‘New collar’ work is rising: These high-paying jobs don’t need a college degree. Here are 10 of them
Job insecurity is real: More than half of American workers (54%) say insecurity about their job is causing significant stress at work, while more than a third (39%) say they worry they about losing their job due to changes in government policies, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Work in America survey. Layoffs are reportedly at an all-time high since 2009, along with the lowest hiring on record in the U.S. since that time. And many of those layoffs have been in white collar professions—like technology, government, journalism, and high education.
All of this could pave the way for the rise of a new kind of role: the “new-collar” job. Here’s what to know about the category that’s not quite white collar, or blue collar.
What are ‘new-collar’ jobs?
Falling somewhere between white and blue collar, “new-collar” jobs require more technical or specialized skills, but not a college degree. They can be learned on the job; at community college, vocational schools, or cybersecurity boot camps; and through a professional certification program, for roles in engineering, tech, or even healthcare.
The term was coined by former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty in 2016 (offering yet another example of how 2026 is the new 2016).
10 high-income ‘new-collar’ jobs
A new report from Resume Genius, a platform for job seekers, lists 10 roles that often don’t require a four-year diploma, but still offer high pay and flexible work options.
They are:
- Marketing manager ($159,660 median annual salary)
- Human resource manager ($140,000 median annual salary)
- Sales manager ($138,060 median annual salary)
- Computer network architect ($130,390 median annual salary)
- General and operations manager ($129,330 median annual salary)
- Information security analyst ($124,910 median annual salary)
- Sales engineer ($121,520 median annual salary)
- Health services manager ($117,960 median annual salary)
- Art director ($111,040 median annual salary)
- Construction manager ($106,980 median annual salary)