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By Education

Use your education as a starting point in your journey. Choose a type of education and search for a program to see which occupations best match your education. Click the add education button if you want to include additional education types.

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By Current Occupation

Use your current job or any occupation you desire as the starting point in your career journey. Type in an occupation name to learn what is next in line on your career journey.

By Goal Career

This tool can help you understand a potential pathway to a goal career. First start with your goal career. Next, add a starting education or occupation. Now start building. You'll then be presented below with jobs that have similar job skills or job duties to your dream job but typically pay less.

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Gas Plant Operators

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Gas Plant Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$69,070

($33.21/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

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Rating

Education
Requirement

Median
Annual Wage

Annual
Growth Rate

Avg. Annual
Openings

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,080

($23.11/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

137

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$56,530

($27.18/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

467

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$39,190

($18.84/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Very Strong Growth

1.5%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

142

Earth Drillers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$54,150

($26.04/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Helpers- Extraction Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$47,170

($22.68/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,900

($23.51/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

107

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$46,600

($22.40/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: Postsecondary nondegree award

☆☆☆☆☆

Postsecondary nondegree award

Median Annual Wage

$50,610

($24.33/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,579

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: No formal educational credential

☆☆☆☆☆

No formal educational credential

Median Annual Wage

$63,010

($30.29/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,620

($23.38/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,516

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$43,120

($20.73/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

223

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$45,070

($21.67/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Strong Growth

1.0%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$50,420

($24.24/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

1,589

All Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Star Rating:

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$43,980

($21.14/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

557

Millwrights

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$58,990

($28.36/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.9%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Semiconductor Processing Technicians

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,290

($23.22/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Home Appliance Repairers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$39,100

($18.80/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

130

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$55,500

($26.69/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$44,180

($21.24/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.8%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Crane and Tower Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$61,950

($29.78/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Average Opportunity

112

Machinery Maintenance Workers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$51,390

($24.71/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

292

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$52,590

($25.28/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Very Strong Opportunity

988

Synthetic and Glass Fibers Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$45,240

($21.75/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Average Growth

0.7%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

251

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$43,900

($21.10/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

470

Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$47,290

($22.74/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.6%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,330

($23.24/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.4%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Surface Mining Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$49,100

($23.61/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.3%

Avg. Annual Openings

Few Opportunities

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$48,460

($23.30/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.2%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

308

Ship Engineers

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: Postsecondary nondegree award

☆☆☆☆☆

Postsecondary nondegree award

Median Annual Wage

$58,700

($28.22/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Rare Opportunity

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Star Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆

Education: High school diploma or equivalent

☆☆☆☆☆

High school diploma or equivalent

Median Annual Wage

$50,290

($24.18/hr)

Annual Growth Rate

Slow Growth

0.1%

Avg. Annual Openings

Strong Opportunity

534

Median Annual Wage
Education
Experience Needed
Description

Gas Plant Operators

$69,070 ($29.36/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

Gas Plant Operators distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.

Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians

$48,080 ($23.11/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Small engine mechanics inspect, service, and repair motorized power equipment. Mechanics often specialize in one type of equipment, such as motorcycles, motorboats, or outdoor power equipment.

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics

$56,530 ($27.18/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians, also called mechanics, inspect, maintain, and repair vehicles and machinery used in construction, farming, rail transportation, and other industries.

Hazardous Materials Removal Workers

$39,190 ($18.84/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Hazardous Materials (hazmat) Removal Workers identify and dispose of harmful substances, such as asbestos, lead, mold, and radioactive waste. They also neutralize and clean up materials that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic.

Earth Drillers

$54,150 ($26.04/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Earth Drillers operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction.

Helpers- Extraction Workers

$47,170 ($22.68/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Extraction Workers Helpers support extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Their duties include supplying equipment and cleaning their work area.

Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians

$48,900 ($23.51/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders

$46,600 ($22.40/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain, into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships, using material moving equipment. They may perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products, and gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

$50,610 ($24.33/hr)

Postsecondary nondegree award

None

Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, which are often called HVACR technicians, work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

$63,010 ($30.29/hr)

No formal educational credential

None

Continuous Mining Machine Operators use self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks, in a continuous operation.

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers

$48,620 ($23.38/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams in metal products.

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$43,120 ($20.73/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, and tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment, filter presses, shaker screens, centrifuges, condenser tubes, precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks, scrubbing towers, or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. This category includes dairy processing equipment operators.

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers

$45,070 ($21.67/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers fix, maintain, or install electric motors, wiring, or switches.

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

$50,420 ($24.24/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems.

All Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

$43,980 ($21.14/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers install, fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. This category includes all installation, maintenance, and repair workers not contained somewhere else.

Millwrights

$58,990 ($28.36/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Industrial machinery mechanics and machinery maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.

Semiconductor Processing Technicians

$48,290 ($23.22/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Semiconductor Processing Technicians perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing chamber and monitor controls; locate crystal axis in ingot using x-ray equipment and saw ingots into wafers; and clean, polish, and load wafers into series of special purpose furnaces, chemical baths, and equipment used to form circuitry and change conductive properties.

Home Appliance Repairers

$39,100 ($18.80/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Home appliance repairers install, adjust, or repair all types of electric or gas household appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and ovens.

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

$55,500 ($26.69/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators control stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or for industrial purposes.

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

$44,180 ($21.24/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. This category includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.

Crane and Tower Operators

$61,950 ($29.78/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Crane and Tower Operators operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.   test ice

Machinery Maintenance Workers

$51,390 ($24.71/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

$52,590 ($25.28/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Diesel service technicians and mechanics (also known as diesel technicians) inspect, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engine.

Synthetic and Glass Fibers Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$45,240 ($21.75/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Synthetic and Glass Fiber Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$43,900 ($21.10/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.

Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$47,290 ($22.74/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Metal and Plastic Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders set up, operate, or tend heating equipment such as heat-treating furnaces, flame-hardening machines, induction machines, soaking pits, or vacuum equipment to temper, harden, or heat-treat metal or plastic objects.

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers

$48,330 ($23.24/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems assemblers fit, fasten, and install parts of airplanes, space vehicles, or missiles.

Surface Mining Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators

$49,100 ($23.61/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Surface Mining Excavating Machine, Loading Machine, and Dragline Operators handle or tend machinery at surface mining sites. They use vehicles and tools equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

$48,460 ($23.30/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators manage a system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Ship Engineers

$58,700 ($28.22/hr)

Postsecondary nondegree award

None

Ship Engineers operate and maintain a vessel's propulsion system, which includes the engine, boilers, generators, pumps, and other machinery.

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

$50,290 ($24.18/hr)

High school diploma or equivalent

None

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. The equipment that they use can include devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.

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