Quick-entry careers (certificate programs)
Occupations whose typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award (a certificate or similar program), by median pay. Top 25 of 290 occupations we profile, from official BLS Employment Projections (2025–35). Use the Career Explorer to filter all of them.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is #1 on this list?
Commercial pilots: median pay $123,220 in 2025, projected growth +5.2% for 2025–35, about 5,200 openings a year (BLS).