Political Calculations has previously looked at the impact that having a bachelors or higher degree has upon one's lifelong earnings, but did you ever wonder what the best jobs available are for people who don’t have bachelor degrees?
Not long ago, Jobs for the Future, a non-profit "research, consulting and advocacy organization," published its view of "The Right Jobs" (free, e-mail address registration required), its study of U.S. labor statistics (published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics), in which it found the highest paying, highest demand occupations that did not require a college degree. Each of the professions listed qualified for the list by having an annual income of $25,000 or more, having a demand of at least 20,000 openings per year, and offering at least some chance of career advancement.
The list below is excerpted from a Knight-Ridder article by Banks Albach, and is presented using a dynamic table. You may click on any of the column headings to sort the table's data from lowest to highest or vice-versa according the heading selected:
| Best Jobs without Bachelor Degrees in 2005 |
|---|
| Profession | Income: Low End | Income: High End | Annual Job Openings | Minimum Education Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | 40000 | 57500 | 110119 | Associate degree in nursing. |
| Licensed practical nurse | 26400 | 37000 | 29480 | 11th grade math and reading. 12 month academic training program. |
| Customer Service Representative | 20960 | 33540 | 74137 | High school or college plus employer training. |
| Automotive Mechanic | 22080 | 41270 | 42542 | High school. 6 months to 2 years training, costing $3,000 to $24,000 USD. |
| Computer Support Specialist | 29760 | 51680 | 21579 | Entry level skills. Vocational school certifications and degrees. |
| Carpenter | 26180 | 45560 | 31917 | High school. 12 week pre-apprentice training and 3 to 4 year apprenticeship. |
| Electrician | 31100 | 55120 | 28485 | High school. 12 week pre-apprentice training and 3 to 4 year apprenticeship. |
| Plumber | 30540 | 53820 | 20511 | High school. 12 week pre-apprentice training and 3 to 4 year apprenticeship. |
| Commercial Truck Driver | 26020 | 41610 | 62517 | High school. 6 to 12 month training program. |
| Commercial Bus Driver | 21870 | 39510 | 25000 | High school. 6 to 12 month training program. |
Previously on Political Calculations
- Jobs and the Minimum Wage
- Your Education and Your Earnings
- Graduating to a Paycheck
- Free Economy, More Education, More Earnings
- Your Earnings: Education vs. Experience
- Education and Unemployment
- Growing Good Jobs
- Do You Have a Bad Job?
- The Highest Ranked "Good" Jobs
- The Young and Unemployed
- High Investment, Low Payoff Careers
- Do Government Programs Help Dislocated Workers?
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