Not all jobs require extensive experience or years of postsecondary education. Some entry-level jobs pay quite well, and many offer paid on-the-job training or apprenticeships.
Using data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), we surveyed hundreds of jobs that don’t require much experience to build this list of the best-paid entry-level jobs for U.S. workers.
This list mostly favors positions with manageable on-the-job training requirements and faster-than-average growth potential. In other words, employers are creating these positions faster than the overall job growth rate.
No Formal Credentials Required
These jobs do not require formal certificates, degrees, or licenses. However, most require at least some on-the-job training or apprenticeship work.
1. Delivery Driver
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: A few days of on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $16- $18 per hour
Until I began freelance writing full-time, I’d never had more fun on the clock than I did driving delivery for a local restaurant. With tips and base pay, I earned good money — upward of $20 per hour during peak periods — for a job that required no skills or experience apart from the ability to drive.
I learned later that package delivery drivers—people working for FedEx, UPS, and small courier firms—often do even better. Recent explosive growth in app-based restaurant and grocery delivery, fueled by outfits like DoorDash, Instacart, and Postmates, means earning a good living as a full-time food delivery driver is more feasible than ever.
Delivery driving is one of the most popular part-time jobs with benefits. Barriers to entry are low in this line of work: a high school diploma or equivalent and a few days of on-the-job training. And it’s a great gig to make ends meet during the holidays when courier demand skyrockets.
2. Drive for Uber
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements
- Training Requirements: Little to no training, except what you learn as you go, to increase your tips
- Average Pay: $20 an hour
If you have a reliable, fairly new car with four doors and a clean background, you could own your first business driving for Uber. Keep in mind that all expenses, such as gas, car maintenance, insurance, parking, and tolls, are your responsibility, but you earn a flat fee from Uber, plus 100% of the customer tips.
According to Indeed, Uber drivers average $20 an hour. Still, you can increase your earnings by driving in busy areas, knowing the peak times to work, and providing excellent customer service.
3. Take Online Surveys
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements
- Training Requirements: Little to no training, except what you learn as you go
- Average Pay: $5 – $25 per hour
Taking online surveys may not feel much like a job, but it’s a great way to make money on the side. You don’t need special skills, just the desire to share your opinion with market research companies.
Some surveys require you to write out answers, so good grammar skills can come in handy, as can fast reading skills. The more surveys you can complete in an hour, the higher your earnings.
4. Flight Attendant
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: Three to six weeks of on-the-job training; continued employment contingent upon receipt of FAA Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency (renewed annually)
- Average Pay: $68,370 per year
Demand for flight attendants is expected to remain strong through the 2020s, thanks to increasing air traffic volumes — particularly in rapidly growing Asian markets — and ever-larger planes requiring bigger crews.
Airlines generally like to see applicants with at least a year or two of customer service experience, but they’re not picky about where you get this experience. If you left your high school restaurant server job on good terms, you’ll probably find a domestic airline willing to train you on the finer points of cabin service.
Training for this job isn’t particularly difficult. Expect three to six weeks of on-the-job training, toward the end of which you’ll take an FAA-mandated exam on which continued employment is contingent. This job is great for those looking to quell their wanderlust, but the irregular hours, the physical toll of long periods of standing, and high customer service expectations challenge some applicants.
5. Restaurant Server (Waiters and Waitresses)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements
- Training Requirements: A few days to a few weeks of on-the-job training (highly variable); state-mandated “responsible serving” coursework as needed
- Average Pay: $31,940 per year
Restaurant service is the most plentiful gig on this list. According to the BLS, nearly 2 million people work as servers in the United States, with nearly 200,000 set to join them by 2031. Although servers are increasingly threatened by automation — witness the table iPads proliferating across the restaurant industry — full-service restaurants will still need human wait staff for the foreseeable future.
Server compensation — of which tips comprise a substantial share — increases as you ascend the menu-price ladder, along with employer expectations around service quality and menu knowledge. Fancy restaurants often require servers to complete menu courses and exams before turning them loose on customers.
Depending on local law and employer policy, servers whose job duties include dispensing alcoholic beverages may be required to complete “responsible serving” courses.
Pro Tip: Give yourself an advantage over the competition by completing a Food Safety Manager training course to give you the tools needed to take your career to the next level.
6. Bartender
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No degree required; bartender certificate may improve job prospects
- Training Requirements: A few weeks of on-the-job training (highly variable); state-mandated “responsible serving” coursework as needed
- Average Pay: $31,510 per year (before tips)
According to the BLS, the U.S. has an army of bartenders hiding in plain sight. In 2023, there were 711,000 bartenders, with growth of about 3% over the next decade.
Besides legally mandated “responsible serving” courses, which vary by jurisdiction, bartender training can be pretty casual. Usually, experienced bar keepers or drink managers take new hires under their wing for a few weeks until they’re ready to work independently. In fancier establishments, less-experienced bartenders may work as barbacks, fetching bottles and washing glasses until they’re presentable enough for prime-time service.
With tips, full-time bartenders can bring in $60,000 or more per year, with high-end and high-volume establishments offering the greatest opportunity.
Pro Tip: JobGet makes it easy to apply to multiple service industry jobs — and plenty of other entry-level jobs, too — without filling out long, confusing applications for each. No more resumes or cover letters, either. Take a minute (literally) to create your profile and start searching for good-paying jobs in your area.
7. Flooring Installers
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements (high school diploma or equivalent preferred)
- Training Requirements: On-the-job training ranging from a few weeks to four-year apprenticeships
- Average Pay: $48,690 per year
The BLS divides the surprisingly broad universe of flooring workers into multiple subcategories, including “Flooring Installers and Tile and Marble Setters” (to which the above stats pertain) and “Carpet Installers.” No matter your specialty, this field offers decent pay with little to no prior experience required.
Entry-level flooring installers generally train on the job under the tutelage of an experienced foreperson or crew chief. Depending on the specialty, learning the ropes can take months or years. Formal, paid apprenticeships are common, although their two- to four-year duration isn’t ideal for workers unsure about staying in the industry long-term.
8. Oil and Gas Field Roustabout
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent preferred
- Training Requirements: A few months on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $46,340 per year
Don’t let the funny name fool you. Roustabouts perform a boring but essential oil-and-gas-field function: assembling and repairing mechanical and hydraulic equipment. It’s not glamorous, and job growth is perennially at the mercy of volatile energy markets, but it’s a great business to be in when extraction companies are hiring.
If maintaining oil field equipment doesn’t strike your fancy, don’t worry. Although the U.S. oil and gas industry is price-sensitive, the fracking revolution has dramatically increased the country’s accessible reserves, creating plenty of opportunities for equipment operators, drivers, and other hydrocarbon-adjacent workers. Looking farther ahead, these skills are somewhat future-proof because they’re transferable to green energy industries like geothermal drilling and wind turbine construction.
Many of these positions require only a high school diploma and a willingness to work long hours in remote locations.
9. Hazmat Removal Worker
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: A few weeks of on-the-job training, plus safety training mandated by OSHA; some states require licenses or certifications for certain substances, such as asbestos
- Average Pay: $47,280 per year
Hazmat removal is a vast domain. Asbestos and lead are the most common hazardous materials, but virtually any environmental contaminant deemed hazardous to biology counts.
Some hazmat removal jobs require no more than a high school diploma and a willingness to wear heavy protective gear, while others necessitate pre-hire training (notably, nuclear waste removal) or OSHA-mandated safety coursework (asbestos, lead, and other contaminants).
If your job involves transporting hazardous materials, you’ll need additional training, a special state-issued license, and a commercial driver’s license. Because working with these materials improperly is hazardous to your health, this job favors detail-oriented workers who follow safety protocols to the letter.
The biggest downside is that the industry isn’t growing much right now, which could continue as more dangerous jobs are automated.
10. Plumber
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; certain specialties may require welding certificates and coursework on system design, tool use, and safety
- Training Requirements: Variable on-the-job training (paid apprenticeships typically last four to five years)
- Average pay: $61,550 per year
Plumbers are nearly as plentiful as bartenders. According to the BLS, there were about 482,700 plumbers in 2023, with another 10,900 expected to join the ranks by 2032. They’re better compensated, too, with annual pay for the top 10% of plumbers nearing $100,000.
More demanding subspecialties generally pay more than run-of-the-mill residential plumbing work, but many journeymen have built thriving small businesses off house calls alone. This step-by-step guide from Jobber is a great resource for ambitious plumbers.
For aspiring plumbers and pipefitters, the biggest barrier to entry is the apprenticeship, which typically runs four to five years. Apprentices earn roughly 50% of a full-fledged journeyman’s pay. If you seek high pay right out of high school or technical school, that might not cut it for you.
11. Sales Representative
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: Variable-length on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $36,760 per year
Sales is a diverse field with diverse training requirements. One constant, however, is a lack of education and employment prerequisites. If you have a high school diploma or GED, a personable manner, and a willingness to learn about what your employer sells, you shouldn’t have trouble landing an entry-level sales position.
That said, sales isn’t for everyone thanks to its wide salary range, a function of the profession’s still-standard commission-based compensation structure. If you’re a convincing salesperson, a consistent six-figure annual haul isn’t outside the realm of possibility. If you lack that killer instinct, then you’re likely to struggle.
12. Escalator and Elevator Installer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; postsecondary coursework may be helpful; many states require licenses
- Training Requirements: Four-year apprenticeship, including 2,000-plus hours of paid on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $102,420 per year
Escalator and elevator installers and repair personnel perform vital, if largely invisible, work and are compensated appropriately. The biggest hurdle for eager job-seekers is the four-year apprenticeship.
Although no formal postsecondary education is needed to snag an apprenticeship, the program requires more than 100 hours of unpaid classroom instruction and at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. Still, the nearly $102,420 median starting salary is a sweet reward.
Elevator installers and repair personnel work in tough, potentially dangerous environments. If you fail to see the appeal of spending your working hours in crawl spaces and cramped elevator shafts, consider an earthbound trade instead.
13. Administrative Assistant (Office and Administrative Support Worker)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: A few weeks on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $46,010 per year
Even amid relentless automation of rote clerical tasks, the administrative assistant role retains its tenacious hold on the white-collar workplace. That’s likely to change as white-collar automation increases in the coming decade, with a noticeable decline expected through 2032.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean employers aren’t hiring administrative assistants. Rather, assistant roles are changing. In addition to traditional office-bound roles, the advent of fully remote, all-digital roles creates more opportunities for organized, self-motivated professionals with flexible schedules and innate hustle.
Virtual assistants perform various administrative functions from their homes, juggling dozens of clients on multiple continents.
For most non specialized roles, a few weeks of informal on-the-job training is required to bring new hires up to speed. Capable workers also have ample growth opportunities, such as rising to office manager after a few years or obtaining a paralegal certificate to take on more specialized duties.
14. Insurance Claims Adjuster
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; some postsecondary coursework may be helpful
- Training Requirements: Variable on-the-job training; larger employers may have formal training courses for new hires
- Average Pay: $75,020 per year
Claims adjusting is one of several entry points into the insurance industry. Even if you don’t dream of owning your own insurance agency one day, this is a great first career-track job to build financial fluency and hone your customer service skills.
Note that the BLS lumps many related insurance industry positions into one broad category: “Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators.” Collectively, this category is expected to see modest employment declines through the early 2030s, a side effect of relentless automation in the insurance space. However, specific insurance roles, including claims adjusting, may fare better.
15. Security Guard
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent preferred (some positions may waive this requirement)
- Training Requirements: A few weeks on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $37,090 pear year
This is one of the few jobs that pretty much anyone with a clean criminal record and decent physical fitness can get, and there’s plenty of opportunity to go around. According to the BLS, nearly 1.1 million security guards currently work in the U.S., but there’s little growth expected through 2032.
Relatively low pay is a limiting factor for ambitious applicants, but a few years’ experience while pursuing a bachelor’s degree sets you up nicely for more glamorous law enforcement work.
16. Commercial Truck Driver
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; many employers prefer commercial driver certificates (typically awarded after a three-to-six-month community college or trucking school course)
- Training Requirements: A few weeks’ on-the-job training (co-piloting with a more experienced driver)
- Average Pay: $54,320 per year
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 2.1 million “heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers” traverse America’s highways and byways today. If vehicle automation does not make major breakthroughs before 2031, about 90,000 will join them.
Over the longer term, the rise of autonomous vehicles will likely render commercial truck drivers obsolete, but there’s still plenty of time to snag this entry-level job.
Unless you’re blessed with a forgiving family, long-haul trucking is probably a better fit while you’re unattached because interstate routes typically keep drivers on the road for days at a time. And you can’t quite get behind the wheel and go: All commercial truck drivers need commercial driver’s licenses, and those cleared to transport hazardous materials typically need additional state licenses as well.
17. Landscaper (Grounds Maintenance Worker)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; some employers prefer landscape, horticulture, or related postsecondary coursework
- Training Requirements: A few days of on-the-job training for unskilled positions; specialized work (such as golf course management) may require formal coursework
- Average Pay: $31,730 per year
It’s not glamorous, but it is in demand; according to the BLS, more than 1.3 million people work as grounds maintenance workers in the U.S., with more than 44,000 new positions projected by 2031.
In warm climates, work is plentiful year-round. In colder locales, things slow down when the growing season ends, so many seasonal landscapers make ends meet in the winter with odd jobs like shoveling sidewalks, plowing driveways, or working at ice rinks.
Entry-level landscaping jobs require no credentials and very little onboarding; a week under the tutelage of a supervisor is sufficient for most gigs. Ground maintenance workers in more specialized settings, such as formal gardens and golf courses, may require more training or credentials, which can usually be obtained — often with the employer’s assistance — while working full-time. Positions with greater responsibility may demand extensive botanical knowledge, particularly when working with native landscapes.
18. Construction Laborer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements for most positions; some specialized work may require a high school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: A few days to a few weeks of on-the-job training, depending on job requirements
- Average Pay: $44,310 per year
This is another unglamorous, in-demand job ideal for people who enjoy working outdoors. Construction laborers are not skilled tradespeople, and entry-level workers are compensated accordingly. The work is also often project-based, meaning frequent job site switches are the norm.
But there’s plenty of opportunity for advancement. Many laborers go on to work as apprentices in skilled trades like carpentry and plumbing, while others rise to foreperson or site supervisor roles after years of hard work, earning double or triple what entry-level workers make.
19. Cement and Concrete Mason (Masonry Workers)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent preferred; relevant vocational school coursework may be helpful
- Training Requirements: Variable-length apprenticeships or on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $53,010 per year
This semi-skilled line of construction and restoration work requires little more than a high school diploma and an eye for detail. However, most employers prefer (and may pay for) masons to complete coursework in relevant specialties, such as historical masonry, sustainable masonry, tile, and grout. Specialization is key for earning potential and career advancement. For example, historical masonry work is in high demand in older cities like Philadelphia and Chicago.
Even as union membership declines in other lines of work, masonry remains heavily unionized, particularly in historic union strongholds across the northern U.S. Union membership isn’t a panacea, of course, but union jobs tend to be higher-paying and more secure than non-union positions.
Bear in mind that masonry work is more physically taxing than some other construction specialties and that overall employment in the field is heavily dependent on the fortunes of the broader construction industry.
20. Roofer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: No formal education requirements
- Training Requirements: A few weeks to a few months of on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $50,030 per year
Even on a list of jobs with low barriers to entry, roofing stands out as particularly easy to get into. Roofing contractors aren’t picky about new hires’ educational backgrounds. Many don’t even require high school degrees. A willingness to learn on the job, a tolerance for heights, and the ability to endure extreme heat and cold (and hot sun) are all that’s necessary for a successful roofing career.
Just remember that roofing work is highly seasonal in colder climates. Many roofers head south for the winter or pick up work in less seasonal home or construction services, such as painting and flooring.
21. Pest Control Worker
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; state licenses may be required
- Training Requirements: A few months of on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $43,470 per year
Are you claustrophobic? If so, then pest control probably isn’t for you. Pest control technicians work in clients’ basements, crawl spaces, closets, outbuildings, and even HVAC ducts.
If you don’t mind confined spaces, pest control is a potentially rewarding line of work that’s easy to learn on the job. Depending on your employer’s specialty — termites, rodents, lawn pests, and so on — you’ll receive appropriate on-the-job training within a few months. You can obtain state or local pest control licenses while working.
The biggest downside of pest control work is working with hazardous chemicals. If dispensing poison in people’s homes and businesses makes you uncomfortable, this might not be the gig for you.
Also, it’s common for pest control companies to keep workers or teams on-call 24/7 to address emergencies, so this isn’t the best line of work for people who prefer not to work evenings and weekends.
22. Tree Trimmer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; postsecondary coursework in horticulture may be helpful
- Training Requirements: A few weeks on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $49,070 per year
The BLS lumps tree trimming under the “grounds maintenance worker” category. However, tree trimming deserves its own category due to the hazard pay afforded workers who spend their days dozens of feet above the ground.
Pursue a horticulture or landscape architecture degree after work, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to move up in this field (and down from the bucket truck).
23. Veterinary Assistant
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: Short on-the-job training period
- Average Pay: $36,440 per year
If you love working with animals, it’s hard to imagine a better job. Sure, the pay isn’t great, and the work environment can be gross at times, but the clientele is cute.
Putting in your dues as a vet’s assistant could be just what you need to distinguish your veterinary school application too. And with healthy growth expected in the years ahead, you’re likely to find plenty of open positions.
24. Dental and Ophthalmic Lab Technician
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: Lengthy on-the-job training (working as a lab assistant or helper before taking on more responsibility)
- Average Pay: $44,640 per year
The BLS puts “dental and ophthalmic lab technicians” in with “medical appliance technicians” to form a diverse medical niche with an expected 72,000 jobs by 2032. Lengthy on-the-job training modules compensate for lax education and experience prerequisites, but the knowledge that the appliances and devices you’re creating will measurably improve patients’ quality of life may well compensate for the dreary lab environment.
Some Certification Expected
These jobs may expect or require formal certification or postsecondary coursework but generally don’t require postsecondary degrees. Some require state or local licensure as well. Most require at least some on-the-job or pre-job training.
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25. Real Estate Agent and Broker
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; postsecondary coursework or degrees in real estate and business may be helpful; real estate brokers must obtain state licenses
- Training Requirements: One to three years of on-the-job training (as sales agents), plus self-study and experience
- Average Pay: $56,620 per year
Real estate sales is one of the few remaining industries offering true six-figure earning potential for an entry-level worker with only a high school diploma and a state broker’s license. It’s not at all surprising, then, that real estate is an incredibly popular career choice. A career survey from Aceable Agent finds that 18% of all workers would consider working in real estate, and 85% of real estate agents were satisfied with their careers.
But there’s a catch. Successful real estate agents and brokers need to be extremely good at selling. If the thought of “always being on” gives you chills, this isn’t the career for you.
Real estate career paths vary, but the general progression goes something like this:
- Complete some postsecondary coursework in real estate or business
- Work for one to three years as an entry-level real estate sales agent at a brokerage
- Sit for (and pass) your state’s real estate licensing exam
- Get your broker’s license and work toward a partnership, or start your own brokerage
Depending on state policy, you’ll need to renew your broker’s license every two to four years.
Real estate sales is also a potentially lucrative side gig. I know a few landlords whose broker licenses allow them to confidently represent themselves when buying new income properties. They broker several third-party transactions each year to keep their skills sharp and pad their incomes.
26. Solar Photovoltaic Installer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; many employers prefer candidates with some community college coursework
- Training Requirements: One month to one year of on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $48,800 per year
If you’re a fan of the energy industry but prefer that your labor doesn’t contribute to climate change, this is the job for you, and the outlook is nothing short of fantastic. Between 2022 and 2032, total solar photovoltaic installer employment is projected to increase by more than 22%. Contrary to popular belief, solar power is viable in virtually all of the continental United States, even damp, cloudy places like Seattle and Boston, so you don’t have to relocate to Arizona or California to make your career work.
All solar employers are willing to train new hires on the job. However, some prefer even first-time candidates to present some formal credentials, such as a solar installer or electrical safety certificate from a community college. These are generally quick (six months at most) and cheap to obtain.
27. Survey Technician (Surveying and Mapping Technicians)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent; some postsecondary coursework in survey technology may be helpful
- Training Requirements: Variable-length on-the-job training under a lead surveyor
- Average Pay: $48,940 per year
If you enjoy working outdoors, this could be the job for you. Surveyors measure and map land for clients such as municipalities, private developers, extraction companies, and environmental groups.
Beyond a solid grasp of mathematics — notably, geometry and trigonometry — and strong spatial reasoning skills, entry-level positions require little more than a willingness to learn how to use surveying equipment and mapping techniques.
That said, the surveying and mapping trade grows more formalized by the year, so you may be expected to obtain state-specific licenses or certificates and meet continuing education requirements.
Some Postsecondary Education Expected
These jobs may expect or require one postsecondary credential, such as an associate’s (two-year) degree, in addition to or in place of formal certification or licensure.
28. Wind Turbine Technician
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: Wind energy technology certificate (one-year program) or associate’s degree (two-year program)
- Training Requirements: Twelve or more months of on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $61,770 per year
America’s booming wind power industry needs technicians to service the wind farms sprouting across the heartland — lots of them. The BLS projects wind turbine technician employment will increase by more than 40% through the early 2030s, although from an admittedly low base.
You’ll need to budget two to three years for pre-hire certification — available at many community colleges and online universities — and on-the-job training, but the payoff is worthwhile; median pay starts north of $60,000 per year.
Servicing wind turbines isn’t all fun and games. Once installed, turbines reside atop 20- to 40-story towers. Much of your on-the-job training will cover all the precautions necessary to work safely at that height, as well as everything that can go wrong up there.
29. Police Officer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent required; most agencies require some postsecondary coursework in criminal justice or related fields
- Training Requirements: Four to six months of academy training, often followed by on-the-job training under a more experienced officer
- Average Pay: $74,910 per year
It’s increasingly rare for law enforcement agencies to hire rookies straight out of high school, but lengthy employment records aren’t required either. Police work is a young person’s game. It’s physically and emotionally demanding, not to mention dangerous, but the upshot is early retirement. Many officers turn in their badges, with a full pension, at age 50. That leaves plenty of time for a second, less perilous career.
If you’re serious about becoming a police officer or detective, narrow down your list of potential employers and get the details on their employment requirements. Some may require two- or four-year criminal justice degrees, for instance.
30. Public Relations Associate
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field
- Training Requirements: A semester-long internship may be helpful; otherwise, variable on-the-job training
- Average Pay: $66,750 per year
Many public relations associates are refugee journalists seeking a more lucrative, stable line of work, but plenty go into the field straight out of college. Unlike most of the roles on this list, a bachelor’s degree is all but required for entry-level public relations work.
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical as well. For those working in client-facing capacities, thick skin, and impeccable customer service skills come in handy. High performers in this industry know how to handle rejection.
31. Health Information Technicians (Medical Records Technicians)
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: Postsecondary certificate (one-year program) or associate’s degree (two-year program) strongly preferred
- Training Requirements: Variable on-the-job training; state licensing and certification may be required
- Average Pay: $62,990 per year
Health information technicians manage and organize paper and digital health records for hospital systems, private clinics, and health insurance companies. Most employers require at least one year of postsecondary education, and some require an associate’s degree. State licensing is generally required as well.
Ambitious health information technicians can boost their earning power by pursuing subspecialties. For instance, cancer registrars collect and manage the vast reams of data necessary to track and treat cancer patients’ disease.
32. Tax Preparer
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Training Requirements: A few weeks of on-the-job training; some employers may offer formal coursework through internal “academies”
- Average Pay: $43,080 per year
You don’t need an accounting degree to become an income tax preparer. All you need is an eye for detail, existing or acquired familiarity with tax prep software, and a willingness to work hard for two to three months out of the year.
National tax prep behemoths like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt hire thousands of seasonal tax preparers each winter and retain the best of the best throughout the year for help with complex business returns and audit responses.
The obvious drawback of tax preparation is the job’s sporadic nature. You’ll want another reliable source of income to tide you over during the second, third, and fourth quarters. Some of the warm-season construction and home services jobs on this list could do the trick, as might flexible professional services gigs like freelance writing, bookkeeping, and real estate sales.
33. Medical Assistant
- Degree or Certificate Requirements: Medical assistant certificate or diploma (one-year program) strongly preferred; medical assistant associate’s degree (two-year program) may be helpful; optional state certification may be helpful
- Training Requirements: For non-credentialed new hires, several weeks of on-the-job training; shorter onboarding period for new hires with diplomas or degrees
- Average Pay: $42,000 per year
For ambitious entry-level workers, the rapidly growing field of medical assisting is a fantastic toehold in the medical industry. Starting pay is decent, on-the-job training requirements are manageable, and projected demand is off the charts. The BLS expects nearly 14% growth through the early 2030s.
Many medical assistants go on to obtain nursing degrees — which can easily double or triple their earning power — or even become physicians.
How to Land a Job with No Experience
Even if you don’t have experience, it’s possible to land well-paying jobs that if you stick with them, can pay even more over the years. Here are some tips to help you land the job you’ve always wanted without experience.
- Know the required skills: Get familiar with the skills potential employers want and see how your abilities stack up. If you have skills close to what they want, you can figure out ways to ‘sell yourself’ to potential employers to get the chance to work for them.
- Determine your transferable skills: Think about skills you’ve used in any area of your life, including volunteer work, school, or even your family life. For example, if you have great organizational skills, provide examples of how this transferable skill could benefit you in the workplace.
- Create a portfolio: If your dream job involves any type of creative work, start an online portfolio that you can share with potential employers. It’s never too early to start, so think about any items you’ve created and add them to your portfolio.
- Earn a certificate: If your dream job requires special skills, consider getting certified in them. Community colleges and online courses offer many opportunities to master a skill and land a job.
Final Word
Past work experience requirements have little bearing on the standards to which employers hold new hires. If you’re fortunate enough to land one of the positions on this list, don’t assume you can slouch your way to a promotion or approach your duties with anything less than the utmost seriousness.
Some of these jobs, such as oil-and-gas worker and wind power technician, are downright dangerous. Those that aren’t quite as risky, such as bartenders and public relations associates, are often stressful or unpredictable.
No matter which job you choose, know what’s expected from you on your first day on the job. That’s the surest way to set the tone for the remainder of your employment, whether it lasts six months or 60 years.
