Are you interested in earning $35 per hour but do not have a degree? You can still earn a good income even without a four-year degree. A quick research will show that many successful individuals have carved their paths to high-paying careers without obtaining a degree.
Whether you’re seeking a $35-an-hour job to bolster your income and provide a stable life for your family, or you’re drawn to a non-traditional job that offers such financial security, this blog is your guide to high-paying jobs without a degree.
Is $35 Per Hour A Good Wage?
$35 an hour is above the average hourly wage in the US, which is $28.34. It is important to note that the cost of living where you are can determine whether this hourly rate is reasonable.
How Much Is A Monthly Salary Of $35 An Hour?
$35 an hour equals 5763.33 per month, assuming that you work 40 hours per week.
Earn $35 An Hour Without A Degree
If $35 an hour is desirable, these careers may suit you. Most people have never heard of some of these hustles that pay well. Additionally, these jobs rely more on practical skills, experience, and on-the-job training.
Best Jobs To Earn $35 An Hour Without A Degree
Here are some of the jobs that pay $35 an hour that require little to no experience:-
1. Electricians
Electricians offer vital services to businesses, residential homes, and industrial areas, including electrical installation, repair, and maintenance. Attend vocational training and get the right electrical skills.
There is a high demand for skilled electricians, and they averagely earn $36.07 an hour. Specialized electricians can make up to $50 an hour. You can specialize as a residential electrician, journeyman, independent electrical contractor, or industrial or commercial electrician.
2. Plumbers
There is a massive shortage of plumbers; experts expect skilled plumbers to be fewer by 550,000 by 2027. Most people don’t choose this profession anymore, which makes it the right one for you if you want to earn more.
Plumbers install, repair, and maintain pipes that supply water and gas to homes, commercial spaces, and industries. Did you know that you can specialize as a plumber? You can specialize in construction, commercial, residential, service and repair, water supply, and sanitary plumbing.
The average pay for licensed plumbers is $36 an hour, with the highest earning up to $53.37.
3. Real Estate Photographer
Yes, real estate photography is a profession that can pay you $35 an hour or more. A real estate photographer works with realtors to create high-quality photos and videos to market commercial and residential properties.
The average pay for real estate photographers is $72,894 per year. If you love photography and are looking for a high-paying niche, give this a shot.
4. Pharmacy Tech
Pham tech is another job that can bring a decent income without needing a degree. The responsibilities of a pharm tech include measuring medication, serving customers, labeling prescriptions, and liaising with insurance companies.
The average pay for a pharmacy technician depends on your area of specialty. Some of the high-paying specialties include clinical and pharmacist assistant. The former pays up to $147k/year, while the latter can pay up to $140k/year.
How Do You Join This Profession?
You can start with an accredited training program, which can take up to a year. Then, you can advance and get certified; with more training and experience, you can expect handsome pay.
5. Wind Turbine Tech
Wind turbine technicians work in the sustainable energy industry, installing, repairing, and maintaining wind turbines. They also troubleshoot and fix hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical malfunctions.
The average base salary is $69,397/year; high-paid technicians can make up to $300k/year.
6. Medical Writing
Do you have a knack for words? Get into medical writing and turn your passion into a cash machine. Medical writers create articles reporting clinical trials, marketing materials, grant proposals, and other informational pieces for the medical industry.
Medical writing is quite technical, so it pays well. Industries hiring medical writers include the government, clinical research organizations, news outlets, biotech companies, medical schools, device companies, pharmaceutical companies, and more.
The average pay for medical writers is $93,528/year.
7. Web Developer
With the massive growth of digital media, it is no surprise that there is a demand for web developers. The exciting part is that you can jump into the world of web development without going to college.
You can take web development courses online and kick-start your career. The average pay for a web developer is $93,716.
8. Content Creation
Who knew that a time would come when you could get paid to post videos, photos, or stories? That time is now; you can make money writing content and posting videos or pictures online.
The best part is that you don’t need a bachelor’s degree to start creating content; your smartphone, creativity, and editing skills are enough.
There are dozens of platforms on which you can post your content and start earning. You can start your content creation business or work for other brands/companies.
Create content around anything, whether it is about parenting, cooking, travel, gaming, beauty and lifestyle, college life, personal finance, nature, animals, or anything else—literally.
The average pay for a content creator is $9,717 per month!
9. CDL Driver
Do you love driving? You can make $35 an hour or more as a CDL driver while driving big trucks. This kind of work involves moving massive trucks from one place to another, possibly from one city or state to another.
You must acquire a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to enter the trucking industry. The average wage for a CDL driver is $35 an hour.
10. Commercial HVAC
Commercial HVAC techs install, maintain, inspect, clean, troubleshoot, repair, and replace HVAC systems. They work for restaurants, schools, rental properties, and business buildings.
How Do You Become A Commercial HVAC Tech?
Get your high school diploma and join a trade school. Then, get the EPA certification, and you’ll be ready to look for your first job.
The average pay for a commercial HVAC tech is $34 an hour and $47 an hour if you have more experience.
Non-Traditional Jobs To Make $35 An Hour Without A Degree
Do you want a job where you control your working hours? It is a remote career you can do from anywhere in this world. Hundreds of odd jobs pay over $35 an hour and are location-independent.
Some odd jobs that pay well include:-
11. Food Critic
“I got it; let’s try and rate it one to ten.” Does this sound familiar? If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of Keith Lee, a famous food critic on TikTok.
He tries new food and shares his honest reviews on social media. And you guessed it right: He makes money (lots of it) as a food critic.
You can be a food critic, too. If you love trying new food, this could be your perfect job. The average base pay for a food critic is $64,820/year.
12. Freelance Writer
Freelance writing is another job that pays $35 an hour, and you don’t need a degree. Thanks to growing online media consumption, there is a massive demand for content writers. If you love writing, this is your perfect non-traditional career.
But what can you write about? Many topics, including finance, software, cryptocurrency, education, marketing, lifestyle, pop culture, and news, are available.
How Much Do Freelance Content Writers Make?
The average is $40 an hour!
13. Virtual Assistant
Do you want to work as an administrative assistant but remotely? A virtual assistant offers admin support online and can make $35 an hour.
This job allows you to work from anywhere, such as at home or the beach. Furthermore, you can work as an independent contractor or for a company.
Virtual assistants work on tasks such as scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements, making calls, handling emails, and organizing calendars.
The pay for a virtual assistant can be upwards of $100/hour.
14. Streamer
Do you love playing games, knitting, music, physical fitness, or talk shows? You can make a ton of money streaming content online. Various platforms will pay you handsomely to stream content to a specific audience; yes, you don’t need a degree.
The amount of money you can earn from streaming depends on the platform and audience size. Streaming offers multiple ways to make money, such as ads, subscriptions, sponsorship, merch sales, and donations. The average nationwide streamer pay is $56,375.
15. Hacker
White hacking is another odd yet high-paying job you can do without a college degree. These types of hackers help companies and individuals improve cybersecurity. They look into systems to expose and fix any vulnerabilities to prevent attacks.
Where Do You Begin To Learn Ethical Hacking Without Going To College?
Start with online courses in web security and advance to network security. There are many boot camps and free online courses you can take and complete in a record time.
The average pay for a white hacker is $108,795/year.
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16. Executive Chef
Executive chef is another job you can get into without a college degree. It pays more than $35 an hour. Do you love cooking? Executive chefs handle everything from designing menus to planning recipes and managing kitchen staff.
How Can You Become An Executive Chef?
Take a culinary arts course or an apprenticeship program in a quality kitchen.
The average wage for an executive chef is $36.06 an hour or $75k/year.
17. Food Stylist
Have you ever seen those Instagram-worthy food pics and videos and thought, “That’s too real; I want a bite?” That’s the work of a food stylist. They work with photographers to ensure the food is visually appealing and aligns with the marketing goals.
Food styling can be the best career for someone who loves food and is creative. You’ll create food content that evokes emotional responses from your audience.
How Do You Become A Food Stylist?
You go to a culinary school and learn the art of food presentation. Depending on your level of study, the study duration can be from a month to two years.
The average pay for a food stylist is $74,158/year.
18. Affiliate Marketer
Do you want a job where big companies pay you for every referral that makes a purchase? Welcome to the world of affiliate marketing. Do you have products that you swear by? You could earn a commission by promoting them online.
Check out the company that makes the products to see if they have an affiliate program. If so, sign up and share the links with friends or an online audience.
The affiliate marketing industry is worth $17 billion-plus and will likely hit $27.7 billion by 2027. This data shows that it has massive growth potential and offers decent income.
How Do You Start Affiliate Marketing?
First, you need an audience of raving fans. You can achieve this by creating content on social media and taking it a step higher with video and blog content.
The best part about affiliate marketing is that it is easy to start and that earning potential is unlimited.
The average pay for an affiliate marketer is $39.43 an hour or $82,015/year.
19. Social Media Manager
Did you know that you can get paid to manage social media pages? That’s right. This non-traditional job doesn’t require a degree. You only need to learn the nuts and bolts of running a social media page.
Companies, individual brands, and organizations need social media managers. Their work involves brainstorming, creating, and posting content on sites like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
Your goal is to increase brand awareness and boost the number of followers on social media.
The average pay for a social media manager is $70,287/year.
20. UGC Content Creator
What if someone paid you to unbox packages? User-generated content creation can be an exciting career if you love sharing your experience about products and services. Technically, you document every step of getting and using a specific product.
This content can help other consumers make informed decisions before purchasing the product. Importantly, you can create UGC content without showing your face. Brands love collaborating with this type of creator as it gives an impression of real people, not influencers.
What Do You Need To Create UGC Content?
You need a professional camera (your smartphone can work), a lapel microphone, lighting, and a social media profile.
Examples of brands you can work for as a UGC content creator are Kiehl, Cloudies, Fenty, and LinkedIn.
The average pay for a UGC content creator is $116,615/year.
Make $35 An Hour Without A Degree
Anything is possible in this era, including making $35 an hour without a degree. Look into your skills, experiences, and interests and carve out a rewarding career path without spending thousands of dollars in a four-year college.
Penny Calling Penny strives to provide actionable tips on how to get the right job and achieve your financial goals.
FAQs
What is the easiest job that can pay $35 an hour?
An easy job paying $35 an hour is possible, ideal for busy moms and students. Content creation can be an easy way to build a massive online presence and make over $35 an hour. Online streaming can also be a rewarding career. Pick a niche and start streaming.
Which remote job pays $35 an hour?
If you’re looking for jobs you can do from anywhere, consider freelance writing, content creation, social media management, virtual assisting, and streaming.