WHAT CAN I BECOME?

$60,000 avg • $100K+ as master

Time after high school: 4 years (paid apprenticeship)

Get there: Paid 4-year apprenticeship — earn while you learn

• ✓Get paid to train, zero college debt
• ✓Always in demand everywhere
• ✓Can start your own company

$60,000 avg • $90K+ licensed

Time after high school: 4 years (paid apprenticeship)

Get there: Apprenticeship + state license

• ✓Every building needs you
• ✓Strong union options
• ✓Own-business potential

$57,000 avg • $80K+ experienced

Time after high school: 6 months – 2 years

Get there: Trade school (6–24 months) or apprenticeship

• ✓Fast training, quick to earn
• ✓Climate change = more demand
• ✓Overtime pays well

$52,000 avg • $100K+ specialized

Time after high school: 6 months – 1.5 years

Get there: Trade school or apprenticeship, 6–18 months

• ✓Underwater/pipeline welding pays huge
• ✓Work on bridges, ships, stadiums
• ✓Travel opportunities

$56,000 avg • $85K+ as contractor

Time after high school: 3–4 years (apprenticeship)

Get there: Apprenticeship, often union

• ✓Build things that last 100 years
• ✓Clear path to general contractor
• ✓Side income on weekends

$86,000 avg • $120K+ specialties

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: 2–4 year nursing degree + license

• ✓Work anywhere in the country
• ✓Deep human purpose daily
• ✓Endless specialties to grow into

$240,000–$400,000+

Time after high school: 11–15 years

Get there: 4yr college + 4yr med school + residency

• ✓Highest earning potential
• ✓Literally save lives
• ✓Massive respect and job security

$99,000 avg

Time after high school: 7 years total

Get there: Doctor of Physical Therapy (7 years total)

• ✓Help people walk again
• ✓Great work-life balance
• ✓Top-10 job satisfaction ratings

$87,000 avg

Time after high school: 2–3 years

Get there: 2–3 year associate degree

• ✓Six figures possible with a 2-year degree
• ✓Regular hours, no night shifts
• ✓Extremely flexible schedules

$59,000 avg • $90K+ private practice

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Master's degree + supervised hours

• ✓Help people through their hardest moments
• ✓Huge and growing demand
• ✓Can run your own practice

$130,000 avg • $200K+ senior

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Degree, bootcamp, or self-taught + portfolio

• ✓Top salaries early in your career
• ✓Work from anywhere
• ✓Build things millions use

$120,000 avg

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Degree or certifications (Security+, CISSP)

• ✓Hackers create your job security
• ✓Government and private demand
• ✓Feels like a real-life spy job

$115,000 avg • $160K+ senior

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: Degree in math/stats/CS + projects

• ✓Every industry needs you
• ✓Solve puzzles for a living
• ✓Bridge between business and tech

$95,000 avg • $140K+ senior

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Portfolio + bootcamp or design degree

• ✓Blend art and psychology
• ✓No code required to start
• ✓Shape products people love

$79,000 avg • $120K+ as CPA

Time after high school: 4 years + CPA exam

Get there: 4-year degree + CPA exam

• ✓Every business needs one
• ✓Recession-resistant
• ✓Clear promotion ladder

$99,000 avg • top earners $200K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Degree + licenses (Series 7, CFP)

• ✓Your income grows with your clients
• ✓Help families build real wealth
• ✓Relationship-driven career

$0 to unlimited — you decide

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Start small. Solve a real problem.

• ✓No ceiling on income or impact
• ✓You are the boss
• ✓Build something that's YOURS

$56,000 avg • top agents $150K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: State license course (weeks, not years)

• ✓Fast, cheap to start
• ✓Commission = uncapped income
• ✓Flexible schedule

$65,000 avg • varies wildly

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Portfolio > degree. Start making things now.

• ✓Tell stories that move people
• ✓Creator economy is booming
• ✓Every brand needs video

$58,000 avg • $90K+ art direction

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Portfolio + design school or self-taught

• ✓See your work in the real world
• ✓Freelance freedom possible
• ✓Every company needs design

$50,000 avg • stars earn millions

Time after high school: 0 years — craft + audience

Get there: Craft + audience. Release constantly.

• ✓Turn passion into a career
• ✓Streaming + sync licensing income
• ✓Perform live = irreplaceable

$60,000 avg • varies widely

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Write daily. Publish anywhere. Build a voice.

• ✓Work from anywhere on earth
• ✓Ideas can change the world
• ✓Books pay royalties for decades

$65,000 avg • higher with master's

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: 4-year degree + certification

• ✓Change lives every single day
• ✓Summers and school holidays
• ✓Strong pension and stability

$58,000 avg • $80K+ clinical

Time after high school: 4–6 years

Get there: Bachelor's or Master's (MSW)

• ✓Protect kids and families
• ✓Government job security
• ✓Clinical license = private practice

$119,000 avg

Time after high school: 8 years

Get there: 4yr college + 4yr vet school

• ✓Work with animals daily
• ✓Pet spending keeps growing
• ✓Own a practice someday

$145,000 avg • partners $300K+

Time after high school: 7 years + bar exam

Get there: 4yr college + 3yr law school + bar exam

• ✓High income and influence
• ✓Fight for what's right
• ✓Many paths: court, corporate, public

$72,000 avg • $100K+ detective

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Academy training; degree helps

• ✓Serve and protect your community
• ✓Strong pension, early retirement
• ✓Rise to detective or federal

$57,000 avg • $90K+ officer ranks

Time after high school: 1–2 years

Get there: EMT certification + academy

• ✓Every day is different and real
• ✓Brotherhood/sisterhood culture
• ✓Respect everywhere you go

$50K starting • $120K+ senior + full benefits

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: ROTC, academy, or OCS after college

• ✓Free or paid-for college
• ✓Leadership training money can't buy
• ✓Full benefits + retirement at 40s

$95,000 avg • $140K+ senior

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: 4-year engineering degree

• ✓Build bridges, cars, rockets
• ✓Solve real-world puzzles
• ✓Strong pay from day one

$130,000 avg • airline captains $300K+

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Flight school + hours + licenses

• ✓Travel the world as your office
• ✓Massive pilot shortage right now
• ✓Fast salary growth at airlines

$56,000 avg • owners $100K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Culinary school or work your way up

• ✓Feed people = instant joy
• ✓Create your own menu, your own place
• ✓Food media = new income streams

$50,000 avg • $80K+ master tech

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Trade school (6–24 months) + ASE certifications

• ✓EVs and hybrids = new demand
• ✓Work with your hands and tech
• ✓Dealership or your own shop

$104,000 avg • $150K+ senior

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Start in a trade or get a construction degree

• ✓Run entire building projects
• ✓Six figures without a desk job
• ✓Every skyline shows your work

$85,000 avg • $120K+ with overtime

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Apprenticeship through utilities or unions

• ✓Storm work pays big overtime
• ✓Keep entire cities running
• ✓Extreme job security

$38,000 avg • top barbers $80K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: State-licensed school (under 1 year)

• ✓Chair rental = run your own business
• ✓Clients become community
• ✓Creative work every day

$130,000 avg

Time after high school: 6–7 years total

Get there: Master's program (about 6–7 years total)

• ✓Near-doctor pay, less school
• ✓Switch specialties without retraining
• ✓Top-5 fastest growing jobs

$136,000 avg

Time after high school: 6–8 years

Get there: PharmD degree (6–8 years total)

• ✓High, stable salary
• ✓Clinical, hospital, or research paths
• ✓Trusted community expert

$76,000 avg • $95K+ MRI

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: 2-year associate degree + certification

• ✓Great pay with a 2-year degree
• ✓Work with cutting-edge imaging
• ✓Hospitals everywhere need you

Assistant $47K • Dentist $170K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Start assisting in months; dental school for the big leap

• ✓Test the field before committing
• ✓Dentists set their own hours
• ✓Own a practice someday

$58,000 avg • flight medics $90K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: EMT course (months) → paramedic program (1–2 years)

• ✓Save lives on the worst days
• ✓Adrenaline with purpose
• ✓Bridge to nursing or fire service

$150,000 avg • $250K+ senior

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: CS/math degree + ML projects and internships

• ✓Build the technology changing everything
• ✓Highest demand in tech
• ✓Work at the frontier

$90,000 avg

Time after high school: 0–2 years

Get there: Certifications (CompTIA, Cisco) — no degree required

• ✓Break into tech without college
• ✓Every company runs on networks
• ✓Clear ladder to security or cloud

$90,000 avg • leads $140K+

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Build games now — portfolio beats degree

• ✓Turn your favorite hobby into work
• ✓Indie or blockbuster studios
• ✓Code + art + storytelling together

$70,000 avg • $95K+ senior

Time after high school: 2 years

Get there: 2-year mechatronics degree or apprenticeship

• ✓Fix the machines taking over factories
• ✓Blends trades and tech
• ✓Warehouses and factories compete for you

$70,000 avg • directors $140K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Portfolio + internships; degree helps

• ✓Get paid to understand culture
• ✓Every brand fights for attention
• ✓Freelance or in-house

$65,000 avg • top reps $150K+ (commission)

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Start entry-level; results matter more than degrees

• ✓Income tied to your effort
• ✓Fastest path to six figures without a degree
• ✓Skills transfer to every industry

$60,000 avg • agency owners $150K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: State license (weeks of study)

• ✓Start without a degree
• ✓Renewal income stacks yearly
• ✓Own an agency someday

$67,000 avg • HR managers $130K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Degree or HR certifications (SHRM)

• ✓Shape workplace culture
• ✓Every company needs HR
• ✓People skills = your superpower

$0 to millions — audience decides

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Post consistently. Find a niche. Study what works.

• ✓Build a business from your phone
• ✓Multiple income streams
• ✓Your personality is the product

$45,000 avg • weddings/commercial $90K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Portfolio + gear + hustle; no degree needed

• ✓Get paid to be at life's best moments
• ✓Be your own boss
• ✓Travel and event access

$40,000 avg • stars earn millions

Time after high school: 0 years — train as you go

Get there: Classes, local theater, auditions — start anywhere

• ✓Live a thousand lives
• ✓Stage and screen need presence
• ✓Voice work and motion capture grow

$50,000 avg • top artists $150K+

Time after high school: 1–2 years apprenticeship

Get there: Apprenticeship under a licensed artist

• ✓Art on living canvases
• ✓Booked-solid artists set their prices
• ✓Deep client loyalty

$62,000 avg • luxury market $120K+

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: Degree or certification + portfolio

• ✓Transform how people live
• ✓Mix art, psychology, and business
• ✓HGTV effect = growing demand

$65,000 avg

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Master's in school counseling

• ✓Be the adult who changes a kid's trajectory
• ✓School schedule and holidays
• ✓Huge shortage = job offers

$57,000 avg • pro/college $100K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Degree + certification; coaching grows from playing

• ✓Sports are your office
• ✓Mentor young athletes
• ✓Sideline access to the game you love

$40,000 avg • directors $70K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Certification or associate degree

• ✓Shape brains in their most important years
• ✓Every community needs you
• ✓Pure purpose-driven work

$60,000 avg • $85K+ senior

Time after high school: 2 years

Get there: Certificate or 2-year degree

• ✓Work in law without law school debt
• ✓Stepping stone to lawyer
• ✓Steady demand

$137,000 avg • $200K+ busy towers

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: FAA Academy (apply before 31) — no degree required

• ✓Elite pay without college
• ✓Pension + early retirement
• ✓Zero boring days

$75,000–$120,000 + federal benefits

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Degree + federal academy; military helps

• ✓Investigate real cases
• ✓Federal pension and security
• ✓Protect the country

$93,000 avg • partners $150K+

Time after high school: 5 years + license

Get there: 5-year architecture degree + license

• ✓Design buildings that outlive you
• ✓Blend art and engineering
• ✓See your work on skylines

$85,000 avg • PhD researchers $120K+

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Biology degree → grad school for research

• ✓Help cure diseases
• ✓Lab discoveries change medicine
• ✓Biotech is booming

$78,000 avg

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Environmental science degree

• ✓Protect the planet as your job
• ✓Field + lab + office variety
• ✓Climate work keeps growing

$130,000 avg

Time after high school: Varies

Get there: Engineering degree; internships at space companies

• ✓Build rockets and satellites
• ✓The space industry is exploding
• ✓Bragging rights forever

$35,000 line cook • $75K+ head chef • $100K+ executive

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Start as a line cook, culinary school optional; executive chefs need years of experience

• ✓Creative work you can taste
• ✓Every city and town needs cooks
• ✓Can rise to head chef or open your own restaurant

$0 to millions • most early on earn little

Time after high school: 0 years — start anytime

Get there: Solve a problem people will pay for; no degree required, but learning never stops

• ✓You own your time and decisions
• ✓Build something that can outlast you
• ✓Unlimited upside if it works

$55,000 avg • large operations $100K+ • highly variable

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Family land, agricultural degree, or apprenticeships on working farms

• ✓Feed your community and country
• ✓Work outdoors with living things
• ✓Own your land and legacy

$85,000 – $105,000

Time after high school: 6 years

Get there: Bachelor's degree + master's in occupational therapy + license

• ✓Help people regain independence after injury
• ✓Work in schools, hospitals, or homes
• ✓High demand as the population ages

$80,000 – $100,000

Time after high school: 6 years

Get there: Bachelor's + master's in speech pathology + clinical fellowship

• ✓Help kids and adults communicate
• ✓School schedules available
• ✓Deeply rewarding one-on-one work

$75,000 – $95,000

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Associate degree or certificate in diagnostic medical sonography

• ✓Short path into a hospital career
• ✓Be the first to show parents their baby
• ✓Strong job growth

$60,000 – $80,000

Time after high school: 4–6 years

Get there: Bachelor's in nutrition + supervised practice + RD exam

• ✓Turn food into medicine
• ✓Work in hospitals, sports teams, or private practice
• ✓Growing focus on preventive health

$110,000 – $140,000

Time after high school: 8 years

Get there: Bachelor's + 4-year Doctor of Optometry program

• ✓High income with regular hours
• ✓Own your own practice
• ✓Instant impact — better vision, better life

$36,000 – $50,000

Time after high school: 0–1 year

Get there: Certificate program or on-the-job training + state certification

• ✓Fastest entry into healthcare
• ✓Stepping stone to pharmacist
• ✓Stable hours in retail or hospitals

$105,000 – $130,000

Time after high school: 6–8 years

Get there: Nursing degree + master's in midwifery + certification

• ✓Bring new life into the world
• ✓Build long-term relationships with families
• ✓One of the highest-paid nursing specialties

$90,000 – $120,000

Time after high school: 4-year apprenticeship

Get there: Paid apprenticeship through a union or elevator company

• ✓Among the highest-paid trades
• ✓Earn while you learn
• ✓Every building needs you

$55,000 – $80,000

Time after high school: 1–2 years

Get there: Trade school or employer training + ASE certification

• ✓Trucks, buses, and farms all run on diesel
• ✓Overtime pay is common
• ✓Skills transfer anywhere in the country

$65,000 – $95,000

Time after high school: 1.5–2 years

Get there: FAA-approved aviation maintenance program + A&P license

• ✓Keep planes safe in the sky
• ✓Airlines pay top dollar for licensed techs
• ✓Travel perks with airline employers

$50,000 – $75,000

Time after high school: 1–2 years

Get there: Trade school or apprenticeship in precision machining

• ✓Make the parts that make everything else
• ✓Clean, high-tech shop environments
• ✓Program robots instead of being replaced by them

$50,000 – $75,000

Time after high school: 0–2 years

Get there: Certificate program or on-the-job training

• ✓Fastest-growing job category in America
• ✓Work outdoors with a view
• ✓Build the energy future

$50,000 – $80,000

Time after high school: 0–1 year

Get there: Union apprenticeship or equipment training school

• ✓Run bulldozers, cranes, and excavators
• ✓See projects rise from dirt to skyline
• ✓Strong union wages and benefits

$110,000 – $150,000

Time after high school: 4 years or self-taught + certifications

Get there: Computer science degree or cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, Google)

• ✓Run the infrastructure behind every app
• ✓Fully remote work is common
• ✓Certifications can replace degrees

$70,000 – $95,000

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: English, communications, or technical degree + writing portfolio

• ✓Turn complicated tech into plain language
• ✓Work in tech without coding
• ✓Remote-friendly career

$70,000 – $110,000

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: CS degree or testing certifications + coding basics

• ✓Break software before users do
• ✓Entry point into the tech industry
• ✓Automation skills lead to engineering roles

$110,000 – $160,000

Time after high school: 4 years + exams

Get there: Math/statistics degree + series of professional actuarial exams

• ✓Consistently ranked a top job for pay and low stress
• ✓Math skills turned into serious money
• ✓Insurance and pension industries always need you

$60,000 – $100,000+ (commission)

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: High school or bachelor's + state license (MLO)

• ✓Help families buy their first home
• ✓Commission means your effort sets your pay
• ✓Relationship skills beat degrees here

$80,000 – $120,000

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: Business, logistics, or engineering degree

• ✓Move the world's goods
• ✓Every company with a product needs you
• ✓Global travel and big-picture problem solving

$85,000 – $125,000

Time after high school: 4 years + experience

Get there: Any bachelor's degree + PMP or Agile certification

• ✓Every industry hires project managers
• ✓Lead teams without needing to be the technical expert
• ✓Certifications boost pay fast

$90,000 – $150,000+

Time after high school: 4–6 years

Get there: Bachelor's (often business) + top firms recruit from college; MBA boosts pay

• ✓Solve big problems for big companies
• ✓Learn many industries fast
• ✓Launchpad to executive roles

$55,000 – $100,000+

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Fashion degree or portfolio + industry internships

• ✓See people wear your ideas
• ✓Blend art with business
• ✓Path to your own label

$60,000 – $95,000

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Animation degree or self-taught portfolio + demo reel

• ✓Bring characters and stories to life
• ✓Work in film, games, or advertising
• ✓Portfolio matters more than degrees

$40,000 – $100,000+ (highly variable)

Time after high school: 0 years — build a demo reel

Get there: Acting training + home studio + auditioning on casting platforms

• ✓Work from a closet studio at home
• ✓Be the voice of games, audiobooks, and cartoons
• ✓Start part-time while keeping a day job

$50,000 – $90,000

Time after high school: 1–4 years

Get there: Audio engineering school or studio apprenticeship

• ✓Shape the sound of music, film, and live shows
• ✓Work backstage at concerts
• ✓Blend technical skill with a trained ear

$55,000 – $95,000

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Theater/film production degree or practical effects apprenticeship

• ✓Build the worlds movies happen in
• ✓Every set is a new puzzle
• ✓Union crews offer steady film and TV work

$50,000 – $70,000

Time after high school: 2–6 years (varies by state)

Get there: Certificate, associate, or bachelor's + state certification

• ✓Help people rebuild their lives
• ✓Personal experience is valued, not disqualifying
• ✓Huge demand nationwide

$55,000 – $80,000

Time after high school: 4–5 years

Get there: Education degree + special education certification

• ✓Change outcomes for kids who need it most
• ✓Extreme teacher shortage = job security
• ✓Loan forgiveness programs available

$50,000 – $85,000

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: Fluency in 2+ languages + certification for medical/legal work

• ✓Turn bilingual skills into a career
• ✓Work in courts, hospitals, or from home
• ✓Freelance freedom is common

$50,000 – $70,000

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: Bachelor's in recreational therapy + certification

• ✓Heal through play, art, and activity
• ✓Work with veterans, kids, and seniors
• ✓A healthcare job that feels like camp

$50,000 – $80,000

Time after high school: 0–4 years

Get there: High school to bachelor's (varies) + academy training

• ✓Steady government pay and pension
• ✓Help people stay out of the system
• ✓Early retirement options

$40,000 – $70,000

Time after high school: 2–4 years

Get there: Degree in environmental science or parks management; seasonal work first

• ✓Your office is a national park
• ✓Protect nature and teach visitors
• ✓Housing often included in remote parks

$45,000 – $70,000

Time after high school: 0 years — postal exam

Get there: Pass the USPS exam; no degree required

• ✓Federal benefits and pension
• ✓No degree needed, start young
• ✓Exercise built into your job

$55,000 – $85,000

Time after high school: 4–8 years

Get there: Biology degree; master's/PhD for research roles

• ✓Study life in the ocean
• ✓Fieldwork on boats and reefs
• ✓Fight for the planet's future

$60,000 – $100,000

Time after high school: 4 years

Get there: Degree in meteorology or atmospheric science

• ✓Predict the weather everyone talks about
• ✓Work in TV, aviation, or emergency management
• ✓Storm chasing is a real job duty