High-Demand Entry Level Tech Positions that don’t require a Degree or Coding Experience
I vividly remember 30+ years ago spending hours mastering a game on the Macintosh in the library of my elementary school.
The game was called “Oregon Trail”.
To fire it up, all I had to do was slide the floppy disk in, let down the disk drive lever and hit:
Ctrl + Alt + Del keys on the keyboard
And the game would fire right up.
The funny part is, I specifically remember going home and hopping on the IBM computer only to face a DOS command prompt like this:
And to get started playing a game (like “Family Feud”) I’d have to put in some “code-like” command to get it running.
The point here is this:
I spent hours on both computers.
One required “coding” experience and the other didn’t.
“Oregon Trail” (on the no-code mac) is still a nostalgic classic for millions.
No-one really remembers the “Family Feud” game running on DOS.
The same goes for today’s tech industry.
Yes there are a ton of innovation and creative opportunities for those with degrees and coding skills (and coders are extremely vital to tech) -— but most of the best and most impactful tech positions don’t require either.
So, here’s the big idea (and solution):
Here are 41 tech positions you can pick from (w/o a degree)
When most think about working in the tech industry, the first roadblocks that come to mind are:
- “I don’t have a tech degree”, (and truthfully, you don’t want a degree) and the other is
- “I don’t know how to code”
But you’re smarter than “most people”, right?
You know for a fact that with today’s advances in no-code tools coding is only necessary for the coders (which is not you).
You also know that having a tech degree (or any degree in fact) is not a requirement either to get into tech.
Many of the most legendary tech billionaires dropped out or never even went to college.
Yep, you know better, so now it’s time for you to do better and really make this “take the tech industry by storm” idea of yours a reality.
But you’re going to want to know all your options, as any brilliant tech thinker of this generation would.
And so I present to you 40+ real life tech positions you can nail that don’t require a college degree OR coding experience.
Then at the end of the list, I’ll give you a quick rundown on what you need to get started in the area(s) you decide to pursue (and dominate).
Land high-demand jobs in these High-growth fields:
- Digital marketing and E-commerce
- IT Support & IT Automation with Python
- Data Analytics
- Project Management
- UX Design
Let’s dig in to find out which field is best for you.
To sweeten the deal, I’ve even included an estimate of the median, entry-level salary you could expect along with an estimated number of job openings in each field.
First up is digital marketing and e-commerce.
Digital Marketing and E-commerce Positions: No Code. No Degree Necessary
$51,000 is the median salary for digital marketing and e-commerce jobs, with 218,000 job openings in these fields.
That’s not bad money for entry-level positions!
And it’s only going to grow as businesses increasingly move online and look for ways to reach more customers.
Digital marketing involves using email, social media, search engines, digital display advertising, and other online channels to attract customers, encourage them to make purchases, and keep them coming back.
E-commerce involves using online platforms to sell products and services, which includes designing online stores, crafting product listings, conducting market research, and analyzing store performance. If you’re interested in making money in the digital age, then these are the fields for you!
So that’s an overview of the field — here are breakdowns of the specific positions:
1. Marketing Coordinator
In tech, a marketing coordinator’s role is to help plan, organize, and execute marketing campaigns that target specific audiences. They’re usually the ones who identify the right channels to reach customers and create content that engages them.
2. Search Engine Optimization Specialist
Search Engine Optimization Specialists take on the tasks of increasing the visibility of a website or web page in search engines, whether through on-page or off-page optimization. They use various tools and techniques to improve the ranking of websites they work with and drive more relevant traffic to those sites.
3. Paid Search Specialist
Sometimes free traffic from Google searches and social media just doesn’t do the job. This is where paid search specialists come into play. People in this position use Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and other paid advertising platforms to promote a product or company via sponsored ads.
4. Email Marketing Specialist
Email marketing specialists use email as their main method of communication with customers, using various tools to segment lists, design targeted messages and track performance metrics. They are typically responsible for structuring the email strategy for a business and increasing engagement through email.
5. E-commerce Associate
E-commerce associates are responsible for day-to-day operations in an e-commerce business, including managing inventory, staying on top of orders and payments, reviewing and strategizing based on analytics & data and responding to customer inquiries. They work closely with marketing specialists to understand what tactics result in the best ROI.
6. Media Planner
Media planners are responsible for negotiating with advertising channels to purchase ad space for products and services, ensuring the best ROIs and budgeting. They typically have strong analytical skills and a good understanding of how digital marketing works.
These are just some of the exciting no-code, no-degree jobs available in digital marketing and e-commerce.
Next up is IT Support & IT Automation…
IT Support & IT Automation with Python Positions: No Code. No Degree Necessary
The IT support sector is booming, and it’s no wonder why.
With median salaries surpassing $52,000 and over 400,000 in-demand job openings, it’s a great field to get into.
And it’s not just big businesses that need IT support – small businesses are increasingly relying on technology to run smoothly, too.
That’s where IT support automation comes in too. By automating repetitive tasks and troubleshooting common problems, IT support staff can free up their time to provide even better customer service.
It’s a win-win for everyone involved. So if you’re looking for a rewarding career with great earning potential, be sure to consider IT support.
But enough of the entire field. Let’s get into some of the actual positions:
7. Database administrator
When it comes to IT support, the database administrator (DbA) is like the lifeblood of any IT support system. DbAs are responsible for maintaining databases, monitoring performance and making updates to keep systems running smoothly for users and support staff.
8. IT specialist
IT specialists are tasked with work that spans a variety of different areas. They may be responsible for maintaining software and hardware, troubleshooting large-scale issues, performing system updates and more.
9. Tech support specialist
Tech support specialists are the ones that users typically turn to first when they’re having an issue with their technology. As a tech support specialist, you may provide phone support, email support, or take on a variety of other tasks depending on the needs of the business.
10. Systems analyst
As a systems analyst, you’ll be responsible for identifying the underlying issues in an IT system and recommending ways to improve it. This may involve analyzing data, writing technical documentation, and conducting user interviews.
11. Network engineer
Network engineers are responsible for building and maintaining computer networks within businesses or organizations. They may install hardware and software, set up and test network security, or troubleshoot issues as needed.
12. Help desk technician
Tech support specialists help users when their “stuff” doesn’t work, but who supports Tech support when their help desk “stuff” doesn’t work? The help desk technicians.
As a help desk technician, you’ll be responsible for helping your colleagues troubleshoot and resolve various IT issues.
13. IT support specialist
The IT support specialist is responsible for providing support to users who are experiencing tech-related issues. This may involve answering questions over the phone, responding to emails, or walking users through troubleshooting steps.
14. IT technician
IT technicians are the people who keep all of these other support positions running smoothly. As an IT technician, you’ll be tasked with diagnosing hardware and software issues, performing repairs and maintenance when needed, and ensuring that systems are running smoothly at all times.
15. Computer user specialist
If you’re someone who loves helping others get the most out of their tech, then a career as a computer user specialist may be perfect for you. As a computer user specialist, you’ll be responsible for training users on how to use software and hardware systems and troubleshooting any issues that arise.
16. IT assistant
An IT assistant plays an important support role within any business. You may be responsible for performing routine tasks like updating software, maintaining databases, or providing general tech support to users.
Now on to some high-demand, no-code, no-degree tech positions — data analyzers.
Data Analytics Positions: No Code. No Degree Necessary
Data analytics is one of the most in-demand and highest-paying fields today.
The median salary for data analysts is over $74,000, and there are 380,000 job openings in data analytics. Data analysts prepare, process, and analyze data to help inform business decisions. They create visualizations to share their findings with stakeholders and provide recommendations driven by data.
As businesses increasingly rely on data to drive decision-making, the demand for data analysts will only continue to grow.
If you’re interested in a career in data analytics, now is the time to get started.
17. Junior data analyst
As a junior data analyst, you’ll be tasked with performing routine data analysis tasks like cleaning and organizing data, creating visualizations and reports, and identifying trends or patterns in the data.
18. Associate data analyst
As an associate data analyst, you’ll be responsible for engaging in more complex data analysis projects. This may include creating predictive models and assessing the risk of a given business decision based on analyzed data.
19. Junior data scientist
A junior data scientist has all the skills of a junior data analyst, with an additional focus on machine learning algorithms and techniques to extract insights from complex datasets.
20. Finance analyst
Finance analysts are responsible for helping businesses make informed financial decisions based on data. They may create financial models to predict future trends, analyze large datasets to find patterns and relationships, or develop strategies for optimizing business processes.
21. Operations analyst
Operations analysts are responsible for using data to help businesses optimize their operations. This may involve identifying areas for improvement, conducting research and analysis, or developing tools and methods to improve operational efficiency. If you have strong analytical skills and enjoy working with data, a career in operations analytics could be the perfect fit for you.
22. Data technician
A data technician is responsible for analyzing, repairing, and maintaining business data systems. They may create reports on how database performance is affecting the business or assess and improve system security to keep sensitive data safe from hackers.
23. Business performance analyst
As a business performance analyst, you’ll be responsible for using data to improve the performance of your organization. This may include performing analyses on sales and marketing efforts to identify trends or opportunities for improvement, creating dashboards and reports to share key metrics with stakeholders, or developing strategies for optimizing processes based on analyzed data.
24. Marketing analyst
As a marketing analyst, you’ll be responsible for using data to help your organization’s marketing efforts. This may involve conducting research on target audiences, analyzing web and social media data to understand consumer behavior, or identifying new opportunities for growth based on trends in the market.
25. Healthcare analyst
A healthcare analyst is responsible for using data to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. This may include conducting research on patient outcomes, modeling costs and effectiveness of different care options, or identifying ways to increase access to affordable healthcare.
Project Management Positions: No Code. No Degree Necessary
Project managers are in high demand because they provide essential skills and abilities to project teams.
Median salaries for project management jobs are $92,000, and there are 99,000 in-demand job openings in project management. That means project managers have the potential to earn a great salary while also having job security.
If you’re interested in a project management career, now is the time to get started. Project management jobs are expected to continue to grow all the way through 2029.
And as businesses become more global and project teams become more virtual, the need for project managers with the ability to manage complex projects will only continue to grow.
26. Project manager
As a project manager, you’ll be responsible for managing the overall success of complex projects. This may involve setting and tracking goals, creating and maintaining project plans, overseeing team members and stakeholders, communicating progress updates to all relevant parties, or handling any other responsibilities related to managing the execution of successful projects.
27. Project coordinator
As a project coordinator, you’ll be responsible for supporting a project manager by managing day-to-day operations of projects. This may involve organizing schedules, setting deadlines, tracking progress and milestones, communicating with stakeholders, or handling any other tasks necessary to keep projects on track. If you excel at organization and have strong communication skills, a career as a project coordinator may be a match made in heaven.
28. Project assistant
As a project assistant, you’ll support projects and team members by managing administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, maintaining records and files, arranging travel logistics, or handling any other responsibilities that help keep projects running smoothly. If you thrive in an organized environment and enjoy providing operational support, a career in project management could be the perfect fit for you.
29. Operations manager
As an operations manager, you’ll be responsible for overseeing all operational aspects of a project. This may involve managing budgets and resources, ensuring departmental compliance to company policies and procedures, analyzing data to identify areas of improvement, or handling any other tasks related to the smooth operation of your project.
30. Operations associate
As an operations associate, you’ll provide essential day-to-day support to help keep projects running smoothly alongside the operations manager. This may involve managing critical deadlines, tracking progress and milestones, coordinating logistics or resources, communicating with stakeholders, or any other operational tasks necessary to ensure the success of your project. If you have strong organizational skills and thrive in fast-
31. Program manager
As a program manager, you’ll be responsible for managing the overall success of a project’s programs. This may involve setting goals and objectives, overseeing budgets and resources, analyzing data to identify areas of improvement, providing strategic direction to project teams, or handling any other responsibilities related to the management of successful programs.
32. Scrum master
As a scrum master, you’ll be responsible for facilitating the efficient execution of agile software development projects. This may involve coordinating teams to develop product roadmaps and release plans, tracking progress and milestones, resolving conflicts or issues that arise during project execution, or handling any other tasks related to ensuring smooth project execution.
33. Project associate
As a project associate, you’ll support projects and team members by providing essential day-to-day operational support. This may involve managing project schedules, assisting with budget management and resource allocation, tracking progress and milestones, or handling any other tasks necessary to keep your project on track. If you have strong organizational skills and thrive in fast-paced environments
34. Project analyst
As a project analyst, you’ll support projects and team members by analyzing data to identify areas of improvement. This may involve assessing key metrics such as cost, time, or resource utilization, identifying trends or patterns in data sets, recommending process improvements or strategic changes based on your findings, or handling any other tasks related to utilizing data to drive better decisions and smoother projects.
35. Project administrator
As a project administrator, you’ll be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a project. This may involve maintaining accurate records and files, scheduling meetings with stakeholders and team members, tracking progress and milestones, or handling any other administrative tasks that help keep projects running smoothly from start to finish.
36. Technical project manager
As a technical project manager, you’ll be responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of a project. This may involve managing programming and design teams, setting timelines and goals for development, identifying challenges or risks that arise during execution, or handling any other responsibilities related to ensuring successful delivery of projects with strong technical components.
UX Design Positions: No Code. No Degree Necessary
UX designers are in high demand right now because they make technology more enjoyable for people to use. The UX design field is expected to grow by 22% in the next few years, and UX designers can expect to earn a median salary of $92,000.
That’s not chump change!
If you’re thinking about a career in UX design, now is the time to do it. You’ll be in high demand and you can earn a great salary.
37. User experience (UX) designer
As a user experience researcher, you’ll be responsible for understanding the needs and behaviors of your target audience. This may involve conducting interviews or surveys with potential users, analyzing data to identify patterns or trends in user behavior, designing prototypes or mockups based on your findings, or handling any other tasks related to gaining insights into what makes an app or experience easier to use.
38. UI designer
As a UI designer, you’ll be tasked with creating user interfaces that are both appealing and easy to use. This may involve designing graphic elements such as layouts or icons, developing wireframes or prototypes of your designs, focusing on visual aesthetics, or handling any other responsibilities related to ensuring that your design is as functional as it is beautiful.
39. Interaction designer
As an interaction designer, you’ll be responsible for creating meaningful interactions between users and digital products. This may involve developing user flows and wireframes that lay out the different paths a user can take through your interface, designing interactive elements such as buttons or menus, using data inputs to drive your design decisions, or handling any other tasks related to ensuring that you keep users engaged in meaningful ways.
40 Visual designer
As a visual designer, you’ll be responsible for creating engaging and appealing visuals that communicate the essence of your product or brand. This may involve designing logos or graphics, developing infographics, using color palettes to create a consistent visual aesthetic, or handling any other tasks related to ensuring that your users have an enjoyable and intuitive experience interacting with your creations.
41. Product designer
As a product designer, you’ll be responsible for the overall user experience of an app or website. This may involve overseeing the creation process from start to finish, collaborating with other designers and developers to ensure that your designs are implemented correctly, collecting user feedback and incorporating it into your design decisions, or handling any other tasks related to ensuring that your product is intuitive and enjoyable to use.
Next Steps…
OK. I want to pursue one of these positions👆🏾, now what?
Well, first things first. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in tech, it’s important to start building your skills and gaining experience. This could mean signing up for online courses, joining online communities or Slack groups, meeting with mentors or peers in your field for advice and guidance, or any other steps that can help you further develop the skills needed to succeed in tech. Here’s a valuable up-to-date list.
I’ve put together an entire guide detailing how to get going in tech without a degree or coding — it’s literally what they don’t teach in school, in-depth and covers many aspects you probably would never guess.
The fastest track to landing a position is through getting a certificate in any of the fields above. Many online schools, boot camps, and even traditional college programs now offer specialized certificates in UX design, UI design, interaction design, visual design, or product design.
I strongly recommend Google Certification Programs with Coursera. These online resources offer hundreds of hours of high-quality, industry-relevant coursework, as well as extensive mentorship and support from experienced professionals in the tech field.
And once you’re certified, you’ll have direct access to over 200+ companies (i.e. Walmart, Target, Verizon Wireless) who are in dire need of your newly acquired skills!
So what are you waiting for?!
It’s time to make big waves in this multi-trillion-dollar industry.
Peace and Love