Jobs of the future · 6 min read
What are good future jobs that don't need a degree?
Solar and wind technicians, electricians, home health aides and many tech support roles are growing. Employers dropping degree rules hasn't changed much hiring yet.
The short answer
Several of the fastest-growing US occupations to 2035 don't typically need a bachelor's degree: solar photovoltaic installers, wind turbine service technicians, electricians, home health and personal care aides, and physical therapist assistants (an associate's degree). Each has a training route through apprenticeships, certificates or on-the-job learning. Many employers have removed degree requirements from job posts, but a 2024 Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School study found this changed hiring in fewer than 1 in 700 hires, so evidence of the skill still matters most.
On this page 4 sections
Growing work with a non-degree route
| Role | Projected growth | Typical entry route |
|---|---|---|
| Solar photovoltaic installers | About 37% | High school plus on-the-job training |
| Wind turbine service technicians | About 30% | Postsecondary certificate |
| Physical therapist assistants | About 23% | Associate's degree |
| Electricians | 9% | Apprenticeship |
| Home health and personal care aides | Most new jobs of any occupation | Short training |
Why the degree debate is less simple than it looks
The Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School looked at employers who announced skills-based hiring. Across 2023, the extra opportunity for people without degrees showed up in fewer than 1 in 700 hires. The firms that did change who they hired went further than editing job posts; they changed how they assessed candidates.
How to stand out without one
- Pick a role where the entry route is clear: apprenticeship, certificate or licence.
- Make one small piece of work that looks like the job and keep it.
- Put that work high on your CV, with what you made and what happened.
- Apply to employers who describe how they assess skills, not only those who dropped the degree line.
When you apply, OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, shows which of a post's must-haves your CV already shows, including projects and training, and what's worth working on.
Questions people ask
- Do employers really hire without degrees now?
- Some do, but less than the headlines suggest. The Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School study found many firms removed degree requirements from posts without changing who they hired. A portfolio, certificate or work sample helps you get past that.
- Which tech jobs don't need a degree?
- IT support, network technician, junior web development, QA testing and some data roles. A certificate and a small portfolio of real work count for a lot.
- Are apprenticeships worth it?
- For trades and many technical roles, they're the main route in, and you earn while you train. Check the qualification you'll finish with and whether employers in your area recognise it.
- Can I earn a good salary without a degree?
- Yes, in many trades and technical roles, especially with experience or your own business. Starting pay is often lower during training.
- How do I prove skills without a degree?
- Show work: a project, a portfolio, a certificate tied to a task, or a reference from someone who's seen you do it. On a CV, describe what you made and what happened.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Fastest growing occupations · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Electricians: job outlook · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Employment, wages and projected change by typical entry-level education · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections
- Skills-based hiring: the long road from pronouncements to practice (2024) · Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.