People switch careers for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it’s to pursue an untapped passion, and other times it’s simply to try something new.
For workers shifting to new collar jobs, earning a higher salary tends to be one of the biggest motivating factors. New collar jobs are positions that require some vocational or skills training, but not a bachelor’s degree. Plus, these jobs usually pay far better than blue-collar roles. It’s no wonder that more job seekers are applying to new collar jobs today than ever before.
Just like white-collar or blue-collar jobs, some new collar positions pay much more competitive salaries than others. We turned to salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to uncover the best paying new collar jobs in the U.S.
15 Best Paying New Collar Jobs
| Job Title | Mean Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Ruby on Rails Engineer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Senior Front End Developer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Front End Software Engineer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| UI Software Engineer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Ruby on Rails Developer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Senior NET Software Developer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Senior Web Developer | $100,080-$110,590 |
| Financial Sales Advisor | $76,230-123,100 |
| Mortgage Loan Originator | $73,570-76,260 |
| Emergency Room Registered Nurse | $72,180 |
| Critical Care Registered Nurse | $72,180 |
| Telemetry Registered Nurse | $72,180 |
| Nurse Case Manager | $72,180 |
| Mortgage Protection Specialist | $67,760-$102,260 |
| Mortgage Protection Sales | $67,760-$102,260 |
Looking at the top jobs, it’s clear that workers in the new collar sector can earn great salaries. Top new collar salaries range from around 70K to 100K or more.
Tech Jobs
Programming and development titles show up the most on our list. These jobs require proficiency with various coding languages and programs, including Ruby on Rails. Many computer programmers are self-taught, but job seekers who want to land one of these jobs might need an associate degree or certification.
Nursing Jobs
High-earning nursing jobs appear on our list four times. Critical Care, Telemetry, and Emergency Room RNs can all expect to earn close to 70K or more. Many nurses do attend 4-year universities, but it’s not a requirement. Anyone hoping to become a Registered Nurse needs to first complete an accredited program, like an associate program, and then pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Many students earn their nursing license in just two years.
Mortgage Industry Jobs
Three mortgage industry jobs made our list of best paying new collar jobs. People in these types of roles are responsible for different aspects and phases of the mortgaging process. From sales to developing contracts, there are a lot of job opportunities in the mortgage field that offer competitive salaries to new collar workers.
Every new collar job has a few essential things in common, but job seekers should be aware that different new collar jobs offer vastly different salaries. While new collar tech workers or nurses can expect to earn upwards of 100K a year, new collar employees in other industries will probably earn much less. For job seekers who are looking for a salary bump, our list of the best paying new collar jobs is the perfect place to start.
