Not having a college degree doesn’t mean your financial future is doomed. There are many jobs out there anyone without a bachelor’s degree can do.
For moms, going back to school to get a bachelor’s degree might just be out of the question. So which jobs can you do without a degree and still enjoy a good income?
While most people will tell you to be a transcriptionist or data entry clerk or virtual assistant or even customer service attendant, there are better alternatives that give you more flexibility and better pay.
More: 17 High Paying Jobs Nobody Wants
Best jobs for moms with no degree
Below we will highlight some of the best jobs for moms with no degree and how much each of the jobs pays.
1. YouTuber
You do not need a college degree to become a successful YouTuber. Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, there’s always a sub-niche for you in the YouTube industry.
For outgoing individuals, you can travel around making interesting videos of places to visit such as art museums, animal zoos, historical sites, restaurants, beaches, etc. You can also stay indoors and make tutorial videos and you will still get hundreds of thousands if not millions of views.
For example, you can make videos on “how to tie a headscarf” or “how to cook macaroni”. All you need is a good camera and a simple script to guide you and you will be making money from the comfort of your home.
Here’s a screenshot of simple videos with millions of views. You don’t need to be an expert to make such simple videos.
However, there are a few things you need to know before starting a YouTube channel. First, you will need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours to monetize with display ads from Google. You can still monetize your channel by recommending affiliate products before it meets these requirements.
Apart from the fact that it is one of the high-paying work-from-home jobs you can do without a degree, there are no limits in terms of revenue. Some of the highest-paid YouTubers earn more than US$25 million per year. This could be you someday.
2. Blogger
Disclaimer: Blogging is not for everyone and most people give up too soon.
Blogging is one of the best jobs moms with no degree can do. Starting a blog is easy and cheap, but you should be able to create highly engaging, resourceful, and informative or solution-focused content online readers are looking for.
This is where your writing skills come into play. Being an expert writer is not a necessity unless you are focusing on expert topics. Be able to write in a simple and easy-to-understand language, provide a solution to a problem, and make your content fun to read.
If you believe you can create such content then you can be a successful blogger and earn as high as $100,000 a month like most successful bloggers do. You will need a domain name (e.g. – exoticcareers.com – that’s a domain name).
Then proceed to choose a website hosting company to host your blog. While there are many web hosting companies out there, you need to choose an affordable, reliable, and stable website host. For instance, Bluehost is affordable, gives you a FREE domain name for one year as well as a FREE SSL certificate to keep your website secure.
If you’re not sure which domain name is available, you can use Bluehost to search and select the one you like.
Once you set up your blog, start creating content and share on social platforms such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Reddit to get readers. After a short while, you can place adverts or promote affiliate products and start making money.
There are many bloggers making as high as $100,000 a month. It is, however, important to note that it will take time to grow a new blog to a point of making such an amount.
3. Become a writer
There are many high-paying jobs for writers, most of which do not require a bachelor’s degree. For instance, SEO Copywriters are the darlings of businesses looking to achieve more “search engine visibility”, boost their brand, and generate more leads and revenue.
Freelance writers, on the other hand, provide writing services to businesses and individual clients in need of articles, ad copies, and other forms of written content for magazines, periodicals, news outlets, etc.
These are not the only options available to you as a writer. You can choose to become a technical writer, medical writer, proposal writer, ghostwriter, or screenwriter. These roles have considerable differences, which explains why it would be best to become an expert in one rather than trying to be a jack of all trades and a master of none.
It’s not mandatory to have a bachelor’s degree to land any of these jobs unless the hiring company prefers someone with specific industry expertise. In terms of salaries, some of these writing jobs can pay as high as $10,000 per month.
For example, an SEO copywriter can charge as high as $1,500 per project, a freelance writer can charge as high as $1,500 for a 1,000-words gig, while a technical writer can earn as high as $119,000 a year.
4. Choreographers
Choreographers create new dance routines, lead rehearsal performances, and can direct and stage presentations. It is one of the fun jobs that pay well without a degree because there’s no formal education requirement to become a choreographer.
Most choreographers start out as dancers and later rise through the ranks. However, there are some who choose to pursue post-secondary education and enroll for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dance.
The average annual salary of a choreographer in the United States is $52,000 and the highest earners enjoy more than $101,250 a year in salaries.
TIP: You can offer online choreography lessons and set up a monthly subscription model for students to subscribe to.
5. Massage therapist
This is an ideal job for moms with no bachelor’s degree. It involves providing massage treatments to clients for relaxation and/or pain relief.
As a massage therapist, you will work in a serene environment within the relaxing, beautiful ambiance of spas, fitness centers, physicians’ offices, or franchised clinics.
You also enjoy flexible schedules and can work as an independent, self-employed therapist. It is, however, important to note that you need to complete a postsecondary education program to get the legal certifications and be licensed to work as a massage therapist.
Apart from being one of the best jobs for moms with no degree, it is also one of the highest-paying low-stress jobs without a degree. You get to have fun doing what you love.
The mean annual salary of massage therapists in the United States is $47,350 and the highest earners make more than $79,150 a year. Those working in franchised clinics earn more than $115,000 a year.
More: 15 Best Unknown Careers That Pay Well in 2021
6. Hairstylist and cosmetologist
Another great job moms with no bachelor’s degree can do is becoming a hairstylist and cosmetologist. They do hairstyling and provide a range of beauty care services.
Although you do not need a bachelor’s degree to pursue this career, all states require hairstylists and cosmetologists to be licensed.
This requires one to successfully complete and graduate from a state-approved cosmetology program and pass certification exams that will pave way for licensing.
You can earn anywhere between $30,000 and $60,000 a year depending on several factors such as where you work, your duties, location, and experience. The top earners get more than $85,000 a year.
7. Graphic designer
Graphic design is one of the best careers for creative personalities. The services of graphic designers are useful to companies, businesses, and website owners in need of newsletters, brochures, flyers, banners, infographics, and more.
If you choose to be a freelance graphic designer, you can take on projects from different clients and get to earn more income. Besides, the best graphic designers have the luxury of quoting even the craziest rates for their services and big companies will be obliged to pay because of the quality of their graphics.
Alternatively, you can create custom-made designs such as stickers, t-shirts, laptop covers, coffee mug designs, pillow designs, and posters and sell them on websites such as CafePress, RedBubble, and Etsy.
Being a graphic designer is one of the jobs that pay well without a degree, with PayScale indicating the mean annual salary of graphic designers to be $46,553 and the top earners getting more than $65,000 a year.
8. Web designer
Another good job for moms with no degree is working as a web designer. It is the perfect job for moms who are passionate about coding and creating unique web pages.
You do not need a bachelor’s degree to start a professional career as a freelance web designer, although most large companies prefer someone with a bachelor’s degree in web design.
According to PayScale, web designers in the United States earn a mean annual salary of $51,626. The highest-paid web designers earn more than $75,000 a year.
Freelance web designers can charge as high as $75,000 per project, which means they can easily earn more than $100,000 a year if they get more than one project.
Web design and graphic design are among the high-paying jobs for 18-year-olds and the demand for their professional skills keeps increasing due to the massive growth in the software and technology industry.
9. Freelance photographer
If you have an eye for details behind a camera lens then why not pursue a career as a freelance photographer? The field of photography is already a booming industry and the demand for creative, skilled freelance photographers will continue to surge.
You can offer your freelance photography services for:
- Weddings
- Family portraits
- Baby photos
- School events
- Parties
It is, however, important to take online short courses to sharpen your photography skills and learn advanced skills such as video & photo editing techniques and how to use lighting equipment to enhance the subject’s appearance.
Here is a short video about being a freelance photographer. Video credit: Roberto Blake.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage of photographers is $50,290 with the top earners enjoying more than $86,850 in annual wages. Freelance photographers can earn more than this.
10. Makeup artists (theatrical & performance)
These makeup artists work in the theatre and performance industry. Their roles include applying makeup to performers to reflect the setting, period, and situation of the roles they are set to play.
They can work with video and motion picture companies, personal care service providers, and performing art companies among others.
It is one of the quick certifications that pay well, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, theatrical & performance makeup artists earn a mean annual salary of $99,990. The highest-paid makeup artists get more than $157,880 a year.
11. Travel Agent
Travel agents are also not required to have a bachelor’s degree unless an employer prefers to go with someone with additional formal training. You should have a high school diploma and good communication and computer skills.
Travel agents plan and sell transportation and accommodation to customers. They also help to determine travel destinations, modes of transport, travel dates, travel costs, and accommodation needs.
On top of these, travel agents describe, plan, and arrange itineraries along with selling tour packages to travel customers.
The mean annual salary of travel agents in the U.S. is $46,650 and the highest earners enjoy salaries as high as $73,360.
12. ESL teacher
If you love teaching and interacting with your students, teaching will definitely be a fulfilling career for you. In this case, you need to be a native English speaker to be an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher.
You can work face to face with your students or work online. In most cases, having a bachelor’s degree is not mandatory but TEFL certification is.
According to PayScale, the average annual salary for ESL teachers in the United States is $46,323 with the top earners getting close to $67,000 a year.
13. Postmasters and Mail Superintendents
This is arguably one of the best jobs for moms with no degree as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates they earn as high as $96,350 a year.
The duties of postmasters and mail superintendents include planning, directing, and coordinating operative, administrative, management, and supportive services of a post office.
The average annual salary of postmasters and mail superintendents in the U.S. is $79,660.
Final thoughts
Although we have highlighted just thirteen best jobs for moms without a degree, there are more alternative careers you can pursue. There’s always an alternative job whether you have a college degree or not, and some pay really well.