In the United States, a high school diploma represents the satisfactory completion of education from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Diplomas make you job ready fasterUniversity degrees have a reputation for focusing on academic lectures and tutorials – knowledge that may not guarantee you the skills to get your first role. Diplomas have practical applications and give you the opportunity to learn and apply new skills.
Here are popular educational, academic and professional development credentials to include in the education section of a resume: Secondary diploma, high school diploma, or GED.
17 High-Paying Jobs That Only Require A High School Diploma
- Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers.
- Subway and streetcar operators.
- Postmasters and mail superintendents.
- Electrical power-line installers and repairers.
- Transportation inspectors.
- Gaming managers.
- Power plant operators.
- Media and communication equipment workers.
The GED is a high school equivalency diploma, so you can use it to apply to college or for a job resume, just like you would with a high school diploma. More than 98 percent of schools in the United States accept the GED, including community colleges, universities, and private schools.
Models may be hired by retail or wholesale stores, advertising firms or employment agencies to promote a product or service, such as food, cosmetics or clothing. Those with a high school diploma and sales experience are preferred.
In short, a high school diploma is the degree you get when you complete all the education requirements of your school, district, city, and state. Meanwhile, a high school certificate means that you've completed high school, but did not meet all the requirements for you to graduate.
High school graduates with Advanced Studies diplomas were more likely to enroll than graduates with Standard diplomas (88 percent vs. 50 percent). Four years after high school, Advanced Studies diploma-earners were twice as likely to stay in college or earn a degree as Standard diploma-earners (83 percent vs.
Many youths say a high school diploma is enough to succeed, poll shows. Meanwhile, about half said their high school education has provided the skills they need to get a good job right after they graduate. And 45% say a high school diploma is good preparation for future successful workers.
In the U.S. you are only allowed into high school until you are 21, and once you're over that age, you will have to go to an adult high school. Many adults are unaware that the GED test is not their only possibility of obtaining a high school diploma.
But there are ways to find your way to a successful career without having completed high school. Here are some totally respectable options. You will likely earn less over your lifetime than you would with a diploma or a bachelor's degree, but that doesn't mean you have to give up and call yourself a failure either.
A college graduate now makes about 1.8 times as much as a high-school graduate, up from about 1.4 times as much in 1979, according to the EPI data. That's mainly because the wages of high-school grads have tumbled.
Dropping out of school has serious consequences for students, their families. Students who decided to drop out of school face social stigma, fewer job opportunities, lower salaries, and higher probability of involvement with the criminal justice system.
Causes of High School Dropouts
- Academic Failure. Struggling in school on a daily basis is the biggest reason most students choose to drop out of high school.
- Attendance/Preparation. Students must attend school consistently.
- Disengagement. Source.
- Pregnancy.
- Financial Difficulties.
- Mental Illness.
- Drug Use/Addiction.
- Disabilities.
High Paying Jobs Without a Degree
- First Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives.
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers.
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators.
- Elevator Mechanics.
- Commercial Pilots.
- Power Plant Operators.
- Postmasters and Mail Superintendents. Martin Barraud / Getty Images.
- Gaming Manager. Tomasz Zajda / EyeEm / Getty Images.
Employers do not routinely require job applicants to prove that they have earned their high school diploma or GED. Though it is rare for an employer to ask for proof, it is wise to keep your diploma and other important documents, like your birth certificate, in a safe place that is easy to access when needed.
