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Find a Good Paying Job -
Without a College Degree

Lists of good paying jobs for high school graduates often make reference to the NFL football player, casino manager, and... ship engineer? Yes, it's true. No college degree required for these exciting, high paying jobs.

However, rather than risking a torn hamstring, moving to Atlantic City - or opting for a life on the high seas - let's take a quick look at some of the more practical but still good-paying jobs available requiring only a high school education.

While all of the jobs up ahead offer good starting salaries without a sheepskin, many have the added benefit of being considered recession-proof jobs since they often remain in high demand even as college grads go begging during an economic downturn:

Police Officer - Nationwide, average starting salaries range anywhere from $23,000 to $40,000 for fresh recruits who must first undergo serious police academy training, along with psychological testing and a clean criminal background check. Once on the job, work your way up to big city detective with a median average starting salary at $70,000 per year.

Court Reporter : Skip the degree and opt for training classes to get your typing speed up to 200 words per minute, which can translate into a $30 hourly rate and annual salaries upwards of $100,000 a year, depending on demand.

Transportation Manager : Requirements include great organizational and people skills, plus the ability to read a map — and be responsible for moving milions of dollars worth of goods and equipment cross-country. Often truckers work their way up to this position and pick up some business classes along the way, but a degree is usually not necessary. Average starting salary: $50,000 - $66,000.annually.

Dental hygienist : A 2-year dental hygiene certificate or degree gets you in the door to this fast growing, high paying non-college career promising flexible hours and an average salary rate of $30 an hour.

Mechanic : If you're a natural born tinkerer, begin by apprenticing at a local garage or repair shop and work your way up to starting salary range of $20,000 to $25,000. How much you make afterward depends on your skills and salesmanship. But for any good auto mechanic with a reputation for honest workmanship the sky's the limit.

Plumber, Electrician: Both careers usually require an apprenticeship and state licensing depending on location, but with average starting salaries ranging from $25,000 to $30,000, you can eventually be making twice that with good neighborhood referrals.

Web Designer - Start from scratch by first building up a portfolio of pro bono work for local churches or community organizations. Then combine your knowledge of Web html coding and a good eye for graphic design, and begin earning an average $40,000 to $50,000 annually on web design depending on clients and hours billed.

More about "no college" careers around the Web:

Great No-Degree Jobs - Forbes.com

Career One Stop - Employability Checkup

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