Careers that need a certificate
25 occupations where BLS lists the typical entry education as a postsecondary nondegree award (certificate), sorted by median pay.
Updated
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial pilots | $123,220 | +5.2% | 5,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | $79,870 | +5.4% | 11,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Surgical technologists | $64,650 | +5.0% | 7,100 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses | $64,400 | +3.0% | 51,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers | $63,890 | -3.3% | 11,300 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers | $61,010 | +10.9% | 40,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Firefighters | $59,280 | +3.7% | 26,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers | $58,640 | +3.8% | 214,500 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Massage therapists | $58,450 | +15.3% | 20,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Audio and video technicians | $58,100 | +3.9% | 6,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Medical records specialists | $51,140 | +7.8% | 14,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $50,620 | +5.0% | 66,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Dental assistants | $48,070 | +7.4% | 53,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Cooks, private household | $47,940 | +5.1% | 5,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Medical assistants | $45,690 | +12.9% | 109,700 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Skincare specialists | $45,330 | +8.8% | 14,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Phlebotomists | $45,230 | +6.8% | 18,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Psychiatric technicians | $45,130 | +22.3% | 17,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Library technicians | $44,580 | -6.4% | 10,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Emergency medical technicians | $44,470 | +5.8% | 13,800 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Nursing assistants | $42,260 | +2.6% | 196,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Medical transcriptionists | $40,410 | -4.4% | 6,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Barbers | $38,210 | +3.3% | 6,900 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists | $35,790 | +7.7% | 73,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Manicurists and pedicurists | $35,760 | +9.2% | 21,900 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025 ↗. Employment is for 2025, projections to 2035; median annual wage is for 2025; openings are the projected annual average for 2025–35. Figures are national, not local. Data last downloaded Oct 16, 2026.