In 2023, nearly six million full-time U.S. workers earned six-figure incomes without holding a college degree.
That’s not an anomaly, it’s a growing pattern.
As job markets evolve and workforce needs shift, the rigid expectation of a four-year degree is slowly being replaced by a much more practical question: can this person actually do the job?
Skills-first hiring is changing the recruiting landscape. From tech firms to logistics operations, employers are learning to prioritize ability, experience, and real-world readiness.
It’s no longer about where someone went to school, but how well they can adapt, solve problems, and deliver results.
What follows is a look at the careers driving this shift, and the industries recognizing the value of professionals who built their skills outside the classroom.
What Is Skills-First Hiring and Why Is It Gaining Traction?
Skills-first hiring refers to recruitment that focuses on a candidate’s proven ability rather than their educational background.
This trend is growing fast for a reason. With evolving job requirements and a workforce seeking practical alternatives to expensive degrees, companies are rethinking their approach to sourcing talent.
The value of technical certifications, hands-on experience, apprenticeships, and even bootcamps has increased dramatically.
Candidates who bring strong, demonstrated capabilities are often outpacing degree-holders, especially in industries where precision, technical know-how, and adaptability are critical.
Employers are starting to ask, “Are we filtering out strong candidates by requiring degrees that aren’t essential for this role?” The answer, in many cases, is yes.
Industries Leading the Way
Some fields are especially well-suited to a skills-first approach. These industries have become fertile ground for capable, ambitious professionals who skipped traditional college paths.
Here are a few where high pay and high performance go hand-in-hand:
Technology & IT
- Software developers
- Information security analysts
- Network architects
- Computer hardware engineers
- Systems managers
In the tech sector, many employers prioritize coding ability, systems knowledge, and practical tech stack experience.
With a solid portfolio and the right certifications, candidates regularly land six-figure salaries without formal degrees.
Engineering & Industrial
- Aerospace engineers
- Petroleum engineers
- Sales engineers
- Architectural & engineering managers
Engineering has long been a degree-heavy field, but in specialized roles or leadership positions, experience and licensing often speak louder than transcripts.
Skilled Trades & Utilities
- Elevator installers and repairers
- Electrical power-line installers
- Power plant operators
- Locomotive engineers
These careers pay well for highly trained workers who’ve come up through apprenticeship programs or trade schools.
Many top earners in these fields never attended college but built expertise over time.
Aviation & Transportation
- Commercial pilots
- Air traffic controllers
- Flight engineers
- Ship engineers
With proper certification and flight hours, candidates in aviation and transportation roles can earn high salaries without needing a university background.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
- Nuclear medicine technologists
- Medical dosimetrists
- Radiation therapists
Though these positions require licensing and postsecondary training, they often don’t require four-year degrees. Healthcare continues to offer high salaries in roles where skill and certification are key.
Business & Leadership
- Sales managers
- CEOs
- Legislators
In the business world, results often speak louder than credentials. Many high-performing leaders rise through the ranks based on execution, vision, and strategic thinking.come to employers, which can translate into higher compensation and faster promotions.
Why Employers Should Pay Attention
Clinging to degree requirements can severely limit access to top talent. Many high-potential candidates are entering the workforce through alternative pathways.
Certifications, portfolio work, on-the-job training, and soft skills like adaptability and communication are increasingly relevant.
The shift to skills-first hiring opens doors to wider candidate pools, often with better alignment between role expectations and actual capability.
It also promotes diversity in hiring; educational background shouldn’t be the sole indicator of professional value.
More companies are revising job descriptions to remove degree requirements when they’re not functionally necessary. They’re developing hiring models that evaluate skill directly, using assessments, practical interviews, or probationary trial periods.
What’s Driving the Change?
- Rising Tuition Costs: With student debt continuing to burden millions of workers, fewer people are pursuing traditional degrees.
- Talent Gaps: Companies are under pressure to fill roles quickly, especially in skilled trades and tech.
- Training Alternatives: Bootcamps, online courses, certifications, and apprenticeships offer flexible, low-cost routes to specialization.
This moment reflects a much larger trend. A new generation is entering the workforce with a different perspective.
They value experience, flexibility, and meaningful work over credentials. Employers who evolve alongside this mindset are gaining the upper hand in recruiting.
Pathways Into These Roles
The jobs listed across these industries aren’t shortcuts. They’re the result of structured learning, applied experience, and ongoing skill development.
While the routes may differ from traditional academic models, they demand just as much rigor, sometimes more.
Most of the high-paying careers mentioned rely on alternative credentials: licensing boards, trade certifications, FAA exams, technical bootcamps, and government-regulated skill assessments.
Others emphasize years of frontline work that build critical thinking, leadership, and decision-making abilities.
For employers, this reinforces something essential: there is no compromise in capability. In fact, the very path these professionals take—one based on discipline, independence, and adaptability—often makes them stronger performers.
Recognizing these pathways is key to building hiring processes that are both inclusive and strategically sound.
When companies understand the depth of training behind these roles, they’re less likely to rely on default degree filters and more likely to invest in people who’ve proven their skills through action.
Moving Forward With Skills-First Hiring
Skills-first hiring is now part of long-term workforce strategy. As more industries open to alternative qualifications, recruiters and hiring managers must reconsider what actually drives performance.
For companies looking to stay competitive, modernizing job requirements is one of the simplest yet most effective steps they can take.
Relying too heavily on degrees as a filter might screen out the very talent that could thrive in the role.
TBest Services supports this shift by helping businesses align their recruitment strategies with the reality of today’s workforce.
If you’re rethinking your approach to hiring, we’re here to help you identify the right talent, degree or no degree.