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High-Paying New-Collar Jobs Offering Six-Figure Salaries in 2025

A four-year degree isn’t the only path to a six-figure salary. These high-paying ‘new collar’ jobs show that with practical skills and the right training, you can go far in 2025.

A new category of employment is emerging in the American workforce—“new-collar careers”—that prioritizes practical skills over traditional four-year college degrees. Unlike white- or blue-collar roles, new-collar jobs focus on specialized training and hands-on expertise.

According to the Harvard Business Review, this shift is opening doors for workers who’ve been held back by the lack of a bachelor’s degree, often stuck in low-wage positions. As more companies emphasize skills over credentials, new-collar workers are gaining traction in the job market—and earning impressive salaries along the way.

Not Blue or White—What Are New-Collar Careers, Anyway?

A report by Accenture highlights degree inflation—where jobs now require a four-year degree even when not necessary—making the U.S. labor market less efficient. Over 60% of employers reject skilled candidates without degrees.

New-collar careers are changing this trend. Unlike blue-collar jobs, they don’t involve physical labor, and unlike white-collar roles, they prioritize skills over degrees. Many companies are removing degree requirements from job listings.

Factory jobs are resurging, some paying over $80K. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2030, 60% of new jobs—many high-paying—will be new-collar and won’t require a college degree. As AI reshapes work, more people are rethinking the value of a degree.

Resume Genius has published its 2025 New-Collar Jobs Report, highlighting ten of the most promising new-collar careers that offer six-figure salaries and strong growth potential. To identify these opportunities, the team analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other labor market sources using five key criteria.

  • A median salary of over $100,000
  • No formal degree requirement
  • Minimal to no physical labor
  • Remote or hybrid work options
  • Less than a 50% risk of being automated by AI

 

Source
Data and Methodology The Resume Genius research team used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook to identify the highest-paying occupations that align with new-collar job criteria. We focused on roles with a median annual salary of at least $100,000, a positive projected job growth rate between 2023 and 2033, and minimal physical labor based on the job description.

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