College degrees are no longer the only way to make a good income. Instead of taking on hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, you can build a skill and land a job that pays well.
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If you like to work with your hands consider becoming a technician. With skills like plumbing, carpentry and operating heavy machines like trucks, windmills, etc. you are off to a great start. These kinds of blue-collar jobs have little to no competition and low barriers to entry. This creates a shortage of skilled technicians but demand remains high because things must be fixed and maintained to ensure smooth operations.
If you don’t have a degree but are interested in fastest growing jobs that pay well, consider the following jobs.
Wind Turbine Technician
- What they do: A wind turbine technician installs, inspects, maintains, operates and repairs wind turbines. They’re responsible for ensuring the smooth running of wind turbines daily. Since the majority of these tasks are carried out hundreds of feet above the land surface, you’ll have to be physically fit and not afraid of heights to do this job.
- Requirement to get started: While this job does not require a degree or previous experience, a trade certification or post-secondary qualification is beneficial. However, on-the-job training is usually conducted during employment. These training sessions last for months sometimes up to a year, so you’ll find your feet sooner rather than later.
- Growth opportunities: According to the U.S Bureau of Labor, this job has the fastest growth rate of 60% and about 21,000 jobs are predicted to open yearly and there were 11,400 jobs in 2023.
- Salary range: The pay for this job starts at $29.70 an hour or $61,770 per year.
For You: Here’s What the US Minimum Wage Was the Year You Were Born
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
- What they do: A care aide provides care to people who are unable to care for themselves. This is especially for people living with disabilities, chronic illnesses or elderly people who need support with daily activities or personal healthcare. However, health or medicare care is usually rendered under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner.
- Requirement to get started: This job typically requires a high school diploma but some health certifications are essential for providing medical help. Some experience in related occupations can be beneficial but not required.
- Growth opportunities: In 2023, there were 3,961,900 openings and 718,900 are projected each year. It also has a growth rate of 21% according to the Department of Labor.
- Salary range: The pay for this job starts at $16.12 an hour or $33,530 per year.
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- What they do: A veterinary assistant or animal caretaker is responsible for animal care and handling within a facility or laboratory. They usually work under the supervision of veterinarians or lab scientists. Veterinary assistants handle the medical care of animals while animal caretakers handle physical/personal care.
- Requirement to get started: A high school diploma is sufficient to get started on this job as on-the-job training is provided. Certification can be helpful but not essential.
- Growth opportunities: The growth rate for this job is 19%. There were 118,200 openings in 2023 with 25,800 projected openings every year.
- Salary Range: The pay for this job is $17.52 an hour or $36,440 per year
Sheet Metal Worker
- What they do: A sheet metal worker is responsible for fabricating, installing, assembling and repairing metal sheets and products on construction sites.
- Requirement to get started: You’d typically need a high school diploma and an apprenticeship to start this job. Vocational courses can be beneficial but are not required.
- Growth opportunities: There were 124,200 openings for this role in 2023 and 11,500 openings are projected yearly.
- Salary Range: The pay for this job is $28.26 an hour or $58,780 per year.
CDL Truck driver
- What they do: They load and move heavy cargo, goods and products across long distances and even to locations outside the country like Canada and Mexico. This is an in-demand job because the need to move goods and products across locations is constant.
- Requirement to get started: While this job doesn’t require a degree, a high school diploma is sufficient, you’d need to attend a professional truck driving school and get a commercial driver’s license.
- Growth opportunities: There were 2,211,300 openings in 2023, and 240,300 job openings are projected every year.
- Salary Range: The pay for this job is $26.12 per hour or $54,320 per year.
HVAC technician
- What they do: HVAC technicians work on heating and cooling systems. They’re involved in the installation, maintenance and repair of heating, air conditioning, cooling and ventilation systems. Their work focuses on controlling air quality in residential and commercial buildings.
- Requirement to get started: While this job does not require a degree, a post-secondary qualification can be important such as a license or certification. However, on-the-job training is usually provided.
- Growth opportunities: There were 441,200 jobs in 2023, and 42,500 openings are projected each year.
- Salary Range: The pay range for this job is $27.55 an hour or $57,300 per year
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Fastest-Growing US Jobs That Pay $30K+ and Require No Degree
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