I continue to hear from so many people in this economy that there are limited opportunities to make a good income. It is true that there are jobs to be had, but many do not provide the kind of income and benefits that a person can support a family on. Those without a college degree are finding it harder and harder to make a decent living, and many have even resorted to working more than one job.

I shared the story in my book, How To Pray For A Financial Miracle, of a friend that decided to go back to college as an adult in his forties. The fact that he was well beyond the traditional college age did not stop him. In just 18 months at the local community college he became a respiratory therapist. He ended up starting his own company delivering oxygen to patients all over the area. He told me that he was earning more than $100,000 per year! Pretty darn good for a guy that went to college for just 18 months.

The Penny Hoarder published an article recently which outlines several jobs that require only an Associate's degree and every single one of them pays more than $50,000. 

How do I find opportunities like this in my area?

There are two ways to go about finding jobs like this in your own area. First, I would start with a trip to your local community college. You will spend far less money to get your education at a local community college compared to the cost of a specialized  career school (many of which may be for profit operations). Most community colleges have open houses and are extremely welcoming to prospective new students looking for a career oriented education.

The other way to approach this is to visit some of the businesses and organizations you would like to work for and find out what education is required to work there. For example, if you want to get into a medical profession, consider sitting down with someone in human resources at your local hospital. If you are interested in technology, find out what the requirements are to get hired at a local technology firm.

This approach is not just for people deciding to pursue college later in life

This would be a great article to share with a young person making their college plans. Most kids today pick a degree program based on their personal interests and don't usually consider what their job prospects will be after graduation. While I know it is certainly not in style today to be practical, consider how much bang for your buck you are getting for the nominal cost of two years at a community college. I think about how many young people today graduate with a four year degree, have $100,000 in student loan debt, and can't even find a decent job. Just consider how much better off someone is completing one of these two year degree programs that have high paying jobs waiting for them the day after graduation.

Conclusion

I realize that college is about more than just career training, but after finishing a two year degree you can always continue your education at night and online. I think a four year degree is a wonderful thing to have, but a living wage after graduation is even more wonderful.

Helping you make the most of God’s money!

James L. Paris
Editor-In-Chief ChristianMoney.com 
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