Are you afraid that college isn’t going to pay off?

Maybe you you don’t fancy libraries that much.

There are many graduates who can’t find a job. Some are left with both loans and bills to pay. Other people, however, decided that college isn’t for them, and they somehow managed to find successful careers that they are passionate about.

In the end, college doesn’t always guarantee a job, but it can guarantee loans for many.

Most of the jobs on this list do involve some level of training, but learning never ends. It doesn’t matter if you’re in college or not, this is the secret of success in any career. Always. So don’t be afraid to find new ways to solve problems in your field.

The job market seems to put a plumber at advantage when it comes to finding a job rather than someone who has a history degree, for example.

Universities are flooded every year with naive students who believe that the outside world waits for them with open arms. When they graduate, many of them end up striving to find a job in a “dying” field, forced to consider chasing after another degree that might save their financial future.

But if you think that you can’t get a good job without a college degree, think again.
These are 20 high paying jobs without a degree that might make you change your mind about college.

20. Web Developer

If you are an introvert and you would love working in a quiet place that brings a lot of money at the end of the month, we found the perfect job for you. The downside is that you have to learn everything by yourself, and it’s not necessarily easy. The good news is that there is a glut of free online courses on coding that put college classes to shame–plus, you can learn at your own pace.

The best paid programming languages in US: Scala at an average of $125,000.

Database management system Cassandra, programming F# and open-source framework Hadoop all reach an average of $115,000.

19. Social Media Manager

Enjoying your time on social media doesn’t always have to be a guilty pleasure. If you are on top of the trends and you know how to build a strong base of followers, you might as well work as a social media manager.

A social media manager ensures that the social media channels of an company are contributing to the construction of a positive brand image. That could mean curating, posting on several channels, and creating content that engages your company’s potential clients.

You can also learn how to become a social media manager, learning skills such as how to contact companies and inquire about whether they need your help, by taking some free online classes.

The median annual salary is $60,000.

18. Real Estate Broker

If people love you and you shine with confidence, you would be a great fit for a real estate broker position.

What does it involve?

Assisting sellers on how to promote their offers efficiently.

Evaluating clients’ desires and budget while suggesting relevant options.

Serving as the middle man for property owners and potential buyers.

The good news is that if you are an extrovert and you enjoy meeting new people, this job won’t even feel like work. Keep in mind that there is no training required for this position either.

But you must be proficient with project management software. Do some research online, and contact people on social media or email.

The median annual wage is $60,000.

17. Legal Assistant

If you are the type who can’t exit the house while leaving the bed unmade or the desk with piles of paper on it, this job might suit you well.

Being a legal assistant is all about keeping important information, evidence, and data organized in order to enhance the attorney’s performance. This job will involve scheduling meetings, a lot of desk work and paperwork, and excellent time management and organizational skills.

The best part about this job is that unlike other clerical work, which can be boring, this position puts you in front of a new case every day, with new evidence and extraordinary stories of people who end up in a courtroom.

The median annual salary is $58,000.

16. Stenographer/Court Reporter

If you like texting non stop and you always enjoyed binging on Law & Order, you might be the perfect fit for a stenographer position. Why? Because it involves typing all day long and listening to what’s happening in court.

In order to apply to this position, you must have a high typing speed. Some positions accept only applicants who can type 100 words per minute, so make sure you test your writing speed before applying. You can easily do so here.

No training is necessary and your day job involves mainly attending events that require written transcripts.

The median annual wage is $48,000.

15. Heating and Refrigeration Mechanic

If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and doing some physical labor, this could be the perfect job for you.

To become a heating and refrigeration mechanic you must get through a vocational training program.

After finishing vocational training, you must apply for an apprenticeship in order to put your knowledge to practice. Just keep in mind that an apprenticeship is a paid position.

Your daily responsibilities include diagnosing and installing heating and cooling systems.

If you are a problem solver and have an eye for details, you should give it a try.

Median annual wage is $50,000

14. Content Marketing Writer

This should be an obvious one for most people with English degrees, but many writers don’t have a degree at all; instead, they have a passion for writing and research.

A content marketing writer works either for an agency or does freelance work. The payment can vary from $20,000 a year (which isn’t so great) to six figures.

Usually the writers who work for agencies are paid less than freelance marketing writers, but the work is steady.

Payment depends wildly on your skills and marketing abilities, especially if you are a freelancer.

Content marketing writers that work on their own usually contact companies, offering them services such as writing blog posts, creating newsletters, crafting brochures, and many other writing projects. However, even though you don’t need a degree to be a content marketing writer, you will have to find out a lot about marketing by yourself. Don’t fret, though, as there are many free classes out there.

Median annual wage $50,000.

13. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers

Do you remember how in high school everyone told you to stop being “bossy”?

In this job you should put everyone to work and make sure every task is done on time. So, if you still enjoy being “bossy,” you might also enjoy supervising construction or extraction activities.

As a supervisor you will have to be knowledgeable about raw materials, how production processes work, costs, and how to determine the quality of materials.

This job also involves knowing how to build or repair buildings or other structures such as highways.

When it comes to skills, you should know how to send emails, use calendars, schedule softwares and data entry softwares, and have experience with project management.

Median annual salary is $50,000.

12. Postmasters and Mail Superintendents

If you would like to work in a fast-paced environment and you aren’t afraid of administrative work, you might be the ideal fit.

The job requirements include supervising activities such as incoming and outgoing mail, collecting rents for post office boxes and payments for goods and services.

This job centers around solving customers’ concerns and training new employees.

The median annual salary is $50,000.

11. Surveyor

A surveyor is someone who evaluates properties and advises clients on land issues. You will work closely with a real estate agent while trying to evaluate the values of properties.

If you have strong analytical skills and enjoy math, you might enjoy working as a surveyor.

A surveyor evaluates properties. He often works with other professionals in his industry. He writes technical reports, advises clients, and he is often called into court where he provides legal advice for court cases.

Typical employers for this position are large commercial organizations, civil service, and construction companies.

As a surveyor you will work with clients all over the country, and you will often get the opportunity to travel in order to see properties.

Median annual salary is $55,000.

10. Gaming Manager

If you enjoy playing cards and you always wanted to go to a casino but couldn’t afford losing the spare change, you might consider looking into this one.

A gaming manager plans and coordinates gaming operations in a casino. The job also involves overseeing other employees and making sure that clients have a good time at the casino.

The only downside is the amount of hours, which can be tough for some to handle, and you also have to be prepared to deal with some unhappy clients.

Like any other management position, this gig comes with great responsibility. You have to to earn respect and become well-liked by employees of lower rank, and you must make sure everyone gets their job done properly.

The median annual salary is $55,000.

9. Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging Technologists

Do you remember those people who were asked you if you feel comfortable or if you needed something during an X-ray? Those are magnetic resonance imaging technologists. They make sure patients are safe and comfortable during the whole process.

This job also requires training since you have to work with medical software and interpret the results.

MRI technicians must be great communicators, sensitive to the physical and psychological needs of their patients, and good at following instructions received from the physician.

Being an MRI technician involves a lot of team play and stamina. You will have to stay on your feet throughout the day and maintain the strength to maneuver patients.

The median annual salary is $63,000.

8. Registered Nurses

If you are friendly, empathic, and you always wanted to have a job where you could make a real contribution to the well-being of the society, this position may be to your liking.

The job requirements include building relationships of trust with your patients, establishing treatment plans, operating medical equipment, etc.

As time goes by, the complexity of the responsibilities and the knowledge that a nurse must have is rising, but so is its demand on the job market.

You can become a registered nurse by going to a nursing school and taking the TEAS test.

The median annual salary is $55,000

7. Virtual Assistant

If you’re a mom who takes care of her kids and cannot afford a nanny, this is a work at home position that saves your time spent with your kids while saving money on gas.

What does a virtual assistant do? It depends. There are several niches.

Administrative Virtual Assistant

This niche deals with administrative tasks, data entry, answering calls, scheduling meetings, internet research, organizing data, and many other tasks.

You will probably have to invest in a landline and a printer.

Content Marketing Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant in the content marketing niche oversees content publishing and comes up with new topics for blogs and newsletters, researches the market, and curates comments.

This position also requires basic WordPress knowledge and social media management software.

The median annual salary is $50,000.

6. Insurance Agent

If you have high energy levels and you enjoy socializing, maybe you would thrive as an insurance agent.

Your job is to constantly adapt your offer to the market and find new clients. This requires reaching out and understanding the needs of your customers, as well as offering them personalized insurance.

Insurance agents use strategies such as cold emailing, networking, and cold calls with the purpose of creating a pool of prospects.

In order to apply to an insurance agent position, make sure you familiarize yourself with internet research tools and social media/project management softwares.

The median annual salary is $47,000.

5. Agricultural Managers

If you enjoy living in the country area, around trees with birds singing and flying from one branch to another, you should consider becoming an agricultural manager.

Even though you must have experience for this position, you can enroll for an apprenticeship that will later catapult you into an agricultural manager career.

In order to apply for this position, you will need around 3-5 years of experience.

An agricultural manager oversees, plans, directs, and creates strategies that increase the production of ranches, farms, greenhouses, etc. This includes strategies to increase productivity, manage other workers, create production plans, and conduct market research that ensures that what you are producing fits the needs of the market.

The median annual salary is $47,000

4. Nuclear Medicine Technologist

It has nothing to do with nukes, I promise.

A nuclear medicine technologist scans the body of the patient and prepares radioactive drugs that are administered in order to detect metabolical disorders. It requires a professional certification in most states, but even with a certification it’s a lot cheaper than paying for a college degree (and it doesn’t take as long either).

What will you actually be doing? You will calculate doses, prepare and administer radioactive substances, and put patients under radiation. You will also monitor fat absorption studies and examine blood cell volume and red/white cell survival.

The median annual salary is $70,000.

3. Loan Officer

Few know this, but you don’t have to have a degree to work in a bank as a loan office.

If you are good with numbers and computer savvy, you should be able to start a career as a loan officer.

The job duties of a loan office include approving loans with specific limits and meeting with applicants and analyzing their financial status in order to decide whether they meet the requirements for a loan or not.

Even though it the job responsibilities aren’t piece a cake, since they involve some accounting and marketing knowledge, training is offered on the job.

The median annual salary is $56,000.

2. Wholesale Sales Representative

Being a wholesale sales representative is not for the weak hearted. The schedule can be grueling. There is a lot of traveling involved, and wages depend on performance. But it’s worth it, especially if you are good at negotiating with people and you don’t like a desk job in a building that you see every day.

This job is definitely about always being on the road while trying to convince companies to buy your merchandise.

The key skills for this job are confidence, high energy levels and interpersonal skills. There is no school that you have to attend or courses that you have to take, but you should be proficient in Excel and PowerPoint.

The median annual salary is $60,00

1. Copywriter

This is another writing related job that can make you earn a more than decent living.

Most copywriters don’t have a degree, but copywriting isn’t for reading haters. The principles of copywriting are most likely to be learned in a library than in a university.

What does a copywriter do?

Copywriting has nothing to do with creative writing, but it has everything to do with consumer psychology and sales. Copywriters write sales letters, website copy, landing pages–anything that can increase the conversion rate and sales, both on the web or in print.

The purpose of copywriting is to increase sales.

If you are interested in getting an agency job, it’s best to start reading books written by Ogivly, Gary Halbert, and John Caples.

The median annual salary is $50,000.

Wrapping It Up

As you already noticed, not only the trades have jobs for people who don’t have a college degree.

The job market is changing and it is important to keep in mind that skills and passion is what every employer is looking for–and sometimes this doesn’t have to be backed up by higher education.

I hope that you found this list helpful, and (who knows?) maybe you already decided that one of the careers above suit your personality and your financial needs.