Five More Career Options for Those Without College Degrees

In our last article we suggested five promising careers that are accessible for those who never finished college.  After some additional research on this popular topic, we found some more even higher-paying positions for those missing the Bachelors degree to excel in. The following occupations do require some training, be it through community college, certification or technical schooling, or through training provided on the job.  Either way, with just the minimal amount of schooling or training, these are career options which could enhance the quality of your life, and your financial potential and security.

Debra Yergen is the author of a successful book called “Creating Job Security Resource Guide”. Yergen and some other authors provided some insightful advice on the following occupations that we will feature throughout this article.

Median annual salary estimations were provided by payscale.com. We took the annual salary number and divided by 2080 (which is the typical number of working hours in a year according to PayScale) to calculate the hourly wage. Careers are listed from smallest to largest annual salaries.

1. Nuclear Medicine Technologist
“Nuclear medicine technologists administer a type of drug called radiopharmaceuticals to patients and create diagnostic images that ultimately determine the presence of a disease,” says Yergen. With growth in the progressively larger middle-aged and elderly population, plus the obvious advances in technology, the career growth prospective for nuclear medicine technologists is likely to stay stable, and reliable.  An Associate’s degree or certification through a technical program is required, as well as a license for many employers and states throughout the country. All in all it is a profession which requires minimal schooling, but can yield great earning potential and professional success.

The Annual Salary of a Nuclear Medicine technologist is $64,100/$31 per hour

2. Real Estate Broker
Anyone can get their Real Estate License.  The classes required to train for certification are inexpensive, and broadly available throughout the country by means of community college programs and technical schools.  All real estate brokers must do beyond training involves passing a written exam and maintaining a license over time. The potential downside to this career is that the Real Estate Industry tends to pay agents on a commission-based system; and can thus be sensitive to economic shifting. If you have the right personality type, and drive and ambition to succeed, it is possible to be very successful in the real estate brokerage profession. It is no secret that the real estate market of the last few years has left much to be desired in way of profit, however despite past trends, the current housing market is predicted to resurrect soon.  Yergen suggests that there will be a definitive ”resurgence in salary in 2010 with the extension of the housing tax credit.” Real Estate Agents will need to keep a real-time understanding of the real estate markets and demographical trends. They must be able to perform large and secure financial transactions, and they also must excel in advising buyers on all of the financing options available to them.  The position requires gaining the trust of your clients, and keeping up your reputation.

The Annual Salary of a Real estate broker is $65,400/$31 per hour

3. Elevator installer/repairer
Elevator assembly and repair requires the familiarity and understanding to correctly install, repair, and maintain elevators at any given location, or among an assortment of specific locations which you are assigned to manage by your employer.  The know-how on correct elevator assembly, and knowledge in trouble shooting and circuitry is required, and provided through on-the-job training. Previous knowledge of electrical circuitry is a plus.  Assembly, trouble shooting, maintaining, and repairing elevators are the main responsibilities of this position. Participation in an accredited apprenticeship program together with paid on-the-job training is the industry training standard within the field.  Additionally, workers must pass a licensing exam to qualify for permanent hire. Acceptance of membership into the accompanying union is often required by the majority of employers, and unions benefit their members by helping to guarantee “an excellent salary, benefits, and pension,” according to Marky Stein, the esteemed author of “Get a Great Job When You Don’t Have a Job.”

The Annual Salary of an Elevator installer/repairer is $67,100/$32 per hour

4. Security Administrators or Computer Network Specialist
“As technology increases its reach, cyber crime is becoming a major concern for companies,” says Yergen. Security administrators work diligently to prevent, troubleshoot, and repair all types of security breaches.  They also educate network users within the company how to practice cyber safety.  Computer Network Specialists use the same type of training as Security Administrators to troubleshoot and repair problems within computer networks in workplaces.  These could range from any number of problems ranging from security concerns to restoring lost data.  Proper certification, Associates degree, or relevant work experience is essential to work in this field, especially without a four-year-degree.

The Annual Salary of a Security Administrator or Computer Network Specialist is $72,000/$35 per hour

5. Sales director
When time is a determining factor, and you do not have time to complete any educational requirements when finding a new career; and if you are personable, and possess a self-motivated attitude in your work, then perhaps a sales director would be a good position for you. “If you are interested in a career change, but do not want to commit to further education, consider a sales career,” advises Sharon Reed Abboud, the author of “All Moms Work, Short-Term Career Strategies for Long-Range Success.” Sales directors supervise their sales staff to help meet goals, prepare and execute sales programs, and toil to preserve budgets, in addition to other responsibilities. Although formal training is not required for this occupation, relevant sales experience and a sociable and friendly personality are vital, and according to Abboud, “Successful sales persons can often have the opportunity to climb the career ladder to increasingly lucrative management positions,” she explains.

The Annual Salary of a Sales director is $91,900/$44 per hour.

Hopefully we got you thinking, and provided some insight into the possibilities that could await you if you just know where to look.  If you are not qualified for any of these positions, we have found that often, financial security goes hand in hand with additional schooling; and we strongly encourage you to take whatever steps necessary to allow you to take advantage of some of these well-paying, and challenging career choices. If continuing adult education is a possibility for you, most of the programs available through community colleges and technical schools are reasonably priced, and are structured to be flexible with adult schedules. We hope we have inspired you, now go out and make it happen!

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