30 People Online Spill The Beans About Their High-Pay Jobs That They Do Without A Degree
To some extent, the saying that money can’t buy happiness is true. Yet, a well-paying job is, more often than not, a good part of that contentment.
Most of these jobs, however, require a degree, which puts some people in a difficult position. But as this woman recently found out by asking online, there are some relatively fantastic hidden gems of well-paying workplaces that do not, and you can find out about them too by reading down below!
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My husband never attended college a single day. Union electrician, $126.13 an hour. Sometimes on like airport rush jobs they get triple time - $378.16 an hour.
I rotisserize chicken at Costco for $63k a year. Bought a house and everything. Great times
I work at a union warehouse for Kroger and I make about 80-85k a year but that’s with OT and I work about 50-60 hours work weeks I do pay 80 a month for unions due but that’s all I pay , I get free healthcare dental care vision care and a good retirement plan
Not bad for 10th grade drop out
I deliver bread to grocery stores and I made $120k last year working 6-8 hours per day. Healthcare, pension, paid vacation, union representation. It's great work if you can find it.
Edit: If you guys can't get in at Bimbo, try Aunt Millie's or a local brand like Flowers, Kordas, etc.
I make 138k, I work as a baker, no degree
7 years experience. San Francisco, California
Michelin 1 star.
Post office, I work in a plant. It’s easy af and I can listen to audiobooks while I work so that’s a bonus.
I think of the movie Klaus when I think post office, it's nice lol
IT senior level $100k+. Never graduated. Learned everything on the job.
Union electrician got me started. Now as a master electrician I have the experience to commission data centers. Still electrical, but less physical and more mental.
Dog groomer, but I’m retired/disabled now (not entirely due to the career, mostly genetics). An average year would be 50k for me, a great year 60k or so. Faster groomers make more money and I was just average speed but excellent results. It’s nowhere near all the 100k+ careers listed here but it’s one I loved.
Good for you. Tailoring what you enjoy to your physical needs. Carry on doing what you're doing.
I turned 40 in July and I work as a full time rural carrier for USPS. I only got full time this last January, so I just recently broke the "poverty shackles" (got a story below, in case anyone cares to read).
My current salary is $55,036/yr, with it going up about $1500/yr next January (my year anniversary).
My route is also one where I use my own vehicle, so I also receive an Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA for short) that just got raised to $0.98/mile. With my assigned route being 136 miles, I earn $133.28 in EMA **per day** I work. Normally I work 10 days per pay period, so I earn $133.28 x 10 per paycheck. This EMA is added to my salary, so my paycheck is basically this:
$55,036/26 = $2,116.76.
$2,116.76 - deductions & insurance = net pay.
Net pay + EMA = my paycheck
Added bonus: This EMA portion is untaxable income, since it's used to compensate me for using my own vehicle, but you only get this if you get a rural route that you have to use your own vehicle...some rural routes use postal vehicles, so in this case, you would only get salary.
Now I will state the obvious and mention that USPS isn't for everyone. It can be a high stress job, but it is mainly based on where you are at. I live in a small town rural area, so me working is mostly stress-free (I spend most my days driving around the country roads jamming to my Spotify playlist while delivering mail...and it's peaceful for me).
It's nowhere near one of the highest paying jobs out there. Also the pay is the same across the board, so no matter where you are in the US, the pay is the same. That $55,036 for my route size in my small rural town is the exact same pay rate as someone doing a "rural" route in places as big (and as costly as) Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, etc... So me making what I make is "amazing money" where I live, but if you live in one of these high cost of living places, $55k/year is "chump change", so take that in to consideration.
Another thing...I was an RCA for 4 years before getting FT, but there are some RCAs that have had to wait 10+ years to get full time. There are also some RCAs that have to wait only 1 year (you can't bid for FT until you have worked 1 full year), so it all depends on your area whether or not it's worth your time and energy to even consider it (BTW, of course there are other jobs other than RCA/rural carriers...I am just unfamiliar with those aspects).
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Background info as to how I got here, in case anyone is wondering.
I was born into poverty and I have lived below the poverty line pretty much my entire life. Before 2019, I never worked a job that ever paid more than $10.50/hr that was full time hours, and any job I ever tried to get in to that paid higher always was extremely part time (less than 10 hours/week), a "temp" job, or just flat out wouldn't hire me. Any time I thought something would finally come my way, something would happen to wreck it.
Well in January of 2019, I took a RCA position (which is the entry level position for rural carrier) for USPS. Of course this was a 1 day a week (Saturdays) job, but it paid almost $17.83/hr at the time (it's $19.96/hr now, with its annual increase in November) plus the EMA. So I was content with my 1 day a week, with an occasional extra day here or there (when the full time carrier needed a day off for whatever reason). At this time, I also worked a couple retail merchandising jobs that had flexible hours in a way that as long as the work got done the week it was assigned, they didn't care when it got done. (BTW...for anyone reading this...if you need part-time flexible "choose your schedule" hours, I highly recommend Premium Retail, if they have it in your area).
Everyone was calling me crazy and stupid for holding out on the hope of getting a full time post office position. When I was hired, they basically told me that they had over half of their FT carriers close to retirement, so I came in "at a good time". So I persisted, even with everyone I knew telling me time and time again that I was basically a f*****g idiot for holding out on the promise of eventual full time. I lost friends and basically became the black sheep of my in-laws family (most of them are in various medical fields and "blue collar" jobs that are typical for a rural town environment, so if you didn't work one of those jobs, their "superiority complex" side would show).
Well basically after exactly 4 years (4 years and 8 days, to be exact), I finally got my own full time route! For the first time in my entire life, I finally am at a position and pay where I can break free from below the poverty line. Now I am nowhere near financially stable at the moment (considering the economy right now), but I am now at a point in my life where every recurring monthly bill is paid before it's due without stress.
Congrats! My friend's sister started at USPS as a clerk right out of college. She worked her way up to Leasing Manager, which was a salaried position. She went in on weekends and stayed overnight to make sure her team was consistently the best in the western US. She retired two years ago after 35 years of service, and they had to hire two people to do her job. She loved working there, as there's something for everyone.
I do autopsies as a autopsy tech. $50k without over time. I take out peoples organs and give it to a doc to do the actual autopsy. Then I sew up, clean up and release bodies to funeral homes. It's smelly work and you see things you can never unsee but the death industry is the last Wild West and I have a lot of down time for reading and naps.
I’m a career nanny- I’m in my 20s at 90k plus benefits, 45 hours a week.
This person probably went to Norland College in Bath England. The college has been around for over 130 years and when you graduate from here, there will already be people wanting to hire you.
Service Technician for Pepsi. It's cake and my home is my office. I have a work truck and a work phone. It's entry level too. I have a zoom meeting once a week, other than that it's just me and the road.
Project Manager for a health insurance company, 100K remote. I worked my way up over the last 6 years but I’m 30 now.
29, £60k, no degree at all, 2 years as an ERP software consultant- pick Salesforce, Aws or Msft and the "qualifications" are all open book, you can get practice environments to f**k about n find out with the UI of the softwares, and all the answers to the exams are available online too.
And it's nothing to do with coding either, you just need to get a good understanding of how to use the software and how people are gonna want to use it.
Link the exam badges to your LinkedIn and share that you passed it and recruiters will come to you as there's a shortage in the space
I learned how to configure Salesforce for free ( www.trailhead.com) and immediately started working with a Salesforce partner. My income went from 45k to 75k, and I hit 6 figures within my first year in the industry.
When I was working I would love to have a job that made 45,000 a year. The most I made in one year, and that was before taxes I think was about 34,000.
Welder. I did an apprenticeship through the federal government. Started almost 5 years ago at 28, at $18 an hour now I'm making close to $35 as a journeyman. I'm pushing 100k this year with OT and bought my first house last spring. My work is dirty but isn't crazy hard and I'm not forced to travel. That being said, I would not recommend welding as a trade, there are lot more trades that make more money and are less rough on your body and lungs.
Real estate. Spent my last dime on my license. Last year I did over 120k and I am on my 4th year of RE. Best decision I ever made.
Yeah, but that can be a tough biz. With market fluctuations many people have to get second jobs. Market sux right now in the US
My husband makes $48k a year as a forklift operator. He's not even earning as much as he potentially could if he had a different employer.
Forklift driver here and I'll probably top 40K for the year or pretty close.
Corrections officer in NYS, easy to clear over 100 k, only need a high-school diploma and attend an 8 week academy.
$60k, Supply Chain Account Manager. It’s basically glorified data entry for the most part. Fully remote since Covid. 👌🏻
I am a lighting design manager for art fairs. I run a crew of guys who put up truss systems and lights for big events. I also own a YouTube channel that pays another $10k a year or so! And a Tshirt print shop on the side. I make about $80k between the three.
22 years in the Air Force, 9 years as a contractor Government Security Officer.
Starting investing with a Financial advisor in 2000.
Retired at 52 1/2.
Only applicable to this list if they were enlisted. Officers need to have degrees, at least in the US military.
Freight dock! They don’t get many girls. At fed ex at least they’re super into diversity. This makes it easier to move into a management or full time position!
Had a woman working as a pipefitter doing our school. Was1/2 way through union training, shortage in trade demanded the rest as OJT(pulled her out of classes). If you are a woman in trades? You got it. 60k + overtime to start.
fedex driver. ups makes way more but they get worked harder too. and you have to put your time in for up to a couple years as a part time low pay package handler first to land a ups driver job, usually. fedex (ground) is always hiring drivers
Fed Ex Ground drivers work for a contractor, not for Fed Ex. Look for the printing that is on the vehicle next to where the doors at the front of the vehicle slide open. The company name there is the actual employer of the driver.
Im a server/ bartender making roughly 60k with 50hr weeks.
Yeah it’s fun for a while, but maintaining good quality of life can be very tough. Long hours, hard on your body, rude people, big victim culture and incredibly enabling. The number of people I personally knew that died young doubled when I was in the industry. Great for some, but really bad for many. Trust me.
I work in Parks and Rec. Run ice rinks for a living
Hard WET is fine, as long as it doesn't melt into wet WET.
It’s hard to give you advice without looking at your employment background.
TBH, a lot of solid income comes from changing your resume for a specific job. I have a military resume, culinary resume, sales resume, HR resume, and a general resume. When I change jobs I pick the one most applicable to the field as a rough draft, then change it completely specifically for the job/jobs i’m going for.
I have a culinary degree and some AS business school, but that’s it.
A LOT of my previous jobs were management positions that I i just grew into. As soon as I was training someone, even as a entry line cook, that’s managing and training experience.
What have you been doing for work?
Makes sense! I wouldn’t submit the same resume for marketing/social media jobs (my education) as I would for server jobs (my experience)
Loss Prevention for a fortune 10 company. With bonuses and stock grants, even entry level brings in $50k+ a year.
Work 6 days/wk (48+hrs) week, 3rd shift, at a company building printed circuit boards in house. It's about 61k.
Most of the parts Sanmina makes goes into military equipment.
I got the job by heavily embellishing my resume.
Note: this post originally had 42 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
No mention of air traffic controllers? I've been a controller for 30 years, and I work at a Level 12 (the highest) facility. Without any premiums like working after 6pm, holidays, or working on Sundays, my salary is just over $210K. I've never set foot on a college campus.
I sold industrial maintenance supplies for 9 years. First two were rough. Long hours and a lot of travel building up my sales. Started to get easier. By year 4 I was doing twice the sales in half the time. Year 6 I was the number one sales rep out of 20. and was making 150K. Most days I left the house around 9 or 10 and got back at 1 or 2. Some days I didn't even have to leave the house. Just made some phone calls. Then the internet started eating into my business and then after 9/11 I decided to get out. Went to work for one of my customers and went back to school to finish my degree. I don't make anywhere close to what I used to but I'm happy just the same.
I'm a Custodian for a public school. We're union, have some of the best health insurance in the state, plus dental, 401k and pension. I actually work maybe four hours out of my eight hour shift. I've had the opportunity to learn Spanish, take online classes (EdX and Coursera have free college classes), and been able to tackle my overgrown reading list.
My 24 year old son dropped out of college two years ago. He’s a commercial pilot now. 😀
I have a university degree, bit has nothing to do with my job. I earn more than my Engineering partner who studied in his field. Best thing is that my income allows us to enjoy the things we want, while being able to give back. A portion of our income goes towards projects we are actively involved in, providing hardware and I our own time.
9-1-1 Dispatcher (emergency services). Make over $1k per week in the US Southeast (pays more in areas with higher cost of living). I work 4 hrs OT every week or two, but am constantly pressured to work more, so that salary could easily be much higher. Bonus - it is a government job, with consummate benefits (low-cost medical, retirement, etc)
Despatch riders in London can clear over a grand a week if the work is around. Unfortunately the a**e fell out of the industry after COVID and it's only just recovering now. I do actually have a degree but I've never mentioned that to the people I work with.
$55K yearly. I basically electronically trail around after the rest of the sales team & catch/fix all their mistakes from overnight, proof during the day, and run our EDI generated ordering system. I wear an earbud all day for music/creepypastas, can get up & walk around as I please, hour for lunch. Best & last job I'll ever have!
Meter Reader: $50,000 per annum. 3 years in the job. Worked my way up from foot to car. A lot of it is danger money. Constantly fighting your way out onto the road between 18 wheelers. Some meters you'd think you need abseiling gear. Down side they prefer people 30+ with exemplary driving records. The kicker, I work a 25 hour week.
A friend's granddaughter graduated from a state univ. with a business degree, but decided to go back to community college to study to be a radiology tech. She loves it, great job, great benefits and OT if she wants it. She worked weekends at Lowe's while in state univ. and lived at home, so no student loan debt.
Especially now that the car manufacturers have settled their Strikes, get a job in the Skilled Trades. I retired 2 years ago from GM, but was making well over $100,000 per year with the overtime. The new Contracts have boosted the wages 25% OR MORE, so think about becoming an Electrician, a Plumber, or some other trade that people HAVE to hire, because they can't do it themselves.
It has more to do with what you will do with your job than what your job is. If you enjoy working, you will eventually earn a fair salary.
No mention of air traffic controllers? I've been a controller for 30 years, and I work at a Level 12 (the highest) facility. Without any premiums like working after 6pm, holidays, or working on Sundays, my salary is just over $210K. I've never set foot on a college campus.
I sold industrial maintenance supplies for 9 years. First two were rough. Long hours and a lot of travel building up my sales. Started to get easier. By year 4 I was doing twice the sales in half the time. Year 6 I was the number one sales rep out of 20. and was making 150K. Most days I left the house around 9 or 10 and got back at 1 or 2. Some days I didn't even have to leave the house. Just made some phone calls. Then the internet started eating into my business and then after 9/11 I decided to get out. Went to work for one of my customers and went back to school to finish my degree. I don't make anywhere close to what I used to but I'm happy just the same.
I'm a Custodian for a public school. We're union, have some of the best health insurance in the state, plus dental, 401k and pension. I actually work maybe four hours out of my eight hour shift. I've had the opportunity to learn Spanish, take online classes (EdX and Coursera have free college classes), and been able to tackle my overgrown reading list.
My 24 year old son dropped out of college two years ago. He’s a commercial pilot now. 😀
I have a university degree, bit has nothing to do with my job. I earn more than my Engineering partner who studied in his field. Best thing is that my income allows us to enjoy the things we want, while being able to give back. A portion of our income goes towards projects we are actively involved in, providing hardware and I our own time.
9-1-1 Dispatcher (emergency services). Make over $1k per week in the US Southeast (pays more in areas with higher cost of living). I work 4 hrs OT every week or two, but am constantly pressured to work more, so that salary could easily be much higher. Bonus - it is a government job, with consummate benefits (low-cost medical, retirement, etc)
Despatch riders in London can clear over a grand a week if the work is around. Unfortunately the a**e fell out of the industry after COVID and it's only just recovering now. I do actually have a degree but I've never mentioned that to the people I work with.
$55K yearly. I basically electronically trail around after the rest of the sales team & catch/fix all their mistakes from overnight, proof during the day, and run our EDI generated ordering system. I wear an earbud all day for music/creepypastas, can get up & walk around as I please, hour for lunch. Best & last job I'll ever have!
Meter Reader: $50,000 per annum. 3 years in the job. Worked my way up from foot to car. A lot of it is danger money. Constantly fighting your way out onto the road between 18 wheelers. Some meters you'd think you need abseiling gear. Down side they prefer people 30+ with exemplary driving records. The kicker, I work a 25 hour week.
A friend's granddaughter graduated from a state univ. with a business degree, but decided to go back to community college to study to be a radiology tech. She loves it, great job, great benefits and OT if she wants it. She worked weekends at Lowe's while in state univ. and lived at home, so no student loan debt.
Especially now that the car manufacturers have settled their Strikes, get a job in the Skilled Trades. I retired 2 years ago from GM, but was making well over $100,000 per year with the overtime. The new Contracts have boosted the wages 25% OR MORE, so think about becoming an Electrician, a Plumber, or some other trade that people HAVE to hire, because they can't do it themselves.
It has more to do with what you will do with your job than what your job is. If you enjoy working, you will eventually earn a fair salary.
