I just sent this to the Houston Chronicle, about a article in Sundays paper regarding jobs that don't require higher ed.

Dear Chronicle,

I read this article in Sundays paper by Banks Albach
with interest. My job is in the biological sciences,
doing cancer research. My wife is also in hard
science, doing physics work related to cancer
treatment. We will both have our PhDs next year.
Yet, our combined household income will be 70k, which
is the NIH guideline for a first year postdoc. If we
are lucky, in ten years (when I am 40) we'll have a
combined income of 200k. This is a hard reality of
scientific work; low pay, high education, hard work.
In contrast, my equally-intelligent cousin, who lives
here in Houston too, makes six-figures, doing computer
work from home. He attended one semester of college.
His wife is a nurse and makes about the same amount as
he. They both work extremely hard and deserve every
penny of their compensation.

So, there are jobs that don't require a college degree
(computer work), or a bachelors only (nursing and
engineering), and are in high demand and are payed
according to that demand. In contrast, there are jobs
like mine. My advice for someone deciding whether or
not to go to college is to first figure out what
skills or aptitude you have, and if those skills are
in demand. ALso, determine if the field you want will
benefit from a college degree or experience.
Sometimes you need the degree plus experience, other
times one or the other. Lastly money is only one side
of the equation, and very few people will have those
well paying jobs. Happiness, job satisfaction, these
are fringe benefits that are not measured in dollars.

Sincerely,

Rob Dejournett, MS