Determining the next steps after graduating high school can be stressful and difficult. Many parents and young adults believe that the best step to take is college. For some, that’s true, but for many, it’s best to consider other options. When making this decision, it’s difficult to get the facts you need. We hope we provided you with some interesting food for thought!
-The Dean’s List team

The average salaries of the top 5 highest-paid STEM occupations are listed below, according to the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/2021/may/stem4.htm">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> as of May 2021.

Most Lucrative STEM Careers

The average salaries of the top 10 highest-paid trade occupations are listed below, according to the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/">U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</a> as of 2021.

Most Lucrative Trades

If you do decide to travel on the trade-school route, check out the top 15 two-year trade schools according to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cartercoudriet/2018/08/15/the-top-25-two-year-trade-schools-colleges-that-can-solve-the-skills-gap/?sh=51941113478c">Forbes</a> in 2018.

pittsburgh-institute-of-aeronautics

Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

north-central-kansas-technical-college

North Central Kansas Technical College

state-technical-college-of-missouri

State Technical College of Missouri

lake-area-technical-institute

Lake Area Technical Institute

lancaster-county-career-technology-center

Lancaster County Career & Technology Center

carolinas-college-of-health-sciences

Carolinas College of Health Sciences

mitchell-technical-institute

Mitchell Technical Institute

salina-area-technical-college

Salina Area Technical College

thaddeus-stevens-college-of-technology

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

johnson-college

Johnson College

rosedale-tech

Rosedale Technical College

Northwest Iowa Community College

southwest-tech

Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

ndscs

North Dakota State College of Science

frontier-community-college

Frontier Community College

Trade School

If STEM and trade careers don&#8217;t interest you, have you thought about learning a skill or craft at a cost well below that of a college course? Or, have you considered improving your skillset in certain disciplines? There are many inexpensive online options, including <a href="https://www.skillshare.com/en/?via=header">Skillshare</a>, to continue your learning.

Skills and Crafts

Many universities don&#8217;t require courses on Western Civilization and a Judeo-Christian worldview. <a href="https://online.hillsdale.edu/">Hillsdale College</a> offers 38 courses that cover topics in &#8220;Mathematics and Natural Sciences,&#8221; &#8220;Literature,&#8221; &#8220;Politics,&#8221; &#8220;Economics,&#8221; &#8220;Philosophy and Religion,&#8221; and &#8220;History.&#8221; Each course incorporates aspects of Western learning and can be taken for free. To aid the learning process, Hillsdale&#8217;s online courses are &#8220;supported by quizzes, readings, supplementary videos, study guides, and discussion boards.&#8221; Below is a list of several courses offered on Hillsdale&#8217;s online learning platform.

Western Civilization Courses