Can you get a high-paying job without a costly degree? Yes, here are 35+ great careers to consider.

Every career decision is nuanced. What’s right for one person won’t be right for another. Each of us has different interests, backgrounds, and financial histories. You get the picture. 

We’ve written about the importance of education because it’s been proven that the higher your degree, (typically) the more money you’ll ultimately make. It’s often helpful to have a strong educational background in specialty areas and when looking to move up the proverbial ladder.

Why Higher Education Doesn’t “Work” for Everyone

With all of that said, there’s (you guessed it) nuance. Higher education simply isn’t right for everyone. College is a privilege that isn’t available to everyone.

It’s more expensive than ever, with half of students leaving with an average of $28,940 worth of debt in (or, technically, out of) hand. It’s important to carefully consider what you want to do with that expensive degree before deciding to devote your time, energy, and resources to make it happen. 

Maybe you earned your high school diploma and don’t desire any post-high school education at all. Maybe you’re experiencing other life circumstances that are preventing you from attending more school. Maybe you can’t afford it and don’t want to take on lots of debt.

Maybe you’re not sure what you want to study. Maybe you’re interested in a stop-gap role while you figure out whether you want to work toward a degree. Whatever your line of thought, you may be looking for a high-paying job that doesn’t require a college degree.  

We did lots of research and rounded up a few of the highest-paying options that don’t require a degree to help you find something that interests you.

The Salary Data We Used

First: a few caveats. 

Most of these roles do require training of some sort, whether that’s an internship or on-the-job training.

They also require becoming a subject matter expert in many instances, so while these numbers represent the median pay across the country, they may not reflect an entry-level salary in your area. But you can start training and learning for these roles whenever—a college degree is not a prerequisite.

There’s lots of data out there surrounding salaries. To keep things consistent, we took the median salary ranges from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and each one is pulled from May 2021.

Note that these are median numbers, so more specific roles will vary based on experience level, location, company, and industry.  

Okay—let’s talk numbers.

According to the 2020 Census Report, the median household income was $67,521. “High paying” is subjective, so we’re starting with jobs that pay $50,000 and go up to roughly $100,000. 

High-Paying Jobs With Median Salary $50,000-$60,000

Firefighters

What can we say about firefighters that hasn’t been said? People in this field are courageous and selfless—and we’re so lucky to have them.

To become a firefighter, you won’t need a degree, but you will need the training and certifications that your state requires.

This may look like a set number of initial training hours combined with required courses. As you progress in experience, there’s more opportunity for higher pay for line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers.

Median Salary: $50,700

Tax Preparer

Tax preparers are not accountants or bookkeepers; rather, they work to support accountants by helping to prepare tax returns.

While you won’t need an official degree for this work, you will need to be someone who enjoys working with numbers and, potentially, people. You might help with communications between clients and accountants in this role. 

Median Salary: $51,080

Postal Service Worker 

Great for people who like to be outside, postal delivery jobs require lots of driving and walking. Some postal service roles are based inside.

These positions involve organizing mail for delivery or interacting with customers who are mailing packages or purchasing supplies. The variety of the work means it would work for extroverts and introverts alike.

If you’re going to go the mail carrier route, we have one pro tip: it helps if you like dogs. 

Median Salary: $51,730

Title Examiner

Title examiners examine…titles, but some other documents as well. Essentially, this means that you’d be charged with close-reading public documents like titles and property records. You might be employed by a municipality, law firm, insurance company, or real estate agency, who have specific information they might be looking for regarding the sales and purchases of real estate or insurance claims. If you’re detail-oriented and like to read, this might interest you.

Median Salary: $52,390

Landscaping Supervisor 

Being outside comes with lots of health benefits—both physical and mental. If you enjoy physical labor, being outdoors, and helping to strategize and manage processes, you might consider the landscaping field.

There are all sorts of jobs in this field, but becoming a supervisor or manager is what pays the best. If you’re just starting out, this might mean putting in some time doing the hard labor and learning on the job as you make your way up. 

Median Salary: 53,270

Wind Turbine Technician

This role requires a love of the outdoors and an adventurous side. Wind turbine technicians are in charge of helping build and repair wind turbines.

This is a pretty niche role that requires on-the-job training and expert knowledge of wind turbine technology.

Median Salary: $56,260

High-Paying Jobs With Median Salary $60,001-$70,000

Electrician 

Electricians and electrical power-line installers will be needed for the foreseeable future, so there’s job security in this role. As an electrician, you’d help install and manage electrical systems and equipment.

You’d need to be licensed, and some locations require a certification from a technical school. Others require an apprenticeship or internship and on-the-job training.

As we have all no doubt experienced, power outages mean the potential for overtime, nighttime, and weekend work. 

Median Salary: $60,040

Office Supervisor 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, office administration roles tend to pay in the mid-$30,000s to the mid-$40,000s. However, working as a supervisor of administration means you’ll earn more.

It may just take some time to work your way to that higher salary. Office supervisors manage the ins and outs of an office. This would include supervising staff, dealing with general administrative tasks like word processing, and answering any phone and email communications.

Median Salary: $60,590

Real Estate Agent

Being a real estate agent means you’d be in sales—which means you need to like the thrill of making a big deal and working with people. The average real estate agent role isn’t exactly like what we see on Selling Sunset.

Rather, you’re working with clients on finding or selling their homes and dealing with the paperwork that goes along with that (there’s..a lot). For this role, you’ll need to get your real estate license, which usually means studying for and passing an exam.

You can also become a certified Realtor, which adds to your credentials. We wrote an in-depth piece about how to get your real estate license here, if you’re interested in the details. 

Median Salary: $61,480

Flight Attendants

Flight attendants have a cool job. They travel from place to place and get to visit all sorts of different cities and countries. However, they also have to deal with the public—and with people who are stressed from traveling.

A good flight attendant can make or break the “fun” of a flight. We’ve all seen the viral videos of funny flight attendants or those who make little kids feel special.

You’ll have to go through training for this role, but you won’t necessarily need a college degree. Love to travel? Love people? This one’s for you.

Median Salary: $61,640

Radiologic + MRI Technologist

If you’re technically inclined and not scared of medical environments, becoming a radiologic or MRI technologist pays well—and doesn’t require a degree.

You’ll need on-the-job training as well as certification for this role that requires using specialized equipment and interpreting results. You’ll also need to be a strong “people person,” as these roles require working with the public, and often in medical situations in which they’d rather not be. 

Median Salary: $61,980

Wholesale + Manufacturing Sales Representative

These types of sales roles can be stressful since your income depends on how much merchandise you sell.

That said, they don’t typically require an advanced degree, and there’s lots of potential for success and growth here. These roles typically sell in bulk from manufacturers to government agencies or large companies.

Median Salary: $62,890 

Claims Adjuster

While some companies require a two- or four-year degree for claims adjusters, many only require on-the-job experience or an internship in the insurance field.

Claims adjusters review the claims of insurance customers to ensure that insurance companies pay out an appropriate amount. You’d need strong analytical skills and numerical skills for this role. 

Median Salary: $64,710

Detective

Love listening to My Favorite Murder? We’re not saying that means you should be a detective, but we’re not saying you shouldn’t, either.

Some detective roles require a college degree in fields like criminology, while others require certification and training from a police academy.

Being a detective is undoubtedly a dangerous role that requires lots of around-the-clock work. If you’re intrigued by helping to fight crime, it might be worth consideration.

Median Salary: $66,020

Mechanic Supervisor

Another role that pays more as you become a manager, first-line supervisors of mechanics oversee mechanics for a company—as well as the scheduling involved. You won’t need a degree, but you will need lots of experience and time on the job for this one.

Median Salary: $71,260

High-Paying Jobs With Median Salary $70,001-$80,000

Services Sales Representative

Since sales is such a broad category, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics breaks this down into services and goods.

Sales of services positions tend to pay more. Their list of services industries includes computer and technology services, telecommunications, and consulting services. If you’re interested in sales, consider some of these industries for a potentially higher salary. (And if you’re interviewing for a sales role, here’s how to prepare.) 

Median Salary: $71,110

Farmer + Agricultural Manager

Another out-of-doors role, farming and agriculture management is a well-paying option for those who enjoy working with the land.

Roles in this field might include animal farming, crop farming, and other agricultural management endeavors. While much of the job would likely be physically demanding, it would also require lots of time on logistics and planning. 

Median Salary: $73,060

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer + Cardiovascular Technologist

While medical sonography and cardiovascular technology roles don’t require a four-year degree, they do require ample experience and training. Most companies require a one- or two-year certificate program, where you’d learn the ins and outs of using the technology and reading results.

Like the other medical options, it’s best if you consider yourself an extrovert who enjoys working with people—and in this case, people who may be in a vulnerable position—for this role. 

Median Salary: $75,380

Web Developer

For some web development roles, you won’t necessarily need a four-year degree. Rather, you’ll need to be a whiz at coding, and you’ll need to spend some time gaining experience in the field, whether that’s through an internship or a training program before an entry-level position.

If you’re talented when it comes to technology, you may enjoy building websites and writing code—and this role comes with great job security. 

Median Salary: $77,200

Dental Hygienists

To become a dental hygienist, you’ll likely need an associate’s degree in dental hygiene. These degrees take two to three years to complete, on average.

But your hard work may pay off. These roles often offer flexible schedules and shouldn’t require much evening, weekend, or overtime work. You’ll need to enjoy a medical-adjacent setting and talking with people. 

Median Salary: $77,810

High-Paying Jobs With Median Salary $80,001-$99,999

Subway + Streetcar Operator

Another niche role that pays well, working as a subway or streetcar operator is in the title: you’d help operate subways and other types of public transportation.

This also requires hard-earned technical knowledge, and you can imagine that you’d need to be well-versed in safety standards. That said, there’s no formal requirement for a bachelor’s degree for this role. 

Median Salary: $81,180

Postmasters + Mail Superintendents 

We discussed postal workers earlier. As you continue to gain experience and expertise in those roles, you have the potential to become a postmaster or mail superintendent. With that promotion usually comes a nice pay raise.

In these roles, you’re overseeing the entire process in your location, which might mean managing people and strategy. 

Median Salary: $81,820

Non-Retail Sales Supervisor 

First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers oversee sales representatives and processes. In industries that are considered “non-retail,” the pay is better, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Similar to the sales roles above, these industries include travel arrangement and services, telecommunications, transportation, research, and more. In these roles, there’s the potential to start in entry-level sales and work your way up to a generous salary.

Median Salary: $92,320

Power Distributor + Dispatcher 

This role is admittedly pretty niche, but power distributors and dispatchers help control the power distribution to customers.

This requires a subject area expert knowledge in the field, but it doesn’t always require a degree. If you’re interested in the electrical industry, this might be a role to strive toward. 

Median Salary: $94,790

Detective + Police Officer Supervisor 

Another detective role, this one builds off of experience. You’ll need initial training and certification and then time doing the job of a detective, police officer, or criminal investigator before you become a supervisor of sorts.

First-line supervisors of police officers require advanced experience. The more experience you gain, the higher your salary, and this is one of the highest-earning on our list.

Median Salary: $99,330

High-Paying Jobs With Median Salary Over $100,000

Transportation, Storage, + Distribution Managers

Another management position, this role focuses on transportation and storage logistics. Similarly, transportation inspectors take a look at various modes of transportation to ensure that they’re safe for both drivers and cargo.

From the trucking industry to federal and local government, you’d manage distribution and storage in compliance with various regulations. 

Median Salary: $105,580

Theatrical Makeup Artists

Mesmerized by the makeup tutorials on TikTok? Your hobby might pay off. This higher salary is for theatrical and entertainment makeup artists who have lots of on-the-job training and expertise. Combine your creativity and skills for this cool role. 

Median Salary: $124,380

Air Traffic Controllers

The higher salary in this role unsurprisingly comes with a lot of responsibility. As an air traffic controller, you help manage air traffic, like airplane takeoffs and landings, and advise on flight conditions.

This role doesn’t require a long-term degree, but it does require hard-earned experience and specialized training. It’s a rewarding role that helps ensure the safety of others. 

Median Salary: $129,750

Commercial Pilots

To become a pilot, you can definitely go for a four-year degree if you’d like. You can also choose to complete flight training, flight certification, and earn specialized flight certificates.

Different airlines have different requirements, so you’ll want to take a look at the specific roles in which you’re interested. The positives are clear here: this high-paying role offers the ability to fly and the ability to travel.

You’ll also need to be prepared to be on the go often, sometimes with early mornings and late nights required of you.

Median Salary: $134,630

Other Jobs With No Degree Required 

Looking for more inspiration? These jobs earn less than $50,000, but they offer the opportunity for upward mobility and higher earnings with time.  

• Fitness Instructor – $40,700
• Typist – $43,370
• Travel Agent – $43,810
• Court Clerk – $44,870
• Choreographer – $45,760
• Transportation Security Screeners – $46,380
• Cargo and Freight Agent – $48,420