There are good paying jobs without going to College

High School Grad Jobs – There is a great life with great earnings to be had…without going to College!

So what do high school grads have to look forward to after graduating high school when they look for a job? Where should they look for good paying jobs that they may enjoy? We did a bit of digging and found a number of jobs that may be worth considering. Each of these job areas pays $20/hr or more:

Jobs with a High School Diploma

Transportation: Over-the-Road (OTR) trucker, parcel service drivers and rental company drivers. In 2014 more than 100,000 Americans worked in transportation, with an average wage of just under $40 an hour.)

Supervisor of non-retail sales reps: (The average wage is just under $35 an hour. There are more opportunities in this career with more than 250,000 jobs in 2014.)

Real estate sales/broker: The median annual wage for real estate sales agents was $40,990 in May 2014. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,540, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $105,270. Brokers and sales agents earn most of their income from commissions on sales.

Supervisor construction trade: On average, a construction supervisor in the United States makes approximately $99,984 per year in salary. Depending on the company, there may be bonuses added to that salary that would put it over $100,000 for the year.

Supervisor of mechanics: The median annual Automotive Mechanic I salary is $36,274 with a range usually between $31,853 – $41,821. Total pay (salary and bonuses) range from $32,705 to $96,398 per year.

Legal support workers: The average salary of the entire group is approximately $41K per year. Final cash compensation to Legal Assistants varies from around $25K to approximately $58K; choice pay grades include potential for bonuses and profit-sharing as high as $3K and $6K, respectively.

Transit and railroad police: The top 10% of transit officers in the US earn ~$37/hr or $78,000/year. The top 50% earn ~$25/hr or about $52,000 per year.

Property manager: The median annual Property Manager salary is $90,033 with a range usually between $78,173-$103,586. However, the salary for someone with the title Property Manager may vary depending on a number of factors including industry, company size, location, years of experience and level of education.

Healthcare: Teens can prepare to become dental assistants, pharmacy technicians, nursing assistants and other health care support workers in career and technical programs in high school.

Students can earn health care industry credentials, such as a Certified Nursing Assistant certification. They can also gain experience through clinics at hospitals and work-based experiences at pharmacies.

Dental assistants earn a median salary of about $35,000, according to 2013 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They are also in demand – employment in the field is expected to grow 25 percent through 2022, much faster than the average of 11 percent for all occupations.

Pharmacy technicians earn a median salary of about $30,000 and nursing assistants earn about $25,000 according to the BLS.

Those who obtain additional education could become registered nurses, for example, and make a median salary of about $66,000 yearly, according to the BLS

Cosmetology: Teens with a flair for creativity could leave high school as licensed cosmetology professionals, such as estheticians, nail technicians and hair dressers. Hair stylists earn a median salary of about $23,000, and manicurists and pedicurists earn about $19,000, according to the BLS. Skin care specialists, also known as estheticians, earn about $29,000 annually and employment is expected to increase 40 percent through 2022, much faster than the national average. Experience and more specialized training can lead to greater earnings.

Postal Carrier: On average, postal carriers for the United States Postal Service earn an impressive yearly salary of $52,000 a year.

UPS/FedX Delivery Drivers: It appears that the bottom end is ~$38,000/yr and the top end is somewhere between $80-$100,000/yr (may take 25 years to get to the upper end)

Boilermaker: Besides being the mascot of Purdue University, a boilermaker is also a well-paying job that a high school graduate qualifies to apply for. As a boilermaker, you can expect to receive an average salary of $55,800 a year.

Underwater Welder: Those who are cut out for this get to cash in on a median annual salary of $54,750 a year, with the top percentile making $93,000 a year or more.

License Inspector: Your job will be to evaluate the licenses and permits of everyone from individual contractors, to small businesses, to larger companies and everything between and make sure that they are properly sticking to the rules and regulations that their particular permits and license bind them to. As compensation for performing these tasks, you can look forward to an average annual salary of $64,960 a year.

Locomotive Engineer: On average, locomotive engineers bring in an average of $55,000 a year. As a locomotive engineer, your job description will be to operate electric, diesel, or gas-turbine trains, transporting either passengers or freight (or both) to various destinations via one of the oldest forms of transportation still around.

Railroad Conductor: You can expect to receive an average annual salary of $56,770 a year. Railroad conductors are stationed at various points along the train’s path and are responsible for coordinating various activities and operations such as switch-engines that are necessary for getting a train’s cargo from point A to point B. Also, they are in charge of managing and coordinating the crew aboard the train.

Petroleum Pump System Operator: You can expect to receive an average annual salary of $60,730 a year. As a petroleum pump system operator, your job will be to control the manifold and pumping systems that are used to extract oil and natural gas from the ground, as well as potentially taking on responsibilities such as regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.

Professional Sports Referee: NBA referees make between $150,000 and $550,000 a year. NHL referees start at roughly $120,000 per year while linesmen start at roughly $75,000 per year. College basketball referees (D-1 men’s NCAA games) make over $2,000 per game and work about 70 games per season. MLS soccer referees make only $500 to $800 per game, for maybe 24 games per year. The numbers are few but if this is your passion you can make a good living (and travel a lot).

Elevator installers and repairers: Description: These workers install, repair, or fix elevators, escalators, or other lifts. Average annual pay: $76,220; 2012 to 2022 growth: 25% (above average); Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; Training: Workers generally learn this trade through a five-year apprenticeship program. Each year, the apprentice has at least 144 hours of technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training.

Executive secretaries and administrative assistants: Description: These workers perform clerical and administrative duties. They schedule appointments, draft emails and documents, and organize paperwork. Average annual pay: $51,870; 2012 to 2022 growth: 12% (about average); Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; Training: Some secretaries and administrative assistants learn their skills through short-term on-the-job training. Others receive career training from an offsite location, like a temporary placement agency. Although some secretary positions are entry-level, executive secretaries are usually required to have years of work-related experience. Executive secretaries and assistants may start off working in lower-level positions, which pay around $30,000 to $35,000, and then move up to a higher-paying, executive-level assistant position.

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons: Description: These workers use bricks, blocks, or other natural and manmade materials to build fences, walkways, and other structures. Average annual pay: $50,700; 2012 to 2022 growth: 34% (above average); Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; Training: Generally, brickmasons learn their trade through a three-four-year apprenticeship. According to the BLS: “For each year of the program, apprentices must complete at least 144 hours of related technical instruction and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. Apprentices learn construction basics such as blueprint reading; mathematics, including measurement, volume, and mixing proportions; building code requirements; and safety and first-aid practices.”

Occupational health and safety technicians: Description: These technicians collect data on health and safety conditions in the workplace. The data are generally handed over to safety specialists for analysis. The technician may work alongside the safety specialist to conduct various safety tests, measure hazards, etc. Average annual pay: $50,390; 2012 to 2022 growth: 11% (about average); Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; Training: Most technicians receive on-the-job training. Some technicians gain experience by taking on tasks related to this occupation, like volunteering to assist with annual inspections.

Gaming supervisors: Description: Gaming supervisors ensure the casino runs smoothly. They make rounds around the casino floor to make sure each area is properly staffed and everyone is acting in accordance with casino policies and practices. Average annual pay: $48,940; 2012 to 2022 growth: 8% (below average); Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; Training: States and casinos have varying requirements. Gaming supervisors generally must be licensed.
Those are just a few of the jobs that are available for those with a high school diploma. If you don’t want to go on to college don’t feel like a failure or inadequate. Find something that you enjoy and then play a career. Not everyone is cut out for college.

Push for more vocational programs in middle school and high school. Not everyone needs to be on a “college bound” path. Maybe you want to go later. Take the time to ask your school district to help you plan for success. The point being: Define what you are good at and like to do and then look for jobs that fit.

Now…we have a challenge…go out and find good paying jobs that only require a High School diploma and share the information here. We’ll even give you the credit!