7 Best-Paying Jobs for Which You Don’t Need a Bachelor’s Degree

In this day and age, those who are not so fortunate to have rich parents that are able to pay for any college they desire to enroll in need to think about what they could do without a bachelor’s degree if they are unable to pay for it. Even those who earn the degree are not guaranteed a well-paying job, and many highly educated people end up without an employment, waiting for some opportunity to come their way.

According to the new data acquired from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are plenty of occupations that don’t require you to complete four years of college education to be able to do the job, and all of these jobs pay enough so you can support yourself and your family. The data include facts from 2012 and the prediction for employment and salary up until 2022.

Here are 7 great jobs for which you don’t need a bachelor’s degree:

1. Computer network support specialists

In 2012 the median annual salary for this position was $59,090, which in the U.S. is more than enough for a normal life without holding back too much. This job doesn’t require a bachelor’s degree, but in order to be considered for the position you should have an associate degree, which you receive upon completing a course of study lasting around 2 years. In the U.S. this can also mean that you have completed the first two years of your 4-year college education. The prediction for the job openings through 2022 says that around 39,600 people will be employed as computer network support specialists. Another good thing is that in order to get this job you don’t need to have previous work experience, and there is no on-the job training. This is mainly because the job is simple – you need to analyze, test, troubleshoot and evaluate the network systems such as LAN and WAN, Internet systems, or segments of a network system.

2. Artists and related workers

These workers earn around $59,840 per year and no other diploma than a high school diploma (or equivalent) is required. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ estimation, there will be 2,700 job openings for this line of work through 2022, and you don’t even have to have any previous work experience to get a job. Art is a wide notion, and it includes a wide variety of characteristics, and what you will need to do on the job depends on the position you choose. This occupation includes long-term on-the-job training, which means you never stop learning and developing.

3. Makeup artists (theatrical and performance)

This job includes applying makeup to performers in such a way that it complements the role they are playing, reflecting the period and the setting of their role. You don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but you do need a postsecondary non-degree award, one that would testify to your skills and abilities. You might need to complete a course for that, but it is completely worth it, as the annual average salary for this occupation is around $64,450 and you can be employed without any previous experience.

4. Gas plant operators

The annual salary for a gas plant operator was around $61,140 in 2012, and it stayed relatively the same. To get a job in this line of work you need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. If you choose this occupation, what you would have to do is control systems and frequently do round checks to see if everything is working as it should. You don’t need to have any previous work experience, but once you start working, you will have to commit to long-term on-the job training and never stop developing. It has been estimated that through 2022 there will be around 4,700 job openings for this kind of work.

5. Web developers

To be a successful web developer, you need to work on your skills individually and constantly, and always stay on track with new technologies. A web developer’s job is to design, create and modify websites, and the best thing about it is that you don’t need to have previous work experience, and you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but an associate degree could be required. The average annual salary is around $62,500 and there should be around 50,700 job openings through 2022. It seems that this is one of the best paid jobs and one of the most interesting ones too.

6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

These jobs will require of you to plan, direct, and coordinate all the services of a U.S. post office. These services include administrative, supportive and operational tasks and management. For this job you need just a high school diploma or equivalent, but previous work experience is required (less than five years), which means that you will probably have to work up to that position from a lower position at the post office. The average annual salary for postmasters and mail superintendents is around $63,050 and according to the estimation, there should be around 5,000 job openings through 2022.

7. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Electrical power-line installers and repairers’ work is to install or repair electrical power systems and cables, as well as telecommunication cables and fiber optics. This job includes long-term on-the-job training and it requires a high school diploma or equivalent. The average salary for this position is around $63,250 and it seems that through 2022 there will be around 49,900 open positions. To get a job like this you often don’t need to have any previous work experience.