Is Gen Z choosing work over school? College enrollment has dropped by 190,000 fewer students since 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. And it seems the declining trend could continue in coming years, thanks to the pandemic, the economy, and student debt risk. The financial news and information site Tradingpedia analyzed data from Indeed.com and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which jobs will be in high demand for high school students graduating this year, including some that don’t require a completed degree. Some may surprise you.
Related: Best Jobs That Don’t Require a 4-Year College Degree
Gambling Manager
Average Wage: $89,190
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 17%
Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent
No college is needed to get into gambling management, a field that’s projected to see a whopping 20,000 job openings over the next decade. This role requires a responsible person who can oversee operations at a casino to keep business running smoothly. It’s also one of the higher paying options on this list.Related: The Strangest Bets Bookies Are Taking During the Pandemic
Lodging Manager
Average Wage: $67,770
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18%
Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent
Interested in the hotel industry? There should be nearly 10,000 new jobs for lodging managers in the next 10 years. A lodging manager inspects hotels to make sure they are clean and look nice.
Related: 7 Easy Jobs For Workers Who Are ‘Burnt Out’
Flight Attendant
Average Wage: $62,280
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 21%
Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent
Flight attendants are projected to be in high demand in the coming decade, with an estimated increase of over 22,000 jobs, one of the highest amounts from the report. The opportunity to travel and see the world is obviously a big perk.
Related: What Flight Attendants Want You To Know About Flying Now
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Average Wage: $61,840
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18%
Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement
Rotary drill operators help ensure that drills on a job site are working properly, as well as operating the drills. There is projected to be over 2,000 new jobs created in this field in the next decade.
For more smart employment stories, please sign up for our free newsletters.
Hearing Aid Specialist
Average Wage: $59,960
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 16%
Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent
As hearing aids have gone over-the-counter, the field of helping people get fitted for them is growing. A specialist may give hearing tests and then design and fit hearing aids for the customer’s ears. There should be around 1,800 new jobs on the horizon.
Related: Say What? Hearing Aids Now Available Without a Prescription
Trending on Cheapism
Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Average Wage: $58,780
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 14%
Educational Requirement: High school diploma or equivalent
There’s expected to be a large number of job openings in this field coming up — around 69,700, the highest number on this list for high school grads. This field requires workers to be able to repair and maintain various machines.
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
Average Wage: $55,660
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 18%
Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement
More than 6,000 new job openings are on the horizon for this role. The job entails figuring out and resolving issues with drills. No high school diploma is required.
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Average Wage: $52,140
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 17%
Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement
The expectation is there will be around 1,400 new job openings for this role in the next decade. The job requires working on construction sites and making sure that oil and gas derricks are running properly.
Sign up for our newsletter
Farm Labor Contractors
Average Wage: $54,400
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 22%
Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement
Love being outside and farming? No high school diploma is needed to work in this role, which involves hiring and managing agricultural workers. There isn’t expected to be a huge number of job openings coming up — only around 300 — but it’s still a growing role.
Athletes and Sports Competitors
Average Wage: $116,930
Projected Job Growth in the Next 10 Years: 36 percent
Educational Requirement: No formal educational requirement
Being an athlete made the list thanks to expected job growth, high salary, and no education requirement. There may be about 5,700 new jobs expected to open up, but this is still a difficult career path for many to get into.
Related: The Highest-Paid Sports Stars of All Time
See More From Cheapism
- Jobs That’ll Soon Be Lost to Automation
- Things That Get Harder With a Low Credit Score
- Things You Should Stop Buying in 2023
- Money Myths You Need to Ignore
Like Cheapism’s content? Be sure to follow us.
