If youre thinking of becoming a housekeeper, be mindful of allergies, as you wouldnt want to work in a home with four cats if youre deathly allergic. If you lack experience, you should be on the lookout for entry-level jobs that will help you build your career going forward. In contrast, a position as a roustabout apprentice on an oil rig will get you an in with a very profitable industry. Instead, a school might ask you take a proficiency test to show that youre ready to be a student. Virtual assistants perform many of the same functions as a secretary or executive assistant, only they work remotely, often for multiple clients rather than one boss. These jobs can provide you with the valuable experience you need to gain new skills and will allow you to learn relevant industry knowledge. Some technical programs prepare students for the GED as well as a trade. Earning potential: General construction workers make a modest $37,080 per year, but those with specialized skills such as ironworkers ($53,210) and elevator installers ($88,540) make much more. The experience required for the position depends on the type of product tested. In order to become an Electrician, you must be 18 years old and have completed your high school or GED. Why we ranked it #3: Food isnt the only thing that needs delivering. "A lot of students will come and say, 'I'm here, I want to go to college because it's expected of me,' or, you know, 'That's what I want to do, just because I heard it's the best thing for me,' " Ruiz explains. These positions offer the career capital to hone your skills to create a niche and up your income. Even if you never attended or completed high school, you can still receive a similar education by completing an adult learning program or technical school. Dropping out of high school may have limited your earning opportunities, but going to trade school can help provide a fresh start. Majority of these skills can easily be obtained through apprenticeship, vocational training programs or taking up cheaper online courses. Most jobs require a high school diploma to start out. The skills you develop in that job may lead you to another receptionist position, but they are unlikely to lead to much else. If youre ready to go further with your education and your career, a trade school certificate can help demonstrate your workforce readiness. 2023 Trade Schools That Dont Require GED or Diploma [Online & Campus]. On average, about 40% of the people who study for their GEDs dont pass the test. Southwestern College offers admittance to applicants who do not have a high school diploma or GED if they are 18 years old or older. Look for apprenticeships and internships. Median salary: While home health aide jobs are plentiful, the entry-level pay is low. Since the jobs are regionally based, employers often pay per diem expenses to cover hotels and food. If you happen to have Amazon Flex near you, its a great way to make extra money. $42,150. When you imagine what its like to work as a barista, think of your typical coffee shop. Earning potential: The median income for this position is $46,470 annually or about $23 per hour. Now she's just a few months away from becoming a licensed journeyman electrician in Portland, Ore. She spends her days working on a new construction site, where her most recent task was running low voltage wire underneath a new floor to connect a thermostat. Web Developer Most colleges require a high school diploma or a GED for admission, but some trade schools accept other credentials instead. You can also choose to offer massages from an office, your home, or travel to clients homes. Weve focused the list on those that provide career capital, allowing you to build your skills into a higher salary and future opportunities. By evaluating and providing feedback on new items, product testers can enjoy working from the luxury of their home. Keep in mind that pay for this job can be rather random, as its based on the number of clients you take and how far they need to drive. Companies like Instacart and Shipt are growing exponentially as many people willing to pay for the convenience and reduced germ contact of grocery shopping and delivery service. (Getty Images) For Ty'Relle Stephens, making a beeline from high school . If youre interested in learning a skilled trade, then vocational school is often the quicker and more affordable option. A GED diploma can help you get into trade school, apply for college, or qualify for a job that requires a high school diploma. The study found that in the years 2017 through 2019, on average, 16% of high school graduates, 23% of workers with some college and 28% of associate degree holders earned more money than half of all workers with a bachelor's degree. The jobs website Indeed reports that Shipt shoppers make an average of $12 per hour. Where to get started: Sign up with Instacart and/or Shipt. Taxi/Uber drivers can work anywhere, but will typically receive more work in heavily populated areas. Median annual salary: $94,790 Annual salary for top earners: $125,340 For example, if you can add structural and substantive editing to your skillset where you help your clients improve things like plot, style and tone you will expand both your market and your earning ability. No problem. Solar panel installer positions are slated for 52% job growth in the next eight years. But career counselors can be hard to find. But that simply isnt true. That way, youd have two new diplomas by the time you finished up your program! If its filled with beautiful layouts, graphics and logos, your educational credentials wont even come up. Cars often need repairs, and automotive technicians aim to provide them. 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They often carry out tasks like bookkeeping, appointment scheduling, managing emails, doing data entry and many, many more. To make $800 a month (after Rover or Wag takes their cut), youd have to sit 40 dogs/cats per month. If youre among the 10% of American adults that didnt complete high school, you may feel like financial independence is for someone else. Additionally, certain positions may require you to take medical tests and other exams. Average Annual Salary: $23,000. If you want to earn into the high five figures without a college degree, consider one of these 10 occupations: 10. Median salary: Drywall tapers seal joints between plasterboards to make a smooth continuous wall. If you know friends or family who work in fields that interest you, you should reach out and communicate your interest. Janitors are a crucial part of any workspace, sweeping, mopping, and otherwise taking care of minor maintenance. And one thing we found was that many publications list jobs that do, in fact, require a diploma and/or the attainment of an even higher education level. When writing this article, we conducted extensive research to identify the best possible jobs for people without high school degrees. You will need to find an Electrician school or apprenticeship program. Some are even same day pay jobs, which allow you to access your earnings immediately upon completion of a shift or gig. Proofread Anywhere is the go-to resource for people looking to break into the work-from-home proofreading industry. On a typical day, you might ring out customers, clean your workspace, and perform other shop maintenance tasks. Earning potential: Estimates for ridesharing salaries are all over the map. Network. Even if youre unable to pursue typical forms of higher education, you can still hone your skills and become more experienced in a field by taking part in apprenticeships and internships. For high school and trade school partnership programs, the age requirement may be 14 to accommodate any advanced juniors or seniors. The main advantage of pet sitting is that it molds to fit almost any school, study or work schedule. With specialty training, hands-on work and jobs in high-demand, skilled trades give students a wide range of secure, high-paying and satisfying careers. Because the concept of virtual assisting is so new, there is not a clear job description for a VA. For those without a diploma, landing a job as a VA is just a matter of finding a client who requires the skills you have. Jordan's research focuses on adults returning to college and online degree programs. Why we ranked it #1: Thanks to companies like DoorDash, your options for food delivery jobs have expanded far beyond pizza. And that will cost you big bucks in the coming years. You might also have the option to earn vocational credits through online study. El Camino College offers a GED and High School Diploma program. Trade school programs typically take 1 to 2 years to complete, depending on the type of program and school. Earning Potential: If youre a commission-based salesperson, the upside is nearly unlimited. Family and friends can be a key part of your support team, but you may also benefit from an organization whose focus is on helping students like you succeed. This role is similar to the Nuclear Power Reactor Operator role, but spread out in more states. To apply to the program, applicants must complete an online application and submit official transcripts from high school. Product testers are usually hired by marketing firms or companies to test new products. Some vocational colleges allow you to enroll without a high school or GED diploma. If youre still having difficulties getting hired, or simply want to increase your chances, here are some additional tips: Refine your resume. But just getting a degree for the sake of getting a degree has spelled trouble in the past for his students. Students who did not graduate from high school cannot receive financial aid. One of those tools, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, sorts career options based on average pay, the level of education needed and how much the profession is expected to grow over the next 10 years. Or you've installed this fire alarm system. As part of this research, we read dozens of similar articles on the topic. Here are some of the highest paying options that don't require a diploma. Sysco, Wal-Mart, and GP Transco offer some of the highest salaries in the industry. Some trade programs are associated with regionally accredited colleges. Here are the top 25 careers that don't require a four-year degree. Similarly to a telemarketer, a customer service representative will spend their workday calling or taking calls from customers. If you didnt finish high school, trade schools that dont require the GED or a diploma can provide a strategic path toward a successful future. But for many people, gigs like delivering food and walking dogs can provide the extra cash each month to pay off debt, have some fun without busting your budget, or keep you afloat while pursuing more education. Where to get started: Sign up for Rover and/or Wag. Look into receiving a GED. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and dont require a high school diploma or GED for admissions. If you dont have those things, you can still set up an e-commerce store based on the dropshipping model, where you never actually touch the products youre selling. To demonstrate what you know, youll take four tests. El Camino Collegeisaccreditedby theAccrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Security guards at casinos (known as gaming surveillance officers) enjoy slightly better pay at $36,880 annually. Why we ranked it #6: While some massage therapists work for franchises, doctors offices or hotels, most are in private practices. One of the activities involved wiring a lightbulb. Jobs that don't require a high school diploma The majority of jobs require skills and relevant experiences, but not necessarily a high school diploma. This position requires experience working with dogs, and work opportunities can vary based on location, experience, and networking. He gives them quizzes and resources that make them think about the skills and experiences they've had and how they might translate into a career. Earning potential: This depends quite a bit on a number of factors: how geographically dense the deliveries are, how many packages are in your block, the size of your vehicle (which affects how many packages you can take at a time), traffic, tips, and how quickly you complete your route. Depending on the restaurant and time of day, the pace of your work environment can vary greatly. Generally speaking, these jobs can be lower-paying but will serve as a gateway to advancing your career. 9 Central Community CollegeVisit School. For obvious reasons, this position requires experience with computers and working with computer code. Some programs, though, dont even take a full year to complete. Then, you can take the GED test and receive a GED Certificate, an accomplishment similar to a high school diploma. By taking care of your high school credits and your vocational training at the same time, you might be ready to get your license shortly after completing the program. In other words, you wont receive a diploma from your local public school, but you will have a document that shows that youre on par with 12th-grade graduates. He says not only is there not enough time in the day to meet one-on-one with students, but there are so many other demands that get in the way of college and career talk. The general age requirement for attending trade school is 16 years old. An estimated 39 million American adults dont have a high school diploma. These and many other fields will continue . Where to get started: Not sure which food delivery company is right for you? Median salary: Average continuous mining machine operators make around $57,000 per year, with the highest operators in the field making around $78,000. Working an average day, you might receive a few vehicles that you have to repair, upgrade or provide general maintenance for. There are numerous trade jobs that people can pursue that don't require a college or high school degree. Trade jobs, postsecondary non-degree certificates, or even just a high school diploma can lead to jobs that offer salaries nearly double that of an entry-level job requiring a four-year degree. Of course, youll also need reliable phone service. Trades exist within a wide range of industries . Yes, people who drop out of high school can get a job. On a typical day, you might sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, and replace towels or bedding. Landscaper While no formal education is required for these positions, having experience taking care of people is a plus. Why we ranked it #4: Grocery shopping is a chore many would love to avoid, but if youre going to grocery shop, you might as well get paid for it. 10% of American adults that didnt complete high school, Highest Paying Jobs Without a High School Diploma, #4. Job opportunities may also vary by location, as states with harsh winters will have little to no employment options during the coldest months. The pay also varies widely by location, and since youre a virtual employee, you can boost your rates by taking on clients in higher-paying locales. Generally speaking, youd spend an average shift taking orders and relaying them to kitchen staff, as well as answering customer questions and sometimes working a register. Earning potential: The median pay for a graphic designer was $26 per hour in 2020. Instead, select opportunities that allow you to build career capital the skills and experience that will grow your income in the future. But after a few happy clients, youll be able to prove your merit and raise your rates. As a telemarketer, you might try to convince someone to buy a product using a pre-fashioned sales outline. Vocational school isnt for just one particular career path. Nursing assistant jobs are growing at an 8% rate. Average Annual Salary: $30,105. Politely and professionally explain why youd be a great fit for the role, without worrying about your educational background. Consider what you want to spend your hours and days doing, and make moves to create that life for yourself. Where to get started: Sign up with Lyft and/or Uber. This is great for anyone with the storage space to house inventory, as well as the upfront capital to purchase it. The employment growth for mining machine operators is average (5-10%). Many of these programs are open to anyone who wishes to attend. Not having a high school diploma doesnt need to stand in your way. Even still, many vocational programs are offered by community colleges. While you can choose to go to a vocational school to receive occupation-specific training in your desired trade, employers may provide on-the-job training depending on which job role or industry you choose. While its not required, taking a course from a technical or community college in solar panel installation is helpful in getting a job. Dog Walker 20 Great Jobs For Retirees Of All Backgrounds, 20 Best Jobs For People With A High School Diploma. marrio31 | E+ | Getty Images. Median salary: While there is a long-term risk of losing your job to automation in the truck driving industry, there are stellar gains to be had in the short term. "Having a decent wage or a nice income, you can do some financial planning," Harris says. "They're missing out on a whole bunch of options this way," he says. This is a good fit when you dont have a high school diploma because most clients care far more about your portfolio than your formal education. Gateway Community and Technical College offers admission to students without high school diplomas or GEDs. Earning potential: The upside here is huge. Learn how to get started: Freelance writing jobs for beginners + the best sites and strategies for getting hired. Training, certification, or experience In order to master a trade, you'll need to learn from the experts; and you can always up-skill and take your craft even farther! All Rights Reserved. Knowing what job you want to do after finishing your program can help you decide where to go to trade school. But they also feature programs in fields like health care, technology, and graphic design. Earning potential: This job requires intense, long-term, on-the-job training as well as intense concentration throughout the shift. No license or training is required to start, but prior experience installing drywall or working with tools is always a plus. Though many require some photographers to have a high school diploma or college degree, neither is a requirement to get into the field. By the time you finish your vocational program, you may possess a new set of employable skills. There are ways to be successful in a career without having a high school diploma. You might even be ready to apply for a license in your field. Average Annual Salary: $49,000. That's how Isis Harris, in Portland, got her training to become an electrician, a career, she says, that helps her feel fulfilled both physically and mentally. A new study from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce finds a growing number of people without a bachelor's degree are now out-earning those with one. Even if you dont need high school credits to begin a trade program, you might be able to earn them by the time that youre done. To accommodate concerns, many jobs have migrated to remote workspaces. No votes so far! Median salary: The median annual salary for rotary drill operators is $61,840, but certain industries such as petroleum and coal can make over $100,000. For students who don't have access to a career or college counselor, there are a number of helpful resources for making post-high school decisions. Resources: Its typical for an employee to start as an assistant or roustabout, then work up to a derrick operator, then a driller after a year or more of on-the-job training. Of course, education isn't the only variable that affects earning there's also race, age, gender and location, among other things. Average Annual Salary: $29,000. Generally speaking, landscapers need to have experience working with plants and enjoy working outside. Other jobs to look into include customer service work, delivery jobs, and construction jobs. Care taker The median annual wage for this position is $51,390. The term caretaker encompasses a wide range of positions, from working with children to working with the elderly or disabled individuals. Instead, counselors need to walk students through the many different paths they can take. An earlier version of this story implied construction managers did not need a bachelor's degree. Wind Turbine Technician - $52,910. Resources: Drivers have the option of driving for a company (in which case the only thing you need to bring to the table is a clean driving record and a CDL) or becoming owner-operators, in which they own and maintain their own truck. . Nursing assistants earn a median annual salary of $30,850 (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Time management and driving skills are essential for this position. Trade Schools That Don't Require a High School Diploma or GED If you never finished high school, you may now be trying to figure out how you can increase your earnings or market yourself as a better employee. Entry level jobs that dont require a high school diploma include housekeeper, janitor, and security guard or bouncer. COVID-19 has impacted the job market in significant ways. But according to new research released on Thursday, there are also a lot of exceptions. After all, there is zero margin for error. April 18, 2022, at 4:32 p.m. A Guide to Trade Schools. Here are some examples of no high school diploma jobs: 1. Generally speaking, a delivery driver will pick up and drop off various packages across an assigned route. Even if you have to take what you can get for now, you can move closer to your ideal future by building career capital. Skilled trades While many skilled trades require apprenticeships and hands-on training, you rarely need a high school diploma. And you can see the accomplishment every day of what you did the day previously.". Food courier gigs are especially great since your main working hours are during breakfast, lunch and dinner, leaving you with the rest of the day free to study or work another job. The GED program requires students to complete 40 class hours to be eligible to take the Inglewood Adult School test. "Wiring that circuit, I did it correctly and the light came on and I was like, 'This is it!' Some state licensure boards list a high school diploma or a GED as one of the requirements. High earning potential. Most have advisory committees that help them focus on programs that have the most employment opportunities. While the BLS reports average driver pay of $47,130 per year, job seekers in 2021 and beyond may have even better prospects. Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. Applicants must be age 17 or older and must have worked at least 75 days as an agricultural worker and been eligible for the Migrant Education program in the past two years. The GED program requires students to complete 40 class hours to be eligible to take the Inglewood Adult School test. Warehouse worker National average salary: $12.92 per hour Primary duties: A warehouse worker has several job responsibilities. Going back to school can be a big change, so it can be beneficial to have support in place. If you enjoy working with your hands, then you might be a good fit for a vocational program. Understanding the differences might help you decide which is right for you. It also has a super high upside, particularly for highly-demanding or technical subjects like computer science, finance or any other specialized niche. All you need is a laptop, Wi-Fi and a way to receive payment, and youre good to go.