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Anyone without a college education here?

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Most of my friends went to 2 yr community college, and most of them never even finished there... Most, if not all of them are doing very well... Some at regular jobs at big companies, and some went into business for themselves (Franchise, liquor store, mall kiosk, etc)

I personally have a 4 yr engineering degree, but I dont think it made a difference in getting any of the jobs I worked at since college. I actually made more money the three years I put college on hold than I do now... Although that was also the dot com boom time in the late 90's... But you get my poin...
 
I have a Computer Engineering degree and my starting salary is about 60K with room for growth -- and I'm 24 years old so I have lots of time to grow.

That said, I often hear stories about people in the skilled trades that make $100k+. I suppose it's just purely supply and demand -- no one wants to be a plumber anymore, so the few that do it can make a ton of money.

But it seems to me that if university wasn't my thing, I would've definitely looked into skilled trades. With wages like those, if you're just in it for the money, I don't understand why more people aren't doing it (e.g. all those people currently working full-time minimum wage jobs..?)
 
I have no degree. I went to a tech school for 1 year and learned some basic PC skills. I also did the 6 month computertraining.com course and I have an MCSA cert.

I make $33k a year and I'm single. I don't know if you call that decent or not - I don't.

 
Originally posted by: pontifex
I have no degree. I went to a tech school for 1 year and learned some basic PC skills. I also did the 6 month computertraining.com course and I have an MCSA cert.

I make $33k a year and I'm single. I don't know if you call that decent or not - I don't.
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Neither do I. You could be making alot more than that.. Where do you live?
 
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: pontifex
I have no degree. I went to a tech school for 1 year and learned some basic PC skills. I also did the 6 month computertraining.com course and I have an MCSA cert.

I make $33k a year and I'm single. I don't know if you call that decent or not - I don't.
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Neither do I. You could be making alot more than that.. Where do you live?
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Central PA. It sucks for IT jobs.
Although, I've barely had a chance to use any of my MS cert knowledge since I got it about 4 years ago so most of that knowledge is gone. I also pretty much hate IT now.

I've been thinking of going to college. Went to the local CC a few weeks back and got a catalog and talked to a counselor for a little bit. I was pretty gung-ho about it for a little bit but now I'm really scared to go back. Scared isn't the right word I'm looking for but I guess more nervous and when I think of what I'm going to have to do for classes, I just dread having to do it.

 
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: pontifex
I have no degree. I went to a tech school for 1 year and learned some basic PC skills. I also did the 6 month computertraining.com course and I have an MCSA cert.

I make $33k a year and I'm single. I don't know if you call that decent or not - I don't.
Click to expand...

Neither do I. You could be making alot more than that.. Where do you live?
Click to expand...

Central PA. It sucks for IT jobs.
Although, I've barely had a chance to use any of my MS cert knowledge since I got it about 4 years ago so most of that knowledge is gone. I also pretty much hate IT now.

I've been thinking of going to college. Went to the local CC a few weeks back and got a catalog and talked to a counselor for a little bit. I was pretty gung-ho about it for a little bit but now I'm really scared to go back. Scared isn't the right word I'm looking for but I guess more nervous and when I think of what I'm going to have to do for classes, I just dread having to do it.
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If you live in central PA HACC is right there. Yeah its a community college but its rated one of the best in the country. I have a lot of friends that went there...yeah a lot of them failed but thats normal I think for community or any other college.
 
Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: akshatp
Originally posted by: pontifex
I have no degree. I went to a tech school for 1 year and learned some basic PC skills. I also did the 6 month computertraining.com course and I have an MCSA cert.

I make $33k a year and I'm single. I don't know if you call that decent or not - I don't.
Click to expand...

Neither do I. You could be making alot more than that.. Where do you live?
Click to expand...

Central PA. It sucks for IT jobs.
Although, I've barely had a chance to use any of my MS cert knowledge since I got it about 4 years ago so most of that knowledge is gone. I also pretty much hate IT now.

I've been thinking of going to college. Went to the local CC a few weeks back and got a catalog and talked to a counselor for a little bit. I was pretty gung-ho about it for a little bit but now I'm really scared to go back. Scared isn't the right word I'm looking for but I guess more nervous and when I think of what I'm going to have to do for classes, I just dread having to do it.
Click to expand...

If you live in central PA HACC is right there. Yeah its a community college but its rated one of the best in the country. I have a lot of friends that went there...yeah a lot of them failed but thats normal I think for community or any other college.
Click to expand...

Yep, HACC, thats were I would be going for as many classes as I can.
I actually went there for a few classes about 9 years ago but ended up just dropping out to go to the other places I mentioned.
 
Here's how it works statistically:

People with a HS diploma make alot more than people without one.
People with a bachelors make quite a bit more than people with only a diploma.
People with a masters make a fair bit more than people with a bachelors.
People with a professional degree (MBA, JD, MD) make alot more than people with a bachelors.
People with a PhD make a fair bit more than people with a masters.

see Its a pdf

In any case if you don't want to do school don't. I saw several people my freshman and sophomore year in school because of parents totally blow it and dropout. Complete waste of time and money.
 
Originally posted by: erub
I can tell you right now, many of those that will be sucessful without a college degree are from past generations..having said that, if you want to go into sales, you can make a ton of money if you are good at it, regardless of education
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QFT.

My uncle is working with aerospace stuff (Boeing) as a sales rep. of some sort and is making a VERY good living.
 
Like everything else, it depends on the market and what you want. I see the service and repair industry growing at a very fast rate because people today are more helpless than ever, lazy almost beyond belief, and feel that anything that might get them dirty is beneath them. It's pretty easy to make 70 to 80k in auto repair, 60 to 90k in the trades and a good contractor can pull down 150 to 200k without killing himself. The thing is you will get dirty, and you will sweat. In winter you will freeze your ass off and in summer you'll bake until your brain shuts down, you'll smash knuckles and cut yourself again and again. And for all of that, it's a great way to make a living.
 
No College degree. I've been an IT proffesional since I was 19, and I'm 27 now. I make ~75K per year. FWIW.
 
When I entered Northwestern in 2002 it was a top 10 school. I came out with a BA and now I work minimum wage. The lesson here is that you have to PLAN your life. Going to college just for its sake is NOT going to get you anywhere.

I wish I hadn't gone directly to college. Now I've used up all of my scholarship and financial aid money. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: MobileLoser
When I entered Northwestern in 2002 it was a top 10 school. I came out with a BA and now I work minimum wage. The lesson here is that you have to PLAN your life. Going to college just for its sake is NOT going to get you anywhere.

I wish I hadn't gone directly to college. Now I've used up all of my scholarship and financial aid money. 🙁
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What did you major in?
 
I did 2.5 years to a Business Admin degree. Came to the conclusion that I really hated school and enjoyed working.

Left my last job (State agency IT job @ 37K, good benefits, union protected) over three years ago to come back to the family business where I do pretty well. I'm 25.

 
Originally posted by: polm
No College degree. I've been an IT proffesional since I was 19, and I'm 27 now. I make ~75K per year. FWIW.
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There will always be exceptions to the rule thats for sure. A vast majority of people without degrees don't get that fortunate. 🙂
 
I'll probably make $130,000 this year.


I never went to college. There is just no way I could handle more school. I'm more of a hands on kind of guy. I wanted to get right into it. All I ever wanted was to be out of school and be free.

So after high school I went right into the trade work. Did all kinds of trades. Learn one, get sick of it and move on. I couldn't stand the kind of scummy people that are in the trades though. And hated working with or for them. And it was back breaking work. Really trashes your body. I was making up to $30 an hour sometimes (regular pay). All the while I was working on my own home remodeling it and teaching myself as I went along too.

After about 10 years of learning all kinds of trades I sold my remodeled home. Took all that money I made and bought a place with cash. Took out equity loans and started buying more places. Remodeling them, hanging onto them, renting them out, selling them, ect.

Been doing this for 2 years now (since I sold my first house) and the money seems to keep rolling in. And I really really enjoy it. I'm my own boss, work part time, make my own hours. It's great.
 
Originally posted by: invidia
Just wondering how many out there have zero college education and is making a decent/good living? How much would you considered a "decent" living?
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Sounds like you're fishing for arguments - stay in college.

For the record: 23 years old, total comp around 95K
 
Originally posted by: Alphathree33
Yet another thread where everyone apparently made six figures out of high school =)
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oh you didn't know.. This is Anandtech.. where everyone makes six figures, drives a Hummer, owns a $500,000 house, and loves life even more the closer gas gets to $5.00 / gallon


😀
 
I am finishing up in October. I do think that not having a college degree has set me back and has kept me from moving forward
 
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