6 Industries Where You Can (Realistically) Work Your Way To The Top

Nearly 40% of Americans have a bachelor?s degree. Many more hold two-year degrees. A growing fraction have completed some education beyond college, whether in graduate school or professional degree programs.

For holders of high school diplomas, opportunities can feel few and far between. Fear of being stuck in dead-end, low-wage jobs pushes millions of us to enroll in higher education programs, often at great cost.

This might be the best path forward for many Americans, but is it mandatory for those of us who want to do better for ourselves? Probably not ? and certainly not in these six industries, where hardworking entry-level employees have a realistic shot at working their way to the top.

1. Construction

The construction industry offers countless examples of talented, hardworking folks who overcame humble beginnings to climb the corporate ladder (or build one of their own).

That includes notable leaders like Karim Allana, a sustainable building expert who used an entry-level roofing job as a career springboard and now runs a 225-employee company. It also includes thousands of proud small business owners who likewise started as construction laborers and now oversee teams (in some cases practical armies) of workers.

2. Hospitality (Bars & Restaurants)

The food and drink industry has faced many challenges of late, but one thing hasn?t changed much in decades: It?s one of the best industries for merit-based advancement with no special degrees or certifications required.

The food and drink industry is also heavily franchised. Many top fast-food and fast-casual chains are vast networks of independent business owners operating under a shared corporate brand. Buying into a franchise isn?t cheap or fast, but it?s another pathway for strivers seeking upward mobility.

3. Real Estate Sales

Real estate sales is another line of work that rewards grit and determination. And unlike most other industries, that reward is essentially limitless. Though most real estate agents make a middle-class living, some build thriving businesses that make them quite wealthy.

What separates these two groups? According to Gary Keller, co-founder and CEO of Keller Williams, one of the country?s biggest real estate brokerages, it?s all about having ?a big goal and a big plan.? Keller himself started as a regular old real estate agent, and now he?s a multimillionaire many times over.

4. Web Design & Development

Web designers and developers might not get their hands dirty, but they are to the Internet what plumbers and electricians are to the built environment. And unlike plumbers and electricians, they don?t have to spend years in low-paid apprenticeships. A few months in an accelerated boot camp is often enough to land an entry-level job that pays well above the median U.S. worker?s salary.

5. Software Development

Contrary to popular belief, software developers (coders) and web developers have different (if somewhat related) skill sets.

The most important similarity is these respective industries? pathways to success. Like web development, software development doesn?t require a college degree, and bootcamp grads tend to have plenty of job opportunities available. Despite longer-term worries about AI-assisted coding reducing employment in the industry, those opportunities should remain plentiful for years to come.

 Choose Your Path Wisely

?If you want to get ahead, you have to go to college.?

This is sound advice ? or is it? With higher education costs ballooning and student debt levels rising, it?s increasingly falling on skeptical ears.

And if you?re willing to work hard and get your hands dirty, it might not apply to you at all. These six industries offer the legitimate promise (though definitely not the guarantee) of economic advancement without an advanced degree. Maybe it?s time to give one a shot.

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