Top 10 Careers Where You Can Earn Over $100K (Without a Degree)

Top 10 Careers Where You Can Earn Over $100K (Without a Degree)

Are you hunting for a well-paid job but don’t have a master’s degree? Do you think you will never land your dream job because you didn’t get a chance to complete your bachelor’s degree? This article will prove you wrong and will eradicate your fears. 

There are careers where you can get a job that pays you more than $100K without going to college. Some of these careers are as follows:

• Project manager

• Real estate agent

• Freelance photographer

• Personal trainer

You will be employed in no time if you have the right abilities and implement the right strategies to choose jobs that suit your requirements. This implies that being skillful is the main requisite for attaining a job, and you can be that without a degree.

The technical education platforms that are now accessible to populations make it easier for individuals to identify the skills that they want to acquire. 

Consequently, you can easily choose a career supported by the learned skill. However, it is required that you be motivated enough to practice and excel in that skill.

Read on to discover some job roles that you can acquire based on the skills that you already have or decide to learn. By the time you reach the end of this article, you will hopefully be able to choose the right path for yourself. 

1. Project manager 

         

Attaining a project management job when you don’t have a bachelor’s or master’s degree is possible. However, you must have the required expertise to serve in this domain.

Obtaining a project management job will also lead to ongoing learning, further upgrading your skills. Project management jobs can allow you to earn a six-figure salary. Being able to make such money without a degree is definitely what you have dreamt of. 

A very high-paying job in the project management structure is IT project management. You can begin an IT project management job at an entry-level level and keep climbing because there is much room for progress. 

All you have to do is learn some important tools and apply for the job. These tools will allow you to gain some skills to apply for IT project management and other jobs.

Project managers must be familiar with Agile, Scrum, Prince 2, and Waterfall methodologies. 

These methodologies can be learned easily through courses available online. After learning these methodologies, you will be ready to step foot in the project management sector. 

Communication and interpersonal skills are also very important to learn if you want to become a project manager. Leading a team to reach a goal requires good coordination.

Volunteering to lead and manage projects within your community can also help you to attain project management experience. 

2. Real estate agent

Real estate agents have one of the highest-paying jobs out there. The best part about this career is that you don’t require a degree for this work. If you are good at networking and think you can make sales easily, this career is just for you!

Real estate agents earn money by bringing buyers and sellers together. These buyers and sellers undergo real estate transactions, as a result of which payments are made. 

This job does not require any technical skills. It just requires your ability to communicate efficiently. Real estate agents can earn money by collaborating with either buyers or sellers.

These professionals can work both independently and in partnership with a firm. Earning six figures through this career is a piece of cake in both cases. Real estate workers do not get a defined salary. Rather, their earning is based on commissions.

There are certain conditions if you are looking forward to pursuing this career. To become a real estate agent, you must be over 18 years of age. Moreover, it is also important that you have a legal residency or citizenship.

This job also requires some pre-licensing education which can be accessed online. Once you are well-equipped with the skills and pass the licensing exam, you can start your practice. 

This career also involves ongoing training and education, which is easily approachable.

3. Information systems manager

It is definitely possible to become an information systems manager without a degree. However, you need to have a blend of knowledge, skill, and experience to attain this job. 

If you understand computer systems well, you will be great for this career. Along with a general understanding of computer systems, you must also have the technical expertise to become an information systems manager.

Not only that, if you are looking forward to becoming an information systems manager, it is important that you have strong leadership and management skills that you can attain online. Only then will you be able to lead a team and reach a common goal.

Another thing that can help you to succeed in this career is gaining experience. You can do a basic entry-level IT job to gain knowledge in the field. Once you get familiar with the IT basics, you will have more chances to excel in this career.

Networking and building relationships with other people in the same field can also help. Communicating with others keeps you updated with the latest job opportunities and prospects.

Moreover, you can also participate in online forums and groups to keep tabs on the latest developments and changes in the industry. 

Lastly, it is also important to be motivated enough to apply for jobs continuously. The more you apply, the greater your chances of attaining a job.

4. Radiation therapist

Medical and health services are usually associated with degrees and qualifications. However, there are some careers in the medical field that you can go for even without a degree. One of these careers is becoming a radiation therapist. 

The average salary of a radiation therapist is over $100k, which means that this is a fairly high-paying job. If not a proper degree, medical and health services require some certifications to meet the eligibility criteria.

The same is the case in radiation therapy. Even if you don’t have a proper bachelor’s or master’s degree, you must have a high school diploma. Moreover, you also have to meet certain health requirements to be able to pursue this career.

Like all other careers discussed previously, radiation therapy also requires that you have prior experience in the medical field. You can gain experience by working as a health care assistant or a nurse, so you get some general information and knowledge about this field.

To become a radiation therapist, it is also important that you attend on-job-training sessions. These training sessions will equip you with the required skills to perform your role effectively.

The on-job-training sessions include instructions and hands-on training, ensuring you do your job well. Once you are done with the training, you will feel more confident about what you are doing at your workplace. 

5. Senior real estate manager

You can easily acquire a senior real estate manager role, even if you don’t have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Although it pays pretty well, this job is more about your capabilities and less about the degree you hold. 

If you are interested in houses and know how to convince people, you can start by becoming a real estate agent. With time, after gaining enough experience and expertise, you can attain the senior real estate manager role.

Starting with an agency or organisation can help you in many ways if you consider practising this career. By working in an organisational setting, you will learn strategies and tactics that prove to be profitable.

On the other hand, starting without experience will have little chance of success due to your lack of a proper approach. So, to become a senior real estate manager, observation is more important than you think.

Other common job titles before reaching a senior position include property manager, assistant property manager, and general manager.

The licensing process for real estate management is different in different areas. Choose a licensing school that fits the requirements of your area so you don’t have to face any problems when you start your professional life.

Once done with the licensing, you can work independently or apply for senior management-level organisational positions. You can also contact companies to inquire about job openings and communicate your potential. 

6. Technical program manager

Becoming a technical program manager without a bachelor’s degree is possible and will even pay you a fortune. You have to possess the required technical and program management skills. Once you have the expertise, success is guaranteed. 

To attain a technical program manager position, you must take TAFE courses that teach the basics. Once you have the essential knowledge, you can effectively put it into practice.

Before taking a job as a technical program manager in an organisation, make sure you work well under pressure and have leadership skills. That’s necessary because you will likely deal with multiple technical projects at a time. 

Technical program managers are also responsible for keeping track of the progress of a project. So they must be familiar with the project and its goals from the beginning and stay informed as it progresses. 

As a technical program manager, you will also be responsible for identifying the potential risks in a project. In addition to that, you must be able to take the required steps to minimise those risks.

All these tasks might not require a degree, but they do require attention to detail and analytical thinking skills. Make sure to be well-equipped when you step into this field.

Technical program management is among the jobs that pay 100k. This is the reason why most people are currently choosing this field.

7. Owner-operator driver

To become an owner-operator driver, you don’t need a bachelor’s, master’s, or professional degree. You need a commercial driver’s license, and you can start making money. This is one of the jobs that pay 100k, which makes it a high-paying job. 

To become an owner-operator driver, you will, however, have to go through six to eight weeks of training. As soon as you are done with the training, you can attain a commercial driver’s license. 

You can even climb up in this career by eventually becoming a trainer and earning double the money.

As an owner-operator driver, one thing that you should constantly take care of is maintaining a clean driving record. Additionally, you must be aware of the traffic rules and follow them under all conditions. 

Violating the law can lead to serious repercussions. It can even cost you a fortune through fines and penalties. 

You should also make sure that your transport, as well as all other equipment, is in working condition. Furthermore, make sure that you confirm the insurance of your truck. 

Another important criterion for getting this job is to have great focus. You must have a flawless brain and eye coordination in order to avoid accidents and risks. Becoming an owner-operator driver might seem easy, but it requires hard work and dedication.

8. Computer network architect

The computer network architect is a job you can attain without a degree. However, you must have experience in the related field to gain this type of job. Other ways also include gaining network architect certifications.

A network architect career is a broad field where you can secure various jobs in IT. The nature of the skills that you have learned will determine the job that best suits your expertise. You can qualify for several jobs in this field if you are skilled enough.

Before becoming a computer network architect, you can gain experience by starting as a network administrator or a system administrator. This will help you understand how things work and what tips you must remember.

Moreover, volunteering to work on projects and internships will also help you gain valuable knowledge.

Networking technologies and protocols can be difficult to deal with and work with. Therefore, you must ensure that you are always open to learning and have a positive approach toward new developments in the field.

Before applying for jobs, you can showcase your technical skills by building a portfolio. This will help employers to determine your true potential. Hence, attaining a job will become easier for you.

9. Freelance photographer

Freelance photography is a well-paying job that does not require a degree. You will, however, need basic equipment like a camera and an editing device. In this career, you keep learning as you practice your profession.

Several photography courses are available online that can help you gain basic and technical knowledge related to photography.

As you take up photography as a career, there are different niches that you can choose from. Whether you take up wedding photography, travel photography, or any other niche, this job will pay you more than you expect.

To become a photographer, you must be patient and have an eye for detail. In addition, you should ensure that you are dedicated enough to do your job and don’t have any limitations regarding travelling long distances and waiting for hours.

As a freelance photographer, you must build your market to reach customers. To achieve that, you must also learn the basics of digital marketing so your business can progress. 

Once you have reached the customers, you should also increase loyalty among your customers.

Suppose you are passionate about photography and can create exactly what the client needs. In that case, this profession can end your struggling period! If you follow these tips, you can earn an average salary of over $100k.

10. Personal trainer

You have been wrong if you perceive that becoming a personal trainer requires some degree. You can become a personal trainer without a degree, and this job can generate a six-figure salary. 

A fitness or personal trainer is a professional who helps people achieve their fitness goals. To increase stamina and improve the general fitness of people, you must be passionate about health and fitness yourself. 

In that case, this profession becomes rewarding in true means.

To become a personal trainer, you require only a basic level of education. However, you must have certain skills and expertise and know proper fitness techniques. You can learn these skills through online TAFE courses that are easily accessible.

Moreover, you must also be able to communicate your knowledge with the clients effectively.

Personal trainers usually have an average salary of more than $100k. This is why it is considered one of the most highly-paying jobs. 

Takeaway: Choosing a career has never been easier

In the digital world that we are living in today, learning a skill and getting a job has become quite easy. 

Many health services, marketing, financial, and construction managers earn a reasonable average salary but don’t have a degree. 

This means that even without going through a traditional education process, you can land jobs that pay $100k. 

However, individuals may face difficulties due to the ever-increasing competition in each industry. One fruitful way to deal with this competition is to equip yourself with knowledge and skills.

The different online courses that are available have made knowledge attainable for all. By benefiting from these courses, you enable yourself to make a living and explore new learning opportunities for yourself.

With the changing global preferences, educational requirements are also changing. Attaining technical skills is now more important than acquiring a degree. Hence it is important to explore ways of learning new skills that can generate advantages for you in the long run.