Be a Rich Single Momma: Get a Six-Figure Career without a 4-Year Degree

If you want to become a Rich Single Momma you may consider several pathways.

• You might have a rich uncle that will leave all his wealth to you. But how many of us have rich uncles?
• Next on the list is finding a surrogate uncle, we call them sugar daddies. That might be hard to stomach though.
• Write a bestselling book like Harry Potter as J.K. Rowlings, a single mom, did.

An alternative is a six-figure career. The only problem is you probably don’t have time to go back to school for another four to eight years to become an attorney or doctor. But the good news is you can make six-figures without a 4-year degree. The trade off is a short certification or two-year program, time on the job, the ability to sell yourself and skills, and planning.

I encourage you to evaluate your current job/career, industry, and skills. They could be transferable if you are not in the right industry. Take a look at your job satisfaction and ambition because landing a six-figure job does not happen by magic. Also check where are you in terms of your determination and motivation?

Single moms already have enough to do so it’s no point in adding more long-term stress. But I digress. I am supposed to be sharing six-figure careers that don’t require a degree. Okay, here is the list:

Real Estate Broker	7.  Network/IT Manager
Air Traffic Controller	8. Hotel Executive Chef
Small Business Owner	9. Radiation Therapist
Fire Chief	10. Court Reporter
Construction Manager	11. Financial Planner
Plumber	12. Mobile App Developer

 

Start Your New Career Now

Now before you throw your hands up in despair take a look at the list again. Is there a career you would like to get into? What would happen if you decided today to become a court reporter? The median annual wage for court reporters was $47,700 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,710, and the top 10 percent earned more than $91,280 according to the occupational outlook handbook.

Since you are going to combine determination, timing, and location you will be in the top 10 percent. Training can be as short at six months and as long as two years. By using a phased educational approach you can learn while you are working. It will take commitment but you will see your career progress from making the median $47k a year to over $90k a year.

Give Yourself Time to Make 6-Figures

Any occupation you choose from the list is going to require time for training if you are not already in the field. There are certificate programs for most of the occupations available through your local college or an online program. Many related associations offer certificate programs as well. Your path to six-figure income will be a progression. You will start off at a lower pay rate, but as you build education, experience, and skills it will progress. You could be making six figures in less than five years. You must be determined and persistent so put yourself on a career plan similar to the one below.

Court Reporter Career Plan

Activity	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	Year 4	Year 5	6+ Years
Education	Certificate		2 year degree		4 year degree
Experience	Trainee	Junior	Junior Level	Mid Level	Senior Level
Income	$40,000	$47,000	$52,000	$65,000	$75,000	$90,000

 

Of course this is an aggressive plan but if you are in the right city and have the right timing you could reach this income level in five to six years. Your plan may not be as aggressive and results may vary. In whatever career you choose, be sure you look at salary information from one or two websites so you know how much you should be paid. Location will be a factor in addition to your experience and specialization.

You can be a Rich Single Momma, but it will take determination, persistence, ambition, and a plan. It will take time but the time you spend dreading the thought of learning a new skill, moving to a new city if necessary, learning how to negotiate a salary, and paying your dues for a few years could be spent just doing it.

Next time I will share my career path and progression with you. Some of what I did was deliberate but much of it happened because I was in the right place at the right time and was not afraid to move into a different career path.