16 Good-Paying Jobs That Don’t Require a Four-Year Degree

Achieving a four-year degree gives you a competitive advantage in the job market, but if college isn’t for you, or your kids, don't fret. There still are plenty of good careers in Illinois that don't require a university diploma.

That's especially true if you want to go into the health field. Dental hygienists, registered nurses and respiratory therapists all make a good living, yet not one of those careers requires a four-year degree.

Forbes came out with a list of 16 great jobs that don't require a four-year degree, and there’s variety on the list. They’re not just health industry positions.

Maybe, though, a bit more education could have helped those who are in charge of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services avoid making a "grave" mistake. An audit shows the department still had more than 8,000 dead people listed as “Medicaid eligible” on its books. Taxpayers like you paid $12.3 million for medical services for 2,850 of those dead people. 

Outrageous. That's $12.3 million of our money gone. 

The cliché is dead people vote often in Chicago. Apparently, some dead people in Illinois also get a whole lot of medical care.