32 Careers With Little Schooling When College Isn’t Your Thing

This post is all about careers with little schooling when college just isn’t your thing.

Asking yourself, what do I do if college isn’t for me? 

There are so many people in your boat, and please know that college isn’t for everyone. And that’s okay! I have seen many people around me have a successful life and career without college. 

This post was created to help you find careers with little schooling if college is not for you!

Finding a college major is hard, and dedicating nine months, two years, four years, or eight or more years is hard for college students too! Sometimes it can be hard to focus, or you have a family, and now college is not an option when you have to provide. 

Whatever your reason is, this post will help you find options for careers with little schooling or training so that you can find something you want to do!

If you were in college and feel like “college isn’t for me,” there IS STILL HOPE FOR YOU!

Everyone feels different about college because everyone has different experiences throughout the time they are in college.

What if college isn’t for me?

My husband and I chose many different majors in college. College was my thing, but college just was not his thing. He tried very hard and yet came across different circumstances that just made it difficult. 

Everyone learns and works in different ways, and his way was working with his hands. He now has a career that he loves and can advance in!

I, on the other hand, am the complete opposite. College was hard for me, but I was able to get through it. From a young age, I have always been a planner, and I knew what it took to plan out my future in college. I started right out of high school, so I graduated with a master’s after eight years of schooling.

Our differences did not affect us. We were VERY supportive of one another and love each other for our differences. 

Although many of the posts I write talk about college, I also love to help people find their passion and careers, even if takes finding a career with little schooling or NONE AT ALL! 

Together my husband and I researched many careers because college just wasn’t working out. I am a very visual learner, and while that is true for my husband, he is a very hands-on learner. He learns the best when he works with his hands and his creativity. 

Some signs that college may not be for you are:

• changing majors multiple times
• taking long breaks and time off
• dropping out and returning back
• looking to get rich or make money fast

College is a long process. It takes a long time to get a degree! Some careers make 100,000+ dollars a year, but those careers take six or more years and intensive studies.

There are other ways to make that much money without a college degree.

If you are not big on studying, then that is okay. Realize that YOU CAN be successful without college!

Here are three ways you can be successful and find careers with little schooling or none at all if college isn’t for you:

1. Try a trade school
2. Look for a career with little schooling that pays more money 
3. Start a business 

Trade School

These types of schools are meant for hands-on learners. They usually have an instructor with a small class setting, and you can learn how to do your job with your peers.

For example, you can practice how to work on dummies or physical objects.

Look for a Career with Little Schooling

If you do not think going to trade is a good idea or you have tried a trade school, you can find a school with little to no training.

This may be the best route if you have tried all options for school and you want to be able to make a sufficient living. Training may include riding along with another person, taking video courses for a week or more, and in-person training.

However, some careers may have you work overtime and on holidays, spending less time with your family.

Start a Business

Do you have prior knowledge or experience of some sort that you can use to help you start a business?

Start using your skills to make money even if it was not what you planned on doing. You may find that it is more important to provide for your family than to go without, so you can take college courses you may not be doing very well.

If you are thinking, “college isn’t for me,” that may be true, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot make great money doing something you like to do.

When you are out of options and want to get started on something important to you, start with one of these careers to make money or to our food on the table for your family.

If you are the provider for your family, your spouse may be worried because they want you to do something that lays the bills at a starting wage.

You have the option to look into a shorter program, work somewhere you may like with the skills you have, or start fresh so that you can make money.

32 Careers with Little Schooling

1) Medical Assistant

The medical assisting program is around nine months of training. Concorde and Pima Medical Institute are popular for these types of programs that are fast-paced to get you into a career.

Medical assistants work in hospitals, physician assistant offices, urgent care, nursing care facilities, and more!

2) Dental Assistant

Dental assisting programs are through trade schools, which is why it too will take around nine months to complete the program.

They make great incomes without years of schooling, and you can obtain a registered dental assistant license (RDA), which will create higher pay opportunities.

Dental assistants assist the dentist in filling cavities, cleaning teeth, and replacing teeth.

They can be seen in the front office or taking X-rays too!

3) Surgical Technologist

Surgical technologist programs are around 12 months. Once you complete the program, you can obtain a certificate or diploma for your completion.

They are in hospitals, delivery rooms, operating rooms, physician offices, dental offices, and outpatient centers.

Surgical technologists prepare and sterilize rooms for patients that are heading into surgery. Ultimately their job is to assist the surgeon in preparation for his upcoming surgery.

4) Welder

There are so many types of welders, but to name a few, there are fabricator welders, ironworkers, and auto body welders.

To become a welder, schools are usually under a year, and it’s more of a hands-on training if you are more of a hands-on learner and want to do the job!

5) Phlebotomist

If you’re okay with needles and want to take people’s blood, phlebotomy schooling is only 4-12 weeks depending on the program you choose.

6) Blogger

Whether you are a man or a woman, anyone can start a blog! Many people think that you need to be THE BEST writer or someone amazing to start a blog. But that’s not true, you just need to be YOU!

Really what a blog is, is just a website that is created, and your posts are found on Google and Pinterest.

All you have to do to start a blog is know one or more particular areas. Some of these topics may include sports, housing, real estate, photography, interior design, plumbing, kids, education, ANYTHING.

I promise that if you know someone is searching for something, you know! You do not need to be the best writer or a photographer.

Some bloggers want their name and face in front of their blog once they interest their readers. Others write blog posts from home all the time, and you would never know they are a blogger.

People hear the word blogger, and they think ha, I could or would never want to start a blog!

Just because college isn’t your thing, doesn’t mean you are not smart or educated in other ways. Experience is everything, and all you have to do is SHARE IT!

Get started blogging as a beginner with these courses that I invested in to create my website.

7) YouTuber

On the opposite side of blogging is YouTube. Have you ever gone onto YouTube and seen a simple or wacky channel? And the first thing you think about is, how do people find interest in this!

You may not ever find out, but people are interested in EVERYTHING!! Heck, kids can start their own YouTube channel now. Most kids are posting about video games these days! Why wouldn’t someone want to see you on YouTube?

The only difference is, they have started their channel, and you need to begin yours!

8) Graphic Designer

If your that person with a good eye, crafty, or good with designs, you should become a graphic designer!

Some schools offer 3-6 months of training, and others will hire you with a portfolio and experience! You can even watch videos on how to sell or work for businesses on Fiverr.com.

9) Coder

There are coding Bootcamp all over the world, but UC Berkeley and University of Arizona having 3-6 month coding Bootcamps.

These boot camps are short, but they help you learn the front end and back end of web development and offer several different career opportunities!

The Bootcamp will help you create a portfolio within the program so that you can use it to apply for jobs.

Job and career coaches will reach out to you to help you apply for entry-level positions that don’t require a degree of some sort.

The Bootcamp is helpful for resumes too!

10) Cyber Security

Again at UC Berkeley, you can apply to their cybersecurity boot camp program from anywhere in the world as it is offered online.

Yes, you can live in any state and learn how to do cybersecurity. Someone who is in cybersecurity can create firewalls and security plans by monitoring online information.

The program is between 3-6 months and can be completed on your own time with career coaching to support you.

11) Behavior Interventionist

If you have ever seen a child throw a bad tantrum, their doctor may offer behavioral support through ABA therapy.

You can look around for local ABA companies and become a therapist without a degree.

12) Cable Technician

If you like working with your hands, you can become a cable technician and go into people’s homes to install their internet.

My husband can work eight or more hours a day and is offered a company truck, benefits, and a phone through his job.

He was able to add to his tool collection and went through about a month of training.

Now he works alone and loves working on his own time and schedule to complete jobs! You can look up your local cable company, where there is usually a lot of room for advancement and good pay!

13) Product Specialist/ Car Salesman

The fastest way I have ever learned how to make money is through selling cars. A product specialist is a person who specializes in knowing everything about products.

I sold cars at a Honda Dealership because I’ve always believed in Honda’s. After all, they hold their value well.

At the age of 21, I started on a 3,000 dollar salary and made $6,000 after just five months.

Typically, Dealerships offer salaries, and the rest is adding products on top of the deal to help make a commission. If you reach more than your salary, you will make a commission on each vehicle you sell or after you’ve sold a certain amount of vehicles.

Selling Honda’s or a car you truly believe in will be easy for you because you love the car. For me, it was easy because people loved Honda’s as much as I did, and most people that stopped by wanted a Honda. It sold itself!

The only training you will be given in car sales is 50 five-minute pieces of training or less on the car you are selling. The rest is your job to be motivated and make great money.

There are all sorts of tools on YouTube, and motivational speakers you can listen to pump you up and teach you more about how to be a skillful car salesman. Way easier than years of college if you ask me!

14) Chef/ Culinary School

What a great way to make money is by going to a hands-on school where you get to cook.

Most cooking programs will take around 1 year to get you introduced to making all different meals.

If you wouldn’t open your restaurant, why not be a chef and meal prep for wealthy people? You can do it from home as your own business!

15) Truck Driver

There are so many different types of opportunities for truck drivers. If you are looking for another way to fast cash, this could be it!

To get started, you will need to have graduated high school, have a clean driving record and apply for a Commercial Drivers License (CDL).

Driver training usually takes around eight weeks to get you on the road and through driving school!

You can also look into owning a truck driving business and what you would need to save for that. I know a few people below 30 that have to start their own trucking company.

Trucking drivers have great benefits and make a great income of between $60,000-80,000 dollars a year. It may not be the ideal career, but you may be happier knowing that your family is secure with this career.

16) Amazon Employee

Have you seen the starting wages at Amazon? 18 dollars an hour is what I have recently found, and they are offering overtime all the time.

This is an easy way to make at least $3,000 per month and figure out how to climb the ladder without a college degree!

17) Project Manager

If you are interested in working on flipping homes or have helped anyone you know fix homes you can look for opportunities nearby to be a project manager!

Project managers start out by shadowing. Then they go into the homes to help plan the way it will be fixed up. They may order supplies through Lowes, Amazon, and Home Depot and work with a team to make dreams come true for those that flip homes and sell them.

Depending on where you work, you may make a base salary plus commissions and it is a great career to provide for your family!

18) Pool Service Person

Servicing pools for homeowners is such a low-cost business. You don’t need more than $500/month, and you can do this on the side while working another job until you build clientele.

If you’ve had experience cleaning pools, you can start your own pool business or maybe get experience for a year and then start a pool business if the weather is warm and local for you to clean.

19) Real Estate Agent

Becoming a real estate agent is a career and one with only 3 months of schooling. Many programs offer online training at your own pace.

Find out How to Become a Real Estate Agent in this post.

20) Electrician

Electricians make great money, especially if you own your own business. If you’ve had experience and feel like you understand the majority of the field, why not start your own business?

Electricians can work in several different settings wiring for homeowners or businesses.

21) Sales Consultant

Whether you are in car sales, pharmaceutical sales, or air conditioning sales. This is a great job to consider if you have good people and persuasion skills.

Even if you think you don’t, start with car sales and advance after a year if you can do well at it.

You will make money based on a commission. The sky is the limit in terms of how many you can sell and how hungry you are to make the money.

22) Gym Owner

If you are passionate about fitness, why not open a CAMP, franchise, or private gym where people can work out in groups, and have private training sessions?

One guy, I knew trained athletes and saved his money. Once he had enough, he bought equipment and opened up a small space for his private gym.

He later expanded his gym and now has two at the age of 30.

23) Hairstylist

Hair school is only 1 year if you go full time and is a great way to set your schedule and make great money.

You can choose to work for a salon or rent a space and have it be your salon.

If you go to school to be a hairdresser, the schooling is no longer enough. There are so many new trends, and you will need to learn how to do extensions, balayage, perms, Brazilian blowouts, root smudge, and so many different techniques.

Once you graduate from hair school, look to learn more by saving your money and attending training.

Hairdressers are no longer making just 3,000/month. The monthly income can rise to $10,000-$15,000/ month if you learn everything and become an assistant to someone who can give you a closer look at how to work on new skills.

24) Esthetician

Esthetician school is usually less than 1 year if you go full time. In school, you will learn about peels, how to wax, and you can get licensed to work on other beauty tips such as brow blading, etc.

So many estheticians have their booths in an office that they rent. Many have saved their money and expanded, but if you specialize in waxing, peels, or micro-blading you can easily make over $5,000/ month or more!

25) Non-profit business owner

If you have always worked with children or adults that have disabilities, you can open up a small business on your own. So many people need helping learning how to live on their own or with their children.

You can create an ABA agency or non-profit to help children or adults in their homes.

26) Nutrition Shop Owner

Love talking about nutrition and how to get fit? What about taking out a business loan or finding an investor to help you open a nutrition business!

You can talk about healthy foods and shakes all day long if you run your own business.

27) HVAC Technician

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is another career that people need all around the world.

As an HVAC technician, you can go into properties to work on systems in-home or commercial properties.

To become a technician you can receive on-the-job training and get certified to become more knowledgeable in as little as 6 months through a trade school!

When training is over you will be able to improve and repair HVAC systems for homes and businesses!

28) Flight Attendant

If you like to travel and ride on airplanes, you should consider being a flight attendant. You do not need any prior experience at all and will receive lots of perks and benefits!

Some of the benefits can include health insurance, retirement (401K) and discounts on hotels, etc. That sounds like a great deal to me!

Of course, you would need to live fairly close to your local airline or be willing to move near an airport. Flight attendant school takes around 10 weeks to complete, and you would need to apply to go through their hiring process, which could take up to 6 months.

29) Police Dispatcher

Are you someone that can handle difficult situations? You can apply to a local police department to be a dispatcher.

For this career, you would be the person on call sending out the police or fire departments to ensure safety in the homes.
You would help save lives and keep children safe!

30) Amazon FBA Seller

Have you ever heard of selling through Amazon FBA?! Amazon is completely rising through its online business and creating opportunities for EVERYONE to be successful!

Amazon has multiple warehouses all around the world, and they allow you to sell products through them!
People used to want to sell products. But never could afford a warehouse to do it. Amazon will handle your refunds, returns and store your products for you!

You can sell your products through Amazon and make large profits!

People are making thousands of dollars, and many have turned this into their career after finding a product that they want to sell!

31) Model

If you are tall, slender, and don’t mind a camera. Find an agent, create a portfolio, and look into modeling agencies.

You can easily make $200,000/ year if you get gigs and are on top of making your money.

32) Photographer

Taking photos is always fun, and if you love it, consider being a photographer. You would get to travel and take pictures which would be so fun!

You would want to pick a niche such as a college, sports, wedding, mommy and me, family, or a specific type of photographer that people can call on you.

Once you narrow down your niche, you can use a photo editing app and buy a camera to help you get started. Photographers charge a lot of money for photos because of all of the work that goes behind them.

Once you get sufficient cliental and build a portfolio, you can easily make over $5,000 or more a month!

more careers with little schooling will be added each year!

Feeling like “college isn’t for me,” is hard when you look around and see others in their careers. But honestly, that can be you too with any of these careers!

All you have to do is research a little more on Google!

I hope you have found one or more careers with little schooling that interest you if you want to make a living for yourself and your family without going to college.

People do it all the time.

If you have dropped out of college or never wanted to go, one of the careers will help you be successful if you put everything you have into it!

None of these careers are a get rich quick because great things take time.
If college isn’t for you, I have met many people in each one of these fields where people have felt college wasn’t for them too!! They have all been successful.

I know people that have gone from working making less than $1,500/ month that have made careers out of the ones listed above!

As I network and continue to meet new people, I will share or add other careers on here that will be helpful for you!