10 Jobs That Will Make You Rich Quickly: In modern America, there is a direct relationship between education and salary. On average, the more degrees you have, the more money you’ll make. Although most six-figure positions are reserved for college graduates, there are several occupations that can get you into the upper-middle class with only a high school graduation.
Careerswave discovered 10 careers that don’t require a college degree but pay six figures or close to it using a range of sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and top wage sites like Payscale and Indeed.
Are you a non-college graduate looking for a better-than-average way to make a living? Consider the following choices.
10 Jobs That Will Make You Rich Quickly Without a Degree
Air Traffic Controller
- $129,750 is the average annual pay.
Many air traffic controllers have associate’s or bachelor’s degrees, but the BLS says there are numerous paths to this lucrative job, including “three years of progressively responsibility work experience.” Coordinating the movements of airplanes is difficult work that not everyone can accomplish, but those who are up to the task can earn more than $185,000 per year if they climb to the field’s top 10% of earnings.
Commercial Pilot
- $84,000 is the average annual pay.
According to Payscale, the average commercial pilot earns $84,000 per year, while those in the top 10% earn $165,000 per year. According to AeroGuard Flight Training Center, while a college education may help you develop in your career, it is not required to land the position. You must, however, complete the required amount of training hours and obtain the applicable certifications and licenses.
Truck Driver
- Average annual salary: $80,837
Before the epidemic, the trucking industry had been plagued by a long-standing driver shortage. In January, Fox Business reported that people were abandoning their jobs to become truck drivers in order to earn the $100,000-plus wages that were becoming popular in a sector that required 80,000 drivers to meet demand. According to Newsweek, Walmart is offering new truck drivers a starting salary of $90,000-$110,000 for their first year. Indeed.com still ranks the sector average as little more than $80,000, although six figures are certainly within reach.
Transport, Storage, and Distribution Manager
- The median annual wage is $98,230.
According to the BLS, the median average income for transportation, storage, and distribution managers is just under six figures. The average is close to $106,000, whereas individuals in the 90th percentile earn close to $160,000. Demand for these specialists, like commercial pilots and truck drivers, increased during the epidemic as e-commerce and home delivery became the norm.
Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers
- The median annual wage is $94,790.
According to the BLS, you can get a job overseeing the systems and facilities that generate power with just a high school diploma – and a lot of on-the-job training. Those in the top 10% of the field earn more than $125,000, and the position pays the most — more than $104,000 for the average worker — in the nuclear business.
Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
- Average annual salary: $97,860
Elevator and escalator techs are like field goal kickers in that most people don’t know how complex and crucial their professions are until they make a mistake. Because those errors could have serious implications, they’re paid well not to make them – close to six figures for the median worker and more than $130,000 for the top 90%, according to the BLS. Despite the fact that you don’t need a degree to become one, they make the greatest money when they work for colleges and universities.
First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention personnel
- Average annual salary: $78,230
Although you can get the job without a degree and earn six figures, directing and coordinating the operations of firefighters is not entry-level labor. However, for the firefighters who work their way up to the position, it may be a financially profitable as well as personally satisfying vocation. While the average first-line supervisor earns less than $80,000, you only need to be in the top 75% to make six figures. According to the BLS, the 90th percentile earns roughly $128,000.
Inspectors of Public Transportation
- Annual median salary: $79,770
The workers who keep cargo and people safe on trucks, ships, and railroads earn just under $80,000 a year – and that’s only for the inspector in the middle. According to the BLS, if you rise to the top 75% of the field’s earners, you may anticipate to add $20,000 to your salary for a little less than six figures. The top 90% of earners earn more than $124,000 each year. They typically earn the most money when working for the federal government or the airline business.
Theatrical Makeup Artists
- $75,730 is the average annual pay.
Skilled cosmetologists who break into the entertainment business can earn significantly more than their salon and spa counterparts. Makeup artists who work with performers can earn more than $75,000 a year — but that is only the median. According to the BLS, the average income is $81,600, and the reason for the disparity is that those at the top earn so much that they pull up the average for the entire business. The top 75%, for example, earn $118,560 a year. With an average salary of $145,420, those in the top 90% earn nearly double the median.
Pile Drivers
- $76,260 is the average annual pay.
Pile driver operators work with heavy machinery and large building projects, and they are compensated well for their efforts. Driving the pilings that secure structures like bridges and piers is tough for everyone, but those who can manage the rigors of the job can earn far more than the median wage if they advance in the industry. According to the BLS, the top 75% earn more than $96,000 per year, while the top 10% earn more than $113,000 per year.