This Job Pays $120K, No Degree, With 64% Increase In Demand Thru 2035

Forbes

13-05-2025

This job focuses on getting things done.
A significant employment gap has emerged in the white collar job market, and job seekers are taking notice. This role includes great growth prospects and an impressive paycheck, with no college degree required. With an average salary of $120,000 per year, the industry reportedly needs 35 million workers through 2035. A shortfall is currently facing multiple industries right now, with jobs that have (so far) been untouched by the advancement of AI. Discover how to access a high-paying project management opportunity, and what skills you need to succeed in the job. Is project management a good fit for your career?
Project managers, or PMs, plan, organize and direct projects to make sure they are delivered on time, on budget - and within existing quality and safety standards. 'As a project manager, you're the liaison between the business capabilities and the deliverables,' explains Ordonna Sargeant, an Adjunct Professor at the Metropolitan College of New York and a project management specialist. It's a people-first position. 'The soft skills in the role - listening to people, understanding the KPIs (key performance indicators), are critical." What about AI? Is this a job that technology can replace in the near future? "Throwing technology tools at a very human process is not always the fix.' Sargeant says, refering back to skills around negotiation and predictive analysis of potential risks and outcomes. The Project Management Institute says that 90% of a project manager's day is spent on effective communication. However, problem solving skills, adaptability and strategic thinking are also vital for the job.
According to the PMI Institute, there are multiple certifications available for the project manager role. The most well-known, Project Management Certification (PMP), is obtained by taking a test, which cost a few hundred dollars. Academic courses to prepare are affordable: at Houston's Rice University, a 12-week PMP prep course costs $1,995.00. The Project Management Academy offers on site instruction from Atlanta to Seattle, at a similar pricetag. 'There are also books, online articles…you can even go to YouTube university,' Sargeant says with a chuckle.
'I am extremely proud of being the calm in the midst of chaos, inside a project,' Sargeant says, reflecting on 15 years of experience as a project manager.
Ordonna Sargeant, PMP, CSM, LSSGB
She integrated a complex array of deliverables as part of the redesign of the Volkswagen website in both English and Spanish. 'The sense of accomplishment, when you look back on what your team has done, is hard to beat,' she says.
Project Managers are folks who are drawn to structure, she shares, but adaptability is a key skill. In the midst of chaos, order is what is needed - and project managers have to be able to balance various agendas and tasks in order to carry out the role. AI can still play a part - in helping managers to assess risk and organize tasks. Just as the map is not the actual territory using AI can only take you so far. Have you noticed that Colorado is surprisingly flat on Apple Maps? When it comes to human to human interaction, objectives and obstacles, project managers use AI as a tool - not a replacement.
The key is understanding the role of the project manager, inside an organization. For job seekers, how much authority or strategic input will you really have? Communication skills, in this role, are crucial - so that you understand the puts and takes of the organization or team you serve. High growth industries for PMP certified jobs include manufacturing, finance, energy and (wait for it) technology. Could project management be the safe harbor in the technology hiring storm?