Do you need a college degree to get a good job?

Several career paths do not require a college degree. Upskilling and education are still important but achievable through certification programs, mentors, and online courses. Outline your new knowledge and skills on your resume to demonstrate your qualifications during the job search.

By Lora Korpar?

People are often expected to follow the same career formula: high school, college, then into the workforce. However, not everyone chooses to go to college.

People without college experience face more challenges in their job search. Many job listings require four-year degrees even if the degree is not relevant to the position. College graduates often use their degrees to negotiate a higher salary.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median weekly salaries for workers with bachelor’s degrees were more than $500 higher than for workers with only a high school diploma in 2021. The unemployment rate for people without a college degree was also nearly 3 percentage points higher than for those with bachelor’s degrees.

“I do think that there are certain industries where there are really strong biases against people without degrees, and I think it exists even in places where there isn't necessarily a degree requirement,” said Bonnie Dilber , who is a recruiting manager at Zapier. “I think that bias is stronger in more legacy companies versus with a lot of newer companies and startups, [where] there seems to be more openness to many different ways for people to gain the skills that they need to do the work.”

It is possible to find a high-paying job without a degree. You just need to know where to look and how to sell yourself in the job application process.

Which Jobs Don’t Require a Degree?

A college degree is not always necessary to land a job. In fact, there are a lot of jobs with median annual salaries higher than $50,000 that don’t require a college degree. Though, some require certification or a non-degree education program.?

“I started going to college when I was out of high school, but I had some challenges in life that prevented me from continuing with college,” said Dennis Szentmariay , who is an investigations manager and federal task force officer for the city of Highpoint, North Carolina. “And after I dropped out of community college and got my first law enforcement job, I never went back. I think you could have a very successful career without having a degree in law enforcement.”

Jason Hatfield , an executive leader in the transportation and fleet maintenance field, said sales also has high earning potential without requiring a degree.

“If you can become a great salesperson, you'll never be without a job because sales is everywhere,” Hatfield said. “In my industry, I can show where I've improved operations and improved sales, and [how] it brings revenue into the organization. And I think that really speaks volumes about my personal value proposition to an organization.”

How Do You Start a Career When You Don’t Have a Degree?

Education is key to thriving in your career. College is the most straightforward way to receive an education, but it is not the only way.?

“I think that people use the degree as a proxy for a set of skills they assume someone has gained,” Dilber said. “So they assume that when someone has a college degree, they've developed a certain level of critical thinking skills, worked in groups with people of very different backgrounds to solve problems, they assume a level of writing skills, that sort of thing. But I think those are all skills that can be learned in other areas.

“About 27% of people actually work in a field that's relevant to the area that they majored in. So the majority of people are successful in their work because they learned the skills they needed on the job or through self-guided learning, not based on their college degree.”

Some community colleges offer non-degree programs that teach skills for technical or trade jobs. Thousands of e-learning courses also exist for career education. Depending on the subject, you could earn a certification , which also looks good on a resume.

How to Succeed in the Job Search Without a Degree

Many jobs require four-year degrees, even if the degree is not in a related field. Hatfield said do not let this deter you. Take the chance and apply anyway because the worst thing they can do is say no.

“Almost every job I've had over the past 20 years said it required a degree,” Hatfield said. “I applied anyway and let my accomplishments and personality win the job.”

Don’t hide your lack of a college degree, but also don’t apologize for it. Dilber recommends not mentioning your lack of college experience in a resume or interview unless the hiring manager asks about it.

“I don't think you need to proactively say, ‘I don't have a degree, but I've done this and this,’” Dilber said. “Just focus on what experiences you've had and what you've accomplished… But if you took a few classes at a school, you can put that on your resume regardless of degree status.”

Emphasize the skills the job description asks for and provide evidence of how you used those skills to help achieve company goals. Hatfield says your “personal brand or individual value proposition” is more important than your degree level.

“When it comes to degrees or not having degrees, I think it comes down to your drive and your passion,” Szentmariay said. “How much are you willing to do for your job?”

“When I go into a job search, even if it asks for a bachelor's degree or a master's degree, I say ‘I'm going to apply for it anyway,’” Hatfield said. “All I have to do is get in front of the decision-maker and show to them what I can do for the company to improve their bottom line… I have real, live, tangible experience, not necessarily a classroom, but I've done the job, I've done the work. Experience speaks louder than a degree.”

(A version of this article first appeared on December 23, 2022, on the Get Hired by LinkedIn News page. You can read the full article written and reported by Lora Korpar by clicking here .)

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With hiring practices focusing more on skills, navigating the job market without a college degree is possible. This LinkedIn Learning course examines if higher education is necessary depending on a certain career path. Pursuing a college education becomes more of a preference and less of a? requirement. You can watch the course below or by clicking here .

(Additional editing by Ciarra Maraj )