And the reason I enjoy writing this article is that the majority of people believe that in order to obtain a high-paying job, you must first obtain a college education.
Moreover, while this is true in many instances, it is not true in every instance. If you’re someone out there who has decided that perhaps college isn’t for you, or if you simply don’t want to incur the financial burden of college education, these are jobs that you might want to consider.
1. Getting involved in the skilled trades industry.
Now, this is a field that has been viewed negatively for many years, but honestly, if you are interested in being a tradesman, there is a lot of money to be made. So, what does this entail in practice, exactly?
This could include working as a plumber, a carpenter, or a mason, to name a few professions. As well as, “Oh, by the way,” a lot of people wonder, “Do these guys make a lot of money?”
The truth is that if you work as a union tradesman, you can earn an incredible amount of money, and these positions frequently come with excellent benefits and retirement options. As a result, the vast majority of skilled trades jobs will be unionized. For example, before starting my career as a YouTuber, I worked as a union utility worker for the IBEW, which stands for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and I was a member of Local 236 of that union.
As a result, we were members of a labor union, which provided us with additional protection, and we were compensated well for the work that we performed. Furthermore, you are not required to have a college degree in order to obtain an apprenticeship with one of these labor unions. All you have to do now is figure out which local unions represent electrical workers, plumbers, pipefitters, or whatever other trade you want to work in, and then you can start looking for apprenticeship opportunities in those fields.
Taking the electrical apprenticeship as an example, consider the following: This is a five-year apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and during those five years, you are getting paid, you are doing work, and you are also going to school at night. As a result of your apprenticeship, you will be a journeyman electrician after five years of service.
You were not only learning this trade for free during those five years, but you were also making money during that time period. Apprenticeships do not require any financial investment on your part to learn this skill. As a journeyman electrician, for example, how much money can you expect to make? As it turns out, according to Indeed, the average hourly wage for a journeyman electrician is currently $27.83.
Not to mention, as I previously stated, the benefits associated with these positions are typically excellent and include healthcare, retirement, and all of the other good stuff. Now, the only drawback is that you will have to work your buttocks off. These are demanding jobs in which you must perform manual labor on a consistent basis. In other words, it is not for everyone, but if you are looking to make a lot of money and avoid going into debt as a result of your college education, this is a great area to consider. For those looking for opportunities, the first thing they’ll do is search on Google for apprenticeship opportunities in their area of interest.
Consequently, I would recommend New York, or you could look for a local union and stop in or give them a call and ask them what the procedure is for obtaining an apprenticeship.
2. Obtaining employment in the sales industry.
Typically, no college degree is required for this type of job because being a good salesperson is a natural-born ability for the vast majority of people. There are some things you can do to improve your sales ability, but most of the time, being a good salesperson just comes down to your natural ability to be an outgoing person who is charismatic and empathetic, as well as your natural ability to be persuasive.
Now, most people get their start in sales by working in the automotive industry, or even in phone sales for some of the major carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, among others. And, in many cases, there is on-the-job training where they will teach you the fundamentals of what you need to know as well as how to be a successful sales representative. And you’ll find that the majority of these positions are in a commission-based sales environment, which is common in the industry. To put it more plainly, it means that you will make more money as long as you are doing a good job and selling a large quantity of the product.
It’s true that some people thrive in a commission-based environment, while others struggle because it’s not for them and they aren’t good at being self-motivated, but there are a lot of people in sales who don’t have a college degree who make well in excess of six figures per year.
Now, the one disadvantage of this job is that you are frequently required to work long hours or at odd hours, which can be frustrating. So, for example, I was talking to a car salesman the other day, and he told me that he was making $15 to $20,000 per month some months, but that he also basically lived at his job and worked 60 to 70 hours per week.
Now, if you’re the type of person who enjoys going to work and doesn’t mind working in a noisy environment, that might be the perfect job for you. Alternatively, if you work in retail sales, such as phone sales, you may find that you are working when other people are not because that is when they are out purchasing goods and services. As a result, you may find yourself working evenings and weekends rather than your traditional nine-to-five job schedule. This type of sales may not be suitable for those who are sensitive to this aspect of the job.
Business-to-business sales may have a more consistent schedule than other types of sales. But, to be honest with you, getting into sales is one of the best opportunities available, and it typically does not necessitate a college degree.
3. Work as a correctional officer
As a result, a correctional officer is responsible for the overall security of prison facilities. Consequently, as I’m sure you can imagine, this will not be the most glamorous position available. A dangerous and confrontational situation is most likely to arise. However, if you are up for the challenge, this is a field that pays well and does not necessitate a college degree.
A large part of your responsibilities here will be preventing prison escapes, dispersing riots, and searching inmates’ cells for contraband, among other things. In conclusion, this is not a job I would be very good at, and most people would probably say, “I don’t want to do this,” but if you are someone who says, “You know what, I’m up for the challenge,” it can be a very lucrative opportunity.
According to salary.com, the salary range for a correctional officer is approximately $40,000 to $51,000 per year, depending on experience. However, if you already have a college degree, you may be eligible for a higher starting base salary, which will be determined by your level of a college education.
You do, however, have a couple of options in this situation. It’s possible to work for a private prison, but if you want to work for the government, you’ll have to pass the Correctional Officer Exam in order to work for a public prison. In order to find employment opportunities, all you have to do is Google the correctional officer exam in your state if you are interested in pursuing this career path.
So, for me, it would be the correctional officer exam in New York, which will demonstrate to you the procedure for locating and taking this examination.
4. Become a member of the police force.
For the first time in history, getting a college education is not required in order to become a cop or a police officer. A criminal justice degree may enable you to obtain a higher-paying position or to be given preference over another candidate, but it is not a requirement for employment.
Because, instead of attending a traditional college, you will be attending a state or local police academy in order to obtain the certification and education necessary to become a police officer in your community. According to payscale.com, the average police officer now earns approximately $51,000 per year, and if you are interested in pursuing a career in this field, you will need to pass a police examination first. Consequently, if you’re interested in learning more, you should go to Google and type in your state followed by police exam, and you will be able to learn more about the process of taking that exam.
5. Working in the utility industry.
And this essentially entails working for the electric utility in your local area. And, I’m going to put this in a different category than skilled trades because the work that you’re doing is completely different from the work that skilled trades do. Consequently, the entry-level positions available at a power utility are frequently in collections or as a flagger. So that’s how I got my start: I got into collections, which meant I went door to door and collected money for the local electric utility company. Because the vast majority of people pay their bills on time, but a small percentage of people do not, and after a certain amount of time has passed, you must go to the door and ask for a payment, and if they are unable to pay their bill, you must turn off the electricity or gas to that particular building, among other things.
So, is this a high-profile position? In no way, shape, or form. It is confrontational in nature. Despite the fact that it can be dangerous at times, it is a method of getting your foot in the door. Also, a job as a flagger, which is frequently available on the street, is another option. That is, while the line crews or gas crews are working on the roads, you will be on the road directing traffic as a flagger, which is an important part of your job.
As a result, you’ll be on your feet for five to six hours every day, directing traffic flow. While it is not the most glamorous job, it is necessary in order to gain entry into these companies’ organizations. In many cases, they will post those positions on the street as temporary employment, and once the time period for which they require you has expired, they will look to hire you on as a full-time employee to fill the vacancy.
And it was through this process that I was hired by National Grid, the local power utility in my area. Having a two-year degree in electrical construction and maintenance helped me land the job, but you don’t need a college degree to work at the facility. I was able to secure employment for one of my friends at the company, despite the fact that he lacked a college degree. However, it took him approximately one year of job-hunting before he was offered a position with this company. You may have to wait for an extended period to get in there, but the effort will be well worth it. At the time of my hiring for this position is 2015, my base pay was $27.20 per hour. And, as of now, the entry-level pay for this company is greater than $30 an hour.
With these jobs, especially if it’s with an organized labor union, it’s possible to make a substantial amount of money. As a result, you should take out your electrical bill, look at who your utility provider is, type that information into Google followed by the word careers, and that will show you what job opportunities are available. I would recommend checking back every couple of weeks and applying for jobs at this utility on a consistent basis.
6. Obtaining employment as a postal worker.
And it’s funny because I’m writing this article right now, and this letter just happened to arrive in my mailbox. They’re actually distributing flyers throughout the community in search of people to work for the postal service. So, for example, the Rural Carrier Associate, RCA, is paid $18.19 per hour, according to the information on this flyer. A college education is not required for this position.
When it comes to finding work with UPS, USPS, or FedEx during the holidays, this is the best time to do so because that is when there is the most demand on the postal systems, which means that they frequently hire temporary employees to help out during this busy time of year. As previously stated, they are likely to hire the most qualified candidates and, in many cases at the end of the season, will offer them the opportunity for permanent placement as full-time employees.
Now, in order to work for the United States Postal Service (USPS), which is a public sector position, you must pass a test known as the 473 Postal Exam. And there are practice tests and other resources available online, but if you are looking for that job, you should type in the 473 postal exams, followed by your state, and that will provide you with more information on that particular position.
Another option is to go to the company’s website and look for the career section. UPS and FedEx are two examples of companies that do this. Even though UPS and FedEx may have their own exams or processes, they are distinct from the USPS in that they are private-sector jobs rather than public sector jobs.
7. Obtaining employment as a truck driver.
Is this, once again, the most glamorous job in the entire world? Depending on who you ask, some people will say yes and others will say no. It is possible that you will enjoy working as a truck driver if you enjoy being on your own and don’t mind working long hours and traveling constantly. However, if you are looking to settle down and start a family, this is probably not the field for you to choose.
However, due to the fact that it is a demanding job with specific requirements, it does pay a good wage. The first step toward becoming a truck driver is to obtain your CDL, which stands for commercial driver’s license, which is required. And before you can do that, you must first obtain your permit. So, what you’re going to do is get in touch with your local DMV and inquire about the requirements for obtaining a commercial driver’s license.
Once you graduate from high school, you’ll be required to attend truck driver’s school, where you’ll learn how to operate commercial vehicles and earn your CDL certification. Truck driver school will now cost on average between $3,000 and $7,000, depending on the location. However, once you have obtained your CDL, you will be able to apply for a variety of different jobs that are available. For the purpose of bringing this discussion back to number five, if you’re looking for work as a utility worker, you should be aware that a CDL is required for many of those positions.
Therefore, having this license under your belt is a wise decision because it can open the door to a variety of job opportunities. Following the completion of your CDL, check with some of the major hauling companies, such as Swift, Schneider, and J.B. Hunt to see if there are any job opportunities available.
Now, how much money can you expect to make as a truck driver? Apparently, according to Indeed, the average truck driver earns $1,097 per week, which translates to approximately $57,000 per year for those who do not have a college degree. All you need is a diploma from a truck driving school and a commercial driver’s license (CDL).