What Jobs Can I Get with a GED?

What kind of jobs can you get with a GED? Since more employers require either a high school diploma or equivalency, like the GED, you’ll find opportunities in every field. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 73% of all jobs require a diploma or GED at a bare minimum. This means your chances for employment go up when you get your GED. 

It’s never been easier. With plenty of online resources to assist you, now’s the time to get started earning a GED so you can begin qualifying for higher-quality jobs that lead to a better  future, and a higher salary.

Jobs You Can Get with a GED

Do some digging, and you’ll find that many industries hire people with a GED. This may be just what you need to get a foot in the door to something new and exciting and then work hard to get ahead. 

You can discover what jobs you can get with a GED in this list we’ve compiled.

Office Support Administration

With an annual salary of $29,950 to $51,730, these jobs offer a professional office environment for someone who can read, write, and use a computer. Roles include: 

• Receptionists
• Bill collectors
• Tellers or representatives
• Personal secretaries
• Clerks
• IT aides
• Corporate assistants
• Tellers

You can expect to manage day-to-day responsibilities in these roles. This may include greeting customers, clients, or patients; answering phone calls; preparing budgets; operating payroll; maintaining equipment and supplies; and organizing office space. 

Arts

Artists find jobs in general arts and crafts or even something specific like floral design. Annual salaries fluctuate depending on where you live and what job you do. Talent and available audiences for your work also matter. For example, floral designers average $29,880 per year, while craft and fine artists average $49,960.

Grounds or Building Maintenance

Professionals in this line of work can earn between $29,760 and $37,540 per year. A GED will help get you a position in:

• Maintenance
• Janitorial or cleaning services
• Bug and pest control

Building and grounds cleaners keep buildings safe, operational, clean, and sanitary. They also keep their surrounding areas looking good and well-kept, which includes spraying for bugs and overall lawn care.

Community or Social Services

The average annual salary for someone with a GED in community or social service professions is $37,610. A GED helps you become qualified for a position as a:

• Health liaison or aide
• Social service clerk
• Counselor or advocate

Community and social service workers help people struggling with personal issues. They also help people navigate through different local services. In counseling or other support roles, workers perform their duties with empathy and compassion.

Construction Services

Construction workers and contractors can earn between $37,520 and $97,860 per year. You can qualify for many roles in new construction or repair, including:

• Day laborer
• Electrician
• Professional handyman
• Glazier
• Equipment, machine, or service vehicle operator
• Ironworker
• Woodworker
• Insulation or another type of installer
• Masonry worker
• Carpenter
• Sheet metal worker

While this field is vast and ever-expanding, you’ll generally work to build or repair commercial structures or residential homes. You may also take on projects like roads, bridges, and utility systems. You could start as an apprentice or trainee and go up from there.

Food Service Industry

Food service workers make between $25,980 and $50,160. Restaurants and catering businesses often don’t require proof of graduation or GED, so you may stand out from the rest if you’ve earned yours. Roles include:

• Waiter
• Bartender
• Food prep worker
• Cook
• Baker
• Server
• Host

Food servers and preparation workers ensure work areas operate according to strict cleanliness and sanitation regulations. They also work with cooks, prepare the food, slice meat and cheeses, peel and cut vegetables, and perform other duties.

Farming and Forestry

You can earn between $29,680 and $46,330 in the fishing, forestry, and farming industries. This work means spending a lot of time outside, working in the elements. Roles include:

• Machine and equipment operator
• Breeding expert
• Fishing deckhand
• Hunter’s apprentice

These roles often require workers to understand the mechanics and business of agriculture, farm work, fishery, and parks and recreation.

Healthcare Industry

Healthcare is a massive industry and one of the top employers in the country. With your GED, the average annual pay ranges anywhere from $29,430 to $37,570. Roles can include:

• Childcare professional
• Home health aide
• Nurse or healthcare assistant
• Occupational or physical therapy aide
• Intake manager for psychiatric settings or personal care agencies

Healthcare and personal care aides typically assist patients or clients with daily activities in an assisted living facility or home. These duties include companionship, making meals, laundry, and other basic chores.

Legal Professions

Positions in the legal industry average $52,390 per year as a:

• Title examiner
• Title abstractor
• Title searcher

Professionals in the title abstractor, examiner, or searcher field gather data to review and summarize. They also write and edit company paperwork so that executives or lawyers better understand the information.

Management

Management positions help you learn valuable people skills. They also provide better pay and more opportunity. Management comes with an average annual salary of $59,230 to $73,060 in the United States for GED holders.

You may begin in entry-level positions, but with hard work and determination, you can advance to management in places like:

• Food services
• Ranching
• Commercial or residential real estate
• Lodging
• Agriculture
• Property management

You need strong interpersonal skills to succeed as a manager in any field. You’ll also benefit from the ability to communicate, organize, strategically plan, and solve problems.

Protective Services

Average salaries in the protection field range from $31,470 to $59,380. With a GED in hand, you can apply for work in certain types of law enforcement or protection, including:

• Prison guard
• Correction officer
• Private investigator
• Police or sheriff’s deputy
• Bailiff
• Security professional

Protection officers ensure the safety of others. They perform these roles in a variety of settings, and it typically involves being armed and/or preventing crime. Knowledge of local laws and ordinances is essential.

Sales

Sales positions attract people with an inner drive and outgoing personality. These professionals find themselves valued by corporations who make money from selling goods and services. Sales representatives make between $27,260 and $52,340 per year. You’ll become a vital team member in companies specializing in:

• Insurance
• Manufacturing
• Retail
• Real estate

You’ll generate leads and meet goals by negotiating, delivering presentations, and networking to build relationships.

Transportation Services

The average annual salary for a job in this industry is anywhere from $36,660 to $64,150. Meet lots of different kinds of people and travel all over the country with jobs in transportation, including:

• Marine oiling
• Cargo handling
• Truck driving
• Taxi driving
• Chauffeur work
• Sailing work
• Bus driving

Transportation involves working in fields that move passengers to and from planes, trains, buses, and other modes of transportation. You might even move cargo or goods. This industry can also include tourism.

A Future with No Limits

These positions represent only a sample of the good jobs with a GED that you can pursue. Salaries depend on where you live and how much effort you put into a position.

When you earn your GED, you’re opening doors for a brand-new outcome. It’s the missing ingredient to continue your education or to earn a professional certificate to get to the future you want. Take this opportunity and earn your GED.