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Occupations needing no college degree projected to shrink most

Bill and account collectors is projected to shrink most of the occupations that typically need no college degree (a high school diploma or less): −10.4% in employment from 2025 to 2035.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Bill and account collectors, High school diploma or equivalent: −10.4%
  • #2 Procurement clerks, High school diploma or equivalent: −8.1%
  • #3 Brokerage clerks, High school diploma or equivalent: −7.6%
  • 22 occupations ranked across all occupations
  • Data as of November 2026
  1. 1Bill and account collectors High school diploma or equivalent−10.4%
  2. 2Procurement clerks High school diploma or equivalent−8.1%
  3. 3Brokerage clerks High school diploma or equivalent−7.6%
  4. 4Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive High school diploma or equivalent−6.0%
  5. 5Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators High school diploma or equivalent−5.5%
  6. 6Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent−5.2%
  7. 7First-line supervisors of retail sales workers High school diploma or equivalent−3.7%
  8. 8Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products High school diploma or equivalent−0.9%
  9. 9Retail salespersons No formal educational credential−0.3%
  10. 10Billing and posting clerks High school diploma or equivalent−0.1%

What stands out

  • Procurement clerks reaches #2 on a sample of 204 open jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,792 open jobs behind its figure.
  • Occupations with fewer than 200 open jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Occupations differ in whether they are expected to add or lose jobs over the next decade. Ranking them by the Bureau of Labor Statistics' projection shows which routes are widening and which are narrowing.

How to use it

If you are choosing between occupations that need the same schooling, growth is a reason to prefer one. A shrinking occupation can still have openings today, so read it with the open-jobs list.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Bill and account collectors High school diploma or equivalent

    −10.4%

    Open jobs
    564
    Median posted pay
    $61k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −10.4%
    Workers in the occupation
    160,200

    Based on 564 openings.

  2. 2

    Procurement clerks High school diploma or equivalent

    −8.1%

    Open jobs
    204
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data
    Projected growth to 2035
    −8.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    56,900

    Based on 204 openings.

  3. 3

    Brokerage clerks High school diploma or equivalent

    −7.6%

    Open jobs
    264
    Median posted pay
    $80k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −7.6%
    Workers in the occupation
    36,900

    Based on 264 openings.

  4. 4

    Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive High school diploma or equivalent

    −6.0%

    Open jobs
    1,792
    Median posted pay
    $62k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −6.0%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,889,800

    Based on 1,792 openings.

  5. 5

    Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators High school diploma or equivalent

    −5.5%

    Open jobs
    948
    Median posted pay
    $80k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −5.5%
    Workers in the occupation
    376,100

    Based on 948 openings.

  6. 6

    Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent

    −5.2%

    Open jobs
    272
    Median posted pay
    $89k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −5.2%
    Workers in the occupation
    157,600

    Based on 272 openings.

  7. 7

    First-line supervisors of retail sales workers High school diploma or equivalent

    −3.7%

    Open jobs
    325
    Median posted pay
    $82k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −3.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,419,800

    Based on 325 openings.

  8. 8

    Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products High school diploma or equivalent

    −0.9%

    Open jobs
    1,227
    Median posted pay
    $80k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −0.9%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,279,400

    Based on 1,227 openings.

  9. 9

    Retail salespersons No formal educational credential

    −0.3%

    Open jobs
    874
    Median posted pay
    $78k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −0.3%
    Workers in the occupation
    3,998,100

    Based on 874 openings.

  10. 10

    Billing and posting clerks High school diploma or equivalent

    −0.1%

    Open jobs
    263
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data
    Projected growth to 2035
    −0.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    418,000

    Based on 263 openings.

  11. 11

    Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent

    +0.0%

    Open jobs
    410
    Median posted pay
    $78k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.0%
    Workers in the occupation
    489,300

    Based on 410 openings.

  12. 12

    First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers High school diploma or equivalent

    +0.1%

    Open jobs
    1,160
    Median posted pay
    $120k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,506,100

    Based on 1,160 openings.

  13. 13

    Detectives and criminal investigators High school diploma or equivalent

    +0.2%

    Open jobs
    346
    Median posted pay
    $122k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.2%
    Workers in the occupation
    120,500

    Based on 346 openings.

  14. 14

    First-line supervisors of production and operating workers High school diploma or equivalent

    +1.8%

    Open jobs
    729
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data
    Projected growth to 2035
    +1.8%
    Workers in the occupation
    679,900

    Based on 729 openings.

  15. 15

    Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel High school diploma or equivalent

    +2.7%

    Open jobs
    8,206
    Median posted pay
    $130k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +2.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,272,700

    Based on 8,206 openings.

  16. 16

    Merchandise displayers and window trimmers High school diploma or equivalent

    +2.7%

    Open jobs
    205
    Median posted pay
    Not enough pay data
    Projected growth to 2035
    +2.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    164,800

    Based on 205 openings.

  17. 17

    Insurance sales agents High school diploma or equivalent

    +3.3%

    Open jobs
    475
    Median posted pay
    $75k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.3%
    Workers in the occupation
    572,600

    Based on 475 openings.

  18. 18

    Property, real estate, and community association managers High school diploma or equivalent

    +3.7%

    Open jobs
    817
    Median posted pay
    $108k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    460,400

    Based on 817 openings.

  19. 19

    First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers High school diploma or equivalent

    +4.1%

    Open jobs
    456
    Median posted pay
    $103k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +4.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    629,000

    Based on 456 openings.

  20. 20

    Tax preparers High school diploma or equivalent

    +4.7%

    Open jobs
    336
    Median posted pay
    $109k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +4.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    95,800

    Based on 336 openings.

  21. 21

    Food service managers High school diploma or equivalent

    +5.8%

    Open jobs
    634
    Median posted pay
    $85k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +5.8%
    Workers in the occupation
    344,300

    Based on 634 openings.

  22. 22

    Transportation, storage, and distribution managers High school diploma or equivalent

    +6.1%

    Open jobs
    3,247
    Median posted pay
    $140k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +6.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    228,100

    Based on 3,247 openings.

Full ranking

All 22 occupations that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankOccupationScoreSample
1Bill and account collectors High school diploma or equivalent−10.4%564
2Procurement clerks High school diploma or equivalent−8.1%204
3Brokerage clerks High school diploma or equivalent−7.6%264
4Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive High school diploma or equivalent−6.0%1,792
5Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators High school diploma or equivalent−5.5%948
6Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent−5.2%272
7First-line supervisors of retail sales workers High school diploma or equivalent−3.7%325
8Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products High school diploma or equivalent−0.9%1,227
9Retail salespersons No formal educational credential−0.3%874
10Billing and posting clerks High school diploma or equivalent−0.1%263
11Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent+0.0%410
12First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers High school diploma or equivalent+0.1%1,160
13Detectives and criminal investigators High school diploma or equivalent+0.2%346
14First-line supervisors of production and operating workers High school diploma or equivalent+1.8%729
15Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel High school diploma or equivalent+2.7%8,206
16Merchandise displayers and window trimmers High school diploma or equivalent+2.7%205
17Insurance sales agents High school diploma or equivalent+3.3%475
18Property, real estate, and community association managers High school diploma or equivalent+3.7%817
19First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers High school diploma or equivalent+4.1%456
20Tax preparers High school diploma or equivalent+4.7%336
21Food service managers High school diploma or equivalent+5.8%634
22Transportation, storage, and distribution managers High school diploma or equivalent+6.1%3,247

How this ranking works

An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, no college degree (a high school diploma or less). An occupation's score is the projected change in its employment from 2025 to 2035.

A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Projected growth is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' change in employment from 2025 to 2035 for the occupation, a national forecast and not a promise for any one city. Only occupations with at least 200 open jobs are ranked.

Sample bar: occupations with fewer than 200 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles, matched to standard occupation (SOC) codes; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-35: typical entry-level education and projected employment change by occupation. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which occupation ranks first: occupations needing no college degree projected to shrink most?
Bill and account collectors is projected to shrink most of the occupations that typically need no college degree (a high school diploma or less): −10.4% in employment from 2025 to 2035.
How many occupations are ranked?
22 occupations have at least 200 open jobs, so the list has 22 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, no college degree (a high school diploma or less). An occupation's score is the projected change in its employment from 2025 to 2035. A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Projected growth is the Bureau of Labor Statistics' change in employment from 2025 to 2035 for the occupation, a national forecast and not a promise for any one city. Only occupations with at least 200 open jobs are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Occupations needing no college degree projected to shrink most,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-no-college-degree-projected-to-shrink-most

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-no-college-degree-projected-to-shrink-most">Occupations needing no college degree projected to shrink most (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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