What Jobs Pay $30 an Hour Without a Degree?

Key takeaways

You can find positions that pay $30 or more per hour without a degree across various fields such as web development, writing, and sales. 

• The median hourly wage in the United States is $32.66 [1]. Jobs like writer, web developer, sales representative, and railroad worker all pay higher rates in comparison.

• Building your experience and skill set can help you qualify for jobs without earning a degree.

• You can learn in-demand skills in various ways, including completing an apprenticeship or on-the-job training. 

If you're looking for a career that pays at or above this median wage, consider the following roles and determine how to qualify for them. If you want to pursue roles in development, consider enrolling in the Microsoft Full-Stack Developer Professional Certificate. This beginner-friendly program includes 12 courses designed to help you learn about programming principles, designing and deploying solutions, performance optimization, and web development principles. Upon completion of this flexibly-paced program, you'll earn a career credential that boosts your resume and professional profile. 

What jobs pay $30 an hour without a degree? 

You can pursue well-paying careers in the United States that do not require a college degree or some college experience. With a high school diploma, on-the-job training, or an apprenticeship, you may be able to learn valuable skills that can lead to a full-time position.

Some of these jobs pay at least $30 an hour, which is near the median hourly wage for workers in the US [1]. The country has more than 154 million people working with a median hourly wage of $32.66 across all occupations, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [1].

If you have not earned a degree, you can find rewarding jobs that pay at least $30 an hour in fields like writing, sales, and web development. Although some employers may prefer candidates with a degree, others may consider you for the following positions if you have related work experience or can prove you have the necessary skills for the job.

Writer

Median hourly wage: $34.75 [2]

Writers can work on various projects, such as articles, blog posts, social media posts, press releases, and more. Having a good understanding of the language you’re working in and a background in the topics you write about can be helpful. But writers, particularly freelance writers, may not need a college degree to get work.

Read more: 14 Freelancer Jobs and How to Get Started

Web developer

Median hourly wage: $45.85 [3]

Web developers create and maintain websites, monitoring their performance and ensuring they can support the amount of traffic they receive. Your job as a web developer could include meeting with clients to discuss plans for a website, building the site's design or structure, testing out website issues, or working with a graphic designer on the visuals for a site.

Fire inspector

Median hourly wage: $36.29 [4]

Fire inspectors review fire hazards to ensure organizations comply with state and local fire regulations. They may also be responsible for investigating fires by collecting evidence and presenting it to a lawyer or judge. You don’t need a college degree to become a fire inspector, but you’ll likely need previous experience as a firefighter or in a related field.

Police officer

Median hourly wage: $37.15 [5]

A police officer protects people’s lives and property within assigned areas. It can be physically demanding and dangerous, as you may arrest suspects and respond to emergency situations. Police officers typically do not need a degree, but they will need to get training at a police academy and on-the-job training.

Sales representative

Median hourly wage: $35.63 [6]

A sales representative sells goods to people and organizations, including businesses and government agencies. In this role, you’ll need to learn about the products you sell and be comfortable talking to customers, but you can do this without earning a degree. On-the-job training for sales positions is common.

Video editor

Median hourly wage: $33.93 [7]

Video editors are responsible for editing moving images to tell a story. You may have clients who need professional videos done for businesses, or you can work on short social media videos for platforms like Instagram or TikTok. Event planners may hire you to review and edit footage of clients celebrating weddings or birthday parties.

Insurance claims adjuster

Median hourly wage: $36.92 [8]

Insurance claims adjusters review and evaluate insurance claims. You may have to examine property damage for a homeowner or look over a car that’s been in an accident to help determine if a claim is legitimate or fraudulent. In this role, you may also review settlements for an accident or incident or approve payment for a claim.

Building inspector

Median hourly wage: $34.67 [9]

A building inspector reviews construction projects to ensure the work follows local building codes and ordinances. You may review construction plans, monitor construction sites, inspect systems, and document your findings. Building inspectors often receive on-the-job training, and previous experience in the construction industry may be helpful.

Railroad worker

Median hourly wage: $36.38 [10]

A railroad worker can do a number of jobs on railroads, such as operating trains and coordinating train activities. You may also be responsible for checking on a train’s mechanics or documenting issues with the equipment. If you accept a position as a railroad worker, the company will likely give you on-the-job training, so you may not need a degree to enter this line of work.

How to make $30 an hour without a degree

Focus on developing in-demand skills, which you can do with online courses, boot camps, certification programs, and volunteering. According to Job Outlook 2026 from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 70 percent of employers it surveyed use skills-based hiring [11]. Having a solid resume and a portfolio, when appropriate, that demonstrates your skills can be as valuable, sometimes even more valuable, as having a degree.

Cost of education in the United States

For some workers, the cost of a college education in the United States outweighs the value of a degree because they need to earn money now instead of in the future. This is why it's helpful to consider how much you will potentially spend to earn a degree. In the United States, you can expect to spend between $9,750 and $28,386 on tuition [11]. Add in the cost of room and board and fees, and you can spend as much as $58,628 per year [11].

If you choose to pay for college with a student loan, the cost typically increases. The average student loan payment in the United States is $536, and as much as 18 percent of what you pay back goes directly to interest [12]. If you choose one of the lower-paying college majors, like theology, social work, and performing arts, you may earn less than the jobs on this list and have a student loan payment due every month.

Explore our free career-building resources

Whether you’re new to the job market, changing careers, or interested in advancing in your chosen profession, our Career Resources Hub can help connect you with skills assessments, interview and resume preparation guidance, and helpful planning tools. You might also check out the following: 

• Subscribe to Career Chat: Micro-credentials: what they are + career benefits

• Watch on YouTube: 9 High-Paying Jobs, No Degree Required

• Learn from an expert: How to Use GenAI to Advance Your Career: Insight from Coursera’s Former CEO

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