# Jobs that don't require college **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411 "2009-06-29T23:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/41 "2009-06-30T19:19:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Is he a Vogon? Yes, and he takes great delight in the torturing of the students. He has admitted as much himself. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/42 "2009-06-30T19:27:14Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I think in the US you just have to sponsored by a FINRA registered firm for the Series 7 exam. You would probably be doing mostly Boiler Room style cold-calling, if you are ok with that. Generally you have a year or so to start out as a trainee, doing all the cold calling trying to build a client base. You also have to study for your series 7 exam and later down the line (though not too late) you need to pass your series 66 (or 63 and 65; the 66 combines both). You’ll be expected to have these. I believe most of the time whatever firm you’re with will pay for the exam costs. That being said, I’d look into trade schools. They’re sneered at for no good reason. You can have a good solid career in plumbing, electrical, etc. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/43 "2009-06-30T20:09:25Z")
How about an EMR or EMT? It’s a few weeks to a few months and it’s a cool job, if you can handle that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/44 "2009-06-30T20:20:02Z")
If you like working with computers you can do what my cousin did. After several failed attempts at college, he bought a set of Microsoft Certification books, and self-studied his way to a MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/45 "2009-06-30T21:07:13Z")
Your military experience will give you a definite advantage - veteran’s preference - in applying to work for the Federal Government. The gov’t has many, many jobs that do not require a college degree. Decent pay and benefits, and excellent security - tho many will be less than stimulating. But you have to narrow it down just a tad. Do you want to be a paper pusher - or fight forest fires? You can check out what is availiable at [USAJobs.com](http://USAJobs.com) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/46 "2009-06-30T21:41:09Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > How about an EMR or EMT? It’s a few weeks to a few months and it’s a cool job, if you can handle that stuff. I got an EMT certificate back in the '90s, just in case I needed it. I looked up the job listings, and EMTs in L.A. were making minimum wage. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/47 "2009-06-30T22:39:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I got an EMT certificate back in the '90s, just in case I needed it. I looked up the job listings, and EMTs in L.A. were making minimum wage. What about a step up to paramedic? That sounds like a pretty cool job although it probably doesn’t pay that great either relatively speaking. I had a coworker who lasted 6 months before he just got fed up and quit saying that one day as a paramedic (his former job) was more satisfying than 10 years in the corporate world. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/48 "2009-07-01T05:26:49Z")
Plenty of factory jobs do not require degrees. Might be a bit mindless and repetitive, but pays better than McDonald’s or Starbucks and you get benefits. Often plenty of OT, too (though not these days). You leave the job at work, and you get two coffee breaks and lunch (none of this “working through lunch” crap.) I have computer skills, so that got me a better job (IMO) than some people have (many people who have those other jobs like them because they hate computers, so different strokes for different folks). I was hired as a shipping clerk, but now a different department pulls the ship tickets, so I do final packaging of our products as well as finalizing the paperwork that goes along with them. There is the possibility that your job could get eventually sent over to China, of course. If I don’t say that, I’ll get 50 replies stating that fact. However, these jobs still do exist. I actually do plan on returning to school (but I never hated it in the first place). However, I was watching the second Transformers movie tonight, and after seeing that scene with the blowhard astronomy professor played by Schrute from The Office, I remarked to my husband, “If this is what college is like these days, I don’t want to go back!” ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/49 "2009-07-01T11:56:41Z")
> [@Tamex](#): > > However, these jobs still do exist. And they often have high turnover, depending on how much the job or the other employees suck, so there are often openings. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/50 "2009-07-02T23:11:35Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But you have to narrow it down just a tad. Do you want to be a paper pusher - or fight forest fires? I lean much more to the fighting forest fires than I do to pushing papers. Even if I finished college I’m going to avoid, as much as possible, an office job. I don’t necessarily have to be outside all the time, but I don’t want to sit at a desk from 9-5. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/51 "2009-07-03T00:11:03Z")
Much of the work done in entertainment doesn’t require a degree. I’m not talking about performing, I’m talking about backstage: stagehands, theatrical electricians, video people, camerapeople, stage managers, technical directors, riggers, etc. I quit college once I realized that I didn’t want to do the things I was studying to be able to do. Similar to what **friedo** suggested, I made of list of things I liked to do, things I didn’t want to deal with in a job, and then a list of things that I might possibly get paid to do. Basically, my list boiled down to these things: I didn’t want a dress code, a grooming code, a regular office or workplace. I wanted to get paid to listen to live music. BINGO! I quit college and concentrated on what I’d been doing since I was 14: I became a stagehand. I now have over 28 years in the business, and I can’t recall the last time my not having a BA or BS mattered to anyone. While there are technical theatre programs in some colleges, it isn’t required or essential for the job. FWIW, I make a very comfortable living (now). I struggled the first few years, because I was new, but eventually my income rose and the demand for my services did too. In years past, when the economy was better I made, as I like to say, “stupid money” and was able to travel on whims. Heck, you don’t spend 63 days a year on the slopes unless you can afford to, and that’s my average for the years I was boarding (before injuries took their toll). Anyway, just my $.02. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/52 "2009-07-03T02:02:53Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > And they often have high turnover, depending on how much the job or the other employees suck, so there are often openings. But, if you can hack it, you can have a job for a very long time. We have a lady who started just out of high school and just celebrated her 40th anniversary with our company. Not so sure that will ever happen again, but, who knows? Ask me when I’m 69. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/53 "2009-07-03T02:05:16Z")
> [@Arglefraster](#): > > If you like working with computers you can do what my cousin did. After several failed attempts at college, he bought a set of Microsoft Certification books, and self-studied his way to a MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer). There’s quite a bit of opportunity in IT for people without a degree or with an associate’s degree. Certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, Novell, VMWare, etc, are quite marketable. You probably won’t rise to upper management, but middle management is possible. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/54 "2009-07-03T02:42:34Z")
Back in the late 80s/early 90s, I spent years in college getting 3 degrees in English. I’ve been teaching part time in colleges since 1990. Oh, I’ve had other jobs too, mostly college-related, but they’re all pt, hourly, on call, contingency-based, no security, very few if any benefits. The money isn’t that great and I can never count on it. FT jobs are pretty much out of the question now. Now I’m taking medical terminology and thinking seriously about transcription. Some of the other students are getting into billing and coding. I don’t think all the college was a total waste of time, because it’s helped me in many ways. But career and moneywise…I wish I had changed course years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411/55 "2009-07-03T03:38:17Z")
I would recommend that you peruse [America’s Top 101 Jobs For People Without a Four Year Degree](http://www.amazon.com/Americas-People-Without-Four-Year-Degree/dp/1593570724). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jobs-that-dont-require-college/501411.md?page=2)