Professional Careers That Don’t Need A College Degree
When it comes to college there are a lot of reasons you may not have been or may not want to go. It could be too expensive, too demanding, logistically unfeasible. Perhaps you could not get the grades you needed at the time or maybe you simply didn’t want to go. Whatever your reasons for not going it does not matter. Obtaining a college degree can open many doors and be of great benefit but not having one will not always exclude you from high-paying professions or climbing the career ladder. Here are some professions that you can still break into and reach the top without a college degree.
Real Estate agent
A real estate agent will connect buyers and sellers of property and represent them throughout the buying or purchasing procedure. They also help negotiate on the purchase price. Typically a real estate agent will earn their money through a commission. This commission is commonly based on a percentage of the sale of the house. This percentage will vary across states and brokerages. While every real estate agent has to start somewhere if you can work your way up the housing market and sell high-value real estate you can earn yourself a very rewarding commission.
While there may be some questions to be asked over just how real the reality series Selling Sunset is, one thing you can be sure of is the commission cheques are real. That said real estate success is not guaranteed and one of the biggest drawbacks to being a real estate agent is that you are not commonly paid a salary and there is no guarantee of a regular income. Also, while you do not need a college degree to work as a real estate agent you will have to complete a required pre-license education, which will depend on the state you intend to practice in and pass your state license exam. So while you may not need to spend several years at college you will still need to study and put the hours in to make real estate a successful and lucrative career option.
Web Developer
The world, business, and services are all run online and everyone knows just how important it is to have a good, reliable, and well functioning website. Those in need of website developers can vary from individuals to start-ups to multi-national organizations. What is more, reliance on technology will only increase in years to come and with it so will the demand for web developers. Website developers can work on all aspects of building a website from design, creation to back-end script writing. It is a skill that not everybody has and if it is a skill you possess it could turn into a very lucrative career option.
Dental Hygienist
To become a dentist you will need a medical degree but if you have an interest in healthcare and do not want to undertake the grueling commitment of medical studies then why not consider a career as a dental hygienist. Dental hygienists will work with dentists to assist them with procedures and maintaining equipment. They can also examine patients to check for possible teeth and gum disease and recommend treatment. To practice as a dental hygienist you will need to gain accreditation and undertake some level of study but this will vary from state to state.
Emergency Medical Technician
As with a dental hygienist if you have an interest in medicine but for whatever reason have not or do not want to complete a medical degree then a career as a first responder or emergency medical technician may be a viable option for you. EMTs will need to be comfortable assisting difficult and stressful situations and be able to keep a cool head in times of crisis. Given the level of public service required EMTs will also need to be willing to serve the public.
To become an EMT you will need to obtain your high school certificate or GED and pass CPR training. In addition to this candidates will also need to find, undertake and pass a state-approved EMT training program and pass The National Registry Emergency Medicine Technician cognitive exam. Finally, all prospective EMT trainees must pass a psychomotor exam. Required test scores will vary across states so be sure to get all the information you need from your state. The requirements to qualify as an EMT can be onerous but it is a rewarding career that will see you helping people every day you are on the job.
You also have the option of getting advanced certifications, such as that offered by an ACLS certification provider. (Advanced Cardiac Life Support).
Commercial airline pilot
Although pilots have recently experienced an unprecedented dip in demand for their services typically airline pilots have earned a very lucrative wage. Further, no college degree is required to become a commercial airline pilot, simply obtaining your high school certificate can often be enough. Potential pilots will however attend a flight school that can offer varying degrees of pilot training. While no college degree is required the tuition fees for flight school can match that of most colleges and you will be required to put in large amounts of flying hours and training. Obtaining a commercial airline pilot license certainly isn’t an easy option but it can offer up many benefits and an exciting and rewarding career in return.
Detective
Becoming a public detective can not only give you a high than average salary but will also offer you a varied and diverse career where no two days are the same. What is more, as a detective you will be working to enforce the law, investigate crimes and help solve them. It is a career that comes with a conscience and requirement to serve the community. Typically to become a public detective you will not require a college degree. The basic educational requirement will be your high school certificate. You will then need to complete police academy training. Once graduating from the police academy it is incumbent on you to gain as much policing experience as possible and climb the ladder internally.
