Police Officers And Detectives
Median salary: $67,290Education needed: variesJob growth: 5%
Law enforcement is a demanding, exciting and rewarding career. Obviously, its pretty straightforward: Protect those under your care, get the bad guys, and solve the case. Most positions do not require anything beyond a high school diploma, but certain positions prefer hiring candidates with an associate or bachelors degree, so going back to college might be worth it.
The 15 Best Trade School Jobs
In this section, we introduce 15 of the highest-paying trade school jobs. The numbers included below should give you a clear idea of the different earning potential of these vocations. Note that your actual salary will vary depending on several factors, like location, employer, and your own qualifications.
We also discuss benefits like job security, or how likely an employee is to keep their job over many years and maintain a consistent income. Finally, each career profile includes information on its future growth based on projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics .
| Trade Job |
|---|
Healthcare Technology And Systems Support Specialist
Individuals who are intrigued by both computers and healthcare can combine those interests by pursuing a career in healthcare technology and systems. Professionals in these types of medical field jobs may be responsible for managing healthcare records, troubleshooting healthcare software, and/or providing help desk support.
According to the BLS, many employers accept computer support applicants with an associate degree, while others may require a bachelors degree. In the case of healthcare technology jobs, employers generally expect candidates to have knowledge of medical records management and related software and applications.
Education, Career Outlook, and Earning Potential for Computer Support Specialists per the BLS:
- Typical Training: varies by role an associate degree can prepare graduates for entry-level computer support specialist jobs, while some employers may require a bachelors degree .
- Learning Format: available online or via campus-based programs
- Projected Job Growth :11%
- Median Salary :$53,470 per year, or $25.70 per hour
*Completion times vary according to the individual student.
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Information Technology & Software
Its no secret that information use and technology are increasing at a rapid pace, and with this increase comes a growth in available jobs. The need for new applications and software will stoke the demand for software developers, while threats to data will increase the need for information security analysts. If you have a bachelors degree in a computer or technology-related field, you can expect a strong income and a steady career.
- Software developer: 22%
- Computer research scientist: 15%
Bachelor Of Arts Vs Bachelor Of Science: Whats The Difference
For many, pursuing a bachelors degree is the first step in post-high-school education. As a culture, we are familiar with a bachelors degree, but we may not be familiar with the two common types: the bachelor of arts and the bachelor of science. These two types of bachelor degrees offer unique educational opportunities, and while both hold a high level of regard among employers, they are different in both the educational process and the results. Understanding which one is right for you is essential when selecting a bachelors degree.
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Jobs That Dont Require A Four
Having a college degree has traditionally been one of the best ways to get into a high-paying career or at least set yourself with the potential to make the most money.
Still, its no secret that college isnt the only path, and its also not the most accessible option for everyone.
As a former teacher, Ive been able to help several juniors and seniors determine a realistic career path following high school. To my surprise, many of those students were better suited for financial success in trade jobs for which theyd already built experience and a passion.
In this article, Ill take a close look at 12 high-paying jobs that dont require a four-year college degree.
Medical Office And Billing Specialist
These specialists generally perform administrative work and/or serve in an accounts receivable role in a healthcare setting. Their tasks might range from scheduling appointments and organizing filing systems to processing healthcare claims and preparing financial reports.
Workers in this field typically need knowledge of billing regulations as well as the standard industry codes required for claims processing and reimbursement.
Similar to medical billers and coders, medical office and billing specialists can be considered medical secretaries. These types of medical field jobs usually require relevant training, such as a one-year vocational school program or an associate degree. Graduates may wish to purse the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist designation to help them stand out from other applicants with similar education.
Education, Career Outlook, and Earning Potential for Medical Secretaries :
- Typical Training:diploma or associate degree
- Learning Format: available online or via campus-based programs
- Projected Job Growth through 2026):22%
- Median Salary :$35,760 per year, or $17.19 per hour
*Completion times vary according to the individual student.
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Finding Your Way To A Trade Job
Harris says she wishes she had found this path sooner. Back in high school, “nobody ever talked about apprenticeships,” she says. “I think there was always a misconception about trade workers and skilled trades and the viability of that career and how it could actually provide the same type of lifestyle that a bachelor’s .”
One thing that could help correct that misconception, according to the report authors, would be for schools to employ more career counselors to guide students through the complex web of post-high school options.
“The simple advice to high school students to ‘go to college’ no longer suffices,” the authors write. Instead, counselors need to walk students through the many different paths they can take.
But career counselors can be hard to find. In the 2014-2015 school year, the student-to-counselor ratio was about 482:1, according to research from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
“There is a lack of access to college counseling,” says Jonathan Ruiz, a college adviser working with KC Scholars in the Kansas City metro area. He’s been in schools where counselors are overworked with too many students to serve. He says not only is there not enough time in the day to meet one-on-one with students, but there are so many other demands that get in the way of college and career talk.
Jobs That Pay Over $50k And Dont Require A Degree
With student loan debt climbing, many people are beginning to look for careers that dont require a college degree. But what are the options for good-paying jobs without a degree? Using data pulled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Career Institute compiled a list of 80 jobs that dont require a degree and have an average annual salary of more than $50,000. While some of the jobs listed may need a bit more education and require a postsecondary nondegree award, many of the jobs only require a high school diploma or equivalent. You will also discover that some high-paying jobs on the list dont require any formal education credential. The highest-paying job with the least amount of schooling was found to be farm labor contractors, who earn a median wage of $61,910 and require no formal education at all. Learn more about the 80 jobs that pay well without a degree and their projected job growth over the next ten years.
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Elevator Repairer And Installer
Median Annual Wage : $76,650
Required Education: High school diploma or equivalent
Projected Available Jobs : 8,000
Mounting, repairing, and maintaining lifts such as elevators and escalators are among the skills required to become an elevator repairer and installer, all of which can be learned through apprenticeship. Given the significant risks associated with elevators, there is a high demand for high-quality elevator installers and repairers. Even without a college education, these professionals are well compensated, and strong growth is expected as multi-use facilities expand.
Most people will work as an apprentice for at least four years to gain the necessary mathematical, mechanical, and scientific knowledge to work on elevators. Working elevator technicians must be constantly trained and developed as technology and the industry advance. This is one of the jobs that dont require a degree or experience and among the fun jobs that pay well without a degree.
Fire Inspectors And Investigators
Median annual pay: $64,610
If you want a job that takes you out of the office, you could become a fire inspector or investigator.
As the name suggests, these workers inspect properties for compliance with government regulations, and inspectors may investigate the cause of a fire.
Most fire investigators and inspectors need to have worked previously as firefighters, the BLS says. Youll need a high school diploma or the equivalent before getting on-the-job training. Depending on the employer, a two-year or four-year degree in fire science, engineering or chemistry may be required.
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Computer Network Support Specialist
Median annual pay: $65,450
Texas employs the most people in this occupation, followed by California, Illinois, New York and Florida.
Industries paying the highest salaries for computer support positions include telecommunications, data processing and hosting, computer systems design, finance and insurance, and management of companies and enterprises.
A bachelors degree may help, but many companies will take applicants with an associate degree, says the BLS.
More Companies That No Longer Require A Degreeapply Now
With college tuition soaring nationwide, many Americans don’t have the time or money to earn a college degree. However, that doesn’t mean your job prospects are diminished. Increasingly, there are many companies offering well-paying jobs to those with non-traditional education or a high-school diploma.
âWhen you look at people who donât go to school and make their way in the world, those are exceptional human beings. And we should do everything we can to find those people,â said Google’s former SVP of People Operations Laszlo Bock.
âAcademic qualifications will still be taken into account and indeed remain an important consideration when assessing candidates as a whole, but will no longer act as a barrier to getting a foot in the door,â added Maggie Stilwell, Ernst and Young’s managing partner for talent.
Google and Hilton are just two of the champion companies who realize that book smarts don’t necessarily equal strong work ethic, grit and talent. Whether you have your GED and are looking for a new opportunity or charting your own path beyond the traditional four-year college route, here are 15 companies that have said they do not require a college diploma for some of their top jobs. Your dream role awaits!
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Recommended Online Colleges & Universities For 2021
Start earning your degree from home today. Visit sites for more info.
Thats the trend in most of the highest-paying careers: in a professional field, a lot of education, a lot of responsibility, or a lot of risk generally equates to a high salary. Petroleum engineers, actuaries, and technical writers all have something in common if you do something that only a few, highly skilled people can do, you should be paid what youre worth.
The People Currently Doing The Work Dont Have Degrees But As They Retire Or Leave Their Positions Their Replacements Will Be Expected To
A version of this shift is present in just about any other industry you can name. As more automation came in, there was more demand on these workers to display social skills. What you now needed was someone who could talk to a customer, who could articulate the problem and problem-solve, says Raman. But rather than look for candidates with those specific qualifications, many companies took the easy route of using the four-year college degree as a proxy: I know if they have a degree, theyll be able to use an iPad. Theyll be able to use Excel.
Those positions then become difficult to fill, because even middle-skill workers with experience are excluded by automated application tools that cut out those without degrees. Many middle-skills jobs synonymous with middle-class lifestyles and upward mobility such as supervisors, support specialists, sales representatives, inspectors and testers, clerks and secretaries and administrative assistants are now considered hard-to-fill jobs because employers prefer candidates who are college graduates, according to the Harvard Business School paper.
Unreliable signals
Crucially, degree inflation has a significant impact on populations that are less likely to graduate from a four-year programme. In the United States, black and Latino students are conferred just 11% and 14% of annual Bachelors degrees, respectively.
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Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Median annual wage: $93,370Projected job growth through 2026: -10 percent
These workers control nuclear reactors. They adjust control rods to affect how much electricity a reactor generates and monitor reactors, turbines, generators and cooling systems.
Nuclear power reactor operators typically only need a high school diploma, though the role does require extensive on-the-job training. Workers usually start as equipment operators working under more senior employees and also receive formal technical training to prepare for their license exam from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Highest Paying Careers For College Graduates
Are you ready to find your fit?
Historically, its been said that college graduates earn larger incomes than high school graduates, but how much more?
If you plan to embark on one of the highest paying careers out of college, listed below, you could potentially earn six figures soon after completing your bachelors degree. Unsurprisingly, the majority of careers on this list fall under the STEM category. In terms of financial security, engineering majors boast perhaps the brightest future of all, but individuals aspiring toward scientific endeavors and technology careers also appear well-represented. Common attributes of these high-earning professionals include leadership and management skills, advanced mathematical, technical, or engineering knowledge, and high-level researching abilities. While many of the 25 highest paying careers for college graduates allow for entry-level work fresh off of an undergraduate program, some may require graduate or postgraduate education to get your foot in the industry door.
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Jobs Requiring Any College Level Degree
Many federal jobs will accept a baccalaureate degree in any field. Job applicants usually enter these jobs at the entry grade levels and acquire on-the-job training and work experience before advancing to higher grade levels. These jobs are sometimes advertised as trainee, intern, or student program positions.The hiring agency can answer questions about eligibility and your education.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trade School Jobs
Trade school programs can often be completed within a year or less, a much shorter commitment than a four-year degree. However, earning a vocational certificate or associate degree can take up to two years.
Trade schools are designed to train students in technical knowledge and skills. Unlike four-year colleges, trade schools, also known as vocational schools or technical colleges, do not teach general education courses. Instead, they focus on providing hands-on experience directly applicable to the students’ specific trade. This cuts down the course list significantly.
Trade schools specialize in skilled trades, such as mechanical engineering and welding. Because these types of trades require hands-on training, there are limited options for online trade schools. However, some career fields have a much better chance of being taught online or in a hybrid form, such as healthcare majors, culinary arts, and cosmetology.
The highest-paying trade jobs include construction manager, elevator and escalator installer, and radiation therapist. The median salary in 2020 for a construction manager was $97,180, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Elevator installers made a median salary of $88,540, and radiation therapists earned $86,850. However, some of these higher-paying roles require an associate degree.
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Other Careers That Require Two Years Of Schooling Or Less
You could take this program: Cardiology Technologist Diploma at Stenberg CollegeDuration: 2 yearsIn this role, you would work with doctors, nurses, and other specialists to diagnose and treat people with heart conditions. In this program, you would learn about the electronic monitoring equipment needed for the job and about procedures, conditions, and patient care.
You could take this program: Film and Video Production at SAITDuration: 2 yearsIn this role, you would be in charge of arranging everything that needs to happen to produce film and video! This includes initiating the idea for a film, obtaining rights to a script, hiring staff, managing a budget, and seeing a production through to completion.
You could take this program: Baking Certificate at NAITDuration: 1 year or lessIf you enjoy baking and eating sweets, this is a great career for you! In this career, you would make delicious cakes, pies, and other pastries. You also get to on-the-job training as an apprenticegreat for people who learn best with hands-on opportunities.
You could take this program: Therapeutic Recreation Diploma at Lethbridge CollegeDuration: 2 yearsEver felt better about life after doing some recreational activities? Recreation therapists work with patients and clients, many of whom have illnesses or disabling conditions, to increase their independence and participation in leisure activities. In this role, you would work with psychologists, doctors, physical therapists, and social workers.
Electrical And Electronics Repairers Powerhouse Substation And Relay
Keep the lights on in your house and for others by maintaining electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays as an Electrical Repairer! Do it right and youll find the rewards are electric for your bank account too, with income for the 90th percentile earners at over $102,000.
Median Salary: 78,410Annual Salary for Top Earners: 102,550
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