# What jobs pay the most money for the least education? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 30, 2006, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399 "2006-10-30T03:39:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tom\_Ripley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@Tom\_Ripley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Ripley)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/21 "2006-10-30T11:48:04Z")
Hitmen and blackmarket organ donors ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/22 "2006-10-30T12:31:01Z")
The low end of professional syndicated cartooning requires absolutely no formal training whatsoever and can still earn the artist a high five or low six figure annual salary (I think the rock bottom minimum is something like 30,000). If they can get their work successfully merchandised into animated or live action series, books, toys and lunchboxes? Potentially millions per year, or like Jim Davis and Charles Schulz, potentially a million per month. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/23 "2006-10-30T13:04:52Z")
Maybe you should have included lack of skill as well as lack of education? As has been posted, professional athletes can earn huge sums of money with no formal education - but with natural ability and lots of practice in their sport. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/24 "2006-10-30T13:28:00Z")
Many sales jobs don’t require higher education. Can you sell? You’re hired! I know guys making $250k a year with only a high school education. Real Estate, computers, xerox machines, etc. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/25 "2006-10-30T13:30:03Z")
Porno actresses make $1000 a day or more with minimal education or training. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/26 "2006-10-30T13:45:39Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Porno actresses make $1000 a day or more with minimal education or training. [/QUOTE] But possibly a whole lot of on the job training. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/27 "2006-10-30T14:05:18Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] But possibly a whole lot of on the job training. 😃 [/QUOTE] Oh, they get an ass load of on-the-job training. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/28 "2006-10-30T14:10:22Z")
Musical composers earn “grand rights” whenever their music is played. These are nonnegotiable and nontransferable. They are yours and yours alone until you die. You can be a high school dropout, and if you score a successful musical that plays all over the world, you will make millions. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/29 "2006-10-30T14:26:28Z")
Chairman of Microsoft, Inc. Not even a college degree, but pretty good money. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/30 "2006-10-30T15:25:31Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Chairman of Microsoft, Inc. Not even a college degree, but pretty good money. [/QUOTE] Well, he did go to college. I’m not sure how much of that education went towards his success with Microsoft though. That said, I do recall a magazine with him on the cover and the byline: “Most Successful College Dropout in History” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/31 "2006-10-30T16:29:29Z")
My husband took a two year course to become a CET (in mechanical engineering technology). He gets paid very well and has a ton of job security. I would also suggest welding or another trade, they are in short supply and heavily in demand. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/32 "2006-10-30T16:30:38Z")
> [@Alive At Both Ends](#): > > Nobody’s mentioned the obvious one - politics. All you need to become a politician is the ability to get yourself elected. And for that you just need the “gift of the gab”. Politicians don’t make that much money. It’s also pretty difficult to get elected to any office of significance without some sort of education. Would you vote for a high school graduate to run your state? [QUOTE=The Octagon] In my opinion, owning/running a business isn’t really a job (you’re working for yourself), but it doesn’t necessarily require any education, just money or investment, determination and luck. [/QUOTE] It’s actually harder than a job. For highest potential money to education/trianing ratio, “Financial Analyst” (IOW, stockbroker) gets my vote. I interviewed at a number of “Boiler Room” type firms and they are pretty much just like that movie. They bring in a bunch of college grads who can talk a lot of shit as trainees. They put them on the phones working for a broker calling doctors and lawyers and housewives until they pass their Series 7. Once they bring in X number of clients, they’re own their own. After a year or so you’ll either be pulling in a couple hundred grand or (more likely) you will quit out of frustration or get shitcanned. It’s not like being an investment banker where you need the pedigree and the Wharton MBA. Professional model/actor also has a high potential to earn big money without a formal education. ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/33 "2006-10-30T17:01:02Z")
What about 2-year health related degrees like dental hygiene or x-ray technology? A quick google search tells me that a dental hygienist can make between $20 and $30 an hour. Plus apparently more than half work part-time. An X-ray tech seems to make about $20 an hour. There are some accelerated RN programs that can be completed in 2 years but that’s a lot of schooling packed into a short period of time. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/34 "2006-10-30T17:10:32Z")
absolutely a tech degree can get one started in an indemand career. Its up to the individual to take it to the upper echelons. A certificate get ones foot inthe door in allied health careers, foodie tech, Rx tech, essentially specialized service jobs for a livable wage. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/35 "2006-10-30T18:21:59Z")
Truck driving and offshore oil work. My BIL does both (drives a bigrig for a small company when he’s not in the oil patch). Pro: Income well into the six figures Con: He’s not home very much ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/36 "2006-10-30T18:39:57Z")
Casino Dealer: You can take a course that takes about 6 weeks, or teach yourself. If you can pass an audition, you can get hired. I work in a low stakes State and full time dealers can make $50k a year easy. I made $36 last year and didn’t work for 4 months. I throw little piece of plastic in the air, take an accurate rake and keep the assholes in line. I sit down in air conditioned comfort and get a 30 minute break every few hours. My shifts are either 6 hours or 12 hours. Uniforms are provided. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/37 "2006-10-30T19:21:59Z")
[QUOTE=The Octagon] In my opinion, owning/running a business isn’t really a job (you’re working for yourself), [/QUOTE] Hm, I don’t really have a job. Interesting. Here I’ve been working mornings, afternoons, and evenings, five to seven days a week; keeping old clients happy and cultivating new ones; paying expenses and taxes (15% Social Security compared to the 7.5% that wage slaves pay); keeping my computer maintained; reading trade publications; providing my own vacation pay, sick pay (I might add that when I “call in sick,” the work is still there the next day), and retirement fund (fortunately not my own health insurance anymore, although that may change in the near future); and teaching myself new skills and keeping up with old ones, all the while trying to stay caught up with my sleep and my eye-drop and aspirin supply. Oh, and the money I bring in pretty much supports this household. Guess I’d better go get a **real** job, since this one doesn’t count. Turns out I’ve just been goofing off! (Oh, and I work at home too. Do I get extra slacker points?) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/38 "2006-10-30T20:27:02Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] Politicians don’t make that much money. It’s also pretty difficult to get elected to any office of significance without some sort of education. [/QUOTE] I can’t speak for the U.S., but if you get elected in the U.K., even at the local level, it’s an absolute gravy train if you want it to be. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/39 "2006-10-30T20:46:47Z")
Since prostitution has been mentioned, what about drug dealing? That’s a huge pyramid scheme and the ones at the top are making a bloody fortune. Of course, pyramid schemes are illegal. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399/40 "2006-10-30T21:04:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Good point. Notwithstanding that all jobs require some sort of specialized knowledge, I was thinking of a bachelors-level college degree when I opened this thread. “Education” of the sort they want you to have before they’ll even hire you. I have a BA. My line of work - pharmaceutical clinical research data management - pays quite well. I suspect one reason it pays so well is because hardly anybody knows the job even exists (until now!). I started in 1996 at $28.50/hr (after 6 years on the hospital end of clinical research) and interviewed recently for a consultant position at another company that paid $65/hr (out of which I’d have to pay my own benefits). It’s basically 9-5 plus some extra hours around major deadlines. The big hazard is that off-shoring has worked so far up the food chain that my current job is history come December. The statistics & reporting programmers with Masters degrees are getting thrown out of work, too. Pretty scary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-jobs-pay-the-most-money-for-the-least-education/378399.md?page=3)