To some extent, the saying that money can’t buy happiness is true. Yet, a well-paying job is, more often than not, a good part of that contentment.

Most of these jobs, however, require a degree, which puts some people in a difficult position. But as this woman recently found out by asking online, there are some relatively fantastic hidden gems of well-paying workplaces that do not, and you can find out about them too by reading down below!

More info: Reddit

#1

I rotisserize chicken at Costco for $63k a year. Bought a house and everything. Great times

Image credits: Stilgrave

#2

My husband never attended college a single day. Union electrician, $126.13 an hour. Sometimes on like airport rush jobs they get triple time – $378.16 an hour.

Image credits: TarotCatDog

#3

I deliver bread to grocery stores and I made $120k last year working 6-8 hours per day. Healthcare, pension, paid vacation, union representation. It’s great work if you can find it.

Edit: If you guys can’t get in at Bimbo, try Aunt Millie’s or a local brand like Flowers, Kordas, etc.

Image credits: Hot_Frosty0807

#4

I make 138k, I work as a baker, no degree
7 years experience. San Francisco, California
Michelin 1 star.

Image credits: Retardedastro

#5

Post office, I work in a plant. It’s easy af and I can listen to audiobooks while I work so that’s a bonus.

Image credits: Jukidding

#6

I work at a union warehouse for Kroger and I make about 80-85k a year but that’s with OT and I work about 50-60 hours work weeks I do pay 80 a month for unions due but that’s all I pay , I get free healthcare dental care vision care and a good retirement plan

Not bad for 10th grade drop out

Image credits: Positive-Pack-396

#7

IT senior level $100k+. Never graduated. Learned everything on the job.

Image credits: meh2280

#8

I’m a career nanny- I’m in my 20s at 90k plus benefits, 45 hours a week.

Image credits: penleyhenley

#9

Dog groomer, but I’m retired/disabled now (not entirely due to the career, mostly genetics). An average year would be 50k for me, a great year 60k or so. Faster groomers make more money and I was just average speed but excellent results. It’s nowhere near all the 100k+ careers listed here but it’s one I loved.

Image credits: Namasiel

#10

Union electrician got me started. Now as a master electrician I have the experience to commission data centers. Still electrical, but less physical and more mental.

Image credits: CashMoneyfoda_99-00

#11

I do autopsies as a autopsy tech. $50k without over time. I take out peoples organs and give it to a doc to do the actual autopsy. Then I sew up, clean up and release bodies to funeral homes. It’s smelly work and you see things you can never unsee but the death industry is the last Wild West and I have a lot of down time for reading and naps.

Image credits: iremovebrains

#12

Service Technician for Pepsi. It’s cake and my home is my office. I have a work truck and a work phone. It’s entry level too. I have a zoom meeting once a week, other than that it’s just me and the road.

Image credits: Delicious-Juice4771

#13

Project Manager for a health insurance company, 100K remote. I worked my way up over the last 6 years but I’m 30 now.

Image credits: WxlfCody

#14

I turned 40 in July and I work as a full time rural carrier for USPS. I only got full time this last January, so I just recently broke the “poverty shackles” (got a story below, in case anyone cares to read).
My current salary is $55,036/yr, with it going up about $1500/yr next January (my year anniversary).
My route is also one where I use my own vehicle, so I also receive an Equipment Maintenance Allowance (EMA for short) that just got raised to $0.98/mile. With my assigned route being 136 miles, I earn $133.28 in EMA **per day** I work. Normally I work 10 days per pay period, so I earn $133.28 x 10 per paycheck. This EMA is added to my salary, so my paycheck is basically this:
$55,036/26 = $2,116.76.
$2,116.76 – deductions & insurance = net pay.
Net pay + EMA = my paycheck

Added bonus: This EMA portion is untaxable income, since it’s used to compensate me for using my own vehicle, but you only get this if you get a rural route that you have to use your own vehicle…some rural routes use postal vehicles, so in this case, you would only get salary.

Now I will state the obvious and mention that USPS isn’t for everyone. It can be a high stress job, but it is mainly based on where you are at. I live in a small town rural area, so me working is mostly stress-free (I spend most my days driving around the country roads jamming to my Spotify playlist while delivering mail…and it’s peaceful for me).
It’s nowhere near one of the highest paying jobs out there. Also the pay is the same across the board, so no matter where you are in the US, the pay is the same. That $55,036 for my route size in my small rural town is the exact same pay rate as someone doing a “rural” route in places as big (and as costly as) Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, etc… So me making what I make is “amazing money” where I live, but if you live in one of these high cost of living places, $55k/year is “chump change”, so take that in to consideration.
Another thing…I was an RCA for 4 years before getting FT, but there are some RCAs that have had to wait 10+ years to get full time. There are also some RCAs that have to wait only 1 year (you can’t bid for FT until you have worked 1 full year), so it all depends on your area whether or not it’s worth your time and energy to even consider it (BTW, of course there are other jobs other than RCA/rural carriers…I am just unfamiliar with those aspects).

————————————————————————————————————————————–

Background info as to how I got here, in case anyone is wondering.

I was born into poverty and I have lived below the poverty line pretty much my entire life. Before 2019, I never worked a job that ever paid more than $10.50/hr that was full time hours, and any job I ever tried to get in to that paid higher always was extremely part time (less than 10 hours/week), a “temp” job, or just flat out wouldn’t hire me. Any time I thought something would finally come my way, something would happen to wreck it.

Well in January of 2019, I took a RCA position (which is the entry level position for rural carrier) for USPS. Of course this was a 1 day a week (Saturdays) job, but it paid almost $17.83/hr at the time (it’s $19.96/hr now, with its annual increase in November) plus the EMA. So I was content with my 1 day a week, with an occasional extra day here or there (when the full time carrier needed a day off for whatever reason). At this time, I also worked a couple retail merchandising jobs that had flexible hours in a way that as long as the work got done the week it was assigned, they didn’t care when it got done. (BTW…for anyone reading this…if you need part-time flexible “choose your schedule” hours, I highly recommend Premium Retail, if they have it in your area).
Everyone was calling me crazy and stupid for holding out on the hope of getting a full time post office position. When I was hired, they basically told me that they had over half of their FT carriers close to retirement, so I came in “at a good time”. So I persisted, even with everyone I knew telling me time and time again that I was basically a f*****g idiot for holding out on the promise of eventual full time. I lost friends and basically became the black sheep of my in-laws family (most of them are in various medical fields and “blue collar” jobs that are typical for a rural town environment, so if you didn’t work one of those jobs, their “superiority complex” side would show).
Well basically after exactly 4 years (4 years and 8 days, to be exact), I finally got my own full time route! For the first time in my entire life, I finally am at a position and pay where I can break free from below the poverty line. Now I am nowhere near financially stable at the moment (considering the economy right now), but I am now at a point in my life where every recurring monthly bill is paid before it’s due without stress.

Image credits: Kathutet37

#15

Real estate. Spent my last dime on my license. Last year I did over 120k and I am on my 4th year of RE. Best decision I ever made.

Image credits: 17laxbro

#16

Corrections officer in NYS, easy to clear over 100 k, only need a high-school diploma and attend an 8 week academy.

Image credits: AcadiaMuted4084

#17

My husband makes $48k a year as a forklift operator. He’s not even earning as much as he potentially could if he had a different employer.

Image credits: TacoWeenie

#18

29, £60k, no degree at all, 2 years as an ERP software consultant- pick Salesforce, Aws or Msft and the “qualifications” are all open book, you can get practice environments to f**k about n find out with the UI of the softwares, and all the answers to the exams are available online too.

And it’s nothing to do with coding either, you just need to get a good understanding of how to use the software and how people are gonna want to use it.

Link the exam badges to your LinkedIn and share that you passed it and recruiters will come to you as there’s a shortage in the space

Image credits: LivingOk9059

#19

Welder. I did an apprenticeship through the federal government. Started almost 5 years ago at 28, at $18 an hour now I’m making close to $35 as a journeyman. I’m pushing 100k this year with OT and bought my first house last spring. My work is dirty but isn’t crazy hard and I’m not forced to travel. That being said, I would not recommend welding as a trade, there are lot more trades that make more money and are less rough on your body and lungs.

#20

$60k, Supply Chain Account Manager. It’s basically glorified data entry for the most part. Fully remote since Covid. ??

Image credits: Nottodaybroadie

#21

I learned how to configure Salesforce for free ( www.trailhead.com) and immediately started working with a Salesforce partner. My income went from 45k to 75k, and I hit 6 figures within my first year in the industry.

Image credits: motonahi

#22

I am a lighting design manager for art fairs. I run a crew of guys who put up truss systems and lights for big events. I also own a YouTube channel that pays another $10k a year or so! And a Tshirt print shop on the side. I make about $80k between the three.

Image credits: SpaceDesignWarehouse

#23

22 years in the Air Force, 9 years as a contractor Government Security Officer.

Starting investing with a Financial advisor in 2000.

Retired at 52 1/2.

Image credits: blackhawks-fan

#24

Freight dock! They don’t get many girls. At fed ex at least they’re super into diversity. This makes it easier to move into a management or full time position!

Image credits: Tricky_Particular833

#25

Im a server/ bartender making roughly 60k with 50hr weeks.

Image credits: Flnn

#26

I work in Parks and Rec. Run ice rinks for a living

#27

Loss Prevention for a fortune 10 company. With bonuses and stock grants, even entry level brings in $50k+ a year.

Image credits: Venustoise_TCG

#28

fedex driver. ups makes way more but they get worked harder too. and you have to put your time in for up to a couple years as a part time low pay package handler first to land a ups driver job, usually. fedex (ground) is always hiring drivers

Image credits: aerowtf

#29

Work 6 days/wk (48+hrs) week, 3rd shift, at a company building printed circuit boards in house. It’s about 61k.

Most of the parts Sanmina makes goes into military equipment.

I got the job by heavily embellishing my resume.

Image credits: mage_in_training

#30

Work from home health insurance appeals coordinator

#31

Construction, low voltage. Hella great if you have add and like to be on your feet and work with tools. Pull cables Aall dayyyyy yay. 46 hr union hella easy to get into but you need 4k hours to get to $46

#32

Aircraft maintenance for a major airline. 2 years of trade school. I make over 200k

#33

Industrial rope access.

I make between 50-75 an hr. Plenty of work.

It’s not too expensive to get started.

#34

Refrigerated Transportation coordinator/dispatcher. Have been doing transportation logistics for almost 10 years. Most money I’ve ever made (too bad I feel so broke)

#35

Post Office, just under $50k after tax. I also have to work a minimum of 55 hours a week, & nothing past 40 is guaranteed.

Kinda stressful to have one paycheck a month be maxed out & the next being “sorry, hour cuts” but when it’s good it’s okay ?

Looking for a way out but America doesn’t want growth from its people right now, they want us to either stay stagnant or create relationships/children out of trauma bonds & financial convenience

Image credits: LegendaryZTV

#36

My older son has been making well over $50k for several years in public transit as a safety official/accident investigator. Not transit cops, but the safety of equipment and such. He currently makes 2.5 timesthat figure, with his latest promotion. They are trying to promote him to a desk but he is fighting it since he likes doing field inspections and investigations. He is 33, and started on this particular career track from being a city bus driver about 7 years ago.

He also made over that in his previous career of over the road long haul trucking.

No college, but he has many certifications that were all paid for by the organizations he has worked for. He is scheduled for another 4 day class soon. All expenses paid, paid time off to attend, a good per diem for food…

One of our neighbors works in waste management, no college, makes about what my son does working with our county at the landfills. He worked up from driving a garbage truck.

Our water treatment plant neighbor does as well, no degree. He runs the testing department for the water utility. And given we are in a LCOL area, it is excellent money. He worked into that from working in the sewage treatment in maintenance IIRC…

I won’t count all the landscapers, construction folks and other trades people we know who own their own businesses and make that working part time.

And miners. Plenty of jobs in mining will get you that. Even haul truck drivers can get close to that at the big copper mines. And if you can get certified to blast and/or will work underground you can make good money. At the big mines there are all kinds of different jobs.

#37

I have a degree but I don’t really use it towards my jobs. I work in document control for an pharmaceutical company. But I was in manufacturing and production for years before this

Image credits: Cananbaum

#38

Business Analyst, make a little over $100k after bonus. Base salary is $85k. Started at a financial company, learned the ropes and moved up. Got lots of opportunity available as well. I’m 37. I’m paid for my opinion for the most part, because I know the process and systems and lots of niche info, I just tried to learn as much as possible to be as valuable as possible to overcome imposter syndrome.

Image credits: air-hug-me

#39

Car salesmen. If you’ve got the personality it can be good money. Or it can be a worse job than fast food

Image credits: AngryAlabamian

#40

Valet at a high end hotel.

#41

Administrative assistant for a Canadian university, make $51 but classification caps out at 61k

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