15 Easy Jobs that Pay Well Without a Degree

Getting a degree is hard work and often requires quite a bit of money invested in tuition fees or a lifelong decision to sell your soul to the bank, but there’s always need for money, so these 15 easy jobs that pay well without a degree are extremely useful for everyone looking for easy cash.

Whether you’re looking for a job and have no degree, or you’re thinking about your future and what prospects you have, it’s good to know what kind of jobs require no degree, pay well, and aren’t all that complicated, much like these 11 Easy and Best Paying Jobs in the World.

In order to create our list we turned to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and took into account those jobs that require no degree, a high school diploma or the equivalent, as well as some college, but no degree, in case you decided to drop out before finishing your studies. Then, we knew that we needed the job to require no prior work experience, as well as none or little on-the-job training, since that points out it’s quite an easy job to have. We then ordered them by the 2015 median annual wage and came up with the list of 15 easy jobs that pay well without a degree.

15. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

2015 median wage – $44,370

There are many jobs that fall under this category, including abstract searcher and writer, title agent, checker or examiner, lease examiner and escrow officer, to name a few. These jobs have been paid with as little as $27,120 a year and as much as $78,230.

People working this job search real estate records, examine titles or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents. A high school diploma or equivalent is required and there’s a short-term on-the-job training.

14. Costume attendants

Median wage in 2015 – $44,500

The jobs falling under this category are theatrical wardrobe attendant or dresser, wardrobe assistant, wardrobe supervisor, to name a few. Basically, workers have to select, fit and take care of costumes for cast members, helping them out before and during the shows, including by offering assistance with costume changes during performances.

People working these jobs were paid as little as $19,570 and as much as $91,440 a year. You only need a high school diploma or equivalent and there’s a short-term on-the-job training needed to get the hang of things.

13. Media and communication workers, all other

Median wage in 2015 – $45,220

This job category includes all media and communication workers, although they’re not listed separately. This type of job doesn’t require a degree, but rather a high school diploma or equivalent. There’s also a short-term on-the-job training to be done, but that’s pretty much to be expected with any new job you take, on so you learn the ropes.

12. Derrick operators, oil and gas

Median wage in 2015 – $47,910

This category includes several jobs, including actual derrick operator, gas, oil or rotary derrick operators, as well as well service derrick worker. The jobs regularly involve operating rig derrick equipment and operating pumps to circulate mud through the drill hole.

These jobs don’t require any formal educational credentials and there’s a short-term on-the-job training, so you get used to the safety procedures and the actual machinery.

11. Bridge and lock tenders

Median wage in 2015 – $48,250

This category includes jobs such as bridge operator, bridge tender, lighthouse keeper or lock and dam operator. People working such jobs operate and tend bridges, canal locks, as well as lighthouses which permit marine passage on inland waterways, along shores and in dangerous locations in waterway passages.

Bridge and lock tenders made as little as $26,400 and as much as $60,350 in 2015; on average, however, they made $48,250. To qualify for such a job, you need to have at least a high school diploma and some short-term on-the-job training to get familiar with all the equipment.

10. Computer user support specialists

Median wage in 2015 – $48,620

Whether you want to work as a computer customer support specialist, and user support specialist, help desk analyst or technician, the job falls under this category. Basically, you’d provide technical assistance to computer users and to answer questions or fix computer problems for clients, whether that happens over the phone, in person or electronically.

In 2015, people working these jobs made as little as $28,990 and as much as $81,260. In order to get such a job you’d need some college education, although a degree isn’t mandatory. There’s also no training needed or experience, so you can start afresh and learn as you go. If you’re remotely familiar with computers, you should find this type of job quite easy, but you do need a healthy dose of patience to deal with the customers.

9. Hearing aid specialists

Median wage in 2015 – $49,600

Whether you’re looking for a job as a hearing aid fitter or technician, or as a hearing instrument specialist, you’ll fit in this category. At work, you’ll be able to select and fit hearing aids for customers and to administer and interpret hearing tests to assess the needs of your customers and provide the proper care.

In 2015, people working such jobs made between $26,660 and $79,400. Such jobs require at least a high school diploma, but very little training since there are machines to do all the work for you.

8. Radio operators

Median wage in 2015 – $50,040

We are continuing our list of easy jobs that pay well without a degree with this category which includes several jobs, including airline radio operator, radio officer or operator, as well as radiophone operator, for instance. While working this type of jobs you’d have to receive and transmit communications by using radiotelephone equipment, although you may also spend your time repairing said equipment.

People working such jobs earned between $18,750 and $70,440 in 2015. You’d need to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and some short-term on-the-job training to get by.

7. Loading machine operators, underground mining

Median wage in 2015 – $52,320

The job category ranks 7th on our list of easy jobs that pay well without a degree. It includes several spots, including coke loader, joy loader, and load haul dump operator. You’d have to operate loading machines to load coal, ore or rocks into shuttles, mine cars or conveyor belts. Employees have earned between $28,820 and $67,050 in 2015. There no need for formal education to get this job and there’s only need for some short-term on-the-job training to get the hang of things and figure out how the machines operate.

6. Legal support workers, all other

Median wage in 2015 – $53,920

If you want a job that fits into this category, you’re pretty much going to be a legal technician, although other similar jobs may be included, without being listed separately. The annual wage for such a job varied between $30,960 and $122,560 in 2015, depending on the time spent on the job, the place of employment and more.

This type of job requires at least a high school diploma or equivalent and some training that you can cram together while actually working the job.

5. Mine shuttle car operators

Median wage in 2015 – $55,320

Up next in our list of easy jobs that pay well without a degree is this job category which includes coal hauler operators, which means you’ll be operating a diesel or electric-powered shuttle cars in underground mines. Workers earned between $43,230 and $67,150 in 2015, medium wage of $55,320.

The good news is that you don’t need to have any formal educational credentials and there’s only a short-term on-the-job training required.

4. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine

Median wage in 2015 – $56,740

If you want a job that fits into this category, you’re going to work as a flat sorter operator, a flat sorting machine clerk, a post office markup clerk, a postal service mail processor and more. What you’re going to be doing more specifically is prepare incoming and outgoing mail for distribution, examine, sort and route mail, as well as load, operate and adjust or repair mail processing. There’s also the part where you have to keep records of shipments, pouches, and sacks, so everything checks out.

Workers earned between $32,510 and $56,800 in 2015. The good news is that you only need to have a high school diploma or the equivalent to it to get such a job. There’s some short-term, on-the-job training required to get used to all the equipment and procedures.

And now, let’s see the top three easy jobs that pay well without a degree.

3. Postal service clerks

Median wage in 2015 – $56,790

This category ranks 3rd on our list of easy jobs that pay well without a degree. It includes several types of jobs, including bulk mail clerk and postal clerk and the jobs don’t require anything more than a high school diploma, as well as some short-term on-the-job training.

People working these jobs were paid as little as $32,520 and as much as $57,990 for the whole of 2015.

2. Postal service mail carriers

Median wage in 2015 – $58,280

This job category ranks second on our list of easy jobs that pay well without a degree. It involves quite a few jobs, including city letter carrier, letter carrier, mail deliverer, and so on, most that involve delivering mail to recipients and sorting them all out. Employees earned between $32,630 and $60,520 in 2015 for this type of job.

In order to get a job at the post office carrying mail you need to have a high school diploma or equivalent and get some on-the-job training.

1. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

Median wage in 2015 – $70,590

And we’re finally at the top of the list where we find jobs such as dimmer board operator, satellite communications operator or spotlight operator, although there are more similar jobs that are not listed separately.

Workers earned between $28,570 and $113,840 throughout 2015. If you’re hoping for a similar position, you should know that you need a high school diploma or equivalent and some short-term on-the-job training to get accustomed to all the equipment and the actual job.

That being said, these are the 15 easy jobs that pay well without a degree.