Highest-Paying Jobs Without A Degree In 2024 – Forbes Advisor

You don’t have to graduate from college to get a job that pays well. While wages often rise based on educational attainment, workers can find many high-paying jobs that don’t require a degree—and some of those careers report six-figure median salaries.

It might seem like every high school grad heads to college these days, but the data shows that this isn’t true. Nearly half of college-aged young adults aren’t in school, and they find job opportunities in diverse industries such as the skilled trades, healthcare, tourism and more.

How much can you earn without a degree? And does completing some college change your job prospects, even if you don’t graduate? Forbes Advisor digs into the numbers to find the highest-paying jobs without a degree––and the outlook for workers who opt out of college.

Workers Without College Degrees: Key Statistics

Did you know that more than half of Americans don’t hold a college degree? That’s according to 2022 educational attainment data from the U.S. Census Bureau.¹ In fact, a high school diploma is the most common level of educational attainment, with 28% of adults falling into this category.

Similarly, most jobs don’t require a college degree. But who are these workers without college degrees?

More Than Two-Thirds of U.S. Jobs Are in Occupations That Don’t Typically Require a College Degree²

A majority of jobs in the U.S. don’t require a college degree––and that should hold true in the future. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections, 60% of new jobs created in the 2020s will be in fields that don’t require a degree.

45.6%: Percentage of People Aged 16 to 24 not Enrolled in School as of October 2023³

A majority of high school graduates head to college. In October 2023, 61.4% of recent high school grads attended an in-person or online college. However, a substantial number of young adults are not currently enrolled in school.

High School Grads not Attending College Are More Likely To Be Working Than College Students

Recent high school graduates not enrolled in college in October 2023 were more than twice as likely to be in the labor force as graduates enrolled in college (71.7% versus 32.4%).⁴

Not surprisingly, high school grads who decide not to attend college report a higher rate of employment than college students. However, the percentage of part-time college students who work is nearly as high as those not enrolled in college, with 68.9% in the workforce. High school dropouts report a significantly lower employment rate, with just 43.7% in the workforce.

For Workers Without College Degrees, More Education Correlates With Higher Employment Rates

The employment rate of 25- to 34-year-olds with a high school diploma but no college experience was 74% as of 2023, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).⁵

• For 25- to 34-year-olds with less than a high school diploma, the employment rate was 60%.
• Adults aged 25 to 34 who attended some college but did not complete a bachelor’s degree were employed at a rate of 80%.

When it comes to careers that don’t require a degree, many workers benefit from some post-high school education. And employment data reflect that: adults who attend some college but don’t earn a four-year degree have a higher employment rate.

About $45,000: Median Annual Salary for High School Graduates Who Didn’t Start College

In 2023, the median annual wage for workers with a high school diploma or the equivalent was $45,040 as of 2023.⁶

• For workers with no formal educational credential, the median annual wage was $34,430.
• The median annual wage for workers with some college but no degree was $44,130.

Adults with a high school diploma who didn’t attend college and those with some college but no degree earn a similar median pay. However, adults with a postsecondary credential such as a certificate or diploma earn slightly more, with a median pay of $47,740.

College Dropout Statistics

How many students drop out of college? A significant number of first-year college students leave without finishing their programs. College dropout statistics reveal the many reasons people choose to leave college.

About 23%: Percentage of First-Time, Full-Time First-Year Undergraduates Who Dropped out of College Between 2021 and 2022⁷

Nearly one in four college students drops out, and that number has remained fairly consistent since 2017. Retention rates have risen since 2006–07, when 29% of first-time undergrads did not return for their second year.

Nearly 30%: Percentage of College Students who Enrolled in 2017, Were no Longer Enrolled as of 2022 and Had not Received Their Degrees⁸

College graduation rates typically measure the number of graduates over a six year period. Looking back at 2017, nearly three in ten students left school without a degree. Many of those students entered the workforce looking for jobs that don’t require a degree.

41.9 Million: Number of People Considered “Some College, no Credential” (SCNC) as of July 2022⁹

How many adults fall into the category of “some college, no credential”? The number might be higher than you think. Nearly 42 million Americans have taken college classes but left without finishing a degree, diploma or certificate.

The SCNC Population Has Increased in Nearly All States

• 49 states and the District of Columbia had larger SCNC populations going into the 2022-23 academic year than they did a year earlier.
• In Alaska, the size of the overall SCNC population remained stable.

As the college enrollment rate grows, so does the population of adults who leave college without a degree. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC), the number of SCNC adults has grown in nearly every state, ballooning from 36 million in 2019 to nearly 42 million in 2024.

Finances and Motivation Changes Are the Top Reasons for Non-Completion¹⁰

• “Non-completers” are adults under age 30 who started college, but left without obtaining a degree or completing their program.
• Nearly half of non-completers (48%) indicated that financial challenges played a role in their decision to leave school.
  • Twenty-six percent experienced a change in financial situation, 25% stated that the overall cost was simply too high, 13% reported being unable to balance school and work demands, and another 7% lost their scholarship funding.
• About four in 10 non-completers (42%) reported that their decision to leave school was motivated by a life change or a change in focus or motivation.
  • Twenty-one percent reported loss of motivation or change in focus; 17% felt continuing was not worth it or questioned the future value of the skills they were learning; 14% underwent a change in family situation, such as parenthood or a change in marital status; and 8% felt unsure what major or career path to choose.
• About a quarter of non-completers cited academic challenges (26%), social issues related to college life (25%) or mental health challenges (22%) as their reasons for leaving college.

What stops college students from finishing their programs? The cost of college poses a major barrier for many students. Close to half of those who left college before graduation day point to finances as a driving reason.

Another significant share questioned whether college was the best path for their future. Careers that do not require a degree offer another way for these adults to enter the workforce.

20 Highest-Paying Careers Without A Degree

You don’t need a master’s degree to earn a six-figure salary. In fact, several careers with six-figure median salaries don’t require a degree at all.

What are the highest-paying jobs without a degree? The list includes some that you might guess, like a commercial airline pilot, and others that might surprise you, like a ship engineer.

Careers that don’t require a degree may still entail specialized training. Some require postsecondary training, while many come with on-the-job training.

These are the 20 best-paying jobs without a degree according to the BLS.^11,12,13

10 Fast-Growing Jobs That Don’t Require A College Degree

You can work in some of the fastest-growing careers without a degree. The BLS projects a 2.8% average growth rate for all jobs in the U.S. over the 2022–32 decade; these 10 occupations will benefit from much faster employment growth according to BLS projections.¹⁴

Some of these high-demand jobs without a degree may demand a certificate or diploma, and while you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, some require an associate degree.

[Source: BLS]

Rural vs. Urban Job Outcomes by Educational Attainment

How much does educational attainment matter in different parts of the country? When comparing rural vs. urban education statistics, the data indicates a lower educational attainment rate for rural areas, and yet these workers without a degree benefit from better rural jobs than their urban counterparts.

A High School Diploma Is the Most Common Level of Educational Attainment Among Adults Living in Rural Areas

In rural areas, 34% of adults hold a high school diploma as their highest level of education, compared with 23% for urban areas. Similarly, while 37% of urban adults hold a bachelor’s or higher, that number falls to 25% in rural areas.¹⁵

Rural Workers With Good Jobs who Earned a High School Diploma or Didn’t Finish High School Earn More Than Their Urban Counterparts¹⁶

Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce defines a “good job” as one that pays enough to achieve economic self-sufficiency, which is at least $43,000 a year for workers ages 25 to 44 and $55,000 for workers ages 45 to 64 (in 2022 dollars), with a median annual wage of around $82,000.

Jobs in urban areas often pay higher salaries than those in rural areas. However, that pattern does not hold for high school dropouts and those with a high school diploma who hold good-paying jobs. For those jobs, rural workers earn more than their urban counterparts, according to data from the Center of Education and the Workforce.

Almost Half of Rural Adults Without a High School Diploma Are not in the Labor Force¹⁶

As of 2022, 45% of rural adults with less than a high school diploma were not in the labor force, as compared to 36% of urban adults with the same education level.

While rural adults who hold good jobs fare well in the workforce, nearly half of high school dropouts in rural areas do not work. That’s 9% higher than their counterparts in cities.

U.S. Workers With Lower Levels of Educational Attainment Have Better Jobs in Rural Areas Than in Urban Areas¹⁶

When looking at well-paying jobs, researchers discovered that rural workers without a degree are more likely to hold these good jobs than urban workers with the same education level. In rural areas, 26% of adults with a high school diploma hold a good job, compared to 15% in urban areas.

State Shifts in Job Requirements and Educational Criteria

Are there differences in job posting requirements by state? Some states report more jobs that don’t require a degree, while others have fewer opportunities. However, a growing number of states are eliminating degree requirements for public sector jobs, reflecting a wider shift in the labor market.

Many U.S. States Have Dropped Degree Requirements for Public Sector Jobs^17,18

While many public sector jobs require a college degree, states across the country have eliminated degree requirements in an effort to promote skills-based hiring. When comparing job posting requirements by state, the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) reported that at least 18 states have recently eliminated the degree requirement for most government jobs.

Those states include Maryland, California, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey. Many other states are considering changing job requirements through executive or legislative action.

The 5 U.S. Jurisdictions With the Highest Projected Share of Jobs Requiring Postsecondary Education or Training: the District of Columbia, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Colorado and Washington¹⁹

More jobs require a college degree in Washington, D.C., home to the federal government, than other areas. In these locations, a lower share of jobs do not require a degree.

The 5 States With the Lowest Share of Jobs Requiring Postsecondary Education or Training: Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Nevada¹⁹

Which states have the most jobs that don’t require a college degree or postsecondary training? Southern states like Louisiana and Arkansas make the list, along with Nevada, home to a multi-billion dollar tourism industry that provides many careers without a degree.

Earnings for Jobs Without a Degree by Demographic

In 2023, the median high school diploma weekly earnings reached $899.²⁰ But breaking down those workers by age, race and gender offers a more nuanced picture. For example, the average salary by age for high school graduates almost doubles for the lowest-paid and highest-paid age groups.

$54,590: Average Annual Salary in 2023 for 55- to 64-Year-Olds, the Highest-Earning Age Group With a High School Diploma or GED®²¹

As high school graduates gain experience, their earning potential grows, with a peak in the top-earning years of 45 to 64. When looking at earnings by age, high school graduates also see a major jump when shifting from the 18 to 24 age range to 25 to 34 years old.

Asian Americans Are More Likely To Finish High School Than Other Racial Groups

• In 2022, the percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who had completed at least high school was higher for those of Asian descent (99%) than for those who were white (97%), Black (95%), American Indian/Alaska Native (92%) or Hispanic (88%).²²

When comparing educational attainment by race, Asian Americans report the highest high school graduation rate, with 99% of Asian Americans graduating from high school. Hispanic Americans reported the lowest high school graduation rate, with 88% finishing high school.

Women Who Don’t Go to College Earn About 20% Less Than Men With the Same Educational Attainment Levels²³

• In 2023, the median weekly earnings for women aged 25 and older with less than a high school diploma were $619, compared to $768 for men.
• Women aged 25 and older who graduated from high school but did not attend college earned a weekly median of $770, while men took home a median of $991.

Gender affects earning potential, and that’s true for adults without a college degree. In fact, women who drop out of high school or graduate without going to college make around 20% less than men with the same education.

Men Who Didn’t Attend College Are More Likely To Be Working Than Women With the Same Level of Education²⁴

• In 2022, 54.6% of men ages 25 and older with less than a high school diploma were employed, compared to 30.8% of women with the same level of education.
• Among high school graduates with no college, 63.5% of men and 44.4% of women were employed.

Men report a higher rate of labor force participation than women at all education levels, but the gap is larger for those at the lower education levels. While there’s a 7.3% gap between men and women with a bachelor’s or higher, that gap grows to 19.1% for high school graduates and 23.8% for high school dropouts.

White Women Aged 25 and Older With a High School Diploma or Less Earn More Than Black, Hispanic and Asian Women With Similar Educational Attainment²⁵

For both high school dropouts and high school graduates, white women earn higher median salaries compared to other racial groups. Black and Hispanic women earn the lowest median salaries. The gap isn’t large––white women with a high school diploma earn $57 more per week than Hispanic women with the same education––but it adds up.

The Bottom Line

Degree-seeking Americans benefit from many paths to reach their goals. The growing number of online programs can lower barriers to college attendance, as can the many colleges with high acceptance rates. Scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid can make college more affordable, as can comparing schools based on total cost.

But college is not the only path to a successful career. Three in five new jobs created in the 2020s will not require a degree, and many of these careers offer strong job growth and high earning potential.

Our research on the highest-paying jobs without a degree indicates that the top 20 jobs by salary all report median annual wages of $75,000 or higher. That’s significantly higher than the median annual wage for all occupations, which reached $48,060 in May 2023, according to BLS data.²⁶ By seeking out careers in these higher-paying fields, adults without a degree can thrive.

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, Census Releases New Educational Attainment Data
2. BLS, Fast-Growing Occupations That Pay Well and Don’t Require a College Degree
3. BLS, College Enrollment and Work Activity of Recent High School and College Graduates Summary
4. BLS, Labor Force Status of 2023 High School Graduates and 2022-2023 High School Dropouts 16 to 24 Years Old by School Enrollment, Educational Attainment, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity, October 2023
5. NCES, Employment and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment
6. BLS, Occupations That Need More Education for Entry are Projected to Grow Faster Than Average
7. NCES, Retention of First-Time Degree-Seeking Undergraduates at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions, by Attendance Status, Level and Control of Institution, and Percentage of Applications Accepted: Selected Years, 2006 Through 2022
8. NSCRC, Completing College: National and State Reports
9. NSCRC, Some College, No Credential: A 2024 Snapshot for the Nation and the States
10. Sallie Mae, How America Completes College
11. BLS, Occupation Finder
12. BLS, May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
13. BLS, Data for Occupations Not Covered in Detail
14. BLS, Fast Growth, Good Pay—Without a Bachelor’s Degree
15. NCES, Educational Attainment in Rural Areas
16. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Small Towns, Big Opportunities
17. NCSL, In Hunt for Workers, Some States Value Skills Over Degrees
18. NCSL, States Consider Elimination of Degree Requirements
19. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031
20. BLS, Education Pays
21. U.S. Census Bureau, PINC-04. Educational Attainment – People 18 Years Old and Over, by Total Money Earnings, Work Experience, Age, Race, Hispanic Origin and Sex
22. NCES, Educational Attainment of Young Adults
23. U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Median Weekly Earnings by Educational Attainment and Sex
24. BLS, Employment Differences of Men and Women Narrow With Educational Attainment
25. DOL, Women’s Median Weekly Earnings by Educational Attainment, Race and Hispanic Ethnicity
26. BLS, Occupational Outlook Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree