The most popular jobs in the U.S. don’t require a degree and can pay over $100,000, says new Google research

The allure of a four-year degree is losing its shine — instead, more Americans are turning their attention toward flexible, college-free careers that can pay six figures.

Just a decade ago, people’s perception of higher education in the U.S. was generally positive. In 2013, 70% of U.S. adults said a college education was “very important,” according to Pew Research Center and Gallup surveys. 

Today, nearly half believe it’s less essential for landing a high-paying job than it was 20 years ago, while 29% say it’s simply not worth the cost, the Pew Research Center reports.

This shift is reflected online, where searches for “no degree jobs” in the U.S. reached an all-time high on Google this year, following a previous record in 2023, according to Google Trends data shared with CNBC Make It.

Google’s research shows that people are prioritizing jobs that offer flexible schedules, opportunities to travel, and clear pathways to six-figure salaries.

Here are the 3 jobs Americans are googling the most, as of November 2024:

1. Real estate agent 
2. Notary
3. Flight attendant 

Google determined the ranking based on the top “how to become…” queries people searched for in the U.S.

While all three of these roles require — or recommend — at least a high school diploma or GED, there are no formal education requirements beyond that. 

To work as a notary or real estate agent, you’ll need to obtain a certification or official license with the state you’re working in. Depending on where you live, that process could take anywhere from 1-9 months, according to the National Notary Association and Indeed.

Most flight attendant positions require at least a high school diploma, experience in customer service and on-the-job training. 

Notaries and real estate agents ranked at the top of Google’s search trends in 2023 as well.

The consistent demand for real estate agents and notaries is tied to ongoing challenges in the U.S. housing market, including low inventory, rising prices and fluctuating mortgage rates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be continued demand for both professions as such challenges persist.

Close to 75% of jobs in the U.S. that pay more than $35,000 a year require a college degree, but less than 50% of Americans have a bachelor’s degree, Lisa Gevelber, a vice president at Google and founder of Grow With Google, tells CNBC Make It.

That earnings gap is a “big problem” for understaffed companies and workers feeling the pinch of inflation, she adds. 

Salaries for the most popular roles vary widely based on experience and location. In the U.S., flight attendants earn an average $47,079 a year, while real estate agents pull in an average $85,793 and notaries earn $64,777. 

The more experience you gain, however, the more you can earn in these roles. In the U.S., the highest-paid real estate agents are earning more than $130,000 a year, ZipRecruiter reports. Senior flight attendants are paid upwards of $100,000 a year. 

Most notary publics can only charge what their state dictates; notary signing agents, on the other hand, can charge more for handling sensitive mortgage or loan packages, often on tight deadlines.

For these kinds of assignments, notary signing agents are typically paid anywhere between $75 and $200 per hour-long appointment, Mark Wills, a signing agent of 20-plus years, told CNBC Make It in May 2023. 

For many, the appeal of these careers lies in their flexibility. On Google, “online jobs no degree required” and “jobs remote no degree” were both top searches in 2024.

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