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I don’t have a degree or don’t plan to get one. Do I still have the opportunity to earn good money?
Absolutely. The statement that you need to have a college degree to earn money is one of the most outrageously untrue (but also wildly repeated) statements. There are literally thousands of careers you can grow into that will not only pay you the equivalent of what you could earn with a degree, but often much, much, more. The added bonus you won’t often hear: you don’t need to take on any debt to get started in these.
Why is college always presented as the best way to become wealthy?
Colleges, in short, are a money maker for lots and lots of people. Not only do the colleges themselves make absurd amounts of money from tuition checks (tuition has increased twenty-fold) over the last 20 years, but professors and admin staff at colleges tend to be well-paid jobs, textbook and test-prep companies make a piece of the pie, and of course, banks and loan services that make money processing loans. Make no mistake: there are tons of people making money every time a new student begins college, and they have more incentive to keep their paychecks coming in than think about what is best for you, or society as a whole.
What careers should I specifically look at if I want to earn more than most college graduates?
Occupations in skilled trades are one of the best ways to earn a fantastic living, and no degree is required. You can start learning many trades right away through a paid apprenticeship, which means you will get paid even when you are just starting out (let’s see a college degree offer that). Some careers you should take a look at if your specific goal is high earnings:
- Electrician
- Elevator Repair
- Radiation Technologist
- Dental Hygienist
- Aircraft Mechanic
However - you should not feel limited to just these careers. Another fantastic thing about skilled occupations is that there are plentiful opportunities to eventually begin your own business - and accordingly, this is where huge opportunities are to earn more money than millions and millions of college grads. The important thing is to find something you’ll be excited about doing and something you feel you can excel at - the money and job security will follow if you can check both of those boxes.
How do I get started?
You can browse all of the opportunities to start a skilled trades career by browsing the Table of Trades on Classet. If you are curious about how much you stand to earn, you can also chat directly with graduates of a particular program, or you can ask in the Classet Community Forum so that you can get the information right from the source!
