No bachelor's degree? Here are three careers to pursue.

As tuition costs for the nation's traditional universities rise, more Americans are searching for well-paying careers they can enter without a four-year degree.

A recent national survey of 1,000 voters commissioned by All4Ed, a national nonprofit organization that aims to expand equitable opportunities for marginalized students, showed community and technical colleges, career and technical training or education and workforce training were favored more than traditional four-year colleges and universities.

For Americans interested in careers that don't require a college degree, USA TODAY explored jobs in growing career fields and what it takes to pursue them. Many require prospective employees to complete either a training program or apprenticeship for technical skills or attend community college courses.

Welders

People who can join, repair or cut metal parts and products with hand-held or remotely controlled equipment can work professionally as a welder without a bachelor's degree, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Jobs in this profession typically require someone to earn a high school diploma and complete a training or certification program. People can learn about blueprint reading, shop mathematics, mechanical drawing and electricity in these courses.

Those interested can enroll in welding schools through community colleges and high school technical programs, according to the bureau's career database.

Trish Fliss, a spokesperson for the American Welding Society, said the demand for welders is on the rise. The American Welding Society has scholarships for Americans interested in entering the field, she said.

"Welding isn't just arcs and sparks. Welding impacts the world in general," Fliss said. "Welding creates the cars we drive. It helps with bridges that are built so we can get across water."

Bryn Otto, a 20-year-old third-generation welder from Nebraska, first learned the skills needed to be a welder through his high school technical program. After high school, he attended a community college and received an associate's degree.

Now, Otto said he makes a living wage as a professional welder and runs a TikTok page where he teaches people about welding. He advises people interested in entering the profession get an apprenticeship at a local shop like he did in high school and to work their way up.

Welders made an average median salary of $48,940 in 2023, according to labor statistics bureau data.

Photographers

The number of jobs in photography are projected to grow by about 13,700 openings by 2033, according to the labor statistics bureau.

Photographers are typically required to have a high school diploma and a moderate level of on-the-job training to build a career in the field and earn a living wage, according to the bureau's database.

People interested in photography can take community college classes or work alongside a professional to learn the necessary skills to pursue a degree in the field, said Don Orkoskey, a professional photographer and photography teacher who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Professional photographers need to know the technical workings of a camera, lighting and how to run a personal business, but those don't have to be learned in a four-year university setting, Okoskey said. He earned a degree before pursuing the career, which he said set him back financially. Most of the professional photographers he knows learned on the job or from a working professional, he said.

Okoskey said people interested in photography need to "have the drive" for the profession and often need to be on the hunt for various jobs to make a living, which can present earning challenges.

The average median wage for photographers was $40,760 in 2023, according to the the labor statistics bureau.

Wind turbine technicians

Americans who pursue a career as a wind turbine technician are likely to find a job. Wind turbine service technicians who maintain and repair wind turbines are growing in demand between 2023 and 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' career database.

People do not need a bachelor's degree from a traditional four-year university to enter this career field.

Aspiring wind turbine technicians typically attend a technical school or community college to learn maintenance for electrical and hydraulic systems, braking and mechanical systems, programmable logic control systems, tower climbing and safety and earn a related certificate or associate's degree, according to the bureau's career database.

The average median wage for these workers was $61,770 in 2023, according to the labor statistics bureau.

Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@usatoday.com. Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Three careers to pursue without a college degree