Do you know any non-university grads that make over $100k?

[Aardvark154]

Do you know any non-university grads that make over $100k?

Personally no, not even close.

The question that I believe you may be raising is entirely different. Are there decent jobs that do not require a University education. To which I'd reply very much so! For the foreseeable future there is always going to be a need for watch and clock makers, Electricians, Plumbers etc. . . and there are far too few young people going into these careers.

However, if one wishes to have an obscenely large income there is no question that a University education and particularly an advance degree are far more likely to have you in that place than merely a high school diploma.

 

[Mencken]

All you can really look at are averages since there are always highs and lows. I think the average high school drop out makes less than the average high school graduate (although possibly not a lot different), and the average university grad makes more than the average high school only grad. College diploma grads may be between...but depending on job or trade. The average journeyman tradesman probably makes more than the average college grad...that would be my guess.

 

[JohnLarue]

A ton of really good sales reps make in excess of 100K a year without a university degree.
If you can sell who cares if you passed calculus 101

 

[rama putri]

OK, so you guys 'know' people in the news. I don't think that was the OP request. Do you know anyone personally?

Personally, I don't. Most of my HS friends didn't go to university and have exciting careers in Scarborough Town Center, Canadian Tire stores, one is a manager at the Beer Store, etc. I went to a great university and an even better US college. I am pretty sure I make more than all my HS friends and their spouses combined.

 

[dandywriter]

and everyone's favorite:

MPs, MPPs, etc... many don't have degrees.

 

[CapitalGuy]

All you can really look at are averages since there are always highs and lows. I think the average high school drop out makes less than the average high school graduate (although possibly not a lot different), and the average university grad makes more than the average high school only grad. College diploma grads may be between...but depending on job or trade. The average journeyman tradesman probably makes more than the average college grad...that would be my guess.

Best post so far. Most accurate too.

The other factor is quality of life. Many (not all, but many) tradesmen or non-degree'd workers have to work much longer than degree'd workers, to make the same money, and do not enjoy many of the perks and benefits of the more highly educated (intellectually stimulating jobs, business travel, indoor work (a blessing or a curse), power in the workplace, career advancement, non-physical work). Yes, there are exceptions. Many, I am sure. And if you love a particular trade, you may be happier doing that type of work for less money than you would be working in a professional setting which perhaps you would not enjoy so much. Everyone is different. But in general, the big studies have shown that people with higher levels of education make more money and have higher levels of job satisfaction than those with lower levels of education. In general.

 

[futurelegend]

To answer the OP...yes...several. These are only people that I know personally and I'm not including the others that are only work acquaintances, but fall into many of the same categories.

3 electricians (1 is the owner of his own company)
1 Millright
2 Plumbers (both own their own companies)
1 Via Engineer
2 CN Engineers (driving GO trains)
a handfull of truck drivers
1 Plant Foreman
1 Concrete company owner
a few friends that are in sales (in some form or fashion)
2 IT Managers
1 software developer
2 VPs for large retail chains
I don't even want to count how many real estate agents
blah, blah, blah....


And, yes, I did count.

There are other countless jobs that people make well over 100K, without completing university, some that have already been mentioned.

Actors
Athletes
General labourers in manufacturing facilities (mostly automotive)
Sales/Marketing
IT
Public Service
Police/Firefighters
Public Transit 'Drivers'
Tradespeople
etc, etc.

As mentioned above, many of these positions are physically demanding and less fulfilling then your typical post-uni position making large salaries, but not necessarily less work. I have two cousins that are lawyers and one that is a doctor and they all put in a lot of hours. I also have another cousin that is a TV Producer and he is constantly working crazy hours. The point is, if you want make the big money...you have to put in the big time and effort.

 

[TheNiteHwk]

A ton of really good sales reps make in excess of 100K a year without a university degree.
If you can sell who cares if you passed calculus 101

10-4!

Not currently... I have made 100K in the past though.

Also know or have known many salespeople same.

 

[rama putri]

Wow. All these people without much of a foundational education running around making over a $100k. Seems like our economy is sound then and tell your kids to forget their homework too. I got it all wrong.

 

[canucklehead]

U beat me to it rama ...... lots of good looking rich people on the internet.
Making over a 100 k/a year is not the big issue.
It was brought up earlier about the quality of life.
With out an education there is a lot more hard work involved. I know lots of trades people that make in excess of a 100 k a year. They also work their asses off.

 

[Sargeant StiffCock]

Education has absolutely nothing to do with making money. People who can't figure out how to make money need an education and hope that it will help them make money. I don't see the difference between a car mechanic apprentice and a law student in university. They are both learning something to make money. Oh wait...there is a difference. The apprentice is already learning about the trade AND the reality of life by being hands-on. The law student is hiding behind his education because he is not ready for life yet and boy, will he have the surprise of his life when he graduates.

Almost all of my friends have no education and they are all doing VERY well. I never finished high school and I quit a job 10 years ago making well over 100K because I was bored. A friend of mine never finished high-school and he has85-100 people working for him in the metal fabricating business. When my son is 16 and wants to quit school and knows what he wants to do, I would let him in a heartbeat just like my father and my grandfather did.

Wake-up people, education or no education. Name of the game is making money, you either have it or you don't. It does not matter if you're a doctor, a lawyer a carpenter or a car mechanic. In the end, money is king and there is NOTHING it can't buy other than health. Heck it can even buy that to a certain degree nowadays.

Who do you think gets more respect? My friend with no education that has 100 people working for him or the lawyer with 10 diplomas hanging on his wall who is making a 100k a year? It's a personal preferance too. There is the 9-5 person making excellent money with benefits and perks till he retires. For me that's not enough, I always have to have the unlimited potential. I'm 40 and I have already gone through 2 major career changes. I could have easily retired with my first business but it's the sense of accomplishment you get by starting something, building it and moving on to something else.

I dropped out of the 11th grade and would not change anything if i had to do it all over.

 

[tired old perv]

In the end, money is king and there is NOTHING it can't buy other than health. Heck it can even buy that to a certain degree nowadays.

Shows how truly uneducated you really are, if you think you can buy health.

 

[Sargeant StiffCock]

Shows how educated and anal you are cause you dont see the sarcasm in my post. Actually yes $110,000.00 for a liver transplant in China. it was on tv

 

[futurelegend]

To the sarcastic remarks that we should promote our kids to drop out of school...grow up. Obviously, you want to encourage your kids to go to school. Getting them to go to school has very little to do what with their future earning potential and everything to do with training them for whatever career they want to get into, as well as teaching them about commitment and hard work - also skills that you can develop in 'real life'. If your child's dream is to become a roofer, like uncle Ike, then he doesn't need to go to school. He needs to get into the workforce and get a job in roofing and learn about the business. Now, if his goal is to own and operate an empire of roofing companies, some business education couldn't hurt, but isn't required.

I know SO many University graduates that are serving people Big Macs now, so a degree does not equate to success...work ethic does. There was a girl that dated an old roommate of mine and she had a masters in Marine Biology, but was working at an ice cream shop, because she didn't want to move away from her parents. They live in Belleville...not a lot Marine Biology jobs there...so she will remain scooping ice cream until she sucks it up and decides to put the effort into her life.

I have a college diploma (in an unrelated field that I currently work in) and make more then almost everyone in my family. With the exception of the two lawyers, the doctor and the TV producer, I have the highest income of everyone in my family and most of the others have under and post graduate degrees. I am not quite at 100K yet, but will likely be in the next five years and I'm only 28. That being said, I have started taking part time university courses, to work toward a business degree, because it's a goal that I have.

Education is important, but not the true key to success.

 

[thompo69]

MPs, MPPs, etc... many don't have degrees.

Actually, most do.

 

[big dogie]

I dropped out of university before I finished, about 20 years ago... in those 20 years all but 2 or 3 of those years did I make less then $100k... a degree only says you are a good student

b d

 

[rama putri]

OK, I was wrong I know a highschool dropout who makes over $500k a year in cash - pushing drugs under the guise of a wrecking yard owner.

 

[oleman]

Most of the tradesmen working in Alberta at Fort McMurray will make over 100k a year. But its not much of a life, working 6 or 7 days a week, staying in a camp.
O.

 

[big dogie]

Most of the tradesmen working in Alberta at Fort McMurray will make over 100k a year. But its not much of a life, working 6 or 7 days a week, staying in a camp.
O.

If that is their schedule they will be making over $200k

b d

 

[CapitalGuy]

The stats below are all American so to those of you who advocate achieving lower levels of education, feel free to argue that the Canadian experience must be radically different than that of our immediate neighbour. Or, simply dismiss these studies as not being nearly as accurate as your personal experience.

I am certain additional resources are available should you wish to delve further. I spent only 3 minutes on this quick google search so those of you with more time to invest, can surely find better sources that will say the same thing.

http://www.bls.gov/emp/emptab7.htm

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883617.html

http://www.earnmydegree.com/online-education/learning-center/education-value.html