5 high-paying jobs that you can do with only a high school diploma

If you have dropped out of high school, it can be difficult to strike a good work-study balance.

Even if you are not planning to go to college, there are certain jobs that may interest you and

provide you with a better quality of life.

Did you know that a person without a high school diploma will earn $220,000 less in their

lifetime than a person who has completed high school? Did you also know that there are

high-paying jobs that require only a high school diploma to get you started?

Here are five high-paying jobs that you might want to consider after high school. Take a look!

Insurance Sales Agent

The median salary is about $50,940, but it can reach as high as $108,000.

Working as an insurance sales agent pays well and

doesn’t require a college degree. However, you must have a license in the jurisdiction where you are employed.

For the most part, insurance sales agents are taught on the job by more experienced colleagues. A high school diploma is all that is required. You may want to take some public speaking classes to be more effective in a sales job. To be successful in this position, you’ll need to have a solid understanding of the financial sector and the economy. If you have some spare time to study, this could become your career.

If you work hard and gain experience in this field, you may be able to move up the corporate ladder and eventually land a management position.

Read this To find out more about the credentials needed to become an insurance sales agent.

Esthetician

Median salary: $34,090, or much more if you are self-employed

When people need an eyelash application, skin care, a manicure or a pedicure, they turn to the booming esthetics industry. Working in a beauty salon can be rewarding and is also a great way to learn the art of customer service. Estheticians typically need to participate in a few brief training sessions and to pass an exam ensuring that they have the skills needed to provide services directly to the public. These sessions can last anywhere from three to six months, but the benefits will last a lifetime. If you prefer to run your own salon, you can rent a private room in a salon, and still manage your own schedule, clients, and other aspects of your business. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Before you start your own business, this can be a great option because most salons already have all the products that you’ll need, so you won’t have to buy them all. It’s sort of having a semi-independent job.

You may one day open your own salon, employ your own staff, and become a leader in the field of esthetics, not to mention earning a much higher salary, thanks to many years of practice.

Read this to find out more about the credentials needed to become an esthetician.

Plumber

Median salary: $56,330

Plumbing can be a rewarding job, with favorable working conditions, and much of what it takes to become a plumber is typically learned as a skilled trade through an apprenticeship program. Professional plumbers can repair existing pipes, install plumbing systems in new buildings, and troubleshoot system failures.

The best part about this trade is that there is always a shortage of plumbers, and you can advance up the pay scale as your experience grows. As an added bonus, a plumber is an accomplished athlete and fieldman (or woman). Plumbers must be in excellent physical condition because they must lift and carry heavy loads on a daily basis. However, they don’t always work alone; they often work in pairs or in teams to complete jobs.

Read this to find out more about the qualifications needed to become a plumber.

Flight Attendant

Median salary: $56,640

If you’ve always wanted to see the world and earn money while doing so, you should consider becoming a flight attendant as a career. This job might be a good fit for you. Flight attendants are employed by airlines and are responsible for ensuring the safety and comfort of the passengers on board the plane, as well as that of the other crew members.

Flight attendants are expected to excel in verbal and nonverbal interaction, as well as in customer service. As a final requirement, they must be able to handle crises skillfully (remaining calm, taking charge of the situation, dealing well with stress, etc.). This position requires being fluent in several languages.

In addition to holding a high school diploma, flight attendants are required to pass an annual test given by the airline for which they work to ensure that they are up-to-date on safety protocols and new exceptional measures (e.g., for COVID-19). Seniority is the only factor that determines a flight attendant's salary―there are no other considerations. You'll have to put in the time to increase your income.

With that in mind, it is important to learn as many foreign languages as possible, as this will increase your chances of being sent to countries where those languages are spoken.

Read this to learn more about the qualifications needed to become a flight attendant.

Patrol Officer

Median salary: $63,150

This is another job that you can do and that is appealing to both men and women. This field has a low attrition rate and offers favorable working conditions, with traffic control and accident investigation being two of the most popular areas of work. Following graduation, further training at an academy will be required. However, this is not a full course, but rather a training session for employees. One way to advance in this field is to become a police officer or an investigator.

If you are interested in this type of work, we encourage you to pursue it because there are numerous openings and opportunities for advancement in this field. One important point to remember is that you must be in good physical condition in order to pass the physical tests, which are extremely difficult!

Read this to find out more about the qualifications needed to become a patrol officer.

We hope that this article has provided you with some inspiration and a desire to pursue a career that you are passionate about and that will allow you to achieve your goals. As you can see, having a high school diploma can be extremely beneficial in terms of opening doors and, as a bonus, earning a higher salary.

We believe in you and will not let you down! The ChallengeU Team