Do you feel like not having a degree is holding you back? Well, not anymore; New year, new job!
Many job opportunities await you, including those $40 an hour.
We’re in a world where education level, experience, industry, location, and competition determine your pay.
aHowever, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need a four-year degree to get a high-paying job.Let’s get straight into and look at the jobs that pay $40 hourly without a degree.
How Much Is $40 An Hour Monthly?
Assuming you work 40 hours per well, you’ll make approximately $6,400 monthly working $40 an hour.
Jobs That Pay $40 An Hour For Digital Nomads Without A Degree
Do you dream of working from the beach, on a mountain, or in some gorgeous scenery?
Well, remote work allows you to travel anywhere without halting your job.
Just carry your laptop and access a strong internet connection; you can make money anywhere.
1. Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business model anyone can start if they’re looking for high-paying remote work.
Practically, it is an e-commerce venture where you sell products without dealing with the logistics part of it or holding any physical stock.
Technically, you’ll sell products remotely and let your supplier or manufacturer handle the fulfillment.
You’ll need a profitable dropshipping niche and best-selling products, build an online store, and create a marketing strategy.
The advantage of starting a dropshipping business is that you can do it remotely with little investment.
Additionally, choose from multiple products and run an e-commerce business without dealing with storage costs.
What Dropship Can You Do?
- Jewelry
- Clothes
- Phone accessories
- Office products
- Beauty products
- Kitchen and dining essentials
- Baby products
- Home interior items
- Pet products
- Toys
Examples of best dropshipping platforms for beginners:-
- AleExpress
- Shopify
- SaleHoo
- Spocket
- Zendrop
- Wholesale Central
- Inventory Source
How Profitable Is Dropshipping?
You can make 40% profit and 20% net profit.
2. Content Creation
Content creation is one of the most profitable hustles that could pay you $40 an hour without a degree.
It has enabled millions of content creators to earn income through multiple streams.
Whether you love posting videos or photos or writing, content creation offers various ways to generate revenue.
Unlike before, social media sites pay to post content these days.
You can create video content about fun activities, travel, cooking, education, etc.
So, how will you make money with content creation?
- Brand deals
- Affiliate marketing
- Product selling
- Ad revenue
- Subscriptions
Can You Earn $40 An Hour Creating Content?
A content creator makes an average of $116,615 a year or $56 an hour!
3. App Development
Do you love tech? App development is another job that can pay you $40 an hour without a degree.
An app developer makes and maintains the typical apps on our phones, laptops, tablets, etc.
Learn programming languages like JavaScript, Python, C++, and PHP.
You can start with free coding courses to see if you love coding — platforms like Codecademy and freeCodeCamp offer free coding courses.
Strive to get a professional certification and build a portfolio once you familiarize yourself with coding.
Find your specialty area; for example, you can specialize in Apple or Android products.
Average App Developer Salary
An average of $89,499!
4. Affiliate Marketing
Data shows that affiliate marketing has a market value of $27.8 billion; it is easy to see why it is one of the most lucrative jobs that can pay you without needing a degree.
You can do this job from anywhere and earn as much as possible.
Do you need something you can do along with your day job? Affiliate marketing is flexible.
So, what’s affiliate marketing, and how can you start? It is a process of making money by advertising products and services.
Technically, a company will pay you a commission for every sale through your affiliate link.
The best thing about affiliate marketing is that you don’t need overhead costs to start selling.
Sign up as an affiliate marketer with your company of choice, get the unique referral link, and start selling.
Market products or services through your social media pages, online communities, blogs, or email.
Affiliate Marketer Pay
An average of $82,015.
Best Survey Sites To Make Extra Money
5. Copywriting
A copywriter crafts compelling content to market products or enlighten an audience.
Often, they write content for landing pages, web copy, service pages, social media ads, and emails.
If you love writing, you can start a copywriting business and earn $40 an hour or more.
What Do You Need To Be A Successful Copywriter?
To run a successful copywriting business, you need to find your niche—profitable industries for copywriters include education, health and fitness, finance, and eCommerce.
Copywriter Salary
The average base salary is $73,288, with an average cash compensation of $6,948.
6. Data Analyst
A data analyst collects and studies data sets to create reliable company solutions.
While this job looks technical, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree to break into this field.
You can get in-demand data analyst skills through self-training online.
You can take one of the hundreds of online courses and earn a certification as a data analyst.
Look up IBM Data Science, Google Data Analytics, or Deep Learning. AI.
Data Analyst Pay
The average pay for a data analyst is $76,787 per year, and you can earn as high as $120,215.
7. Virtual Assistant
Offering virtual assistant services is another perfect way to make money remotely without a degree.
Typically, a virtual assistant helps business owners and clients tackle administrative tasks—you don’t need a four-year degree.
These administrative tasks include email scheduling, planning travel, booking keeping, social media management, web content management, podcast management, customer service, graphic design, etc.
Virtual Assistant Pay
High-skilled virtual assistant jobs pay up to $75 an hour.
This virtual assistant earns $10k per month working from home.
8. Social Media Manager
If you love being on social media, make it your cash machine.
That is right; you can make up to $40 an hour as a social media manager.
There are over 20 social media sites today, with billions of users and a market size of over $219 billion.
It is easy to see why social media offers tons of opportunities.
You can specialize in a specific or multiple social media platforms.
Furthermore, you can work remotely as a social media manager.
Who Does A Social Media Manager Work For?
Social media managers work for digital marketing agencies, celebrities, business owners, and companies.
You can choose to be either an independent contractor or an in-house employee.
Working as an independent social media manager allows you to work for multiple clients.
The work involves creating and posting epic content on your client’s social media accounts to grow followers.
You also have to monitor analytics and oversee social media campaigns.
Excellent examples of successful social media managers are Santina, who manages Dr Miami’s TikTok account, and Zaria Parvez, who manages the Duolingo TikTok account.
Social Media Manager Pay
The entry-level salary is $50k and can go up to $98k with experience.
Quickest Trades To Learn That Pay $40 An Hour
Do you want to be a tradesperson? Trade jobs are viable options that pay $40 an hour and don’t require a four-year education.
Trades provide a quick and affordable route if you’re looking for a meaningful career without spending tens of thousands of dollars on education.
Below are some of the high-paying trades you can take.
So, how do you qualify for trade jobs? Most trade jobs involve on-the-job training, meaning you learn by doing the job.
9. Power Plant Operator
A power plant operator has the technical skills to control systems that produce and generate power.
They’re in charge of the machines that produce electricity in our homes, businesses, and industries.
They also monitor and gauge the power output, optimizing energy use.
You can get into this industry with your high school diploma.
Get a certification by taking programs offered by organizations like the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.
Power Plant Operator Pay
The median pay is $80.8k per year.
10. Ship Builder
Shipbuilding is another rewarding trade job that can pay $40 an hour.
A shipbuilder assembles, repairs, and maintains large water vessels like submarines, tankers, cruise ships, warships, and ferries.
This highly fulfilling career pays well and offers fast career progression.
All you need to start is your high school diploma.
You can take many apprenticeship programs to get the necessary shipbuilding skills.
Careers in the shipbuilding industry include;
- Plumbing,
- Electrical,
- Welding Fabrication,
- Carpentry,
- Riggers
Ship Builder Pay
The average pay is $132,754 per year.
11. Pipe Welding
A pipe welder assembles, repairs, and installs piping systems.
It is a rewarding career for aspiring pipe welders; you only need your high school diploma to get into this field.
Pipe welders work at mineral processing plants, cross-country pipelines, power plants, construction, infrastructure, and industrial plants.
Welders in the natural gas, transportation, and distribution sectors earn well. Importantly, this career offers opportunities to specialize and advance.
For instance, you can specialize in nuclear application welding, chilled water lines, or pressurized pipes.
Pipe Welder Pay
Top earners make $87,500 per year.
12. Electricians
Do you ever wonder if being an electrician pays well?
This is another trade job that pays over $40 an hour. Electricians install, repair, and maintain electrical power lines.a
They oversee the communication, lighting, and control systems, ensuring they work correctly.
Data shows a huge demand for electricians, which could mean the pay will likely go higher.
Furthermore, it shows that the job growth rate for electricians is 9.1%, which is higher than the average growth rate for all jobs.
If this excites you, you’ll be happy to know that you only need your high school diploma to start.
You can learn and qualify as an electrician through apprenticeship programs.
Once you complete your apprentice program, get a license and hit the road running.
Electrician Pay
It ranges from $54k to $89k per year.
13. Insurance Claims Adjuster
An insurance claims adjuster investigates the damage on an insured property to determine how much the insurance company should pay.
You can work as a company adjuster, independent contractor, or public adjuster.
Requirements to be a claims adjuster include a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
Check with your state if you need a license to practice as an adjuster.
Claims Adjuster Pay
The average pay for a claims adjuster is $72,040/year.
14. Truck Driver
Truck driving is another easy-to-learn trade job that can pay quite handsomely.
Truck drivers are critical in moving goods across the country using commercial vehicles.
New findings show that there is a massive shortage of skilled truck drivers.
It is so bad that some trucking companies will pay up to six figures for the right truck driver.
If this interests you, you can be confident you’ll earn a decent pay.
Also, it offers many opportunities to specialize in a specific area.
Typically, there are dozens of career paths for truck drivers.
- Delivery truck driver
- Team truck driver
- Oversized load truck driver
- Long haul truck driver
- Vehicle hauler
- Ice road truck driver
- Hazmat truck driver
- Tank driver
- Mine truck driver
So, how do you become a professional truck driver?
The first step is getting a valid driver’s license.
Take the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) exam and get the commercial driver learner’s permit.
Complete your CDL exam and get the license!
Truck Driver Pay
The average base salary is $105,969 per year.
15. Maintenance Mechanic
A maintenance mechanic works in a manufacturing environment, which involves repairing, installing, and maintaining new equipment.
We came across a subreddit about maintenance mechanic jobs, and from the responses to the original poster, these jobs can be exciting.
It requires on-the-job training, so you don’t need to go to college to get this job.
Maintenance Mechanic Pay
It ranges between $25 and $40 an hour, depending on your experience.
16. HVAC Specialist
Another trade job that pays $40 an hour is an HVAC specialist.
HVAC technicians, known as Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning specialists, handle heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems.
Jobs in this field grow more than the average growth rate for other careers.
This finding indicates you have a better chance of getting a job in this field.
How Do You Get Started As An HVAC Technician?
Take a certification program that lasts less than ten months and complete an apprenticeship.
HVAC Specialist Pay
Top earners make $50 an hour.
Get Paid $40 An Hour Without A Degree
It is no longer about the years of college/university study to get a high-paying job.
If you have the right skills, you’ll get a job that pays $40 an hour without a degree.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a student, or a job seeker looking to earn a decent income, you can land a high-paying job without a college degree.
Join our community to learn about more jobs that pay better without a college degree.
FAQs
Learn an in-demand trade and complete an apprenticeship program. It takes less time than taking a four-year course.
Alternatively, pick one of the many ways to make money remotely. Content creation alone can catapult you to six-figure income months.
Can you live off of $40 an hour? Many things play, including your location, family size, housing costs, and debt obligation.
However, it is also important to note that $40 an hour is nearly four times the federal minimum wage. And this means you can live comfortably with this middle-class pay.
Jobs that pay without a degree include content creation, social media management, and trades.
