Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum got a lot of heat earlier this year for suggesting not everyone needs a college degree, but he may have been on to something.
There are lots of jobs out there that don’t require a four-year degree and pay pretty well. And at a time when so many college graduates are drowning in student loan debt and many not finding the jobs of their dreams, bypassing higher education isn’t the dumbest financial option.
You can make over $40,000 a year if you become a dental hygienist or web developer, and the job growth for both occupations is robust, according to a study released this week by jobs website CareerCast.
“Even with a college degree, finding a good job in today’s economy is hard and can be very time consuming,” said Tony Lee, publisher of CareerCast. “Although those with degrees often earn more money, you can still earn a very good living without one.”
Indeed, a degree from a university will likely end up making you about twice as much starting out and in the long haul of your career. But the high cost of college may just be too much for some, not to mention the fact that many people never end up finishing a four-year degree.
About 70 percent of high school graduates do head off to college, but only four in 10 end up with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree by 25, according to a report titled “Pathways to Prosperity” by Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. The study found only one in three adults actually end up graduating.
“Given these dismal attainment numbers, a narrowly defined ‘college for all’ goal -- one that does not include a much stronger focus on career-oriented programs that lead to occupational credentials -- seems doomed to fail,” the Harvard researchers maintained.
The CareerCast report includes such occupations that individuals can go into with some training but that do not require a college diploma. The list also includes data on expected income and employment growth for these jobs over the next decade.
Here's a list of the top 20:
1. DENTAL HYGIENIST
Average Starting Salary: $45,000
Income Growth: 109 percent
Employment Growth: 37.7 percent
2. ONLINE ADVERTISING MANAGER
Average Starting Salary: $40,000
Income Growth: 255 percent
Employment Growth: 25 percent
3. WEB DEVELOPER
Average Starting Salary: $43,000
Income Growth: 179 percent
Employment Growth: 21.7 percent
4. MEDICAL SECRETARY
Average Starting Salary: $21,000
Income Growth: 114 percent
Employment Growth: 41.3 percent
5. PARALEGAL ASSISTANT
Average Starting Salary: $29,000
Income Growth: 159 percent
Employment Growth: 18.3 percent
6. STENOGRAPHER/COURT REPORTER
Average Starting Salary: $26,000
Income Growth: 250 percent
Employment Growth: 14.1 percent
7. HEATING/REFRIGERATION MECHANIC
Average Starting Salary: $26,000
Income Growth: 158 percent
Employment Growth: 33.7 percent
8. SURVEYOR
Average Starting Salary: $31,000
Income Growth: 190 percent
Employment Growth: 25.4 percent
9. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Average Starting Salary: $29,000
Income Growth: 131 percent
Employment Growth: 12.6 percent
10. INSURANCE AGENT
Average Starting Salary: $26,000
Income Growth: 342 percent
Employment Growth: 21.9 percent
11. INDUSTRIAL MACHINE REPAIRER
Average Starting Salary: $30,000
Income Growth: 127 percent
Employment Growth: 21.6 percent
12. COSMETOLOGIST
Average Starting Salary: $16,000
Income Growth: 163 percent
Employment Growth: 15.7 percent
13. HAIR STYLIST
Average Starting Salary: $16,000
Income Growth: 163 percent
Employment Growth: 15.7 percent
14. TAX EXAMINER/COLLECTOR
Average Starting Salary: $30,000
Income Growth: 207 percent
Employment Growth: 7.3 percent
15. SALES REPRESENTATIVE (WHOLESALE)
Average Starting Salary: $27,000
Income Growth: 304 percent
Employment Growth: 15.6 percent
16. CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY OPERATOR
Average Starting Salary: $26,000
Income Growth: 173 percent
Employment Growth: 23.5 percent
17. ELECTRICAL TECHNICIAN
Average Starting Salary: $34,000
Income Growth: 138 percent
Employment Growth: 1.9 percent
18. ARCHITECTURAL DRAFTER
Average Starting Salary: $30,000
Income Growth: 140 percent
Employment Growth: 3.2 percent
19. TEACHER’S AIDE
Average Starting Salary: $17,000
Income Growth: 112 percent
Employment Growth: 14.8 percent
20. SEWAGE PLANT OPERATOR
Average Starting Salary: $25,000
Income Growth: 156 percent
Employment Growth: 11.6 percent.
CareerCast’s Lee advised that individuals do some research before deciding whether to pursue any of these jobs. “If you want to earn a lot of money without a college degree,” he said, “take a look at the amount of training you’ll need, then focus on a job that can still provide a satisfying, comfortable career.”
What’s your take? Do you think you need a college degree in order to have a well-paying, fulfilling career?