Lucrative salaries: In these professions you earn a lot of money even without studying

As a rule, studying increases the chances of finding a well-paid job on the labor market. But even with a non-academic education, skilled workers can earn good money from a young age. In some professions, the salary is even well above what many academics earn, as an evaluation of the shows.

The economists of the employer-related research institute have determined the most lucrative professions for young skilled workers under the age of 30 on the basis of data from the employment agency. Professions for skilled workers are those for which (dual) training is required. They are differentiated from the “specialists” (master craftsman, technician or bachelor’s degree) and the “experts” (master’s degree, diploma or similar).

Salaries over 4000 euros

In five skilled occupations, the average gross monthly salary (median) for full-time employees is therefore above 4,000 euros. Young professionals in technical production planning and control earn the most at around 4,300 euros. Occupations in aerospace technology, insurance and financial service providers, chemical and pharmaceutical technology and fire protection (see table) also cost more than 4,000 euros. A look at the 20 most lucrative professions also shows that half come from the metal and electrical sectors.

In all 20 top-earning professions, the median salary is over 3500 euros. For comparison: In less well-paid training occupations, the gross monthly wage is around 2000 euros or even less. Hairdressers are paid particularly poorly (1,666 euros). For all employees under the age of 30 who are subject to social insurance – from unskilled to university graduates – the statistics show a mean gross salary of 2900 euros.

Table: The 20 most lucrative occupational groups for skilled workers under 30 years of age

* Median value for gross full-time salary; Source: IW Cologne

Different good employment opportunities

It is interesting that high pay does not always go hand in hand with good employment opportunities. In addition to the salary, the IW researchers also looked at the number of vacancies and the unemployed. The result is very different for the 20 top earning professions. There are very good employment opportunities, for example, in electrical operating and automation technology or in fire protection. In contrast, there are significantly more unemployed than vacancies in the aerospace technology sector and with financial service providers and bankers.