With the huge costs involved, it’s hardly surprising that more and more people are choosing not to do their Bachelor’s Degree. Instead they opt to get out into the world of work and carve a place for themselves. Depending on your chosen career path, this approach can be fraught with hazards. No one wants to invest years in a job only to have graduates employed above them. Here we take a look at three careers in which you could bring home earnings above the national average wage without a degree.
Image Source: Dennis Jarvis
- Real Estate Agent
Don’t assume that just because you don’t need a degree for this one you can breeze in without any training. In many states, real estate agents have to invest a set number of hours at least in a PA real estate course before they can become licensed. But with an average salary of nearly $40,000, plus the ability to increase your earnings with commission on sales, the initial time investment is well worth making. Of course, you have to have a certain personality type to succeed in this career. Real estate agents often work long hours and spend a good portion of their day in the car driving to viewings. They have to be enthusiastic with every potential buyer they meet, and they need to be able to see the potential in a run down home, and help buyers see it too. This is a fantastic role for you if your thrive on a challenge, enjoy sales and are target driven. If you buckle under pressure or struggle to sell, then this isn’t likely to be a niche for you.
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- Nanny
To many, spending the whole day looking after someone else’s children and home can look like a cushy job. But having responsibility for other people’s children can be daunting and isn’t for the faint-hearted. With earnings in some of the more expensive suburbs topping $180,000 a year, this is a potentially lucrative career for the right person. However, the job does take a phenomenal amount of endurance and often requires that you work long, unsociable hours. If you are patient, tolerant, flexible and great with kids, this could be just the role for you.
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- Web Developer
The internet has opened up a multitude of opportunities; the key is knowing how to capitalize on them. There are a variety of web developer courses available, both online and from institutes. You can complete an online course in your own time, how long it will take you will be entirely dependent on how much free time you have to invest in it. Intensive courses at institutes can be as short as fifteen days and range right up to six weeks. Either way, the investment in time needed to embark on this career path is relatively short and very worth it. With an average salary of $60,000 for freelancers, this could be just the career you are looking for to break free from low salaried positions and graduate bosses.
