Paths to 6-figures without a degree? (27M, NYC)

 

Given up my dream career to do a career my parents chose and now miserable. What should I do?

I (24F) worked in my dream job for a little over 2 years since graduating. I worked very hard for it and did a lot of networking to get where i was, It was a well paying job too. The problem was that my parents seem to dislike it, almost looked like they hate what I do and wanted me to get a ‘real’ job. My dream job is on the creative side and a remote type too, and i think because I was home most of the time, they saw this as laziness. (I’m mostly in meetings and working what i was assigned to)

Even when one of the films i worked with was released, they were extremely dismissive and even lectured me that i was avoiding responsibility (we had some things to discuss that i won’t go into further) when I just wanted to celebrate with them of my achievements at that moment.

I tried to stand my ground and stay firm, but it became too much and overwhelmed me too the point of developing depression again and…other thoughts, that i had to give in and quit my dream job just so they could stop reminding me every single day.

Eventually, i did get this ‘real’ job but i just hate it. It didn’t exactly help nor improve my life cause now, i’m just more miserable then ever. My parents seem pretty happy about it but I’m not; i’m more depressed, miserable, hating and not excited to wake up for tomorrow.

I don’t know, what I should do? Should I just continue with this ‘real’ job for the rest of my life, or go back to my dream job in secret?

Jobadvisor

I’m really sorry you’re going through this — what you’re describing is heavy, and it makes sense that you feel miserable. You were thriving in your field, doing work you cared about, earning a good living, and had every reason to be proud. Losing that because of parental pressure isn’t just disappointing — it’s a genuine grief. And the depression you mentioned is a serious signal that something in your environment is harming you.

Here’s a way to think about your situation step by step:

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1. Your feelings are valid — and predictable

You didn’t “fail” at anything. You were forced into a situation that goes against your identity, talents, and values. Anyone in that position would feel depressed and hopeless. The fact that your parents dismissed your accomplishments only added to the emotional damage.

You aren’t weak.
You’re reacting normally to an abnormal amount of pressure.

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2. You do not have to accept a life you hate

24 is extremely young. You’re not “locked in” to this job or this path. Plenty of people change careers at 30, 40, 50. You already have experience, connections, and a successful project under your belt. That’s huge. You’re not starting from scratch.

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3. Your parents’ expectations are theirs, not yours

Some parents equate “real job” with:

• office building

• visible effort (commuting, being gone from home)

• conventional careers

Remote creative work doesn’t fit their mental model, so they see it as unserious — even if it pays well. But that’s their misunderstanding, not a reflection of the job’s value.

You’re an adult now. Their approval is nice to have, but it cannot be the basis of your entire life.

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4. You don’t have to choose all-or-nothing

Here are some real-world options:

Option A: Quietly rebuild your creative career while keeping the current job

• Start freelancing or taking small projects again.

• Reconnect with your old network.

• Build back momentum until you can confidently switch.

• You don’t need to announce anything to your parents.

This gives you:
✔ financial stability
✔ time to plan
✔ an exit without immediate conflict

Option B: Move out (if possible) and return fully to your dream career

If you’re living with your parents, their influence is amplified. Living separately gives you mental space, autonomy, and the ability to choose your work without daily commentary.

This is often the single biggest factor in reducing their control.

Option C: Stay in the 'real' job temporarily while planning a life transition

If you feel too depleted to go back right away, that’s okay. You can use this time to:

• save money

• plan your next steps

• slowly rebuild confidence

This makes the eventual return less overwhelming.

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5. Your mental health matters more than their approval

You mentioned depression and “other thoughts.” That’s not something to ignore.
Please consider reaching out to:

• a therapist

• a counselor

• a trusted friend

• a local mental health resource

You shouldn’t be dealing with this alone.

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6. The big picture: Do you want to live your life or theirs?

If you stay in this job solely for your parents, that’s essentially giving them control over your long-term happiness, identity, and future.

Your parents won’t live your life for you.
Only you will wake up every day in the job you choose.

And you’ve already seen what the miserable path feels like.

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Practical next step (simple version):

1. Do not quit your current job immediately.
   You’re emotionally drained, and it’s safer to plan.

2. Begin reconnecting with your old creative work quietly.
   A single project or email at a time.

3. Save money and work toward independence (especially housing).

4. Get support for your mental health.
   Depression is not something you deserve to manage alone.

5. Transition back to your field at a pace that protects your stability.

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Final note

You didn’t “give up” your dream job.
It was taken from you by pressure and emotional strain.

You can take it back.
Not overnight. Not recklessly. But steadily and intentionally.

Paths to 6-figures without a degree? (27M, NYC)

Currently making $65K working in building maintenance

I’m willing to start from scratch and put in the work

I’m open to trades, tech, certifications, entrepreneurship, sales — whatever actually works

For anyone who’s made it to six figures (or multiple six figures) without a degree, what paths would you recommend? And what would you do differently if you were starting over?

Thanks for any guidance

Jobadvisor

Here’s a structured, realistic breakdown of paths to six figures in NYC without a degree, plus what people who’ve actually done it usually say they’d do differently. These are all fields where (1) you can start from scratch, (2) the income ceiling is genuinely high, and (3) the demand is strong.

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🚀 Proven Paths to Six Figures Without a Degree (NYC Edition)

1. Skilled Trades (High Demand + Union = Big Money)

NYC trades can hit six figures faster than almost any white-collar path—especially unionized roles.

Top earners:

• Electrician (IBEW Local 3)

• Plumber/Steamfitter (Local 1 / Local 638)

• HVAC Technician

• Elevator Mechanic (Local 1) ← One of NYC’s highest paid trades

• Ironworker / Carpenter / Operating Engineer

Why this works:

• Apprenticeships pay you while you train

• Benefits + pension are extremely strong

• NYC union wages climb to $120K–$200K+ with overtime

If starting over:

Most tradespeople say they’d join a union earlier and specialize sooner.

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👨‍💻 2. Tech (Self-Taught or Bootcamp + Portfolio)

You don’t need a degree, but you do need skills + a portfolio.

Highest-probability routes:

• IT Support → SysAdmin → Cloud Engineer
  (CompTIA A+ → Network+ → Security+ → AWS)
  Six figures possible in 2–4 years

• Cybersecurity
  Start in IT, then move into SOC analyst, threat detection, etc.

• Software Engineering
  Still possible without a degree, but requires consistent learning + projects

NYC pay levels:

• Help desk: $45–60K

• SysAdmin: $70–100K

• Cloud/Security engineer: $120–180K

If starting over:

People say they’d build projects earlier, network more, and get into cloud sooner (AWS/Azure).

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💼 3. Sales (No Degree, Uncapped Income)

Sales is one of the fastest paths to six figures—especially in NYC.

Best options:

• Tech Sales (SDR → AE)
  Tech companies don’t care about degrees if you can sell.

• Real Estate Leasing/Brokerage
  NYC has huge volume; top agents hit 6–7 figures.

• Medical Device Sales

• Insurance/Financial Products Sales

Why this works:

Commission = unlimited earning potential.
Six figures can happen in 1–2 years if you’re good.

If starting over:

Most salespeople say they would’ve mastered cold outreach earlier and moved into a high-commission niche sooner.

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🧰 4. Building Automation & Facilities Specialties

You’re already in building maintenance—this is a very underrated springboard.

High-income roles in the same world:

• Building Automation Systems (BAS) tech

• Controls technician (Siemens, Honeywell, Johnson Controls)

• Stationary Engineer (Local 94)

• Boiler operator

• Fire safety director (with the right certifications)

NYC pay levels:

• BAS tech: $90–140K

• Local 94 engineer: $150K+ with OT

• Fire Safety Director: $60–120K

If starting over:

People in facilities say they’d get a blue card → work toward Refrigeration License → aim for Local 94 as early as possible.

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🛠️ 5. Entrepreneurship

Riskier, but if it hits, it's the fastest way to multiple six figures.

Businesses that work without a degree:

• Property maintenance or handyman services (you already have the experience)

• Cleaning business (commercial more lucrative than residential)

• Landscaping / snow removal

• Trucking (box truck, hot shot, courier)

• Digital services (SMMA, web design, content creation)

• Construction subcontracting (drywall, painting, flooring)

If starting over:

Most founders say they’d niche down sooner, charge more, and hire help faster.

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📦 6. Logistics & Skilled Blue-Collar Commercial Roles

Often overlooked but extremely lucrative, especially with overtime.

Top roles:

• Unionized MTA jobs (track worker, signal maintainer, bus operator)

• Longshoreman (ILA)

• Commercial driving (CDL A or B)

• Utility companies (ConEd, National Grid, PSEG)

NYC pay range:

• MTA: $85–160K with OT

• Longshoreman: $150K+

• CDL in NYC: $80–140K

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📚 7. Certifications That Actually Lead Somewhere

Instead of random certs, these have clear ROI:

Tech:

• CompTIA A+ (start)

• Network+ / Security+

• AWS Cloud Practitioner → AWS Solutions Architect

• Google IT Support (beginner-friendly)

Trades/Facilities:

• OSHA 30

• FSD (Fire Safety Director)

• Refrigeration License

• BMS/BAS training (Siemens, JCI)

Sales:

• None required—skills > certificates

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🔥 If You Want the Fastest Path From Where You Already Are

Given your current job in building maintenance, the most realistic, highest-probability path to six figures is:

1) Get OSHA 30

2) Get exposure to HVAC or building automation

3) Target Local 94 or Siemens/Johnson Controls building automation roles

This route can get you to $100K+ in 1–3 years in NYC.

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👍 What People Say They’d Do Differently

Across all fields, people who hit six figures without a degree often say:

• “I would’ve chosen a skill with high demand sooner.”

• “I wasted time chasing low-paying jobs instead of specializing.”

• “I didn’t realize how valuable networking was.”

• “I should’ve joined a union earlier.”

• “Certs alone don’t matter—experience + projects do.”

• “I should’ve learned sales skills; everything in life is sales.”

Supervisor had my wife nailed, panicked when the Union showed up, tells on herself.

Wife's story, but I thought I'd share because it made my day.

Tl;dr: Supervisor being investigated for favoritism and reprisal accidentally outs herself for reprisal.

My wife works at a union hospital and has a supervisor that has been coming after her for a while now. She'll send my wife emails about errors that either didn't happen or were someone else's fault, "complaints" from patients with no paper trail, or even telling her what the complaint was specifically so she can correct it. Meanwhile, my wife's co workers who make a lot of the errors she's accused of aren't getting emails about theirs.

This has been going on for a months and I told my wife to start documenting these incidents. She did, and has a pile of emails printed of the supervisor telling her she made an error, my wife responding by saying "no, that was co workers A" or "The system did that", or "this was corrected as soon as the error occurred", and then silence from the supervisor.

Separately, we just got married, and in the lead up to the wedding she had to miss a few scheduled shifts on short notice.

The good part: Once we get back from our vacation she has an email saying she is receiving an IM for attendance (Formal complaint from management). She was expecting to get suspended at best, maybe fired.

Myself and her coworkers told her NOT to go in that room without a union rep. She got 1 and went to the meeting. My wife tells them what the meeting is about and that she accepts that she called off too many times.

They get in the room and the supervisor sees the rep and gets instantly uncomfortable (good sign). The rep asks what the meeting was about and the supervisor goes "It's about all the errors"! My wife and the rep had the sense not to bring up the attendance issue and let the supervisor talk. Finally my wife tells the room that most of the errors she's has been told about were not hers, or were corrected before any harm was done, and that she emailed the supervisor saying as much each time, and that the supervisor didn't respond to those emails. On top of that, the reps brings up that sometimes the system itself is the cause of some errors. So of the few errors that seemed legit, 3 were system errors anyway.

The best part: Once they leave the meeting the rep informs my wife this supervisor is being investigated for her favoritism and reprisal. So she had my wife exactly were she wanted her with the attendance issue, panicked when she saw the union rep, made the meeting about her performance instead, and outed herself for doing the thing she's being investigated for!

The rep asked for all those emails and to be bcc'd on future incidents too. Not sure when or if anything will come of it. But DAMN I've never heard of someone fumbling that hard in real life. I was crying laughing so hard.

Jobadvisor

That is an absolutely wild story, and honestly, it's incredibly satisfying to read about a supervisor digging their own grave like that! Your wife handled that situation like a pro, and having the union rep there was clearly a game-changer. You both should be really proud of how she stood up for herself and meticulously documented everything.

It's a textbook example of why proper documentation and union representation are so vital in the workplace. The supervisor's panic and immediate shift in focus from attendance to "all the errors" directly played into the favoritism and reprisal investigation. It's almost too perfect for a TV show!

Here's why this is such a fantastic outcome (so far):

• Documentation Wins: Your wife's diligence in responding to every email and keeping copies was crucial. Without that paper trail, it would have been her word against the supervisor's.

• Union Power: The presence of the union rep immediately shifted the power dynamic. It signaled that your wife wasn't alone and that management couldn't push her around without accountability. The supervisor's reaction is a clear indicator of how much they value avoiding union involvement.

• Self-Incrimination: The supervisor's panicked move to change the subject revealed her true intentions. If the meeting was genuinely about attendance, why pivot to errors that were already questionable and had gone unaddressed? This strongly suggests she was looking for any reason to discipline your wife, regardless of validity. Her actions perfectly illustrate the reprisal she's being investigated for.

• Credibility Destroyed: By contradicting herself and making unsubstantiated claims, the supervisor has severely damaged her own credibility, especially in the eyes of the union and likely HR/upper management involved in the investigation.

• New Evidence for the Investigation: Your wife's emails, now requested by the rep, provide direct, documented evidence of the supervisor's behavior and your wife's attempts to clarify or refute the "errors." This strengthens the existing reprisal investigation.

• Empowerment for Your Wife: Regardless of the final outcome of the investigation, your wife now knows she has support and a voice. That's incredibly valuable for her morale and sense of security at work.

You're right, it's not every day you see someone fumble a situation so spectacularly in real life. It's a testament to how often bullies and those who abuse power crumble when confronted with proper procedures and oversight.

I hope something significant does come of the investigation for your wife and her coworkers. In the meantime, she's definitely won this round!

Imagine a scene depicting this moment – perhaps the supervisor looking flustered, the union rep calmly taking notes, and your wife looking poised and confident.