Average salaries of 30 jobs that don't require a degree

Job prospects for jobseekers without a degree are on the rise, with over 130,000 vacancies on the market right not requiring a formal qualification. The list features roles where you can ‘learn on the job’, while others fit into the government’s kickstart scheme, which pays firms and youngsters at least the minimum wage to enrol onto an apprenticeship. The research, based on 890,000 open roles on job site Adzuna in March 2021, analysed UK job openings and advertised salaries for positions requiring no degree or formal education.

Lower-skilled workers have been some of the hardest hit by the pandemic, bearing the brunt of increasing job competition from graduates and other higher-skilled workers, fuelled by rising redundancies and high unemployment levels.

Job crisis: Young people have been one of the hardest hit age groups

Unemployment among new graduates hit 12% in the first three months after the pandemic hit last year, according to the ONS, compared to a wider youth unemployment rate of 13.6% among lower-skilled workers. Overall, UK unemployment is currently 1.7million. But with the end of lockdown in sight, the data suggests jobs not requiring a degree or formal education are finally flooding back to the market.

The 30 roles analysed currently have 138,648 job vacancies between them, equal to 16%, or 1 in 7, of the 894,259 UK jobs currently available. In particular, the recent lockdown DIY boom has driven demand for skilled trades, including 13,412 electrician job vacancies, 5,924 labourer openings, 3,718 plumber roles, 3,025 carpenter positions and 1,565 job vacancies for painters and decorators. The pandemic has also stoked demand for warehouse, logistics and e-commerce roles.

The increase in online shopping has created jobs for warehouse operatives (7,285 openings), couriers (8,602 openings), and HGV drivers (9,526 roles). Similarly, companies have shifted their focus to online shopping, leading to a rise in entry-level positions that require tech or social ‘know-how’ rather than a specific degree.

Many are jobs that you could train on the go

As a result, three of the 30 ‘no-degree necessary’ picks involve social media, software development and marketing. Hospitality openings are also on the up with 21,492 waiter roles on offer, 6,530 chef openings, and 438 bartender positions.

Meanwhile, as offices and bricks and mortar retailers prepare to re-open, expert cleaners remain in demand with 11,853 recent openings. The care sector is a final bright spot for jobseekers with no degree, with 3,907 advertised vacancies on offer, and hourly pay rates rising to as much as GBP22 per hour. Two jobs on the list have advertised salaries averaging over GBP40,000 – plumbers and photographers – showing workers don’t need to shell out on costly university tuition fees to earn a substantial salary.

Andrew Hunter, co-founder of Adzuna, said: “The pandemic has been particularly tough on non-graduate jobseekers who’ve had to jostle with furloughed workers, recent graduates and the newly redundant to try and secure work. But the jobs market has turned a corner for those without a degree. “As restrictions lift and the country moves towards opening up, hiring is increasing in non-specialist roles, with a boom in demand for skilled trades, cleaners and hospitality workers.

“Meanwhile, initiatives like the UK Government’s Kickstart Scheme are encouraging more companies to upskill younger workers on the job, rather than look to hire specialists, which could be a way into white-collar work for those who opted against higher education.”

Top 30 vacancies and how much you could earn

  1. Waiter, average salary GBP25,543
  2. Electrician, average salary GBP37,838
  3. Cleaner, average salary GBP19,479
  4. HGV Driver, average salary GBP27,874
  5. Office Manager, average salary GBP36,974
  6. Courier, average salary GBP32,257
  7. Recruitment Consultant, average salary GBP29,810
  8. Warehouse Operative, average salary GBP19,283
  9. Chef, average salary GBP23,774
  10. Labourer, average salary GBP21,864
  11. Personal Trainer, average salary GBP22,587
  12. Photographer, average salary GBP44,015
  13. Care Worker, average salary GBP20,600
  14. Plumber, average salary GBP40,028
  15. Events Coordinator / Manager, average salary GBP29,453
  16. Carpenter, average salary GBP34,959
  17. Gardener, average salary GBP24,379
  18. Sales Assistant, average salary GBP19,813
  19. Executive Assistant, average salary GBP33,556
  20. Social Media Officer, average salary GBP29,014
  21. Painter & Decorator, average salary GBP30,661
  22. Window Cleaner, average salary GBP20,396
  23. Tree Surgeon, average salary GBP27,707
  24. Estate Agent, average salary GBP35,030
  25. Babysitter, average salary GBP21,218
  26. Trainee Software Developer, average salary GBP30,476
  27. Bartender, average salary GBP18,526
  28. Digital Marketing Assistant, average salary GBP24,663
  29. Student Paramedic, average salary GBP33,352
  30. Furniture Assembler, average salary GBP37, 472

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