5 Six Figure Jobs That Don't Require A Degree

So, you are a hardworking individual with big ambitions. You are willing to put in the time, work and effort in order to accomplish your goals and advance your career. You believe that it is important to strive for a higher quality of life and want to make sure you and your family are financially secure. There is only one problem: you don't have a college degree.

Unfortunately, for some, the lack of a college degree can be a prohibiting factor in advancing their career. Many employers, these days, are looking for bright and talented individuals and for some a college degree helps validate their prospective employee's qualifications. For this reason, the lack of a college degree can often times cause a job seeker to avoid going after the higher paying jobs due to a lack of confidence in their ability to impress the potential employer. Fortunately, for those job seekers who are dedicated, hardworking and ambitious, but simply lack a college degree, there are a number of high earning, well-respected careers that do not require a degree. Here are 5 careers that offer a six figure income without a degree:

Entrepreneur

For many individuals looking to earn a high income but lack the necessary credentials to successfully qualify for positions within large firms, the obvious choice is to go into business for themselves. Entrepreneurs come from many different backgrounds and varying levels of education. The key to entrepreneurship is discovering your strengths and weaknesses and building a business around them. While business ownership often comes with high levels of stress, long work hours and enormous responsibility, it can also offer high pay, personal freedom and complete control over your future.

Sales Manager

Every company, no matter what industry it operates in, needs to bring in customers in order to generate revenue and profits. For this reason, the sales department is considered to play one of the most important and vital roles in any business structure. Due to the fact that it plays such an important role in a company's growth, those who oversee the sales department often see high incomes and amazing upward mobility. Depending on the size of the company, a Sales Manager can either oversee, instruct and train other sales people, or can play an active role in bringing in business. Sales Managers typically start out as Sales Representatives and work their way up by being top performers. Those looking to begin a career in sales will need to have strong interpersonal skills, outstanding communication and display leadership qualities.

Airline Pilot

One job that offers high pay, great benefits, excitement and the ability to travel the world, but is often overlooked by those looking to start their career, is that of an Airline Pilot. This could be the perfect career choice for those who enjoy traveling and seeing new places and who want to make a good income while doing it. While Airline Pilot pay varies depending on experience and their employer, this position can offer a salary of over $150,000. Although this job does not require a college degree, there are a number of steps that must be taken before one can become a certified Airline Pilot. Prospective Pilots must complete a training course offered by a certified institute and also are required to complete a certain number of flying hours. While this job can be exciting and fun for the right individual, it can also be considered quite stressful and challenging for those with families at home.

Event Management

For those career seekers with strong organizational skills, the ability to work well with others and are capable of managing and overseeing multiple large projects at the same time, a career in event management might be the perfect job. As the event business continues to grow and large firms continue to gravitate towards extravagant events to market their products and services, there is no better time to get into the event business. An event management professional organizes, plans and oversees the execution of everything from corporate parties to nonprofit events and large festivals. They can either work as an independent contractor, a firm that specializes in event planning, or oversee this area within a marketing department. This job requires the ability to handle high levels of stress and stay organized under extreme pressure. However, it can also offer a six figure income and a fun and rewarding career for the right person.

Licensed Massage Therapist

For those who enjoy being around people and working with their hands, a career in massage therapy could be a good choice. While a college degree is not necessary, a potential massage therapist must become certified through an accredited institution. Massage therapists can specialize in many different types of massage techniques and each one serves a different purpose and function. Although the pay does vary, depending on the number of clients, hourly rate, and type of massage specialized in, top earners can easily enjoy a six figure income.