SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER! JOBS WITHOUT A DEGREE CAN PAY MORE THAN £60,000

As thousands of students collect their A-level results, new research from the world’s largest job site Indeed (@indeed) shows many well-paid roles do not require a degree.

Indeed has analysed the salaries offered by tens of thousands of job adverts to identify the top 10 roles open to non-graduates that pay more than the UK’s median annual salary of £31,4613. 

Many A-level students will be weighing up their options as they receive their results, but with several jobs available in the tech sector that don’t require a degree but still pay a salary of over £60,000, some may choose to step onto the career ladder sooner rather than later.

Many roles on the highest-paying list will require formal training but some ask for skills that could be self taught while others rely on experience that can be picked up over time. 

The highest paid jobs on the list are Python, Java and C++ developer roles – highlighting the premium employers are paying to attract the best tech talent. At number one on the list, Python developers can expect to earn an average annual salary of £62,600 – double the national average.

Elsewhere on the list are roles in care, finance, and hospitality showing how students looking to build careers in these sectors do not necessarily require a university education to progress.  

Top 15 best-paid jobs that don’t require a degree 

Graduates are facing a challenging labour market despite the UK’s improving economy, as vacancies for university leavers have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. 

An analysis of vacancies on Indeed aimed at new graduates shows postings are down over a quarter (27% compared to this time in 2019, but 2% up on 2020. Meanwhile, postings for paid internship roles have fallen by 34% compared to 2019, and remain 15% down on last year1. 

Graduate postings down amid pandemic

Bill Richards, UK managing director at global job site, Indeed, comments: 

“A-Level results day is a major milestone for students and while many school leavers will head off to university others prefer to start their careers soon after opening their envelopes.

“It was long assumed that securing a degree would fast-track graduates into secure, well-paid jobs but our research shows that prosperous careers are available to those who choose not to go to university, too.

“While the highest paying roles on our list will require some kind of formal training, anyone going down this route will benefit from getting their foot in the door in their chosen field and start accruing that most important attribute: experience.

“The class of 2021 also faces challenges out of their control. School leavers and graduates alike face big choices about what to do next, with continuing uncertainty about the economic consequences of the pandemic, and a fall in the number of available graduate jobs. 

“Some students may choose university as a ‘safety net’ while they wait to see what happens with the jobs market, but since there are still substantial costs associated with gaining a degree, many will be wondering if the sums add up. 

‘’Importantly, these figures should reassure parents and teenagers at the end of exam season that there are numerous routes into employment, and that high salaries are by no means exclusively for those heading off to university in September.”