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Six-figure jobs without a degree: what the data actually says

A degree isn’t the only road to six figures. Here are careers where the government says no bachelor’s degree is typically required — and the top 10% earn over $100,000 — compared honestly.

The short answer

Several careers that don’t typically require a bachelor’s degree pay their top 10% more than $100,000, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025): elevator installers ($158,890+), real estate brokers ($143,300+), insurance sales agents ($138,140+), wholesale sales representatives ($137,550+), real estate agents ($123,590+), and electricians ($108,510+). The trades take multi-year apprenticeships; the sales careers take a license and commission risk.

Updated October 11, 2026 · United Eagles Financial — an independent life insurance agency in Troy, Michigan

$138,140+Top 10% of insurance sales agents (BLS, May 2025)
WeeksTypical time to a life insurance license
Multi-yearPaid apprenticeship most electricians and elevator installers complete first

The comparison

CareerTypical entry educationMedian payTop 10% earn more than
Elevator & escalator installersHigh school + apprenticeship$109,910$158,890
Real estate brokersHigh school + license$73,220$143,300
Insurance sales agentsHigh school + state license$62,280$138,140
Wholesale & manufacturing sales reps (non-technical)High school diploma$72,080$137,550
Real estate sales agentsHigh school + license$52,830$123,590
ElectriciansHigh school + apprenticeship$63,190$108,510

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wage data exclude the self-employed — a large share of real estate agents and brokers, and about 12% of insurance sales agents.

How to read these numbers

  • The median is the typical earner; the top 10% is what’s possible. The gap is widest in commission careers — that’s the upside and the risk in one number.
  • The trades pay more at the median and take years of paid apprenticeship to reach full scale. Great careers — just a different timeline.
  • The sales careers start fast — a license in weeks — but pay depends on what you sell, and many people don’t last. LIMRA found that in agency systems that hire mostly newcomers, only 15% of financial professionals hired in 2020 were still with their hiring company four years later.
  • Commission-only means no floor. Income is never guaranteed. Plan savings for the ramp-up.

Where life insurance sales fits

Life insurance sales has one of the shortest paths in the table: a pre-licensing course, a state exam and an application, usually in a few weeks. It’s mostly remote, the demand is steady, and pay tracks effort. The trade-off is the hardest one on the list — commission-only income and a lot of rejection early on. The people who stick it out tend to have three things: a few months of savings, a daily routine, and an agency that trains them on real calls and provides leads.

Is life insurance sales a good career?What $10,000 a month actually takesApply to United Eagles

Straight answers

Common questions

What jobs pay six figures without a degree?

According to BLS data for May 2025, the top 10% of elevator installers, real estate brokers, insurance sales agents, wholesale sales representatives, real estate agents and electricians all earn more than $100,000, and none of those careers typically requires a bachelor’s degree.

Can you make six figures in insurance sales without a degree?

Some people do: the top 10% of insurance sales agents earned more than $138,140 in May 2025, and the typical entry requirement is a high school diploma plus a state license. It isn’t typical or guaranteed — the median was $62,280.

What is the fastest way to a six-figure income without college?

There’s no guaranteed fast path. Sales careers like insurance and real estate start fastest (a license in weeks or months) but carry commission risk; skilled trades take multi-year apprenticeships but pay more reliably at the median.

Sources

Keep reading

Is life insurance sales a good career?The honest answer: great for some people, wrong for many. The pay data, the trade-offs, and a self-test.How much life insurance agents makeThe government’s number, why it misleads for commission agents, and a calculator for any income.Changing careers into life insurance salesWhich skills transfer from teaching, hospitality, the military, retail, car sales and more — and a 30-day plan.Why join a life insurance agency in 2026Record demand, a license in weeks, and what a good agency hands you — downsides included. The full careers guideEvery page, in reading order

If it fits

Talk to a licensed producer — not a recruiter

Sixty seconds to apply, one honest phone call, and a clear path from licensed to producing. We’ll show you the contract in writing and tell you plainly if it’s not a fit.

  • 1099 commission, uncapped — leads provided, no draw, income never guaranteed
  • No fee to apply, train, or contract with us
  • Dozens of A-rated carriers; remote-friendly

This is a 1099, commission-based sales position — not an hourly or salaried job. Are you comfortable with that?

By applying, you agree to be contacted about this opportunity. This is a 1099 independent-contractor sales role; income is never guaranteed and depends on your effort and results.