How to get six-figure jobs without a college degree

Due to rising college costs and a tech talent shortage, many companies offer six-figure jobs — no degree required. Using the latest salary data, we've compiled a list of jobs that pay more than $100K a year without a college degree. We'll also provide tips for navigating the job market and finding the right role for you.

College is expensive and takes four years to complete. At the end of it, you could be thousands of dollars in debt with no guarantee of a job. Many bootcamps also have high price tags and may not provide comprehensive job training.

Understandably, many young people are exploring alternative paths to a six-figure career. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to landing a six-figure job. However, skill-based education, on-the-job training, and online certifications go a long way. They come at a much lower cost than college tuition and bootcamps.

Let’s take a quick look at alternative paths to get the education and skills you need to land six-figure jobs without a college degree.

Platforms like Upwork(opens new window) and Fiverr(opens new window) have made it easier for entry-level freelancers to find paying clients and gain work experience. Freelancing can help you test and hone your skills with real clients.

Even better, freelance jobs rarely ask about educational requirements. However, they will ask you to show your experience and skills. You can do this by sharing a portfolio of your work or completing a small test project.

Apprentices get hands-on training, work experience, and a paycheck simultaneously. During an apprenticeship, you are paid to learn specific skills while working with experienced professionals in the field.

Today, there are more apprenticeship opportunities than ever. Multiverse provides various tech apprenticeship programs to learn software engineering, data science, digital marketing, and more. Our apprenticeship programs help young people gain the skills and experience necessary to launch a successful career without incurring college tuition costs. All programs are free, with no deferred tuition either. You can learn more and apply to become an apprentice here(opens new window).

Job descriptions for high-paying jobs often list the tools and skills companies want candidates to know. You can increase your chances of landing a $100K job without a college degree by reviewing those job descriptions and listing the skills on them.

Then, take a few courses that teach the skills and tools that top-paying jobs use. You can also complete a certificate program for an in-demand skill like machine learning or cloud computing.

These upskilling opportunities will make you a more appealing job candidate and give employers the confidence that you can do the job even if you don't have a college education. Plus, they may boost your salary even further, as companies reward highly skilled candidates with higher pay.

The steady tech job growth has created many opportunities to earn a six-figure salary. Although these career paths don’t require a Bachelor’s degree, you’ll still need to show that you have the skills and experience for each role. All salary data is sourced from Indeed unless otherwise noted.

Data Scientists analyze raw data and draw meaningful insights that can improve business performance. Job responsibilities include:

Data Scientists should know some Structured Query Language (SQL) and math, including linear algebra, probability, and statistics.

Data science jobs often have lucrative salaries, and you don’t need a Bachelor’s degree to pursue this career. Because of its high demand, it’s one of the most popular subjects for online courses and training programs. In programs like Multiverse’s Data Fellowship, you can learn data science in 15 to 18 months rather than the traditional four years of college.

Data Engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining databases. They also help ensure companies collect secure and reliable data.

At a minimum, Data Engineers need to know how to code and use SQL. Since the role combines engineering with data, it requires a knowledge of various programming languages, including C#, Java, Python, and Ruby.

Business analysts understand the big picture of how an organization works, its goals, and how to use technology to achieve them.

Here are common responsibilities for Business Analysts:

But Business Analysts need more than technical skills. They also need strong communication, problem-solving, and presentation skills to explain complex information easily.

You can become a Business Analyst without going to college. However, if you have previous experience working in the industry you are pursuing a role in; it could give you an advantage over other candidates.

Some Software Engineers start out taking computer science in college, but it is not the only path. According to Stack Overflow's 2023 Developer Survey(opens new window), 22% of professional developers don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, and only 3% have an associate degree.

Software Engineer is also the third most in-demand job on LinkedIn(opens new window) and often commands a high salary. Tech companies need to fill software engineering roles with talented professionals who have practical coding skills.

To become a Software Engineer, you’ll need to demonstrate your coding skills. Many companies will ask to see a portfolio of previous work and have you complete a technical skills assessment during the hiring process. You’ll also need to learn programming languages like Java, Python, C++, or JavaScript.

Engineering Managers are responsible for overseeing the development of products, from concept to launch. They have a wide range of duties, such as:

Most Engineering Managers start as Software Engineers or Full Stack Developers first. They have deep technical knowledge and experience but do less hands-on coding in this role. In a people management role, Engineering Managers need strong, soft skills like communication, leadership, and project management.

Software test engineers are responsible for testing software applications to ensure they work properly before being deployed in production environments. Test engineers should understand the application's structure and the technology used to build it.

They must have experience in software development and testing methodology, be proficient in programming languages such as Java or Python, and understand software quality assurance principles (QA).

Relevant software development experience and QA processes knowledge will give you an edge over other candidates.

Cybersecurity Engineers help organizations protect their systems and data from malicious attacks. They are responsible for designing, implementing, and managing security solutions to protect an organization's networks, systems, and data from cyber threats.

The expected responsibilities of Cybersecurity Engineers include:

You don’t need a Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, but many companies ask for certification like the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP).(opens new window)

Technical Program Managers help lead, coordinate, and manage the entire development process. Not only that, but they also handle the complexities of product development and ensure a smooth experience for customers.

Technical Program Managers (TPMs) oversee software application design, development, and testing. They manage budgets, resources, and timelines to ensure the timely completion of projects and the quality of their work.

Although you don’t need a degree, you’ll need a few years of work experience. It also helps if you have software development experience, excellent communication, problem-solving skills, and project management experience.

Many companies invest heavily in the product team to ensure their products are well-designed and serve the customer's needs. Product Managers (PMs) play a critical role in this process by managing the entire product development cycle from ideation to launch.

These professionals need to know about product design, market research, and customer feedback analysis. They should also understand user needs and translate them into actionable tasks. Experience in software development or certificate courses is a bonus, but it's not mandatory.

UI/UX Architects are responsible for designing and developing intuitive user interfaces and experiences which are intuitive, easy to use, and visually pleasing.

Since they work alongside design teams, they need to understand design principles and best practices, such as:

They must also be familiar with various development tools such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Adobe Creative Suite.

Some UI/UX Architects start as Designers. They act as more of a Design Lead, collaborating with other departments and leading strategy.

UX Designers research user needs, create wireframes and prototypes, test products, and make design decisions based on data and best practices. Understanding design principles and having experience with prototyping tools such as Figma and Adobe XD are critical to being a UX Designer.

A college degree is not necessary for the job. Still, you’ll need a portfolio showcasing your design process and skills.

Web Developers are responsible for building, maintaining, and updating websites to ensure they run smoothly and serve customer needs.

The responsibilities of a web developer can vary by organization. At a minimum, you’ll need to know how to build websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You’ll also want to get familiar with web framework tools such as React or Angular. They are libraries of code that developers use to create websites more efficiently.

To land a high-paying Web Developer position, hone your programming skills and compile a portfolio of the websites you build. You may also want to specialize in building websites on specific content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or Webflow. Learning other programming languages like C#, Java, Python, and more can increase your salary potential.

There is an increasing demand for mobile developers as more businesses create mobile applications to serve their customers better. Mobile Developers are responsible for developing, testing, and maintaining native or hybrid mobile applications.

To become a Mobile Developer, you need to have experience in coding languages such as Java, Swift, Objective-C, and Kotlin. Experience with cross-platform mobile development frameworks such as Ionic, and React Native is a plus.

Again, companies hiring Mobile App Developers care most about your programming skills and experience. To get hired, you’ll likely need to complete a technical skills assessment and share examples of past mobile coding projects.

According to CIO(opens new window), DevOps Engineer is one of the top 15 in-demand tech jobs for 2024. The role combines development and operations. They work with developers to plan, build, deploy and manage code changes. Also, they collaborate with IT and operations teams to make sure that products and systems run smoothly.

Job requirements for DevOps Engineers can vary greatly depending on the organization. However, you’ll need experience with full-stack development and programming languages like Java, C++, SQL, and Python. You’ll also need soft skills such as communication, project management, and leadership to collaborate across teams.

Many tech companies hire for six-figure jobs and have no degree requirements. However, these companies aren’t the only fields offering lucrative options without degree requirements to get started. Here are two more six-figure jobs that don’t require a degree.

It’s possible to land a six-figure job without a college degree. Fields like data science and software engineering have many high-paying open roles. Although more companies are ditching traditional college requirements to fill talent gaps, they still require candidates to demonstrate their skills and experience.

With programs like Multiverse, learning while gaining on-the-job training is becoming easier. Instead of paying for four years of college, you can learn in 12 to 18 months without paying a cent. Multiverse programs are free, and apprentices earn a wage while learning at top companies. To get started, you can submit an apprenticeship application(opens new window) here.