Not everyone can or wants to go to college, but there are other ways to get a job that pays well, has a long career, and gives you job satisfaction.
Aircraft maintenance has been named the number one high-paying job without a college degree, according to a new report from U.S. News.
This ranking uses data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify jobs that don’t require college, but are most likely to require specialized training or certification.
According to U.S. News, the top 10 high-paying jobs you can get without a college degree are:
1. Aircraft mechanic
Median Salary: $78,680 Education Required: Post-secondary education, no degree Promotability: Average Stress Level: High Flexibility: Low
2.Patrol member
Median Salary: $76,290 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Average Stress Level: Above Average Flexibility: Low
3. Executive Assistant
Median Salary: $74,260 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Average Stress Level: Low Flexibility: High
4. Construction/building inspector
Median Salary: $72,120 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Below Average Stress Level: Average Flexibility: Low
5. Flight attendant
Median Salary: $67,130 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: High Stress Level: Average Flexibility: Low
6. Salesperson
Median Salary: $66,780 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Low Stress Level: Below Average Flexibility: High
7. Acoustic Engineer
Median Salary: $66,430 Education Required: Post-Secondary Education, No Degree Mobility for Promotion: Below Average Stress Level: Low Flexibility: Above Average
8. Plumber
Median Salary: $62,970 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Below Average Stress Level: Average Flexibility: Low
9. Surgical Technologist
Median Salary: $62,830 Education Required: Post-secondary education, no degree Promotability: Average Stress Level: Above Average Flexibility: Below Average
10. Shape Steel Worker
Median Salary: $62,700 Education Required: High School Upward Mobility: Below Average Stress Level: Average Flexibility: Low
Many high-paying jobs that don’t require a degree are in industries or professional roles where relationships are important. Some white-collar jobs will be affected by companies adopting AI, so these jobs could give people a sense of job security. There is growing consideration among Gen Zers as they debate whether it’s worth going to college to start their careers.
In a separate ranking of U.S. News’ top 100 jobs, nurse practitioners were ranked No. 1 overall for the third consecutive year due to continued demand for health care workers. Finance managers are recognized as the second best job, followed by IT managers.
These occupations are recognized as having the highest demand for employment, according to BLS data, and the ranking also scores roles based on five factors: forward outlook over the next 10 years, wage potential, employment (including unemployment and on-the-job training), job safety and stability, and work-life balance (including full-time hours, fast-paced work, and availability of remote work).
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