10 Highest Paying Jobs in 2015 You Don’t Need a College Degree For

As millions of college graduates prepare to walk across the stage to receive their diplomas and join the workforce, they face an economy with high unemployment rates, increasing competition for jobs and mounting debt from their college expenses.

Compare that to currently working employees who didn’t attend college but have spent the past four years making money and honing their workplace skills while amassing little to no debt. Not going to college certainly doesn’t jive with what our parents and teachers drummed into us growing up. But it begs the question: does it really pay to go to college? Is it worth earning a minimum of a four-year college degree, at least financially speaking? The average debt for student loans is about $25,000, according to the Institute for College Access & Success’ Project on Student Debt. Debts of $100,000 or more isn’t unheard of either, especially for those going to prestigious schools or those earning advanced degrees.

If you don’t want to enter the workforce in substantial debt, you can consider your employment options from our list of the top 10 highest paying jobs in 2015 that you don’t need a college degree for compiled from recent data on CareerCast.com.

10.) Insurance Agent

Income Average: $47,000
Income Growth: 342%
Employment Growth: 21.90%
Overall Rank: 68

9.) Executive Assistant

Income Average: $44,000

Income Growth: 131%
Employment Growth: 12.60%
Overall Rank: 67

8.) Surveyor

Income Average: $55,000
Income Growth: 190%
Employment Growth: 25.40%
Overall Rank: 65

7.) Heating and Refrigeration Mechanic

Income Average: $43,000
Income Growth: 158%
Employment Growth: 33.70%
Overall Rank: 63

6.) Stenographer-Court Reporter

Income Average: $48,000
Income Growth: 250%
Employment Growth: 14.10%
Overall Rank: 52

5.) Paralegal Assistant

Income Average: $47,000
Income Growth: 159%
Employment Growth: 18.30%
Overall Rank: 49

4.) Medical Secretary

Income Average:$31,000
Income Growth:114%
Employment Growth:41.30%
Overall Rank:39

3.) Web Developer

Income Average: $76,000
Income Growth: 179%
Employment Growth: 21.70%
Overall Rank: 15

2.) Online Advertising Manager

Income Average: $87,000
Income Growth: 255%
Employment Growth: 25.00%
Overall Rank: 8

1.) Dental Hygienist

Income Average: $68,000
Income Growth: 109%
Employment Growth: 37.70%
Overall Rank: 4