10 Best Jobs That Pay 100k a Year Without a Degree UK

Most people believe you need a degree to ever earn six figures. We’ve all heard it: “Go to uni, get a good job, and that’s the only way to make real money.” But that’s not true anymore. There are plenty of jobs that pay 100k a year without a degree UK workers can step into. These careers are real, practical, and open to anyone willing to put in the effort.

In this guide, I’ll show you 10 jobs where you can build a six-figure future without a university degree.

Why Degrees Aren’t the Only Route to £100k

A university degree isn’t the only way to a high income anymore. In fact, plenty of people in the UK are hitting a six-figure salary UK no degree required. How? These careers reward skill, training, and results more than academic papers.

• Apprenticeships: Many industries still offer paid training schemes where you earn while you learn. Train driving, engineering, and even some financial roles can start this way.
• Licensing and certificates: Jobs like airline pilot, diver, or air traffic controller don’t ask for a degree — they ask for licences. Once you qualify, you can step straight into well-paid roles.
• Experience-based industries: Some careers, especially in IT, reward a strong portfolio and hands-on experience over formal education. Contractors often make £500+ a day without any degree.
• Commission-based roles: Sales, recruitment, and estate agency can lead to £100k+ if you perform well. Your earnings scale with effort, not qualifications.

The common thread? These careers don’t care if you sat in a lecture hall for three years. They care if you can learn, perform, and deliver results.

10 Best Jobs That Pay 100k a Year Without a Degree UK

1) Air Traffic Controller (NATS)

You’re the calm, steady voice that pilots listen to when the skies get busy. Your job is to guide aircraft safely from one place to another, keeping order in one of the most complex environments on earth.

• Why it pays: It’s safety-critical work. You need to stay focused for long stretches, manage huge responsibilities, and sometimes make decisions in seconds. Busy airports like Heathrow and Gatwick pay more because the volume of flights is so high. Shift work and unsociable hours also come with allowances that push salaries up.
• Route (no degree): You don’t need a university. Apply directly to NATS as a trainee. The process involves online aptitude tests (checking memory, problem-solving, and 3D thinking), followed by an assessment day. If you succeed, you’re given paid training at their college before you qualify and move into live traffic control.
• Timeline to £100k: Starting salaries are modest, but once you qualify and gain experience, senior controllers at the busiest airports can comfortably pass six figures. Expect this after several years of progression.
• You’ll love: The teamwork, the clear structure, and the fact that once your shift ends, the job ends — you don’t take work home.
• Quick start: Practise online spatial-reasoning and logic tests, prepare for shift work by building healthy sleep routines, and keep an eye out for when NATS trainee intakes open.

2) Airline Pilot (Commercial)

Imagine your “office” being 35,000 feet in the air, with views across the globe every day.

• Why it pays: Pilots carry immense responsibility — they oversee hundreds of lives every flight. The role demands precision, calmness, and constant training. Captains, especially on long-haul flights, are rewarded generously for their experience and leadership.
• Route (no degree): You’ll need to train for an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL). You can do this in two ways: integrated training (an intense full-time academy programme that gets you qualified quickly but costs more) or modular training (taking each step as you can afford it, often while working alongside). Once qualified, you start as a First Officer and work your way up to Captain.
• Timeline to £100k: Captains at large airlines often make £100k+ once they’ve built up flight hours. It can take several years, but the clear career path makes it achievable.
• You’ll love: The travel perks, the structured career progression, and the prestige of the role. Every landing feels like an achievement.
• Quick start: Try a trial flying lesson to make sure you love it, book your Class 1 medical exam (this is essential), and start researching training schools and finance options.

3) Train Driver (Mainline or London Underground)

You’re responsible for safely moving thousands of people every day. It’s not glamorous, but it’s one of the best-paid roles you can get without a degree.

• Why it pays: It’s safety-critical, involves irregular hours, and requires complete concentration. Strong unions, good base pay, and overtime opportunities all add up.
• Route (no degree): Apply directly to train operating companies or London Underground for trainee driver roles. You’ll go through psychometric and coordination tests, classroom learning, and supervised cab training before you can drive on your own.
• Timeline to £100k: Standard pay is around £60–70k. With overtime or at certain operators (especially in London), drivers can make £100k+.
• You’ll love: Stable work, clear training and progression, and a strong pension. Plus, when your shift ends, you don’t take the job home.
• Quick start: Practise concentration and reaction-time tests, build healthy habits for shift work, and apply widely as trainee driver vacancies don’t stay open long.

4) Marine/Harbour Pilot

• Hook: Picture boarding a massive ship at sea and steering it safely into a crowded harbour. It’s a role that mixes seamanship, strategy, and adrenaline.
• Why it pays: The responsibility is enormous. You guide vessels worth millions into narrow channels, often in bad weather. Mistakes are costly, so salaries reflect the skill and risk involved.
• Route (no degree): Most marine pilots start in the Merchant Navy, working up from cadet to Chief Officer or Master Mariner. Once you have that experience, you apply to a port authority and train to handle the local waters.
• Timeline to £100k: Senior pilots in busy ports like London or Southampton can make six figures after years of sea time and pilotage training.
• You’ll love: Hands-on seamanship, daily variety, and the pride of bringing ships in safely.
• Quick start: Apply for a Merchant Navy cadetship, earn STCW safety certifications, and start building sea time.

5) Commercial Saturation Diver

Work under extreme pressure, literally. You’ll be diving deep underwater to repair, inspect, or build offshore structures.

• Why it pays: Offshore diving is dangerous, requires specialist training, and involves living in pressurised chambers for weeks at a time. Day rates are extremely high to reflect the risk and the skill involved.
• Route (no degree): Start with an HSE commercial diving qualification and pass a strict dive medical. Get experience inshore (bridges, harbours), then move offshore to oil and gas. Eventually, you can qualify for saturation diving.
• Timeline to £100k: After a strong season of offshore contracts, many divers reach six figures. Some only need to work part of the year to achieve it.
• You’ll love: Small, tight-knit teams, advanced technology, and long periods off once the season ends.
• Quick start: Book your HSE medical, choose a commercial diving school, and start improving your swimming and fitness.

6) Enterprise Account Executive (SaaS Sales)

Close a single deal worth hundreds of thousands, and you’ve just changed your year.

• Why it pays: Enterprise software contracts are huge, and salespeople earn commission on every deal. Hitting targets can mean bonus payments that double your base salary.
• Route (no degree): Most people start as Sales Development Reps (SDRs), making calls and booking meetings. With experience, you progress to Account Executive roles handling bigger clients. The top level is Enterprise AE, where you manage long, complex sales cycles and land the biggest contracts.
• Timeline to £100k: If you perform well, you can hit six-figure on-target earnings (base + commission) within 2–3 years. Top sellers often make much more.
• You’ll love: Hybrid working, income that reflects your performance, and the thrill of closing big deals.
• Quick start: Learn modern sales methods like MEDDICC, record yourself practising pitches, and aim for an SDR role to get your foot in the door.

Good with people and persuasion? Start sharpening those skills now with our Level 6 Sales Management. Perfect if you want to break into tech sales.

7) Insurance Broker (Lloyd’s Market)

You arrange cover for unusual risks — from oil rigs to cyber attacks — in London’s world-famous insurance market.

• Why it pays: Premiums on big-ticket risks are huge. Brokers who manage these deals earn strong commissions, especially in specialist niches.
• Route (no degree): Begin in a junior role, like claims or underwriting support. Take Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) exams to prove your knowledge. Over time, move into broking and build your own client relationships.
• Timeline to £100k: Once you’re established and handling high-value accounts, six-figure pay is common in London.
• You’ll love: Working with international clients, solving complex problems, and developing expertise in a specific field.
• Quick start: Begin CII Certificate courses online, read insurance trade news, and apply for assistant roles in Lloyd’s brokers.

Interested in big-money deals? The industry standard is CII exams, but our Financial Advisor Course will give you the foundations so you don’t feel lost in your first role.

8) Luxury/Prime Estate Agent

Selling one luxury home can bring in more commission than months in a regular job.

• Why it pays: Estate agents earn a percentage of every sale. On million-pound homes, those percentages add up fast. Build a reputation with wealthy clients, and income can snowball.
• Route (no degree): Start as a negotiator, learning viewings and sales progression. Move into valuations and client management, then go self-employed or join a prime property brand.
• Timeline to £100k: Once you have a pipeline of luxury listings, top performers often earn six figures within 2–3 years.
• You’ll love: Autonomy, working with beautiful homes, and becoming a recognisable face in your local market.
• Quick start: Focus on a small patch of streets, send market updates to homeowners, and create video tours to grow your profile.

Love the idea of selling stunning homes? Our Estate Agent Diploma will teach you valuations, viewings, and the skills to get started quickly.

9) Recruitment Consultant

You connect people with careers and businesses with talent — and you earn commission every time it works out.

• Why it pays: Agencies charge fees for every successful hire. In contract recruitment, you also earn margins on daily contractor rates, which stack up fast.
• Route (no degree): Start as a trainee learning sourcing and outreach. Move into a “360 desk” where you manage both clients and candidates. Specialise in sectors like tech or finance where placement fees are higher.
• Timeline to £100k: Ambitious recruiters in London often hit six-figure on-target earnings by their second or third year.
• You’ll love: Fast-paced work, clear targets, and the satisfaction of changing people’s lives.
• Quick start: Choose one niche, make a list of 100 target companies, and commit to daily outreach on LinkedIn and by phone.

Like connecting people? Our Recruitment Consultant Diploma walks you through sourcing, interviewing, and client management — the exact skills agencies look for.

10) IT Contractor (DevOps/Software)

Rent your skills by the day instead of earning a fixed salary — and watch your income jump.

• Why it pays: Contractors charge high day rates for in-demand skills like cloud computing, data, and cybersecurity. Even with breaks between contracts, you can still hit six figures.
• Route (no degree): Build a portfolio of projects on GitHub, gain industry certifications (AWS, Azure, Kubernetes), understand UK IR35 tax rules, then land contracts through recruiters or directly with companies.
• Timeline to £100k: With 180–200 billable days at £500–700/day, six figures is achievable. Many contractors exceed this.
• You’ll love: Freedom to choose projects, flexible work (often remote), and constantly learning new skills.
• Quick start: Earn a cloud certification, polish a few portfolio projects, set up a limited company (or use an umbrella company), and register with specialist recruiters.

Want to go freelance in tech? You’ll still want vendor certs like AWS or Azure, but our IT Security and Level 5 Diploma in Cyber Security Course can give you a strong base to build from.

Training & Courses That Can Help

If you’re serious about moving into one of these jobs that pay 100k a year without a degree UK, then the smartest step is to invest in yourself. The right training makes the journey faster and shows employers or clients that you’re serious. That’s where Training Tale comes in.

All of our courses are CPD-accredited, which means they give you recognised skills you can actually use in your career. They’re designed to be flexible, easy to follow, and practical. You can study online, fit them around your schedule, and start applying what you learn straight away.

Whether you’re aiming for sales, recruitment, property, IT, or insurance, Training Tale has CPD courses that can help you build the skills and confidence to get there. And remember, every six-figure career begins with a first step — taking a course today could be yours.

Final Thoughts

Reaching a six-figure income doesn’t have to mean years at university or mountains of student debt. As you’ve seen, there are many jobs that pay 100k a year without a degree UK workers can step into. The key is to build skills, stay committed, and grab opportunities when they come your way.

If you’re ready to take that first step, the smartest move is to invest in your own growth. Training Tale offers a wide range of CPD-accredited professional development courses designed to help you build the confidence and expertise employers look for. You can explore all of them here: Training Tale Professional Development Courses.

Your six-figure career doesn’t have to stay a dream. Start building it today.