It turns out you don't need a college degree to pull in a pretty penny.
Yes, workers with only a high school diploma do face an unemployment rate nearly twice that of college educated workers, according to the $4 (BLS), and they make almost half of what those with a bachelor's degree earn, on average. But a new report from $4 finds that despite this disparity, workers without a college education do have plenty of options for lucrative
CareerBuilder says there are currently 115 occupations in the U.S. that only require a high school diploma and pay $20 an hour or more, on average.
"High school is the highest level of education completed by 25% of workers ages 25 and older," says Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. "This list demonstrates that, while pursuing higher education is a proven way to increase your earning potential, there are other options for those who are unable or choose not to attend college."
With help from $4 (EMSI), an economic software firm that specializes in employment and labor market data, CareerBuilder put together a list of the 20 best-paying occupations for workers with a high school degree.
CareerBuilder and EMSI used BLS data to compile the ranking, and analyzed factors such as anticipated growth and requirements for on-the-job training for each occupation, in addition to median hourly pay.They found that 70% of the 115 highest-paying jobs for college grads typically require moderate to long-term on-the-job training or apprenticeships, while 30% generally require short-term or no on-the-job training.
In several of these jobs, workers may need to attend vocational school or other non-college-level training programs to achieve licensure or certification. Additionally, entry-level requirements will vary by state, locality, and employer.
CareerBuilder also notes that high-paying occupations for high school graduates aren't all necessarily entry-level positions. For instance, first-line supervisors, regardless of discipline, typically require one to five years of prior work experience.
"While the pursuit of higher education is the best bet for gainful employment, it is a myth that only good jobs go to college graduates and that workers with high school degrees are destined to low-wage careers," says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder, in a press release.
"It's important to note, however, that most high-paying jobs available to high school grads involve skillsets that require extensive post-secondary training or several years' worth of prior experience," she continues, "and are often in fields that have seen declining employment in recent years."