The highest-paying jobs to bag in 2023 – that don't require a degree
Many high-paying jobs do not necessitate a college degree, as seen in the transition from being a web developer to becoming an estate agent.
This week, numerous students in their final year of high school will obtain their A-level results – and, undoubtedly, a considerable number will feel let down as their desired university admission slips away.
While considering clearing as an alternative is possible, in the present employment landscape, possessing a degree is often deemed unnecessary.
According to Josh Graff, the head honcho at LinkedIn, having a college degree is not the exclusive measure of someone's skills and abilities. In fact, companies are beginning to realize this more and more.
"Academic qualifications will forever remain significant in specific occupations, yet there exist numerous thrilling prospects and alternative pathways for individuals who didn't pursue higher education."
Kellogg's, the prominent cereal company, made a notable announcement in June to eliminate the necessity of having a college degree for the majority of positions within the company. Similarly, PwC, a renowned professional services firm, decided last year to no longer insist on candidates holding a second-class honors degree in order to enhance diversity.
In this article, Telegraph Money unveils the profitable professions available to individuals without a university degree, with certain roles offering salaries of up to £70,000.
Well-Paid Jobs Without A Degree
Salary increase has stayed steady at a robust 6.9 percent, as stated in the most recent government statistics. In the meantime, the combination of an abundant job market and numerous job openings has sparked a fierce competition amongst companies to attract and retain the highly sought-after talent. Consequently, organizations have been compelled to display adaptability and agility in their efforts to secure the workers they urgently require.
According to data collected by job search engine Adzuna, it appears that there has been a decrease in the demand for candidates with a university education. This is evident in the significant drop in job vacancies that require any type of degree on the site. In July 2022, there were 44,181 vacancies of this nature, whereas in July of this year, that number decreased to 32,073, marking a decline of 27%.
The career options presented in the chart underneath illustrate the potential earnings of individuals who have completed their A-levels but have not pursued any further higher education. These positions are specifically for individuals starting their careers and do not include any managerial responsibilities.
According to Adzuna, individuals who choose not to attend university after finishing high school can still aspire to earn high salaries at the beginning of their professional journey. In the month of July alone, there were over 500 job openings for positions in real estate agents, offering an average annual income of £58,199.
Manual labor occupations also provided competitive compensation for beginner positions, as the average remuneration for various blue-collar jobs surpassed £45,000. These encompassed individuals working as door installers (£54,000), tile fitters (£51,000), and scaffolders (£48,000).
Different well-paying positions, like those in finance, would demand particular credentials, but not inevitably a college degree. Adzuna mentioned that the website had 4,677 job openings in July, all with an average annual income of £45,000.
While it may not be featured prominently on typical job platforms, the Metropolitan police offer a starting salary of £31,500 per annum to recruits without a degree. After completing their probation period, this amount increases to approximately £33,000 - £34,000.
According to Andrew Hunter from Adzuna, there is not a significant distinction between various A-level subjects and the various career paths they can lead to in terms of salary.
He further stated: "Young individuals who decide not to pursue higher education need not be discouraged. The specific subjects chosen in school are unlikely to significantly affect their starting salaries. Instead, it will be the abilities and expertise they develop through work experiences that will position them for higher-paying opportunities."
Additionally, individuals who opt not to pursue a university education will also be able to evade the burden of student loan repayments. This year's A-Level graduates are at risk of being the first cohort to continue paying off their debts well into their retirement years.
Check it out: The enterprises that offer remote employment opportunities – and the corresponding salary packages.
Decline Of Higher Ed's Significance
Last month, Multiverse, a startup that specializes in apprenticeships, conducted a study among various businesses. The findings revealed that approximately one-third of these businesses considered the grade a graduate achieved in their degree as one of the top three factors indicating their potential.
Over 50% of the surveyed corporate executives currently enforce the need for a degree, but 40% of them anticipate that higher education will carry less significance when it comes to job applications in the next five to ten years.
Tom Cornell from the hiring platform HireVue encouraged employers to not allow a mere university degree to hinder them from hiring talented and ambitious young individuals.
He stated: "Due to the recent strikes in UK universities, job offers and graduate programs are uncertain."
This presents a fantastic chance for employers to change their perspective regarding the level of importance they attach to a degree when evaluating and recruiting the annual wave of 800,000 university graduates.
Employers are also less demanding when it comes to the type of degree achieved by graduates, according to the data from Adzuna. In July of the previous year, there were 11,560 job openings that specified a 2:1 degree requirement, but by 2023, that number decreased to 7,622.
Nowadays, companies are not as concerned about the type of educational institution as they used to be. The demand for job positions that require a so-called prestigious degree from a Russell Group university has decreased significantly, from 710 vacancies to 315 within a year.
Take a look at: The frequently asked questions in a job interview – and tips on how to answer them effectively.
This blog post is regularly updated with the most recent information.
