5 Six-Figure Jobs That Don’t Require a Degree

With the costs of higher education skyrocketing, some Americans may opt out of getting a college degree to avoid being saddled with student debt. And while there are many higher-paying jobs that require a degree, you can still earn six figures without one.

ELVTR analyzed 2,000 job postings across the top industries on LinkedIn to find high-paying roles that don’t require a degree. Here’s a look at five jobs that pay around six figures that you can get without a college diploma.

• % of job postings that don’t require a degree: 78%
• Average salary: $104,779, according to ZipRecruiter

Game designers are responsible for the rules, characters, settings, stories and props that work together to create a video game experience. In lieu of a degree, these jobs may require coursework on UI/UX for gaming.

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• % of job postings that don’t require a degree: 74%
• Average salary: $98,324, according to Built In

QA engineers test software functionality and usability, looking for bugs and providing feedback to developers. There are some hard skills required for this job, but you can get them without a traditional degree. These skills include knowledge of QA methodology, proficiency in test management software and programming knowledge.

• % of job postings that don’t require a degree: 54%
• Average salary: $97,560, according to ZipRecruiter

UI/UX designers are responsible for ensuring that users receive a seamless experience across digital channels, including mobile apps and desktop sites. Skills needed include knowledge of wireframe tools and design software.

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• % of job postings that don’t require a degree: 51%
• Average salary: $136,074, according to Indeed

These developers design, test, release and support apps for various mobile platforms, including Google Android, Apple iOS and Microsoft Windows. About half of these jobs require a degree in science or engineering, but others will accept relevant work experience as a substitute.

• % of job postings that don’t require a degree: 45%
• Average salary: $104,837, according to Glassdoor

DevOps engineers manage their employer’s IT systems. They work with developers to deploy and manage code, and with operations staff to keep systems running smoothly. This job requires knowledge of DevOps toolsets such as Azure & AWS Cloud Services and SQL & NoSQL databases.

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Job posting data is sourced from ELVTR and is accurate as of December 2022. Salary information sources are noted and are accurate as of April 18, 2023.