A study from CareerCast.com uncovers the 20 types of jobs that don't require a college degree. These jobs do require some level of training, but they provide good salaries in addition to opportunity for growth within that industry. The top careers on the CareerCast .com list, seen below, include "dental hygienists, online advertising managers, web developers, medical secretaries and paralegal assistants."
CareerCast.com's 20 Great Jobs Without a College Degree:
- DENTAL HYGIENIST
- ONLINE ADVERTISING MANAGER
- WEB DEVELOPER
- MEDICAL SECRETARY
- PARALEGAL ASSISTANT
- STENOGRAPHER/COURT REPORTER
- HEATING/REFRIGERATION MECHANIC
- SURVEYOR
- EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
- INSURANCE AGENT
- INDUSTRIAL MACHINE REPAIRER
- COSMETOLOGIST
- HAIR STYLIST
- TAX EXAMINER/COLLECTOR
- SALES REPRESENTATIVE (WHOLESALE)
- CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY OPERATOR
- ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN
- ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
- TEACHER'S AIDE
- SEWAGE PLANT OPERATOR
According to Tony Lee, the publisher at CareerCast.com, mentions that "Even with a college degree, finding a good job in today's economy is hard and can be very time consuming. Although those with degrees often earn more money, you can still earn a very good living without one."
Having a bachelor's degree, of course is does not hinder one's chances at a good career. According to the site, most American workers will earn around "one million dollars more during his or her career with a four-year degree." Among those with a university degree, the typical starting salary for someone is about $51,000, while jobs that require no degree provide salaries beginning at $28,350. The approximate salary for people with a degree is around $130,600. On the other hand those without a degree earn a maximum salary of about $79,150.
The report also looks at the current cost for an undergraduate education. According to the findings by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics', the price of tuition to attend most universities has surged as student loans are becoming more available with higher pay outs. Room and board in 2010, alone was roughly around $12,804 at public or state schools. However, at private universities or colleges, the cost for housing was nearly $32,184. As a result, receiving a bachelor's degree from a public school could cost around $50,000. If a student attends a "a top-level private university" that amount would "quadruple".
If a student decides to go to a technical school, the site finds that earning potential could be around $30,000 a year for a beginner. In total that would result in a salary amount over four years of $120,000, meanwhile the college student "earns little or nothing" and may actually graduate with $120,000 worth of student loans to pay back.
