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Hot jobs, no diploma required

Released: 
April 28, 2013

Many of the fastest growing jobs for the coming decade don’t require a college degree or even a high school diploma.

Wednesday is May Day, a day when people all around the world celebrate workers of all types. Here in the US, we're seeing a growing trend among some of the fastest-growing types of work, and in these fields it's not always about the money. Sometimes it’s just about having a job.

Government studies show many of the hottest jobs for the decade ahead don’t require a four-year college degree or even a high school diploma. But they also come with lower salaries. Personal care aides and home health aides are expected to see the largest jumps in employment. But their pay – in the $19,000-20,000 range – is below the national median of $33,840.

Only two of the 10 fastest growing occupations require a bachelor’s degree or higher: biomedical engineers and event planners. See the full Bureau of Labor Statistics list here.

Click through our photo gallery for more on today’s high demand fields. See “What Do Others Say?” for more views, then add to the discussion below. Are you concerned about the pay these hot jobs offer? What does that mean for our economy moving forward?