When it comes to the modern job market, few people have it as rough as high school dropouts. The stigma surrounding a lack of a high school degree isn’t just real; it can make you feel like a social pariah. There are even car dealerships that won’t hire people who don’t have a high school degree or GED.
The effect this can have on job applicants is massive. Sadly, it’s something I noticed all too well. My husband never graduated high school and the abuse he’s faced from would-be employers shocked me. So, where can you find high-paying jobs that hire high school dropouts?
I did some digging to get some good opportunities. Here’s what I found.
1. Upscale Food Service And Bartending
People really, truly do not realize how much waiters and bartenders can make if they work at an upscale restaurant. However, the numbers all add up. If a typical tab is $100, you get $20 per tab if they tip well. At a crowded upscale bar, you might deal with 50 or more tabs per night.
It’s not uncommon to hear of bartenders in New York or Los Angeles who make $150,000 a year or more in tips. If you have a good suit, a great knack for mixing drinks, and the right etiquette, this could be an extremely lifelong, lucrative gig.
2. Trucking
If you have wanderlust and a yearn for the open road, you’ll be happy to know that the trucking industry is always hiring. Truck drivers with a clear license can easily clock in $50,000 to $70,000 a year. If you are able to work with specialty equipment, that income can skyrocket to a six-figure salary.
To get into trucking, you will need to get a CDL. The hours are long, but you’ll get to see most of the country. It’s definitely a great experience for the right person.
3. Construction
Very few industries are as welcoming as construction. This is a field that won’t judge you if you don’t have schooling. As long as you are willing to work and willing to learn on the job, you will be able to find someone who will happily hire you and pay you well.
Day labor, also known as general construction or “unskilled labor,” can pay between $20 to $50 per hour for most people according to Franklin University. If you are able to network with someone, you might be able to get a specialization via an apprenticeship.
That’s where the big money is. If you become a plumber, you can expect a median salary of $60,000 a year according to US News. Other specializations, such as electrical work or mold remediation, can pay even more.
4. Tattoo Artist
Tattoo artists are well paid right from the get-go, primarily because their work is hard to copy. Every single artist has their own style, and you don’t need a degree to draw well. This is one of the most lucrative jobs for high school dropouts with a creative flair for that reason/
According to Zip Recruiter, the median income of a tattoo artist is $51 per hour nationally. However, famous tattooists can make as much as $200 per hour, placing them close to a doctor’s income without the crippling student loans.
It can be hard to finagle your way into this field. If you’re good at networking and have a hand at drawing, you might make more money than a typical person with advanced degrees. Needless to say, it’s worth a shot.
5. Sales
My husband could sell dung to a cow pie factory. He is one of the many, many charismatic high school dropouts I’ve had the thrill of meeting in my life. Like others in his shoes, he’s become quite successful in the field of sales.
Sales is one of those fields where you can rest assured that you’ll never go hungry if you have the knack of it. Every single company needs a good salesman, regardless of what they sell. Depending on what you sell, you can end up making $100,000 or more.
For example, real estate can be wildly lucrative for the right person. If you have the gift of gab, you could end up raking in big money with your own brokerage within 10 years. Even if you just stick to sales, the top 10 percent earn over $110,000 a year. That’s not a bad income!
6. Delivery Drivers
A lot of readers will call BS on me, but hear me out. Amazon, Doordash, and Ubereats will not pay you well. They are literally scraping the bottom of the barrel of desperation. If you want jobs that hire high school dropouts that pay well, look for unionized versions of typical blue collar jobs.
UPS is unionized. They give their truck drivers $145,000 per year when you factor in their benefits and everything. That alone makes me want to work for them.
7. Content Creator/Twitch Streamer
It’s true. Content is not dead. As a person who writes blog content and models for a living, I caan honestly say that content creation is tough. However, it is often worth the effort. Anyone can become a writer or YouTuber, even those under the age of 18.
It’s just all about your business plan, your consistency, and the quality of the content that you put out into the world. If you are smart about it, you can potentially make millions. After all, that’s how Markiplier, PewDiePie, and Tim Denning all made their income.
There’s no educational requirement to making content. You just have to be good and make smart marketing decisions.
8. Video Editors
Newsflash, kids: not everyone knows their way around Capcut or other editing software. A keen eye for editing, particularly for sound and video edits, can make you serious money. Video marketing is becoming more popular than ever before.
That means there is a massive demand for editing services, and it’s not always being met. According to Indeed, the average video editor makes $25 an hour. However, experienced or advanced editors can make far, far more.
Many video editors end up making their own production companies. I don’t need to tell you that this can often become incredibly lucrative, right?
9. Project Manager
When a team needs guidance, project managers are there to make it happen. A project manager is the person people hire to ensure that tasks get done, roles are properly filled out, communication is handled correctly, and risks are properly handled.
Project managers are particularly popular in tech companies, marketing companies, as well as content creation companies. Everyone needs someone to keep track of all the different moving parts in a project. If you can do that, you can be a PM.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a degree to be a project manager. You might want certification, but experience is truly king here. Indeed notes that PMs make between $59,000 to $124,000 per year. Wow!
Note: This is also a great work-from-home career for hyper-organized stay-at-home moms.
10. Talent Agent
If you can network your way into movies, publishing, modeling, or music, then being a talent agent might make sense for you. Talent agents do not require any official schooling. Rather, they are basically salespeople. They’re there to book their clients for major roles in their industry.
Most agents will take 15 percent of whatever their clients earn through them. This doesn’t sound like much until you realize that Glassdoor says the national average for a talent agent is $73,000.
If you work in New York, New Jersey, Miami, or California, you’re quite likely to break six figures after a couple of years. Of course, this is all based on how well you market yourself and your clients.
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