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 8%
- Average hourly earnings: $24.87
- Required education: high school diploma and on-the-job training
Surgical Technologists
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 9%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 7%
- Average hourly earnings: $22.68
- Required education: post-secondary non-degree certificate
Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 17%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 6%
- Average hourly earnings: $22.39
- Required education: post-secondary non-degree certificate and on-the-job training
Chefs and Head Cooks
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 13%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 6%
- Average hourly earnings: $21.54
- Required education: high school diploma and on-the-job training
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 7%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 7%
- Average hourly earnings: $19.96
- Required education: post-secondary certificate
Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
- Growth in jobs between 2013 and 2017: 11%
- Expected growth in jobs between 2018 and 2022: 8%
- Average hourly earnings: $19.91
- Required education: high school diploma
If you will soon be released from jail or prison or are already in reentry, you may want to investigate these jobs and others and discover if any of them match your skills, talents and interests. Your local American Job Center can help with your skills and interest assessment, and job search. Good luck!
