Trades, apprenticeships, and two-year programs

A strong career doesn't have to start with a four-year degree.

Of the 831 careers BLS tracks, 541 don't typically require a bachelor's degree to get started, and 250 of those pay more than the U.S. median of $50,980.

541

Careers that typically start without a bachelor's

250

Of those, pay above the U.S. median

79%

Of all projected openings each year

Four ways in

Pick a path to see its careers

Apprenticeships15 careers · 14 pay above the U.S. medianPaid, on-the-job training with classroom learning, usually 3–5 years. You earn from day one.See the careers → Two-year degrees48 careers · 43 pay above the U.S. medianCareers where an associate degree, often from a community college, is the typical way in.See the careers → Certificates and short programs51 careers · 32 pay above the U.S. medianA postsecondary certificate or license program, often under a year, is the typical way in.See the careers → Learn on the job235 careers · 121 pay above the U.S. medianNo college needed to start. A high school diploma or less, then months to a year or more of training at work.See the careers →

How to read this

Groups follow BLS's “typical education needed for entry” and “typical on-the-job training” for each career. Typical means the most common way in, not the only one: some people in these jobs have degrees, and some careers listed elsewhere can be entered with less.

These four groups cover 349 of the 541 careers that start without a bachelor's degree. The other 192 typically need only short-term training or none, and 40 of them pay above the U.S. median. You can find every one on the Careers page.

Pay is the May 2025 national median; “top 10%” is the 90th percentile. On each career page you can see pay in your state or metro area.

Sources

BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-11-11.
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-11-11.