Are These Alternatives To College Worth A Look In 2025?

Getting an education has many benefits, but a traditional four-year college is not for everyone. College is expensive, time-consuming and, depending on your career goals, may not be necessary to find a well-paying job.

Many alternative options to college let you gain education and experience without attending a four-year college or racking up student loan debt. They include trade or technical school, volunteer work, the military, coding boot camps and apprenticeships.

10 alternatives to college degrees

Whether you’re taking a gap year, looking to cut out the cost of a college degree or pursuing a specific technical career, there are practical alternatives for every situation.

Enter the workforce

1. Employment

Plenty of people skip college or secondary education altogether and go right into the workforce. This can be your route, too.

Although we often position college as the way to get a job, it isn’t necessary in some fields. In fact, less than 18 percent of job postings on Indeed had a college degree as a requirement in January 2024. There are opportunities to jump right into some career paths, although it may take a lot of applications and interviews to find the right one.

Employment doesn’t mean you can’t go to college in the future. Depending on your employer, you may be able to pursue higher education with help from your job.

Pros

• Start earning immediately.
• Get early experience to find out what you really want to do.

Cons

• May have to start at a lower paid job with only a high school diploma.
• Going back to school later could be more challenging or expensive.

2. Business ownership

You don’t need an MBA to run a business. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you can open a business at any time, with no degree required.

What is required is a lot of planning and research. You will need to have a good idea of how businesses operate and how to register yours. Starting out, you will also need to be prepared to open a separate business checking account and set aside money for taxes.

Pros

• Get self-directed work experience.
• Choose your own field.

Cons

3. Military service

Enlisting in the military is a common alternative to earning a college degree, and if you decide to pursue higher education down the road, the GI Bill can help you pay for it.

Still, you’ll need to think hard about your decision before taking this step. Enlisting in the military means risking severe physical and psychological harm and even death. Even if you’re not on the front lines, you may be ordered to support and enable actions that compromise your personal morals. And military service may not even provide long-term financial stability — in fact, 2023 federal data show that veterans experience homelessness at higher rates than non-veterans.

Speak with current and former service members and consider the long-term reality of what it means to serve before enlisting.

Pros

• May help pay for college down the road.
• Could learn job skills as part of service.

Cons

• Physical and mental risks.
• Requires a multiyear commitment.
• No control over where you’re stationed.

Get specialized training

4. Trade or technical school

Trade schools (sometimes referred to as technical schools or vocational schools) are institutions that train students in a specific skill.

A trade school often offers a hands-on approach rather than a lecture-oriented approach due to the nature of the training. Common programs you can see in trade schools include welding, culinary arts, carpentry and specific health professions. Program lengths vary, but many last between one and two years. Plus, many trade occupations offer competitive salaries or rates, and trade students often walk away with less debt and more job security than those with a traditional college degree.

Pros

• Get real-world, hands-on experience.
• Less expensive than a traditional four-year school.

Cons

• What you want to do has to line up with available programs.
• More locked into one career trajectory.

5. Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships provide on-the-job and classroom training for certain high-demand fields, including information technology, health care, cybersecurity, hospitality, plumbing and construction.

Apprenticeships are generally a long-term commitment, ranging from one to six years, depending on the job, and you’ll need to complete a set number of work hours. Despite the longer commitment, many high school graduates choose to pursue apprenticeships over traditional college degrees due to the lower cost and job security upon graduating from the program.

Finding an apprenticeship can be difficult if you do not have connections or know where to look. If you are looking for an apprenticeship, Apprenticeship USA can help you find potential opportunities.

Pros

• Direct real-world experience.
• Good for if you know what you want to do and where.

Cons

• Can be hard to find.
• May be lower paid or not paid at all.

6. Coding boot camps

Coding boot camps are intense, short-term programs that train students for careers in software engineering and other technical fields. These boot camps focus on teaching programming languages like HTML, CSS and Python. Depending on the boot camp, you may also build your expertise in UX/UI content design, digital marketing and full-stack web development.

Most programs offer full-time and part-time enrollment options, and you can often enroll online or in person. While most boot camps are recognized by employers, keep in mind that they aren’t accredited. Costs vary by program, but boot camps are typically much more affordable than a traditional college degree. Coding boot camps may cost between $7,800 and $21,000.

Research the best programs and figure out how much they will cost before signing up for a coding boot camp.

Pros

• Learn real-world skills fast.
• Less expensive than college.

Cons

• Can be expensive for the entry-level skills you’re gaining.
• Software engineering is a very competitive field currently being destabilized by AI techonologies.

7. Certificate programs

Certificate programs are offered by colleges, universities and some companies — like Google and LinkedIn. They allow you to expand on what you know, either in preparation for a degree or to get a head start in the workforce.

Certificates are also much faster to obtain than a degree. Many can be completed in a few weeks to 18 months and show employers that you have the necessary skills to take on a job. They may also be transferable as credits to your chosen degree if you choose to go to college later on.

Pros

• May transfer as degree credits.
• Relatively fast resume booster.
• Employer may pay for it.

Cons

• Easier to complete so more competing job applicants may have them
• May not be recognized by employers
• Many still cost thousands of dollars

8. Online schooling

You don’t have to live on campus or commute to take classes. You can take classes online to handle your prerequisites while working or volunteering.

It may not be a quick process, especially if you only take one or two classes each semester, but it’s a start. Online classes can be a good option for people who have a lot of responsibilities but still want to pursue an education at their own pace.

Pros

• Conveniently from home and often on your schedule.
• Some programs are fast-tracked.
• Employer may help with tuition.

Cons

• May take longer to graduate than in-person four-year college if part-time.
• Won’t qualify for federal financial aid and most private student loans if enrolled less than half-time.
• Some “online schools” may be scams.

Discover yourself

9. Volunteer work

Volunteering is a great way to take advantage of a gap year or prepare for a career in the nonprofit sector. Volunteering can help you get out of your comfort zone, experience the world and discover what you’re passionate about.

Some organizations to look into are:

• Habitat for Humanity: Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit organization that helps build and repair homes for low-income families. It’s located in all 50 states in the U.S. and in over 70 countries, so volunteers can choose to travel abroad or stay within the states.
• AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps is a national program that serves local communities through projects like building homes, teaching children literacy skills and helping communities impacted by national disasters. AmeriCorps members can also receive tuition payment assistance, and the AmeriCorps Employers of National Service network can connect you to employers across the country.
• Peace Corps: The Peace Corps is an international organization dedicated to working alongside global communities in an effort to promote world peace. Volunteers have the opportunity to work in a wide range of fields, including community economic development, agriculture, health and youth development.

Pros

• Resume booster.
• Can help you learn what you really want to do.

Cons

• May need additional funding while doing this.
• Sometimes skills like agriculture assistance don’t directly translate into the corporate world.

10. Gap years

A gap year — or gap years — can be a way to explore your interests before going to college. It can also help you determine if college is the right fit. After all, you may discover that you enjoy the work you do during your gap year.

Finding a job, volunteering or traveling are some examples of how to spend a gap year. You may discover a new passion or a career pursuit you haven’t considered before.

Ultimately, there is no correct timeline for going to college. A gap year is a solid option for figuring out and planning how you want the next phase of your life to look.

Pros

• Fully learn who you are outside of schooling.
• Can give you freedom to pursue what you always wanted to try.

Cons

• Might mean graduating later.
• May need to work part-time, take on debt or ask for monetary support from family.
• Relies entirely on self-direction and may be easy to slack off.

Bottom line

If any alternative options to college seem appealing, think about your long-term goals and passions. If you think that a college education may still be in your near future, consider a gap year volunteering or working to take some time to figure out what it is you’re truly passionate about.

If you’re interested in a specific trade or career, a coding boot camp or an apprenticeship would be the better option. There’s still a financial commitment, but it’s often less than that of a four-year degree. While there are plenty of companies that offer low-interest student loans for career programs, you’ll want to avoid taking on more debt than you can manage. Be sure you explore your options to ensure you’re getting the best student loan for your needs.