﻿In today’s video we are going to talk about the 9 best and highest paying jobs that don't require a
college degree. Hi, if you are new to the channel, my name is Tae from Financial Tortoise. Where we
learn to grow our wealth, slow and steady. In order to come up with the following list,
I looked at 4 primary criteria. The first criteria is wage. Given that the median
income in the US is around $44,225, I wanted a job that had at least a median salary greater
than or close to that number. Second criteria is the educational requirement. For this video
I focused on jobs that required a high school equivalent degree plus some additional training.
But no bachelors or masters degree required. Third criteria is job growth. The world is changing
faster than many can adapt to and job growth rate is a great reflection of that. Jobs that were
considered great jobs in the past no longer exist. It’s important to select a career field with high
job growth potential. So all the jobs listed here have job growth that are at least at average or
greater than average growth rate. And the fourth criteria is the actual number of jobs projected.
A job might have fast growth potential, but if the pool is too small to start out with,
the total number of new jobs might not make the pursuit worthwhile. So all the jobs listed here
have an actual number of jobs at least in 10s of thousands. Alright, with that said, let’s
get into the 9 highest paying and best jobs that don't require a college degree. Number one best
job without a college degree is Fitness Trainers and Instructors. The 2021 Median Pay is around
$40,700 a year. Yes, I know, it does fall under the $44,000 dollar threshold we discussed earlier,
but hear me out on why I included it on our list here. Of all the jobs we will review here,
it actually has the highest prospects for job growth with a projected growth rate of 39%
for the next 10 years. And that is not all, with the current total number of jobs around 309,800,
it is expected to have close to 121,700 new openings in the next decade. A very strong
number of new openings. Healthcare is a top issue in our country. People are living longer and want
to maintain an active lifestyle as they age. As a result, we have seen the rise of gyms and workout
facilities over the past decade with no sign of stopping anytime soon. If you are willing to
hustle, there are great opportunities for growth in this field. In order to work in this field,
you will need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Most fitness trainers or instructors
have certification related to the area of fitness in which they specialize. Personal trainers also
usually must be certified before they begin working with clients or with members of a gym
or health club. A nice aspect of being a fitness trainer or an instructor is the flexibility to
ramp up your income if you choose to do so. Most often, you are paid based on the number of clients
you see. So if you are willing to hustle, you can quickly increase the amount of money you bring in.
If you are a health enthusiast and like the idea of helping people to become the best physical
version of themselves, this job is definitely worth considering. Number two best job without a
college degree is a Licensed Practical Nurse, LPN or Licensed Vocational Nurse, LVN. 2021 Median Pay
is around $48,070 a year. It is expected to have a projected job growth of 9% for the next 10 years.
With close to 688,100 LPN & LVNs in the United States, we can expect about 63,800 new positions
to open up in the next decade. The median pay is only slightly higher than the national average,
but the reason I wanted to add to the list here was due to the fact that being an LPN or an LVN
is a great entry point job into many other great healthcare positions. Healthcare as a whole is one
of the fastest growing and biggest industries in the United States. Thus making it ripe for many
great opportunities. In order to become an LPN or an LVN, one must complete an approved educational
program. These programs award a certificate or diploma and typically take about 1 year to
complete, but may take longer. They are commonly found in technical schools and community colleges,
although some programs may be available in high schools or hospitals. If you like the idea of
helping people at their most vulnerable physical state, this could be a great career to look into.
Number three best job without a college degree is one that many kids dream of becoming when
they grow up. And that is a Firefighter. I mean who wouldn’t want to be considered a hero right?
They not only rescue people and animals but buildings and the environment by extinguishing
dangerous fires. The 2021 Median Pay is around $50,700 a year. It is expected to have a projected
job growth of 8% for the next 10 years. With close to 317,200 Firefighters in the United States,
we can expect about 26,900 new positions to open up in the next decade. Firefighters typically need
a high school diploma and training in emergency medical services. Prospective firefighters must
pass written and physical tests, complete interviews, and train at a fire academy.
Additionally, fire departments may require firefighters to have other credentials, such as
emergency medical technician (EMT) certification. It is an awesome career, but you should also know
that Firefighters have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They
often encounter dangerous situations, including collapsing floors and walls and overexposure to
flames and smoke. But despite the danger, if you like the idea of helping people at the time of
their highest need, being a firefighter is a great career to consider. Number four best job
without a college degree is Industrial Machinery Mechanics. These mechanics play a crucial role in
helping thousands of manufacturing companies to run effectively. They maintain and repair
factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery,
and packaging equipment. 2021 Median Pay is around $59,380 a year. It is expected to have a projected
job growth of 19% for the next 10 years. With close to 501,500 Industrial Machinery Mechanics
in the United States, we can expect about 95,200 new positions to open up in the next decade.
Industrial machinery mechanics generally need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some
mechanics complete a 2-year associate’s degree program in industrial maintenance. In addition,
these mechanics typically receive more than a year of on-the-job training. Despite how much of our
world is going digital, we still need physical things to live. And machines make these things
and well trained mechanics ensure that these machines function as they are supposed to.
If you like the idea of working with your hands and with heavy machinery, becoming an industrial
machinery mechanic might be a career for you. Number five best job without a college degree
is a Plumber. Plumbers play a crucial role in installing and repairing fixtures and systems.
For all ranges of environment: homes, businesses and factories. And if you are a functioning human
being, you will likely have needed one or will need one sometime in your life. 2021 Median Pay
is around $59,880 a year. It is expected to have a projected job growth of 5% for the next 10 years.
With close to 469,900 Plumbers in the United States, we can expect about 23,400 new positions
to open up in the next decade. At minimum, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required
to become a plumber. And most plumbers learn their trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship.
Apprentices typically receive 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training, as well as some
technical instruction, each year. In a world where we worship technology and knowledge work,
it is easy to dismiss trade occupations like being a plumber. However, it is exactly because of this
mindset that there could be opportunities to thrive as a plumber. Not everyone might need
a wanna be content creator, however we all need a good plumber in our lives. Number six
best job without a college degree follows the similar trade occupation theme. And that is an
Electrician. Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications,
lighting, and control systems in homes, businesses, and factories. And pretty
much every building has an electrical power, communications, lighting, and control system that
is installed during construction and maintained after that. 2021 Median Pay is around $60,040
a year. It is expected to have a projected job growth of 9% for the next 10 years.
With close to 729,600 Electricians in the United States, we can expect about 66,100 new
positions to open up in the next decade. Most electricians learn through an apprenticeship,
but some start out by attending a technical school. And most states require electricians
to be licensed. Again, if you grew up in a world of technology and knowledge work, it's easy to
dismiss trade careers. However, we need to realize that if we didn’t have hard working electricians,
we wouldn’t have the power to use our technology. Number seven best job without a college degree
is a Flight Attendant. If you like traveling, this could be the perfect occupation for you.
2021 Median Pay is around $61,040 a year. It is expected to have a projected job growth of 30%
for the next 10 years. With close to 102,500 Flight Attendants in the United States,
we can expect about 31,100 new positions to open up in the next decade. If you’ve ever been on a
plane recently, you most likely encountered one. And many of us might not know it, but Airlines
are required by law to provide flight attendants for the safety and security of passengers. We may
mistakenly think they just provide us drinks and food, but the primary job of flight attendants is
to keep passengers safe, ensuring that everyone follows security regulations and that the flight
deck is secure. And the flight attendant’s most important responsibility is to help passengers in
the event of an emergency. In order to become a flight attendant, a high school diploma is
typically required. And once a flight attendant is hired, airlines provide their initial training,
ranging from 3 to 6 weeks. The training usually takes place at the airline’s flight training
center and is required for FAA certification. So if you like traveling and like the idea
of helping people 30,000 above the skies, this might be a great career to consider.
Number eight best job without a college degree is Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics.
If you love planes and working with your hands, this might be a great career to consider.
2021 Median Pay is around $65,550 a year. It is expected to have a projected job growth of 11%
for the next 10 years. With close to 151,300 Aircraft and Avionics Equipment Mechanics in
the United States, we can expect about 17,400 new positions to open up in the next decade.
Aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians are ultimately responsible for
repairing and performing scheduled maintenance on aircrafts. Airplanes require reliable parts
and maintenance in order to fly safely. To keep an airplane in operating condition,
aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics perform scheduled maintenance, make repairs, and complete
inspections. They must follow detailed regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA
that dictate maintenance schedules for different operations. Aircraft mechanics and service
technicians typically enter the occupation after attending a FAA-approved aviation maintenance
technician school. So if you love planes and like the idea of ensuring that they function
well for the millions of people who fly on a daily basis, this could be a great career to consider.
Number nine best job without a college degree is Police Officers and Detectives.
This definitely isn’t an easy career, but if you like the idea of protecting people, this
could be a very rewarding pathway. 2021 Median Pay is around $66,020 a year. It is expected to
have a projected job growth of 7% for the next 10 years. With close to 795,000 Police Officers and
Detectives in the United States, we can expect about 51,700 new positions to open up in the
next decade. The education typically required to enter the occupation ranges from a high school
diploma to a college degree. Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency’s
training academy before completing on-the-job training. Candidates must be U.S. citizens,
usually at least 21 years old, and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.
A nice part of being a police officer is that it is one of the few career fields that
have a pension. However, Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful,
and dangerous. Police and sheriff's patrol officers and transit and railroad police have some
of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Working around the clock
in shifts is common. But, this is also a very rewarding career. So if you could see yourself
in a uniform and working to protect citizens on a daily basis, this could be the ideal career
for you. That is it guys. Thank you for watching and if you like to learn more about 9 Best Jobs
For The Future check out my video here. Thank you again and until next time, all the best.