You don’t need a college degree to find a fulfilling, high-paying job.

Nearly one in five workers without a degree outearns the average college graduate, and two million Americans without degrees make over $100,000 a year, according to new research.

The report, co-authored by researchers at the American Student Assistance organization (ASA) and the Burning Glass Institute, found that some jobs better prepare non-degree holders for success than others. 

ASA and Burning Glass Institute refer to these roles as “launchpad jobs” — roles that offer young workers opportunities for promotion and career mobility, strong earning potential, good benefits and job security. In 2023, the report notes that there were close to 2 million entry-level openings in the U.S. for these types of jobs.

These include positions such as EMTs, electricians, and bank tellers, which often serve as stepping stones to managerial positions or six-figure salaries.

Occupations within the maintenance, manufacturing and utilities industries, which tend to be more technical, also have a higher proportion of launchpad jobs.

Here are five in-demand jobs that don’t require a degree and offer strong job security as well as the potential to earn six figures, according to the ASA and Burning Glass Institute’s research (salary data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics): 

• Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
  Median salary: $75,020
  Median salary for top 10% of earners: $114,750
• Power line installers
  Median salary: $85,420
  Median salary for top 10% of earners: $119,920
• Railroad conductors
  Median salary: $71,130
  Median salary for top 10% of earners: $99,210
• Wind turbine service technicians
  Median salary: $61,770
  Median salary for top 10% of earners: $90,300
• Chemical plant and system operators
  Median salary: $80,030
  Median salary for top 10% of earners: $108,470

Even some entry-level jobs with low wages that don’t require a college degree can lead to six-figure careers. 

Take bank tellers, for example: While their average initial wage is less than $29,000 a year, many tellers, the report found, enter high-paying jobs within the first decade of their career, including loan officer, where the average salary is $192,339, Indeed reports.

“Young people joining the workforce immediately after high school most likely are making decisions based on starting wage alone,” ASA president and CEO Jean Eddy tells CNBC Make It. “But that’s only one part of what should go into making a career decision.”

Wind turbine technician, for example, is the fastest-growing job in the U.S., with employment in the sector expected to almost double over the next decade. 

Yet despite the high demand for wind turbine service technicians, the profession remains “underrated and overlooked,” Jessica Jackson, a wind turbine service technician at Vestas, a wind turbine manufacturer, in Bee County, Texas, recently told CNBC Make It. That could be, in part, because some entry-level technicians earn less than $50,000 a year, or because wind turbine service technicians have one of the highest rates of injury and illness of all occupations.

“Working in this field is hard, but it’s rewarding,” said Jackson, adding that the profession offers untapped potential for job-seekers who crave adventure and a competitive salary.

While there is well-established support and resources for young people heading the college route, people planning to start working full-time immediately after high school “don’t have the same level of support,” Eddy says. “And they need much different job planning support from their degree-bound peers.”

As more Americans question the value of a college degree, Eddy says such resources are “critical” for narrowing the earnings gap between bachelor’s degree holders and those whose highest degree is a high school diploma.

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