Do I Need to Go to College to Get a Good Job?

No, college is just one of many paths you can choose to be successful. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT (information technology) support specialists, paralegals, graphic designers, and EKG technicians all make on average over $50,000 a year without needing a four-year degree.

 

Did you know that companies, including Apple, Tesla, IBM, Delta Airlines, and Hilton – huge employers in the U.S. and worldwide – no longer require a college degree to land an interview? Skills, mindset, abilities, and passion are what employers are looking for.

 

If you’re worried that not having a college is holding you back, it’s good to remember that a degree isn’t your only path to getting a good-paying job. In fact, the number of job listings needing a four-year degree has dropped, meaning that more employers are hiring based on skills and experience over a degree in many industries. So, how can you get a good-paying job without a college degree?

 

What is upskilling? Upskilling means learning new things to stay on top of your industry and add new skills to your resume. It can lead to more money, job security, and even promotions.

 

Here are two examples of upskilling to earn a bigger paycheck:

• Accounting Essentials Certificate: Are you in the finance industry? This course focuses on financial management and learning industry-standard accounting programs. Get ready to learn something you’ll actually use at your job!
• Business Management Essentials Certificate: Do you want to go for that promotion but are worried you aren’t ‘management material?’ This certificate course teaches you how to build strong decision-making, leadership, and organization skills, prepare various business reports, and be a responsible, ethical manager.

 

Read more: How To Find A Job After Being Laid Off

 

For some people, not finishing high school can be a real setback. But luckily, getting your high school diploma can open up a lot of doors to job opportunities and career advancement. It's also a fundamental step for those who want to pursue vocational training or other specialized courses. Most higher-paying jobs require a minimum of a high school diploma to apply. Learn more about online high school and if it’s right for you.

 

Read more: Going Back to School as an Adult (FAQs)

 

If you’re looking for a job where you can work with your hands and use your brain to solve problems, then you may enjoy learning a trade! Trades are skills that don’t need a degree. However, they do require training and licensing in many cases.

 

Some popular trades alternatives to four year degrees that pay well are:

• HVAC and HVACR technician certification: This career diploma can help you prepare for a job as a technician, installer, mechanic, and transporter of HVAC and refrigeration systems. This job can pay well ($51,390) and offers stability since our air conditioners don’t fix themselves! Learn more about what an HVAC tech does every day.
• Carpenter and Construction Trades Career Diploma: Are you curious about how to learn carpentry online? This course will explain building and zoning codes, how to install drywall, frame flooring and stairs, and install insulation. You’ll also learn what materials and tools are right for the job. Construction and carpentry jobs have an average salary of $51,390 a year.
• Home Remodeling and Repair Career Diploma: Learn basic blueprint layouts and framework to advanced techniques such as tiling and cabinetry. This program is designed to help prepare graduates for entry-level remodeling jobs at home remodeling companies, home manufacturers, and more. In the U.S., a drywall installer’s average salary is $51,160, flooring installers bring in an average of $47,890, and painters make around $46,090 a year.
• Plumber Career Diploma: This nine-course career diploma program is designed to help you prepare for an entry-level job as a plumber. You’ll learn what tools to use on common plumbing systems, how to repair fixtures, remove and replace fixtures, and how to do it to code. The course will teach you how to read and use pipe drawings in your work. Licensed plumbers are making an average of $60,090 per year.

 

Read more: 10 Skilled Trades Jobs In Demand for 2024

 

Earning a career diploma can lead to specialized jobs in fields like healthcare, technology, or the arts. These programs teach you the practical knowledge required for a specific job. Some career diploma programs that can lead to higher-paying jobs include:

• Bookkeeping Career Diploma: Like thinking critically to solve problems and enjoy spreadsheets? Add bookkeeping to your resume with a 6-month bookkeeping career diploma program. You’ll learn all about receiving money and maintaining compliance. According to accountant and Penn Foster grad Ronelle Duncan, “I gained an edge at my workplace,” she said. “My job was no longer just a job but a skill because of the knowledge gained. I was able to apply, expand, and eventually manage that particular field. It enabled my seniors to have confidence in me, too.” Bookkeepers and financial clerks make around $45,860 a year.
• Computer Graphic Artist Career Diploma: Are you creative and tech-savvy? This career diploma will guide you through how to use Adobe Creative products to create graphics for the web and print. This career diploma can prepare you for an entry-level graphic designer job or start your own freelance graphic design business. New graphic designers have an average salary of $51,150.
• Drafting with AutoCAD® Career Diploma: This robust program teaches the skills to prepare students for jobs in architectural, mechanical, and civil engineering fields. You’ll learn digital 3D drawing and how to create and prepare drawings for architects and engineers. AutoCAD drafters earn an average salary of $59,820.
• Medical Billing and Coding Career Diploma: A medical industry job you can do from home? Medical billing and coding professionals earn more the more certifications they have. Use your computer skills to input patient records and be the invisible go-between for billing and doctors. The average medical billing or coding professional earns $47,200, but this varies greatly by location.

 

Read more: What’s the Difference Between a Career Diploma, Certificate, and an Undergraduate Certificate?

 

An undergraduate certificate can be a good way to take your current job to the next level or start on a new path. While you may not need a degree in some positions, having some formal education under your belt can show employers how dedicated you are. Some undergrad certifications that can help you get a jumpstart on an undergraduate degree or a job starting at $50,000 or higher are:

• Veterinary Practice Manager Undergraduate Certificate: Are you currently working in a veterinary office as a receptionist or tech and are ready to go for a promotion to veterinary practice manager? This undergraduate certificate program will break down making a budget and managing a business, decision making and organizing your team, understanding and implementing laws and ethics required for veterinary offices, and how to provide excellent customer service and help the business grow. Veterinary practice managers are making, on average, $60,000 per year.
• Accounting Undergraduate Certificate: This course gives you a jumpstart on earning an accounting degree or can help you get started as an associate accountant or bookkeeper. You’ll learn how to complete the accounting cycle and analyze statements to make sure they are accurate and create, organize, and maintain financial records. The average starting salary is $45,860 and increases the more education and experience you have.
• Business Management Undergraduate Certificate: Earn college credits in economics, HR management, and business law, and work towards advancing your career with skills you could use every day. Lessons in this professional program include analyzing transactions, completing the accounting cycle, merchandising businesses, inventories, assets, liabilities, stocks, bonds, and cash flow. A bachelor’s degree in business management or related majors can earn you an average salary of $69,000 annually. Starting with a business management undergraduate certificate can be a good way to start your business career.

 

Read more: Job Guides in Healthcare, Tech, Trades, and more

 

An associate’s degree can be a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree or stand on its own. These two-year degrees can be completed at your own pace, which is helpful if you are working while earning your degree. Here are a couple of associate degrees that may lead to a better-paying job:

• Paralegal Studies Associate Degree: This degree program will cover legal terminology, civil litigation, family law, how to discuss torts and defenses to tort actions, and understand negligence, liability, and workers' compensation. You’ll learn how to prepare, file, and serve complaints and motions. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the NALA certification exam to become a certified paralegal. Certified paralegals typically start out earning $59,200 per year on average.
• Industrial Maintenance Degree: Are you tech-savvy and good with your hands? This associate degree program can prepare you for a job in industrial and electro-mechanical maintenance.  Classes discuss the things you may need for a future job, such as the fundamentals of electricity and electronics, drafting and reading electrical schematics, and drafting with AutoCAD. People in this job have an average salary of $60,570.

 

Read more: Why An Associate Degree Pays Off

 

There are many reasons, aside from earning a degree and hopefully getting a good-paying job, that make going to college worth it. But it’s an individual decision that only you can make for yourself. Attending on-campus college provides you with social benefits and new experiences and can give you a sense of community. If you’re a working adult, an online undergraduate degree program can be time-consuming and may not end up getting you a high-paying job, but it could also be incredibly fulfilling.

 

Deanna LeVito, a Penn Foster grad, went back to college to get her degree at age 50. She says, “You think, ‘I’m doing this myself,’ but there are so many people to reach out to. They’re all in the same boat as you are. You’re not out there drowning, the professor checks in on you. You’re not alone.” It’s important to weigh the costs–both in time and money–against what you’re hoping to gain by getting a bachelor’s degree.

 

Read more: I Graduated High School - What’s Next?

 

Our modern workforce is shifting to skills and experience over education in many industries, but it can be hard to ignore the voice in your head telling you that you have to go to school and get a degree. Here are some reasons why you may not need a college degree to get a good-paying, satisfying job:

1. Skills > degrees: A lot of industries look more at your skills, experience, and portfolio than your education.
2. Trade schools: Being an electrician or plumber, both high-paying jobs, does not require a degree, only specialized training.
3. Certifications: Look at obtaining certifications in your field for those desirable upskills employers are looking for.
4. Entrepreneurship: Starting your own business doesn’t require a degree, just a lot of passion and a great idea.
5. Online learning: There are countless online learning platforms wherein you can obtain new skills for your current or new job.
6. Work in a high-demand field: Do you have a niche set of skills in an in-demand industry? What you can do can be more valuable than a degree.

 

No matter what stage you are at in your education or career, Penn Foster may be a good option for gaining new, immediately usable skills. From veterinary to construction, wedding planning to criminal justice, you can forge a new path or expand on your current skillset with our courses and career diploma programs. If you have questions about any of our courses or are ready to enroll, contact our friendly Admissions Specialists at 1.888.427.6500.