Not having a degree or college education doesn’t mean you’re automatically doomed to low-paying jobs.
In fact, some of the highest paid workers in the world started with little to no formal education – and as a Personal Financial Advisor who has managed the finances of these high earners, I’ve seen it first hand.
In this article, we’ll deep dive into the best jobs to make $20/hour without college education – that aren’t shady, have good advancement opportunities AND in some cases, even let you work from the comfort of your home.
Best Jobs to Make $20/Hour With No College Education
1) Customer Service Representative
It’s not a glamorous role, but if you select the right company or sector, it does have fairly quick progression opportunities.
The most profitable to enter into?
- Medical
- Tech
- Retail
- Fortune 500 companies
These tend to offer the best pay, with the average topping in at $21/hour.
According to Indeed and Glassdoor, within 2 years, the average rep can climb their way to becoming a Customer Service Manager, making a decent $35-$61/hour.
The great news? Many companies offer entry-level positions with on-the-job training.
The ability to communicate effectively and resolve issues quickly are often the most crucial requirements.
Related: 30+ Creative Ways to Make Money Without a Job
2) Animal Husbandry/Care Assistant
Look, you’re not going to get rich with this job, but this IS a total feel-good, enjoy what you do kind of job.
Many entry level positions at sanctuaries, zoos or organizations offer basic level training for animal care assistants.
Whilst having an animal husbandry qualification or previous volunteering experience is super advantageous, you don’t always need it.
Animal husbandry assistants typically just about make the $20/hour mark.
Though some conservation based zoos do offer up to $25/hour, some fall well below that making just $16/hour – so you’ll need to do your research.
That said, if you’re working toward a bigger picture career working with animals/in conservation, this is a good way to go!
3) Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant on average makes $25/hour (though 34% of freelancer virtual assistants make well over the $100,000 a year mark!)
Related: How I Found High Paying Virtual Assistant Clients, Even as a Beginner
And whilst it’s tempting to believe businesses will just outsource to cheaper labor outside the US or Europe, that’s often far from the reality.
Lots of businesses want assistants whose native language is English so they have zero communication issues and don’t have the back and forth time suck that comes with re-explaining.
Tasks typically include managing emails, scheduling appointments, and performing research. Many virtual assistant positions also offer flexible hours.
Related: How I Make $10,000 a Month as a Virtual Assistant From Home (Within 8 Months!)
4) Online Tutor
If you have practical expertise in a subject or can offer academic support, you could easily pull in $20-$40 an hour.
Some subjects can even command at least $100 an hour, especially if they’re related to passing some kind of hard or practical exam e.g. Insurance Exams, GREs, SATs, A-Levels etc.
Related: 55+ Real, Tested Ways to Make Extra Money This Year
5) Content Writer/Copywriter
The sky’s the limit with content writing, whilst the average earns $37 an hour,many pull in well over the $100 mark with just 1-2 years of experience!
Content writers and copywriters create write content for websites, blogs, marketing materials, and other digital platforms.
With strong writing skills and creativity, individuals can secure freelance or remote positions in this field, earning competitive hourly rates.
Lauren Bell for example, founded The Shrimp Marketing Company and now makes $6,000 a Day by Writing Instagram Captions!
(Small note: she’s at the top of her game and has worked 10+ years to get to this level, but it goes to show what’s possible).
Related: How to Find High Paying Freelance Writing Jobs
6) Social Media Manager
With 137,000+ businesses launched every day, and the average attention span getting shorter and shorter, social media managers are needed now more than ever.
If you work for someone else you can expect the flat rate fee of around $24-$35/hour, but if you work for yourself, you can absolutely charge much more than that.
The great news?! The average self employed social media manager makes $76,960 a year, with monthly management packages and courses making the majority of that money.
Tasks may include creating content, engaging with followers, and analyzing performance metrics.
7) Graphic Designer
Good at creating visual concepts using software such as After Effects, Illustrate or Canva, or Photoshop? You might want to consider becoming a graphic designer.
Freelance graphic designers often work remotely, designing logos, websites, and marketing materials for clients and pull in a nice $35/hour.
With 2-3 years experience under your belt and a decent portfolio, you can start working with bigger organizations and clients, commanding much larger flat rate fees.
You also typically get to work when you want, where you want as long as you deliver on time.
Related: 17 Easy Ways to Make Money with Canva (That You Might Not Know About)
8) Transcriptionist
Transcriptionists listen to audio recordings and transcribe them into written documents.
With excellent listening skills and typing speed, you can find remote transcription jobs in various industries, such as healthcare, legal, and media. Transcriptionists can earn $20 or more per hour, depending on the complexity of the audio files.
Word of warning though, you’re absolutely not going to want to touch platforms such as REVs.com – they’re very misleading as to what you can earn and often don’t pay out on time either.
Lots of people have been burned by these companies.
If you’re seriously considering becoming a Transcriptionist, I’d recommend investing in an extensive Transcription course that will teach you the tricks of the trade so you can go freelance and find your own high paying clients.
Related: How to Become a Transcriptionist and Make $25+ Hour Online
9) Office Assistant/Administrative Assistant
Office assistants and administrative assistants provide clerical support in offices, including answering phones, scheduling appointments, and organizing files.
It’s a fairly simple job that commands fairly decent pay, with the average administrative assistant earning $20/hour.
You’ll typically only need basic computer skills, good organizational abilities and the ability to problem solve.
Saw a job advert that wants 2-3 years experience first? Many employers now offer training for entry-level positions.
Worst case scenario, if you can’t find these positions, you could always go freelance in the beginning until you have enough experience to enter the workforce.
10) Retail Sales Associate
I’m going to be frank (as you always know I am on this blog) – retail hours are long, and often involve shift work so this isn’t for everyone.
As a retail sales associate you’ll process sales transactions, upsell and help customers find the right products.
While previous retail experience may be beneficial, many employers provide training for new hires.
With occasional commissions and bonuses, sales associates can easily reach or exceed $20 per hour, particularly in busy stores or during peak seasons such as Christmas.
11) Freelance Photographer
This requires some upfront skill, but you absolutely don’t need a college education to be majorly successful!
Freelance photographers on average make around $32-$42/hour, and work to capture images for clients, such as weddings, events, portraits, or commercial projects.
Weddings and product photography obviously command much higher profit margins given the importance of the niches.
With a high-quality camera and photography skills (including post shoot color grading etc), you can market your services online and secure photography gigs.
Related: 15 Lucrative Photography Side Hustles To Turn Your Passion Into Profit!
12) Virtual Bookkeeper
With a simple book-keeping qualification, you can be earning anywhere between $25-$32/hour.
If you have an accountancy background or qualification with it, you can easily push that to the $35-$60/hour mark.
Virtual bookkeepers manage financial records, reconcile accounts, and prepare reports for businesses or individuals.
It might sound boring, but honestly there’s a ton of money to be made in the ‘boring jobs’ – because no-one wants to do them themselves!
13) E-commerce/SEO Specialist
Know how to manage online stores, optimize product listings, streamline marketing strategies and implement SEO to drive sales? You’re onto a winner.
E-commerce specialists easily pull in $35-$45/hour, with some making well into the 6 figure bracket.
With knowledge of e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, you can work remotely to help businesses expand their online presence and increase revenue.
Better yet, start your own business – your profit potential is limitless.
Related: Small Business Ideas to Become Your Own Boss
14) Remote Call Center Agent
The average call center agent makes $20-$22/hour – with sales experience, you can take that to $25/hour.
Remote call center agents handle customer inquiries, process orders, and provide support via phone or online chat.
And given that there’s a shortage of applicants in this area, many companies now offer in-house training to get you up to speed.
Depending on the sector, you’ll need to have a thick skin though, customers aren’t always the nicest to call center agents, especially when they have a serious problem.
15) Real Estate Agent
Can you easily sell the features of a house? Love negotiating deals? Proficient posting on social media?
Surprisingly, around 32% of entry-level real estate agent positions advertised don’t require previous experience in this field – just a knack for negotiation and closing sales.
I’ve even seen luxury real estate job positions located in Dubai, with commissions for a single sale soaring well into the $28,000 mark.
The only downside? If you’re used to a steady salary coming in every month, you’re not likely to get that as a real estate agent.
Many of these jobs work on commission only as an incentive to do the job well.
16) Warehouse Worker
Warehouse workers typically make $20-$23/hour.
You can make more if you work a night shift and are responsible for receiving, storing, and shipping goods in warehouses and distribution centers.
These roles often require physical stamina and the ability to operate equipment like forklifts and pallet jacks – some of which you will need a licence for (though some companies are willing to pay for this as part of the training).
17) Data Entry Clerk
Love spreadsheets? Can you handle repetitive data entry?
As a Data entry clerk, you could make between $20-$25/hour, especially in the health and finance sectors.
If you’ve never heard of data entry, these clerks’ day to day job involves inputting and updating information into databases, spreadsheets, and other computer systems.
Attention to detail and basic computer skills are essential for this role.
While some employers may prefer previous experience, data entry positions typically don’t require a college degree.
18) Delivery Driver
Did you know that UPS are now offering delivery drivers insane compensation packages?
In the next year, UPS drivers will earn a minimum of $145,000 a year, equating to a staggering $60/hour, assuming a normal 40-45 hour work week (this seems like it’s only with UPS for now).
Delivery drivers transport goods and packages to customers’ homes or businesses.
While a valid driver’s license and clean driving record are required, formal education beyond high school is often unnecessary.
19) Landscaper/Groundskeeper
While some landscaping companies may prefer candidates with experience, entry-level positions are available with on-the-job training.
I’ve included this near the end of the list as pay when employed by someone else is highly variable.
Some companies only pay around the $15/hour mark with zero experience, whereas others will guarantee a $20/hour starting salary.
As a landscaper, you’ll maintain outdoor spaces by mowing lawns, trimming hedges, planting flowers, and removing debris.
If you start your own business though, you can easily pull in $40-$60/hour with zero experience as long as you give the customer good results.
20) Cook/Line Cook
While culinary school or previous cooking experience is advantageous, many cooks learn on the job.
Hourly wages for cooks can range from $20-$25 or more, especially in high-end restaurants or during peak hours.
21) Taxi/Uber/Lyft Driver
With the potential for tips and bonuses, taxi and rideshare drivers can earn hourly wages exceeding $20, particularly in busy urban areas.
The competition in this area is fierce though, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
