11 Best First Jobs Where You Can Make $50K
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Angela Mae
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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According to Glassdoor, the median starting salary for an entry-level job in the U.S. is $49,973. This includes jobs that require a degree, which can cost tens or even hundreds or thousands of dollars to get.
If you want to skip the college route and go straight to your first job, here are 11 of the best options where you can make about $50,000 a year, per Indeed data.
ElectricianÂ
Electricians make an average of $53,980 each year. You won’t need a college degree, but you’ll generally need some training to get a certificate or license in the field. Once you’ve got that, expect to spend your days inspecting, installing and repairing electrical systems.
Pipe Welder
The average annual starting salary for a pipe welder is $55,562. As a pipe welder, you’ll build and repair various piping systems. This entails measuring, cutting and — of course — welding metal for existing and new pipeline systems. You’ll generally need a certificate, which can take about a year to obtain.
Web Developer
Web developers earn an average of $77,791 a year, but you might start out earning closer to $50,000. In this role, you’ll be in charge of end-to-end web development. This may include things like website layout, creating user friendly interfaces, graphics, applications and more. Depending on your skill set, you may also dabble in web design.
Title Examiner
On average, property title examiners earn $54,193 when starting out. These professionals generally work on the legal side of things helping with property title searches and similar tasks. To become one, you’ll generally need a high school diploma. With some hands-on training and a few years’ experience, you could start seeing some higher earning potential.
Law Enforcement Officer
The national average salary of a police officer is $53,567 a year. Having a college degree could help you get into this field, but generally you’ll just need to successfully pass your local police academy training program. Programs generally last anywhere from six weeks to six months. Once you’ve passed, you’ll work to enforce the law, protect the community and respond to calls for aid — from emergencies to traffic citations.
Commercial Truck Driver
On average, commercial truck drivers earn about $50,433 a year. In this role, you must be willing and able to operate large commercial vehicles — think semi trucks and other heavy-load vehicles — and drive long distances. You’ll generally need a Class-A commercial driver’s license (CDL), which you can reimbursed for.
Claims Adjuster
The average starting salary for a claims adjuster is $55,002 a year. As a claims adjuster, you’ll be conducting inspections on personal injury claims to determine whether or not an insurance company should pay out or reimburse their client for any claimed losses. Adjusters have to obtain a certificate or specific licensing before getting hired.
Firefighter EMT
The national average salary for a firefighter emergency medical technician (EMT) is $52,770 annually. These professionals are the very definition of first responders when it comes to fire- and medical-related emergencies. They’re also often first on the scene of major vehicular accidents. You won’t need a degree, but you may need to successfully pass a training and certification program.
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