Another high-paying job that doesn’t require a degree is ethics hacker, a position that examines a company’s cybersecurity framework. Project manager and operative positions on oil rigs can also earn tens of thousands of pounds more than graduate positions.
Commercial pilot internships are available to those without degrees and can lead to lucrative careers, Adzuna said, although the substantial flight school costs required for this career may preclude it for many.
Meanwhile, food safety inspector roles have an average salary of £48,003. While they require specialized food safety certifications, they don’t necessarily require a degree.
Andrew Hunter of Adzuna said: “This is a year of financial opportunity for unemployed job seekers. For many positions, self-taught skills are more important than formal education, especially in high-growth industries such as IT and trade and construction.
“As more high-paying careers open to school leavers, the high price tag associated with further education weighs more heavily and we expect more job seekers to choose the non-academic route. Degreeless workers are a vital segment of the job market that more and more employers want to take advantage of to make.”
As reported by Telegraph Money, it’s not just having a degree that usually increases earnings. The type of diploma and grade can have a major effect. Graduates earn just £23,832, some £1,168 less than the average undergraduate salary, according to job website Adzuna. Film graduates earn on average £24,878, philosophy graduates £25,428, English language graduates £26,143 and criminology graduates £26,311.
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