Top 16 Jobs That Pay Well Without a Degree in 2024

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In 2023, it is not a problem to find amazing careers that pay well without requiring you to have a college degree. We have also considered the requirements of stay-at-home moms looking for a job that allows them to combine work with childcare. So, most of these jobs can be totally or mostly done from home and are good-paying jobs for women without a degree.

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Is a Well Paid Job Without a Degree Possible?

Decades ago, people used to think that having a fancy degree was the only way to achieve success in life. Until today, lots of people still think that way. But this is not the case anymore because the word has changed. In 2023 there are multiple great jobs and ways to generate a considerable income without an advanced degree.

When most people think of successful people, they often think of Henry Ford, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. But do you know what they have in common? You guessed it. None of them has a degree. So, if they could achieve such great things decades ago without having a degree, what makes you think that you can not have a great job in 2023 without a degree.

Unfortunately, even if you go to college for four years and get a college degree, you still have no guarantee that it will bring you the desired success. Here are 16 well-paid jobs that do not require a degree:

Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is a person who is licensed to help people buy, sell, or rent homes and other types of properties.

Among their responsibilities, there are:

  • Communicating over the phone, texts, and emails with people who are interested in acquiring a certain property

  • Meet with those people to show them the property

  • Set the listing prices for the properties

  • Prepare listings for the properties

  • Negotiate different aspects of the sale

Real estate agents should have great communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. Also, they should be punctual and patient. The amount of money they make depends on the area where they work, but the median salary of a real estate agent in 2023 was around $95,000.

A real estate agent is one of the best jobs without a college degree, but you should complete a course and be licensed by the state you live in to be allowed to practice this job.

Copy trading

Everyone has heard of stocks trading, Forex trading, and other types of trading. But not everyone has the required skills to do it themselves. Copy trading is a great job for people who do not have strong trading skills to earn money by copying the trades executed by more experienced traders. This activity also does not require a lot of time because it is done automatically without any involvement from the person who copies the trades.

Copy trading on RoboForex - Best for Non US Clients

According to the reviews from the Traders Union users, RoboForex is the best broker for copy trading. RoboForex uses a proprietary copy trading platform called CopyFX. CopyFX lets its users select the traders they want to copy through multiple criteria, such as the number and percentage of profitable trades, profitability, the best and worst deal, and others. You can also view the financial charts of those traders.

Graphic Designer

A graphic designer is responsible for creating visual concepts, such as logos, brochures, advertisements, magazine covers, and other types of visual materials. Their work is often used for marketing purposes, and this makes them valuable for businesses.

Today, graphic designers work with different graphic design softwares, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, which are the most popular for photo editing. Knowing how to use those softwares and having extraordinary creativity are the primary conditions for becoming a graphic designer.

The average graphic designer salary in the US was $51,000 in 2023, but it can be higher depending on your experience, skills, and the number of projects you have.

Dropshipper

A dropshipper is a person who owns a dropshipping store, which is an online store where you do not have to store all the products yourself. Instead, the products are stored by a wholesaler, and you only pay for them when a client orders a product. Then, the wholesaler ships the product directly to your client.

To create a successful dropshipping store, you should choose a profitable niche, be consistent, have a good marketing strategy, and have good time management skills.

The amount of money a dropshipper makes depends on the products they sell, their profit margin, and how popular their online store is.

Stock Trading

Stock trading is the action of buying shares of a stock with the intent of selling them at a higher price after a certain period. Lots of people have been actively doing it for decades either as a part-time or full-time job, and some of them are very rich today.

Before you start stock trading, you should know that most beginner stock traders lose money, and you should never risk money you are not prepared to lose. To be able to place successful trades, you should have complex knowledge of the stock market and a decent amount of trading experience.

Today, the vast majority of stock trading is done through online brokers. One of the best online brokers we recommend to beginner stock traders is Interactive Brokers.

Stock trading on Interactive Brokers

Since 1977, Interactive Brokers has been one of the most well-known US investment firms. This broker is specialized in trading stocks, but it also allows its users to trade other types of assets. This broker is regulated in the US by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In 2020, the broker was named "Best Online Broker" by Barron's and "Best Broker for Economical Investments" by NerdWallet, and it received five stars in the Online Stock Trading for Traders category (Canstar).

Influencer

In recent years, the influencer job has become one of the most desired jobs among young people. An influencer’s main responsibility is to help companies who hire them to advertise the company’s products or services to their audience through their social media posts and some other ways.

The amount of money influencers make mainly varies by how big their audience is and what brands they work with. It is common for micro-influencers to make $5,000 per month. But big and famous influencers can earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Tutor

If you have rich knowledge about a certain subject, such as a school subject, you speak a foreign language, you can play a musical instrument, or you possess other skills you can teach to others, you should consider being a tutor.

Tutors work one-on-one with people who need their help to learn different subjects or skills, and they should be able to motivate them. Tutoring can be easily done online from home.

Tutors should be responsible, have good communication skills, and have rich knowledge about the subject they are teaching. They are usually paid an hourly rate that depends on the subject they teach.

Salesperson

A salesperson or sales representative is a person who is responsible for assisting people in purchasing different goods. Their responsibilities include answering the potential clients’ questions about the goods they are interested in, knowing all the features of the goods they sell, meeting sales expectations, and sometimes negotiating the prices with the buyers. Sometimes, they can also work from home.

Generally, a sales representative should have strong communication, closing, and negotiation skills, be responsible, polite, and responsible.

The amount of money a sales representative makes depends on the industry they work in. In certain industries, they are paid an hourly rate, while in others, they are only paid a certain commission for every sale they make. It is also common for sales representatives to be paid a small hourly rate and a commission at the same time.

Digital Marketer

Today, the biggest part of the marketing process is done online, and businesses that want to survive have quickly adapted to these changes. As a result, a digital marketer has become a high-demand job that is indispensable in today’s economy.

In general, a digital marketer is in charge of generating leads and increasing brand awareness through a variety of digital channels, such as company websites, social media platforms, search engines, email marketing, blogs, and online ads.

Digital marketers should have strong communication, marketing, problem solving skills, and creativity. They can expect to be paid $61,000 per year on average, but that number can be higher depending on their work experience and the company or agency they work for.

Small Business Owner

What can be more exciting than turning something you enjoy doing into an income stream? Well, as a small business owner, you can do that. And you do not need a business degree to do that.

Almost everything you can think of can be turned into a small business. For example, if you like painting, you can sell your artwork online; if you like knitting, you can also sell your handmade works online. You can also open a coffee shop or start another type of business. There are multiple business opportunities around you, and you should not be afraid to try them.

To start and grow a small business, you should be consistent, have good time management and marketing skills.

YouTuber

Yes, being a YouTuber is considered a job now. And it can also be a very well-paid one. If you have always wanted to start a successful YouTube channel, 2023 might be the best time to do that.

Generally, YouTubers should be charismatic people with good humor and be consistent. They should consistently create and upload new content to grow their YouTube channels.

YouTubers are paid by YouTube for the number of views their channel has. On average, YouTubers are paid around $18 for 1000 ad views and approximately 3 to 5 dollars per 1000 video views. As your YouTube channel grows, your earnings grow as well. Once you have a big audience, you can become an influencer and make more money, too.

Web Designer

Being a web designer is also one of the jobs that pay well without a degree. As a web designer, you are responsible for designing a website’s interface to offer its visitors a better user experience while visiting that website.

They do that by implementing graphics, illustrations, photography, and typography to enhance the look of that website. They also integrate interface elements, such as input controls (drop-down menus, buttons), navigational components (sliders, search fields, icons), and informational components (notifications, progress bars).

A web designer should be creative, have good communication skills, and have deep knowledge of HTML and CSS. A web designer can expect to earn around $24/hour on average or about $51,000/year.

Makeup Artist

A makeup artist uses cosmetics to make people look their best for certain special events, usually weddings or photoshoots. Some makeup artists apply makeup on actors and singers before movie shootings and concerts to enhance their appearance.

Some states require makeup artists to take 1,500 - 2,000 hours of training programs to become certified cosmetologists, but it is not mandatory in most states. However, being a certified cosmetologist gives makeup artists more growth opportunities.

Makeup artists should have dexterity, creativity, knowledge of cosmetics and tools, communication and time management skills.

Makeup artists earn approximately $26/hour on average, but that number is higher for makeup artists who prepare actors on movie sets.

Web Developer

A web developer is a person who builds websites following the web designer’s instructions. This job does not require a college degree, but you should have top-notch programming knowledge to build great websites that people are willing to pay top dollar for your services.

The salary web developers earn varies by their experience and skills, and it is usually between $50,000 and $70,000 per year, but they can easily make up to $100,000 per year in some cases.

Travel Agent

A travel agent makes the process of planning travel for their clients easier to guarantee an unforgettable experience. They help their clients to choose a travel destination, book flights, hotels, events, and other activities.

Travel agents should have a rich knowledge of the travel destination, including places of interest, hotels, geography, traditions, and how safe it is. They should have great communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. They should also have good knowledge of computer reservation programs, be very organized, and be available to work extra hours during the holiday season and answer their clients’ calls any time of the day.

The average hourly rate of a travel agent in the US is $19, but it can also be higher.

Photographer

Everyone knows what a photographer does, and almost everyone can become a photographer. A photographer is responsible for taking high-quality photos and editing them to make them look outstanding.

Photographers can specialize in a certain niche they like the most. That niche can be wedding photography, fashion photography, real estate photography, travel photography, photojournalism, food photography, product photography, sports photography, or portrait photography.

To become a photographer, you should have a decent camera, choose a niche or two that you like the most, learn how to edit photos, and take a course that teaches you how to take better pictures.

The amount of money a photographer makes varies by what niche they work in, and the quality of the pictures they take, but it is around $18/hour on average.

How To Find the Best Job Without a Degree?

Although all the jobs we have described in this article have countless advantages and can bring you a good income, they are not ideal for everyone. To help you determine which job fits you best, here are a few factors you should consider before choosing one:

Skills

It is recommended to choose a job that matches the skills you already have, but you can learn some skills such as computer skills if a certain job requires them.

Salary

Before choosing a job, you should choose one that pays you as well as possible because this is a big satisfaction factor in most cases.

The amount of time it requires

This factor is very important for moms because now all of them are available to work full time in an office. So, they should aim to choose a job that can be done from home or does not require them to sit all day in an office.

What are the Best Jobs for Women Without a Degree?

Although all the jobs we have described in this article have countless advantages and can bring you a good income, they are not ideal for everyone. To help you determine which job fits you best, here are a few factors you should consider before choosing one:

If you are a stay-at-home mom looking for a great, fully remote job, your best options would be stock trader, copy trading, dropshipper, or graphic designer. But you should feel free to try other jobs as well.

Summary

In 2023, having a college degree is not a mandatory requirement for having a well-paying job that pleases you. As you read in this article, multiple jobs pay well without a degree, and most of them can be done from home. So, you should not be discouraged by not having a college degree, but follow one of the multiple great careers available for you.

FAQs

How much money can I make through stock trading?

The amount of money you can earn through stock trading depends on the strategy you use, the risk you are willing to take, and your trading experience. But you should be aware that you can also lose money while trading stocks.

Can I work from home as a travel agent?

Yes, you can easily do that.

Is graphic design hard to learn?

Surprisingly, learning how to use graphic design softwares is not difficult. But you should have creative thinking, be up to date with graphic design trends, and constantly improve your graphic design skills if you want to be successful.

Is copy trading a good job for everyone?

Just because copy trading is easier than placing the trades yourself, it does not mean that it is risk-free. Copy trading is a good job only if you know how to choose a great trader to copy. Otherwise, it is not a good job.

Team that worked on the article

Glory Faleke
Contributor

Glory is a professional writer for the Traders Union website with over 5 years of experience in creating content in the areas of NFT, Crypto, Metaverse, Blockchain, or Web3 in general. Over the last couple of years, Glory has also traded on different cryptocurrency and NFT platforms including Binance, Coinbase, Opensea, and others.

“I understand a lot about this space, being familiar with CEX, DeFi, and DEX, as well as operating across the Ethereum, Binance, and Polygon networks. Also, I know the intricacies and subtleties of NFTs and crypto, thus I am able to bring to table the best content and help connect with the audience better.”

Olga Shendetskaya
Author and editor at Traders Union

Olga Shendetskaya has been a part of the Traders Union team as an author, editor and proofreader since 2017. Since 2020, Shendetskaya has been the assistant chief editor of the website of Traders Union, an international association of traders. She has over 10 years of experience of working with economic and financial texts. In the period of 2017-2020, Olga has worked as a journalist and editor of laftNews news agency, economic and financial news sections. At the moment, Olga is a part of the team of top industry experts involved in creation of educational articles in finance and investment, overseeing their writing and publication on the Traders Union website.

Olga has extensive experience in writing and editing articles about the specifics of working in the Forex market, cryptocurrency market, stock exchanges and also in the segment of financial investment in general. This level of expertise allows Olga to create unique and comprehensive articles, describing complex investment mechanisms in a simple and accessible way for traders of any level.

Olga’s motto: Do well and you’ll be well!

Mirjan Hipolito
Cryptocurrency and stock expert

Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO). Mirjan is a cryptocurrency and stock trader. This deep understanding of the finance sector allows her to create informative and engaging content that helps readers easily navigate the complexities of the crypto world.