Get the graduate salary without the degree

Didn't make the A-level grades? Don't kiss goodbye to a decent salary just yet

Dream jobs, along with dream salaries, don’t always have to involve a degree

It is a tough weekend for the nation’s 18 year olds; they’re either celebrating getting the exam results they need for university, desperately going through clearing or trying to decide what on earth to do next.

The pressure is intense. Last year the jobs website Adzuna analysed a million vacancies and discovered that jobseekers without a degree would typically earn about £12,000 a year less than graduates. And many jobs that used to be an option for non-graduates, such as nursing, now require a degree.

But there are jobs out there that don’t require a degree but which pay a comparative salary. According to the website Graduate-Jobs.com the average starting salary for degree-holders is £19,000-£22,000, although a High Fliers report into the graduate market pegged the median starting salary for graduates at £30,000.

So which jobs are open to non-graduates that will allow them to earn a similar amount either straight away or within three years? Here are just a few.

Army officer – £31,000

There is an idea that graduates join the army as officers while non-graduates do the different job of private soldiering, but that’s not true. However, the kind of person who gets into Sandhurst Military Academy without a degree could probably have qualified for university if they had wanted to.

Colonel Matt Bazeley, chief of staff at Sandhurst, explained: “The British Army offers management-level entry as army officers to both graduate and non-graduate candidates. Applicants must have 180 UCAS points and pass an assessment, after which they will benefit from the best leadership and management training in the world. This includes the opportunity to gain professional qualifications, including a Bachelor’s degree, whilst earning the same highly competitive salary as graduates. Salary after training is £30,923, with excellent pension and benefits, including 38 days annual holiday.

“You can start your officer training straight from school at the age of 18 and there is a clear promotion structure with excellent opportunities for career progression and the opportunity to command soldiers on deployments and exercises all over the world. Each successive rank brings extra challenges, responsibilities and opportunities, as well as an increase in pay.”

The deadline for applications to start officer training in May next year is 29 August.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) – £18,000+

There is growing demand for workers skilled at helping websites appear high up on the search engine results pages, known as SEO. Nadia Latif, content marketing director for digital agency Banc Media, says this sector needs innovators and fast learners, which doesn’t necessarily mean graduates.

“SEO is a great example. It certainly doesn’t require a degree – many SEOs do have a degree (ranging from journalism to graphic design to sociology – I know of one SEO who has a degree in French) but it’s not a requirement and many don’t have a degree at all. Probably 50% of SEOs have a degree, 50% don’t.

“It’s very much a career that requires learning on the job, as the industry changes so quickly – in SEO, knowledge and tactical thinking are what counts. It’s usual to start either in-house or at an agency and work up from there.”

Earning potential within this field varies hugely but SEO managers can earn between £40,000 and £55,000 once they have experience.

Recruitment – £40,000+

People skills, attention to detail and confidence could help some school leavers into a lucrative career in recruitment. Andy Lord, COO at global recruitment business, the Rethink Group, say: “Recruitment has evolved into an exciting, multi-billion pound profession based on the intelligent analysis and management of people. It's a fascinating career which arms you with skills and confidence and the ability to connect with people.

“You just need confidence and ambition to start a career in this game; recruiters are heavily investing in their people now, meaning the necessary skills can be added on with vocational training and academic studies while at work.

“Recruitment is also wonderfully diverse; target rather than time driven mentalities mean flexible working cultures prevail in this sector like never before. Plus, at a business like ours, where there's a global office network, there's a chance to work overseas; as valuable as university education is there's a lot to be said about travelling, meeting new people and nurturing your talent with a broader appreciation of life. And with an earning potential upwards of £40,000 within the first year the remuneration's an added bonus.”

Coding – £35,000+

There are some skills that can be learned without a degree and which are seriously in demand in the UK just now. Coding is one of them.

Richard Rolfe, co-founder of National Coding Week, says: “University is not necessary for people going into the coding industry and often it’s only a simple coding course that is required to get started – or base level skills which they might have already. A conservative estimate is that a junior developer might start on £18,000 but those with a few years of programming may be soon be up to £35k and above. The average salary for a programmer is £47,500.

“Although a university degree could open doors many employers will not ask for a list of qualifications and grades as they merely want proof of concept and for the individual to be able to demonstrate skill and ability to learn further. And jobs which require any sort of coding are in huge demand right now so a great field for young people get into.”

Katie Gallagher, managing director of the trade association Manchester Digital, agrees. She says: “Software development is extremely hands on, rather than theoretical, and a good way into the role is to self-practice and demonstrate to employers what you can do. Companies will judge you much more on the technical things you’ve done and what you’re able to create, rather than academic performance. If you want to be a gaming developer, show them a game you’ve made, or if it’s websites you want to build, demonstrate a site you’ve worked on recently.”

Something completely different – £25,000+

Perhaps one thing all young people need to remember is that there are an awful lot of jobs they won’t even have considered. For example, how many A-level students would consider becoming a helicopter pilot?

A spokesperson for Elstree Helicopters says: “Student loans and associated expenditure mean that the average university leaver has a debt of around £45,000; helicopter pilot training costs around half that. We believe, including all costs, it will cost around £22,000 in total. Fees are paid at manageable, pay-as-you-train rates to suit all budgets and even at two lessons per month, the trainee should be qualified within two years or so.

“Once qualified with their PPL (H) the pilot can decide whether they want to advance further still – the choice is theirs, but as a qualified helicopter pilot, the world is your oyster. A newly-qualified commercial helicopter pilot could expect to earn a minimum of £25,000 while pilots on a passenger-carrying helicopter can earn £45,000-plus.

“It’s worth remembering there are far fewer helicopter pilots than, say, law graduates, so the job market may be more niche, but it is far less competitive.”