Despite the current volatility in the job market, wage growth struggles to keep up with inflation. However, the United States still offers abundant high-paying job opportunities, and not all positions require a college degree.
Resume Genius, a job-seeking website, released its latest report in January 2026, investigating the hottest “new-collar jobs” that provide high salaries and don’t always demand a four-year degree. “New-collar jobs” emphasize work experience and non-traditional educational paths, including professional certifications, apprenticeships, and online training.
While the U.S. Department of Labor includes a bachelor’s degree as a requirement for these positions, Resume Genius advocates that this threshold can often be bypassed through certification or hands-on training.
Here are the top 10 best “new-collar jobs” according to median annual salaries based on official data released in 2024:
Median Annual Salary: $161,030
Pathway: Although traditionally requiring a bachelor’s degree, Resume Genius suggests that accumulating real-world experience in roles like social media manager, copywriter, or search engine optimization (SEO) can lead to advancement based on excellent customer acquisition data.
Median Annual Salary: $140,030
Pathway: Besides qualifications, obtaining human resources certifications such as aPHR is also viable. Transitioning from administrative assistant or customer service positions, and demonstrating excellent interpersonal mediation skills, offers a feasible pathway according to Resume Genius.
Median Annual Salary: $138,060
Pathway: Sales careers speak through “performance.” Strong customer acquisition records and deep product knowledge are more persuasive than a college diploma, with many sales managers promoted from frontline sales staff.
Median Annual Salary: $130,390 ($198,030 for high earners)
Pathway: Responsible for building Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networks (WAN). For technicians with strong technical skills and holding advanced certifications like Cisco (CCNA/CCNP), crossing the degree threshold is not insurmountable.
Median Annual Salary: $129,330
Pathway: This is a typical “experience-driven” position. Demonstrating excellent coordination and problem-solving abilities in project management, team leadership, or grassroots operations can lead to advancement into management without a degree.
Median Annual Salary: $124,910 ($186,420 for high earners)
Outlook: Anticipated job growth rate from 2024 to 2034 is as high as 33%, far exceeding the average level.
Pathway: The field of network security emphasizes practical experience. Certification through self-study, online courses, or obtaining certifications like CompTIA Security+ and Google Network Security Certificates are recommended paths.
Median Annual Salary: $121,520 ($202,670 for high earners)
Pathway: Combines sales skills with technical expertise. Even without an engineering degree, companies are willing to hire individuals with in-depth knowledge of specific technical products and excellent presentation skills.
Median Annual Salary: $117,960 ($219,080 for high earners)
Outlook: With an aging population, demand in this field is growing rapidly.
Pathway: Many individuals start from grassroots positions in hospital administration, medical billing, or electronic records management, accumulating rich medical compliance and administrative experience before advancing.
Median Annual Salary: $111,040 ($211,410 for high earners)
Pathway: In the creative industry, a standout design portfolio and consistent creative output are more critical than formal education. As long as one’s work can captivate clients, education is rarely a barrier.
Median Annual Salary: $106,980 ($176,990 for high earners)
Pathway: Many managers come from foreman or site supervisor backgrounds. Having extensive hands-on construction and coordination experience is more pertinent than theoretical knowledge obtained in the classroom.