As a result, education became the best option for job seekers who wanted to improve their résumés and gain a competitive edge in their hunts. Although earning a degree is an excellent move for several reasons, it's not the best choice for everyone. For one thing, education is expensive. If your problem is that you need to get a job in order to pay bills, school might not be your answer. Earning a degree is also time consuming and takes one or more years, depending on whether you want an associate, bachelor's or higher. Therefore, waiting to see the benefits of years of hard work isn't appealing to everyone.
That's why we've put together a list of jobs that don't require college degrees and pay well. In some cases on-site training or a certain level of experience might be necessary, but the minimum requirements for these positions don't involve a college degree.
If you're in the market for a job that doesn't require a degree but does come with a nice salary, here are 20 jobs to consider and their average annual salary:
1. Aides supervisor$62,094*
Aides supervisors typically supervise home-health aides, monitoring quality of care and setting work schedules.
2. Assembly supervisor $61,208
Assembly supervisors oversee workers who put together products by using power tools or other dangerous equipment.
3. Assistant site manager$87,614
At a construction site, assistant site managers report to head site managers and plan, direct and coordinate the necessary tasks to complete that day's activities.
4. Automobile service station manager$82,398
The manager draws up guidelines for gas stations and automotive repair shops and decides on hours of operation, assigns job duties and sets prices for services and products.
5. Cable supervisor$72,701
Cable supervisors monitor workers who install, maintain and repair cables, and also perform related services.
6. Carpenter supervisor$71,404
Carpenter supervisors oversee carpentry work on a specified project to ensure that workers are on schedule and executing plans accordingly. The supervisor also performs some of the carpentry duties if time permits.
7. Chemical supervisor$68,071
Chemical supervisors oversee workers who make chemical products, which involves handling dangerous substances and following strict guidelines.
8. Construction equipment operator$51,386
These operators are in charge of the large tools and equipment used during construction projects and they also inspect the equipment for safety and performance issues.
9. Credit and collection supervisor$61,962
Credit and collection supervisors manage employees who calculate credit risks and collections, and they sometimes review client credit history to grant or deny extensions of credit.
10. Data control supervisor$61,691
Data control supervisors manage data entry workers and are responsible for the completion and accuracy of that work. On occasion they help with assignments.
11. Electrical repairer $55,605
Electrical repairers disassemble and fix problematic electrical equipment and their components, which can range from small mechanisms to large technological systems, depending on the specifics of the job.
12. Flight service manager$68,572
Airlines hire flight service managers to ensure that flight attendants adhere to personal appearance and preflight requirements. They also compile flight reports.
13. Gas plant operator$64,608
Pipelines that produce and transport gas need to stay at certain pressures to function safely, and that's what these workers do.
14. Home care aide supervisor$67,032
Home care aides assist homebound patients with daily activities and some rehabilitation exercises, and the supervisor ensures that all patients are being taken care of properly by their aides.
15. Housekeeping manager of a medical facility$61,304
In a medical facility, the housekeeping manager sets the schedules and tasks for his or her team. Housekeeping duties vary depending on the type of medical facility, but managers must work with other hospital staff to ensure they are following health and safety guidelines.
16. Illustrator $54,565
Illustrators design fonts and images for a variety of media, from Web sites to print campaigns and video. They often work for advertisement agencies or freelance.
17. Lead carpenter$69,431
Lead carpenters ensure that construction projects are completed on time and correctly, and they perform some of the labor themselves.
18. Locomotive engineer$70,116
Locomotive engineers drive electric, diesel-electric or gas-turbine electric trains that transport passengers or freight.
19. Payroll supervisor$64,223
These supervisors oversee payroll employees to ensure that all pay calculations follow company policy, government regulations and tax codes.
20. Route sales manager$66,362
Product and service delivery teams have to achieve goals pertaining to customer satisfaction, efficiency and personal performance. The route sales manager monitors their work and keeps them on track to achieve their objectives.
*Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com.
By Anthony Balderrama writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter attwitter.com/abalderrama.