High Paying Jobs Without A Degree

In NM, college-educated population growing older

SANTA FE - For the first time in state history, New Mexico's older residents are better educated than its younger ones.

A higher percentage of those 45 to 65 years old have an associate's degree or higher compared to those who are 25 to 44, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Jose Z. Garcia, head of the state's Higher Education Department, said this troubling statistic is the main reason he wants to change the way New Mexico runs its colleges and universities.

"The baby boomers are better educated, they are aging and they are retiring," Garcia said. "How are we going to replace them?"

New Mexico, Garcia said, has always had a deficit of physicians, dentists, nurses and those with at least master's degrees. These shortages will worsen because of the demographic trend unless the state revamps its higher education system, he said.

A Democrat who had taught government at New Mexico State University since 1975, Garcia joined Republican Gov. Susana Martinez's cabinet in January.

Party differences aside, they were in sync on an important point. They say New Mexico's government wrongly rewards colleges and universities for enrollment and construction of buildings.

The state's existing funding formula has been in place for 35 years. In the 1970s, enrollments were growing and campuses needed to expand to keep pace, so the funding system made sense, Garcia said.

With enrollments flat, campuses overbuilt and with fewer younger people receiving degrees, change is essential, he said.

Some change has already has begun. At Martinez's urging, college and university presidents in May agreed to a two-year moratorium on new construction of branch buildings and campuses.

Martinez said the moratorium would save money and allow state government time to rework the funding formula for New Mexico's seven public universities, 10 branch campuses and eight community colleges.

The existing formula rewards campuses with $6 a square foot for construction. This system encouraged expansions, even after enrollments leveled off, Garcia said.

Another important part of the equation, he said, was that the taxpayers spent $53,000 per bachelor's degree. That ranked 17th nationally in terms of cost of education, he said.

"We need to be more cost-efficient," Garcia said.

His idea is to change the funding system in two fundamental ways.

One would put a premium on certain degrees.

5 High Paying Jobs Without A Degree

You may have heard a lot of people believing that you must finish a degree in order to earn a high amount of salary. This theory is fallacious. In fact, there are many high paying jobs without a degree. There are certain reasons as to why an individual is unable to enroll in a college university. Money is perhaps the main reason on most people. But this problem is not something that should be despaired. In fact, there are some jobs that can give you a profitable income even though you haven't entered the college life at all. Here are some of them:

1.) Airline Pilot

It may sound cynical, but being an airline pilot is probably one of the high paying jobs without a degree. However, you may also be undergoing some tough challenges before acquiring this profession. Aside from the fact that you have to be at least 23 years old, you should have at least 1,500 hours regarding flying experience. Furthermore, an airline flying license must also be procured and you can get that as soon as you pass the written and practical exam. Yearly, an airline pilot can earn between $135,000 and $145,000. With this fact, this profession is definitely one of the high paying jobs without a degree.

2.) Game Manager

Not only is being a game manager considered to be one of the high paying jobs without a degree, many individuals having this profession find it enjoyable as well. However, it is important for someone to have a great interest in different gaming consoles and even on casino games to acquire this job. For someone who loves games, this job could be an excellent choice.

3.) Real estate career

You don't need a specific degree to become a real estate agent. Nevertheless, you may be required to attend some classroom training and even pass some examinations. There are also specific licenses for you to get in order to become a certified real estate agent. After acquiring enough experiences as an agent, you could then be promoted to a real estate broker.

4.) Information technology careers

Believe it or not, a lot of people working in the field of information technology do not have a degree. But in order to gain a position in an IT company, you may be required to undergo training and acquire certifications. These requirements can be easily attained in different IT training centers. The average salary of a person working in an IT sector is approximately $60,000 per year. Therefore, careers in information technology are also included in the list of high paying jobs without a degree.

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