10 Jobs That Aren’t Worth Their Education Requirements

It’s important to determine if a job will be a good fit. It’s sometimes clear a role won’t be rewarding when you consider salary and education requirements.

GOBankingrates identified 10 Jobs that require significant education or training but may not be rewarding in terms of salary and career prospects. To determine which jobs aren’t worth their education requirements, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The study looked at median salary and compared it with education requirements and job outlook. Here are 10 jobs you might want to reconsider.

• Median Salary: $64,540
• Education Required: Master’s or PhD
• Concerns: There are limited job opportunities, often in academia or museums, with modest salaries.
• Job outlook: 3% growth

• Median Salary: $61,660
• Education Required: Master’s in Library Science
• Concerns: This is a shrinking job market due to digitization, with relatively low salaries for the level of education.
• Job outlook: 3% growth

• Median Salary: $55,350
• Education Required: Master’s in Social Work
• Concerns: Despite the critical nature of their work, social workers often receive modest salaries.  
• Job outlook: 7% growth

• Median Salary: $63,940
• Education Required: PhD in anthropology
• Concerns: Academic positions are scarce and often don’t pay high salaries despite lengthy education.
• Job outlook: 4% growth

• Median Salary: $60,410
• Education Required: Master’s or PhD in a relevant field
• Concerns: This is a highly competitive job market with relatively low pay and unstable positions.
• Job outlook: -4% decline

• Median Salary: $61,810
• Education Required: Bachelor’s degree and sometimes a master’s degree
• Concerns: Teachers often report salaries that do not align with their education and responsibilities.
• Job outlook: 1% growth

• Median Salary: $55,960
• Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
• Concerns: This is a highly competitive field with declining job opportunities due to changes in technology and media consumption.
• Job outlook: -3% decline

• Median Salary: $57,990
• Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
• Concerns: This is an oversaturated market with many freelancers. It can be challenging to find stable, well-paying positions.
• Job outlook: 3% growth

• Median Salary: $66,450 per year
• Education Required: Bachelor’s degree and often a master’s degree in nutrition or dietetics, along with licensure
• Concerns: Despite their essential role in healthcare and wellness, dietitians and nutritionists do not typically command high salaries, especially in public health or community settings.
•  Job outlook: 7% growth

• Median Salary: $56,570
• Education Required: Master’s degree and licensure
• Concerns: While the job is important, it often does not pay a high salary, especially in non-profit or community settings.
• Job Outlook: 15% growth

This list is a general overview and does not apply to everyone in these professions. Many people find these careers fulfilling and successful, and job markets can vary by location and over time.

Methodology: To find 10 jobs that aren’t worth their education requirements, GOBankingRates consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Each occupation’s median annual salary, sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, was compared with education requirements and job outlook. All data is current as of January 22, 2024.

Editor's note: This article was produced via automated technology and then fine-tuned and verified for accuracy by a member of GOBankingRates' editorial team.