10 Careers That Don’t Require a Four-Year Degree

Don’t want to build up hundreds of thousands in student loans? It’s very possible to find great careers without a four year degree from a prestigious college. There are actually becoming more openings in many of these fields because traditional hands on skills are not being passed on from generation to generation like they once were.

Many of these careers still benefit from pursuing extra education after high school. However, there are a variety of options like trade schools, community college and other programs that are much cheaper than four-year college programs. The following are 10 great options if you are looking for alternative paths to a successful career.

1. Dental Hygienist

Income Average: $68,000

Dental Hygienist specialize in preventive oral health, typically focusing on techniques in oral hygiene. Dental hygienist work together with dentist to contribute to a co-therapist environment. Dental hygienists in the United States must be graduates from a dental hygiene program. All dental hygienists in the United States must be licensed by the state in which they practice, after completing a minimum of two years of school and passing a written board as well as a clinical board exam.

2. Web Developer

Income Average: $76,000

Web developers can be found working in all types of organizations, including large corporations and governments, small and medium sized companies, or alone as freelancers. Some web developers work for one organization as a permanent full-time employee, while others may work as independent consultants, or as contractors for an employment agency. There are no formal educational or licensure requirements to become a web developer. However, many colleges and trade schools offer coursework in web development.

3. Medical Secretary

Income Average: $31,000

A medical audio typist usually types up clinical letters and notes from dictation of patients’ appointments, tests, operations and procedures and may work in a hospital or health centre for one or more clinician. A medical secretary is a secretary/personal assistant who manages the office and administrative matters of doctors, consultants and surgeons in a hospital or clinical setting. As well as a general secretarial qualifications a Medical Secretary/PA usually holds a medical secretarial diploma or other specialised qualifications.

4. Paralegal Assistant

Income Average: $47,000

A paralegal assistant is generally a secretary with a number of year of experience in a law firm and who therefore is familiar with the meaning and spelling of certain legal terminology.  They normally have no training or experience in conducting legal research or drafting legal documents

5. Architectural Drafter

Income Average: $46,000

Drafters’ drawings provide visual guidelines and show how to construct a product or structure. Drafters use technical handbooks, tables, calculators, and computers to complete their work. Employers prefer applicants who have also completed training after high school at a technical institute or community college. Many technical institutes offer 2-year associate degree programs, which are similar to, or part of, the programs offered by community colleges or State university systems.

6. Heating and Refrigeration Mechanic

Income Average: $43,000

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (referred to as HVAC or HVACR technicians) work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the air quality in many types of buildings. Formal training programs usually take 3-5 years to complete and often include paid, on-the-job training with classroom education.

7. Surveyor

Income Average: $55,000

Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them.  Licensing requirements vary by state, but they generally have components of education, experience and examinations. Usually experience gained through an apprenticeship, together with passing a series of state-administered examinations, was required to attain licensure.

8. Executive Assistant

Income Average: $44,000

Executive assistants work for a company officer, and possess the authority to make crucial decisions affecting the direction of such organizations. An executive assistant differs from an administrative assistant in that they are expected to possess a higher degree of business acumen. Four year degrees are common in this field however not required.

9. Industrial Machine Repairer

Income Average: $45,000

Industrial machinery mechanics keep machines that produce goods for consumers and businesses running. A two-year associate degree can provide knowledge about computers and programming that is becoming increasingly important for this type of repair.

10. Electrical Technician

Income Average: $56,000

Electrical technicians help design, develop, test, manufacture, install, and repair electrical and electronic equipment. Most employers prefer to hire electronics technicians with an associate degree or other post-secondary training in engineering technology. Training is available at technical institutes, at community colleges, at extension divisions of colleges and universities, at public and private vocational-technical schools, and in the Armed Forces.

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