15 Jobs That Are Easier To Get Today Than A Decade Ago
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In today's job market, it often feels like you can never have too many qualifications.
But it turns out that a surprising number of jobs actually ask for less education now than they did 10 years ago. Some positions have dropped their requirements from a Master's degree to a Bachelor's, while others have shifted from postsecondary awards to a simple high school diploma.
We worked with <span>Laurence Shatkin, an occupational information specialist, to find the jobs that are easier to get into today (i.e., have lower educational requirements) than they were 10 years ago. To come up with the list, Shatkin compared U.S. Labor Department data on educational requirements for jobs in 2002 versus in 2012.</span>
<span>One factor that has likely contributed to <span>lowered qualifications</span> is technological development. "Especially for some already-low-skill occupations, technology has allowed the work tasks to be 'dumbed down,' so an even lower-skilled worker can handle the tasks," Shatkin said.</span>
<span>He also notes that the requirement differences could be due to changes in the perceptions of analysts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rather than the "realities of the workplace." For example, he said, the BLS used to consider a job in the clergy to require a professional degree, but subsequently realized that 24% of preachers have only a Bachelor's.</span>
Below, check out some of the jobs that are easier to get into now than they were a decade ago:
Automotive service technicians and mechanics <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award
</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent
</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Median salary in 2012: $36,610</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span>
Clergy
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Doctoral or professional degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>44,060</span></span>
<span><span>Commercial pilots
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>73,280</span></span>
</span></span>
<span><span>Computer, automated teller, and office machine repairers
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Some college, no degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>36,620 </span></span>
</span></span>
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health <span>Education requirements in 2002: Master's degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>63,570</span></span>
<span><span>Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>31,720</span></span></span></span>
<span><span>Geographers <span>Education requirements in 2002: Master's degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>74,760</span></span>
</span></span>
<span><span><span><span>Insurance sales agents
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>48,150</span></span>
</span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>35,350</span></span>
</span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span><span><span>Legal secretaries
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>42,170</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span>Medical records and health information technicians
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Associate degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: <span>$34,160</span></span>
</span></span></span></span>
<span><span><span><span>Mental health and substance abuse social workers
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Master's degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>39,980</span></span>
</span></span></span></span>
Microbiologists <span>Education requirements in 2002: Doctoral or professional degree </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$66,260</span>
Operations research analysts Education requirements in 2002: Master's degree
Education requirements in 2012: Bachelor's degree
Median salary in 2012: <span>$72,100</span>
<span>Travel agents
<span>Education requirements in 2002: Postsecondary non-degree award </span>
<span>Education requirements in 2012: High school diploma or equivalent </span>
<span>Median salary in 2012: </span><span>$<span>34,600</span></span></span>
<b>See Also:</b>
<ul><li>15 Jobs That Are Harder To Get Today Than A Decade Ago</li><li>The 13 Top-Paying Cities In America For Tech Workers</li><li>The 16 Most Creative Resumes We've Seen</li></ul>
SEE ALSO: 15 Jobs That Are Harder To Get Today Than A Decade Ago