25 Best Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree
No bachelor's degree? No problem.
A four-year college education can provide workers with career opportunities, yet it's not required for many good job options.
These 25 jobs that don't require a degree from an undergraduate institution are among the best available, according to the U.S. News Best Jobs of 2019 rankings. Some require associate degrees, while others just require licenses or high school diplomas.
Data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Respiratory Therapist
Median salary: $59,710
Unemployment rate: 0.3 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 30,500
Patients who have trouble breathing, including those who suffer from asthma, drowning victims and premature infants, receive care from respiratory therapists. These professionals need associate degrees.
Learn more about respiratory therapists.
Dental Hygienist
Median salary: $74,070
Unemployment rate: 0.4 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 40,900
These oral health care experts, who clean dental patients' teeth and advise them on proper mouth hygiene, need associate degrees.
Learn more about dental hygienists.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Median salary: $57,430
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 27,400
Physical therapist assistants, who help patients regain movement and manage their pain after they're injured, need associate degrees.
Learn more about physical therapist assistants.
Clinical Laboratory Technician
Median salary: $51,770
Unemployment rate: 0.7 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 22,900
These health care support workers help physicians diagnose diseases by testing samples of blood, urine or tissue collected from patients. They need associate degrees.
Learn more about clinical laboratory technicians.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Median salary: $71,410
Unemployment rate: 1.7 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 15,600
Using specialized imaging technology, diagnostic medical sonographers create images of the body's organs and tissues to track fetus growth, detect breast cancer and diagnose conditions like heart disease. They need associate degrees.
Learn more about diagnostic medical sonographers.
Landscaper and Groundskeeper
Median salary: $27,670
Unemployment rate: 1.5 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 135,200
Working outdoors in all kinds of weather, groundskeepers help maintain lawns, remove snow, clear waste and keep pools operational. Landscapers plant, fertilize, water and trim trees and flowers. They usually need licenses.
Learn more about landscapers and groundskeepers.
Web Developer
Median salary: $67,990
Unemployment rate: 3.8 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 24,400
The photos that grab your attention, the text that informs you and the functions that allow you to enter information: Web developers are responsible for all these aspects of website design and creation. They also monitor web traffic. They need associate degrees.
Learn more about web developers.
Personal Care Aide
Median salary: $23,100
Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 777,600
People with disabilities and many elderly people rely on the care and assistance provided by personal care aides, who help clients carry out daily living tasks. Often, aides need high school diplomas.
Learn more about personal care aides.
Home Health Aide
Median salary: $23,210
Unemployment rate: 5.6 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 431,200
Home health aides may give medication to clients, check vital signs such as pulse and respiration, change bandages and help with simple exercises. They usually need high school diplomas.
Learn more about home health aides.
Wind Turbine Technician
Median salary: $53,880
Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 5,600
Installing and repairing wind turbines, which generate green energy, are the responsibilities of wind turbine technicians. Wind techs, as they're called, need to earn certificates in their field.
Learn more about wind turbine technicians.
Plumber
Median salary: $52,590
Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 75,200
Plumbers get their jobs through technical schools or apprenticeship training. They read blueprints, install pipes and replace worn parts.
Learn more about plumbers.
Hairdresser
Median salary: $24,850
Unemployment rate: 2.2 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 80,100
After attending cosmetology school and earning licenses, these workers clean, cut, color and style clients' hair. Nearly three-quarters are self-employed.
Learn more about hairdressers.
Patrol Officer
Median salary: $61,050
Unemployment rate: 0.6 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 47,800
Patrol officers respond to incidents and emergencies in the communities where they work, enforce laws, arrest suspects and keep records of their work. Most have to complete and graduate from police training academies.
Learn more about patrol officers.
Medical Assistant
Median salary: $32,480
Unemployment rate: 3 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 183,900
Medical assistants do important health care work without having to spend years in medical school. They record patient histories, measure blood pressure, schedule appointments and assist with examinations. These workers usually complete training programs after high school to earn certificates in their field.
Learn more about medical assistants.
Medical Secretary
Median salary: $34,610
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 129,000
Medical secretaries transcribe notes and prepare reports for doctors. They also process insurance payments. These workers need high school degrees and special training to learn industry terms and processes.
Learn more about medical secretaries.
Licensed Practical Nurse and Licensed Vocational Nurse
Median salary: $45,030
Unemployment rate: 2.1 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 88,900
These health care support workers provide basic medical care such as monitoring patient health, keeping records and changing bandages. They complete certificate programs and must earn licenses to work.
Learn more about licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses.
Paramedic
Median salary: $33,380
Unemployment rate: 0.5 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 37,400
Also called emergency medical technicians, paramedics respond to emergency calls for help. When they arrive on the scene, they administer first-aid care, monitor vital signs and transport patients in ambulances. They complete training programs and need licenses; some jobs require associate degrees.
Learn more about paramedics.
Massage Therapist
Median salary: $39,990
Unemployment rate: 1.1 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 42,100
Using their bodies to help other people relax and ease tension, massage therapists aren't confined to a desk for hours. They must complete training programs and obtain licenses, but don't need formal advanced degrees.
Learn more about massage therapists.
MRI Technologist
Median salary: $69,930
Unemployment rate: 2.2 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 5,000
MRI technologists use magnetic resonance imaging scanners to diagnose medical conditions. These professionals need associate degrees.
Learn more about MRI technologists.
Environmental Engineering Technician
Median salary: $50,230
Unemployment rate: 1.6 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 2,200
After earning associate degrees, these workers carry out the plans developed by environmental engineers, which may include measuring pollution, operating equipment that cleans waste, keeping records and disposing of hazardous materials.
Learn more about environmental engineering technicians.
Phlebotomist
Median salary: $33,670
Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 30,100
These workers complete training programs to prepare for careers drawing blood for research, donations and tests. A third work in hospitals and a third work in laboratories, while the rest work in doctor's offices and other settings.
Learn more about phlebotomists.
Pharmacy Technician
Median salary: $31,750
Unemployment rate: 2.1 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 47,600
Pharmacy technicians need high school diplomas and usually learn the details of their work through on-the-job training. Under the supervision of pharmacists, they give prescriptions to customers, answer phone calls, keep records and track inventory.
Learn more about pharmacy technicians.
Physical Therapy Aide
Median salary: $25,730
Unemployment rate: 2.5 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 15,300
Physical therapist aides perform tasks that indirectly support the care of patients. These include cleaning and set up, filling out paperwork and moving patients. They usually need high school diplomas and receive training on the job.
Learn more about physical therapy aides.
Maintenance and Repair Worker
Median salary: $37,670
Unemployment rate: 3.2 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 112,500
Maintenance and repair workers keep buildings and machines in good shape by fixing outlets, repairing floors, painting and adjusting plumbing and heating and cooling systems. They may need licenses.
Learn more about maintenance and repair workers.
Radiation Therapist
Median salary: $80,570
Unemployment rate: 2.7 percent
Expected new job openings by 2026: 2,400
Radiation therapists, who need associate degrees, treat cancer by providing treatment to tumors using machines such as linear accelerators.
Learn more about radiation therapists.
The best jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree include:
-- Dental hygienist.
-- Physical therapist assistant.
-- Respiratory therapist.
-- Diagnostic medical sonographer.
-- Radiation therapist.
-- Wind turbine technician.
-- Massage therapist.
-- Plumber.
-- Medical assistant.
-- Patrol officer.
