An $80,000 Job With No College Degree

Jobs

Published: December 8, 2023 9:15 am

The median household income in the United States is $40,480. That figure has been flat since 2019, so finding a higher-paying job may be challenging. For people with only a high school education, the figure is even lower at $34,320. However, there are a limited number of specialty jobs that pay much higher. One of these is wind turbine service technicians. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in the field will grow 44.9% between 2022 and 2032. (What is the worst job in America?)

Why Wind Turbine Service Technicians Are Needed

Why will the growth of these wind power jobs grow so quickly? The answer is a move from fossil fuels to heat homes and businesses to greener alternatives. These include solar, wind and nuclear energy. Start-ups are investing in huge wind power turbines, many of which are offshore. Some of the world’s largest companies, like Siemens, also see the sector as an area of tremendous growth.

The wind turbine growth is no accident. It is on the cutting edge of creating ways to generate energy without coal. Bloomberg reports, “Researcher Wood Mackenzie predicts the US will add 120 gigawatts of onshore wind—enough to power perhaps 40 million homes—to its existing 150GW over the next decade.”

Wind turbine service technicians require special training but not a college degree. And that special education allows them to make $80,000 on average. The training for these jobs gets candidates a certificate. After that, the path can get tougher. Many turbines are miles offshore. Technicians often need to move heavy equipment.

There can be job stability risks with these jobs. Some wind turbine projects fail. Building and maintaining offshore turbines can be expensive. High winds and bird strikes can damage parts of the machines. Orsted, a Danish company, walked away from a huge installation and wrote off billions of dollars. But the overall movement to wind energy has not stopped and is unlikely to as the rotation to green energy continues.

Hard work, often far from land, may not be pleasant, but some jobs in the sector pay well, even for people who did not go to college.

Travel Cards Are Getting Too Good To Ignore (sponsored)

Credit card companies are pulling out all the stops, with the issuers are offering insane travel rewards and perks.

We’re talking huge sign-up bonuses, points on every purchase, and benefits like lounge access, travel credits, and free hotel nights. For travelers, these rewards can add up to thousands of dollars in flights, upgrades, and luxury experiences every year.

It’s like getting paid to travel — and it’s available to qualified borrowers who know where to look.

We’ve rounded up some of the best travel credit cards on the market. Click here to see the list. Don’t miss these offers — they won’t be this good forever.