People with high school degrees check out Rhode Island jobs

Posted on August 19, 2014

What are the best Rhode Island jobs for people with high school degrees only? Careerbuilder took a recent survey to find out what the best jobs are nationwide for people without college degrees.

As of this year, there are 115 occupations that require a high school diploma and pay $20 per hour or more on average. Of those, 70 percent typically require moderate to long-term on-the-job training or apprenticeships; 30 percent typically require short-term or no on-the-job training.

In several of these jobs, workers may need to attend vocational school or other non-college-level training programs to achieve licensure or certification. Additionally, entry-level requirements will vary by state, locality and employer.

High-paying occupations for high school graduates aren’t necessarily entry-level jobs. For instance, first-line supervisors, regardless of discipline, typically require 1-5 years of prior work experience.

U.S. workers with only a high school diploma face an unemployment rate nearly twice that of college educated workers (6.1 to 3.1) and earn significantly less on average.

“While the pursuit of higher education is the best bet for gainful employment, it is a myth that only good jobs go to college graduates and that workers with high school degrees are destined to low-wage careers,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. “It’s important to note, however, that most high-paying jobs available to high school grads involve skill sets that require extensive post-secondary training or several-years’ worth of prior experience, and are often in fields that have seen declining employment in recent years.”