Did you skip college? Are you short on funds? The good news is that there are well-paid jobs that require no college degree, and there are also states where a degree isn’t a prerequisite for economic stability.
What jobs are available?
A report by CareerBuilder, an online employment website, shows there are some things for those without a degree to look forward to in 2018. These are the “hottest in-demand jobs” the report found from data pulled from Emsi, “CareerBuilder’s labor market analysis arm,” which deploys a particular method of analyzing hireability and the frequency of certain job listings.
In the report, Michael Erwin, a senior career advisor at CareerBuilder, said, “Some of these jobs pay [enough] that allow you to not just have a job, but have a career … and take care of you and your family.”
Below is a chart from CareerBuilder:
Where should I live?
A report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University, determined 10 states with a promising job market for non-college graduates. They’re listed below:
- Georgia
- 118% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $54,000
- Workers without a BA: 65%
- Arkansas
- 120% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $54,000
- Workers without a BA: 73%
- Texas
- 124% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $57,000
- Workers without a BA: 67%
- Oklahoma
- 126% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $55,000
- Workers without a BA: 71%
- Utah
- 139% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $56,000
- Workers without a BA: 66%
- South Dakota
- 142% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $56,000
- Workers without a BA: 66%
- North Dakota
- 156% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $52,000
- Workers without a BA: 69%
- Idaho
- 172% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $54,000
- Workers without a BA: 71%
- Montana
- 187% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $57,000
- Workers without a BA: 67%
- Arizona
- 199% increase in well-paid service jobs
- Median salary: $55,000
- Workers without a BA: 68%
Employment for college graduates
Young college graduates face an easier, more promising job market, no doubt. It is advantageous to graduate from college, as a degree affords more opportunities in the labor market, precisely because graduates remain competitive. For high school grads in 2017, the Economic Policy Institute found “the unemployment rate is 16.9 percent (compared with 15.9 percent in 2007 and 12.1 percent in 2000),” while for college grads the rate is 5.6 percent.
Below are charts that compare the rates of employment over two decades of time between high school and college graduates:
In addition to the problem of (un)employment, especially for high school grads, are wage issues.
The EPI reports that “young high school graduates are paid less today than they were in 2007 (after adjusting for inflation). Among young high school graduates, real (inflation-adjusted) average wages are $10.89 per hour” and the average wages for “young college graduates are $19.18 per hour — only 1.4 percent higher than in 2000.”
Takeaway
It is likely the case that the choice between higher education or not is one between Scylla and Charybdis. Indeed, 2018 is a new year of some promises, but those promises come with a caveat: you may find a job, but it may not pay as much as you’d like.
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Header image: Getty Images
