Buckle up: The idea that you need a university degree to earn solid money is out-of-date. In New Zealand right now, about 43% of jobs don’t actually require a degree. Plenty of people are making $80,000 a year—and more—without ever walking across a graduation stage. Some of those paychecks are coming from jobs you’ve heard of, and others from paths you probably didn’t know existed. The secret isn’t magic, luck, or knowing someone important. It’s about learning the real skills that pay and being smart (and sometimes gutsy) with your moves.
Let’s look at how real Kiwis are pulling this off and how you can build toward a serious paycheck, no fancy diploma required.
Why Degrees Aren’t the Only Way to High Earnings
This isn’t some anti-university rant—a degree makes sense for some jobs, but it’s not the only track to a fat paycheck. According to Stats NZ, as of last year, roughly 56% of workers aged 25-45 without tertiary degrees were earning over $70,000, especially in skilled trades and tech support roles. That’s almost 6 in 10 people. So what’s fueling this?
First, skills shortages: The country is desperate for people who can keep things running, fix stuff, build stuff, or handle services that can't be outsourced. Think electricians, plumbers, builders, heavy truck drivers, line mechanics—the median wage in these trades has outpaced inflation for five years straight. For instance, experienced electricians in Auckland can snag as much as $42-$58 an hour. Full-time, that pushes $90,000 annually, sometimes with overtime on top.
Beyond the trades, technology has swung the doors wide open. Digital marketing, coding bootcamps, cybersecurity, and cloud computing all have entry-level jobs you can access with certifications or self-taught skills. Take cloud support specialists—Google’s Career Certificates, for example, get people job-ready in under six months, and graduates in Auckland have landed $82k+ roles within their first year on the job. People who can hustle, learn fast, and prove themselves can leapfrog degree-holders lacking passion or grit.
One overlooked factor: soft skills. Jobs needing people who get on with others, talk smoothly, and problem-solve in real time are still huge earners. Top sales reps in the car, solar, or insurance sectors here routinely pull in $90k-plus with commissions. You don’t need a degree to be good with people—that’s an inside job. So take notice: it’s about value, not credentials.
The $80k Club: Jobs That Don’t Need a Degree
If you’re not sure where to start, it helps to know what’s actually working for people now. Here are five jobs that regularly top $80,000 a year in NZ and often skip the degree requirement:
- Electrician: Registered sparkies in Auckland and Wellington are in constant demand. Top tradespeople can out-earn mid-level managers. Some run their own small companies; others freelance on big construction sites. The learning path? Apprenticeship plus qualification—that’s it.
- Truck Driver (class 4/5): It’s not glamorous, but with national shortages, experienced drivers hauling dangerous goods or operating specialized vehicles can make $37-$42 an hour, with time-and-a-half rates for unsociable hours. Many companies offer sign-on bonuses up to $3,000 just for passing the right tests.
- IT Support Specialist: Thanks to certs like CompTIA or vendor training from Microsoft or Cisco, you could be making $70k soon after starting, rising to $90k+ as you get more experience. Remote options exist, and contract roles can pay even better.
- Sales Consultant: Top earners in automotive, solar power, and insurance sales don’t need a degree. They live on commission, but good years mean $100k is well within reach. It’s fast-paced, high-pressure, but rewards the persistent.
- Real Estate Agent: The pay is pure commission, so it’s feast or famine in the early days. But the best agents at Ray White and Barfoot can earn several times the average Kiwi’s wage—experience, connections, and some moxie make all the difference.
These aren’t empty promises. Here’s a quick look at median pay for a few of these NZ roles:
| Job Title | Median Annual Salary (NZD, 2024) |
|---|---|
| Electrician | $86,800 |
| Truck Driver (Class 5) | $84,500 |
| IT Support Specialist | $83,250 |
| Sales Consultant (mid-high) | $89,200 |
| Real Estate Agent | $104,700 |
Notice none of these have a default expectation for a university degree. What matters is licensing, work ethic, and willingness to learn.
Building In-Demand Skills (No Degree Required)
The fastest way to walk into a high-earning job? Get the skills businesses want. That means targeted upskilling—not sitting in classrooms clocking up debt for knowledge you’ll never use. Here are a few tried-and-true routes:
- Apprenticeships: Whether you want to be an electrician, builder, or plumber, you earn while you learn. Modern apprenticeships blend work with classroom time, but all the focus is on getting you up to speed for real jobs. Bonus: zero debt.
- Short Courses & Certificates: Industries like IT, digital marketing, and logistics are packed with one-year certification routes. Google Career Certificates (like IT Support or Cybersecurity) are fast, cheap, and recognized. AWS and Microsoft certs can land you cloud support gigs starting at over $80k with some experience.
- Online Platforms: Sites like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and even YouTube pack in skill-based lessons (from SEO marketing to cell tower repairs). You prove yourself by building a strong portfolio or landing freelance jobs. People landing remote copywriting, design, or web dev gigs often start here.
- On-the-Job Training: Supermarkets, building companies, and telecoms often let you move up fast if you show initiative. Store managers, logistics planners, and line supervisors can all reach $80k+ eventually through promotions and upskilling.
A lot of these roles also need you to show you’re reliable, show up on time, and get along with the team—stuff you learn by doing, not by sitting in a lecture hall.
A smart tip: Go after jobs with built-in labor shortages. Immigration NZ updates its Skills Shortages List every year—pick something on there and you’ll find better pay and companies eager to train you. Another data nugget: NZ tech industry posted more than 14,000 vacancies in 2024, but only 2,800 tech graduates graduated locally. That gap isn’t shrinking—if you can grab certs and get real-world practice, you’re hot property.
How to Boost Your Earnings Without a Degree
If you’re gunning for that $80k mark, here’s the playbook—not just to land a job, but to stack your money faster than most degree-holders:
- Pick Growth Industries: Don’t chase what’s trendy—focus on what’s desperate for people. Health care assistants, aged care, heavy machinery operators, drainlayers; all pay well as soon as you’re skilled and stick around.
- Get Certified or Licensed: It’s not about letters after your name—it’s getting the right piece of paper. For sales, that’s your REAA license for real estate. For trades, it’s your journeyman or registered status. For IT, it’s global certs. A $600 course now could bump your rate from $25 an hour to $38.
- Build Skills on the Side: Plenty of high-earners started with a day job and learned something extra at night. Whether it’s basic coding, drone flying, appliance repair or social media management, picking up a skill that’s in-demand can add a second income stream fast.
- Network Like Mad: Most jobs paying $80k+ aren’t advertised. You meet someone, do a trial, impress the right person, get a callback. Trade expos, online groups, and meetups are honest goldmines. They also get you the scoop on which employers treat staff well (and which to avoid... trust me).
- Negotiate Relentlessly: Yes, it’s scary—especially early on. But Kiwis who ask for more, on average, move $8,600 ahead per year, according to Seek’s salary data from last year. Don’t take the first offer if you know you bring value. Use market rates as your benchmark (and back it up with real results).
And here’s a trick not everyone uses: watch for industries with high turnover. Sure, sometimes it’s for a reason (bad bosses, brutal shifts). But some people just don’t apply themselves. If you’re reliable, you’ll move up far faster than the revolving-door crowd. My mate started on gig jobs in warehousing, stuck it out, landed a team lead role, and hit $84k after 18 months. Didn’t even finish NCEA Level 3.
Remote Work, Gigs, and Smart Side Hustles
It’s 2025, so not all $80,000 jobs are 9-to-5 or tied to an office or worksite. Plenty of folks are patching together their $80k salaries through creative combos of remote gigs and side hustles.
Let’s talk about remote work. Thanks to companies getting comfortable with digital teams post-pandemic, you can tap into contracts from Wellington, Sydney, or even LA. Kiwi virtual assistants, online tutors, and web design contractors are pocketing $38-$90 an hour—no degree needed, just results. Teaching English online (ESL) to overseas students can clear $50k part-time with the right client roster. Freelance writing is another gateway here—top copywriters and content strategists on Upwork can hit the $2,000-a-week mark, but (honest warning) it’s competitive at the start.
Gig jobs can add up too. Uber driving, food delivery, and TaskRabbit-style handywork can make a dent—especially if you stack shifts in high-demand hours. One clever bloke I know set up a basic mobile car detailing service—weekend mornings, he clears $800 a pop cleaning fleets for small businesses. That’s after expenses.
The point? You don’t have to land just one dream job. Plenty of modern earners stack their $80k from multiple sources: $50k from a main gig, $15k in side gigs, another $15k in freelance contracts or seasonal work. And if you streamline expenses or claim legit business deductions, your weekly take-home soars compared to the average salaried worker.
There’s real freedom in not being chained to a single employer. Just be honest: the hustle is real. You’ll work odd hours, juggle clients, and sometimes skip social events. But for people who prize flexibility—or want to build a path into eventual self-employment—this is your ticket. You own your time and your outcomes.
So, ditch the myth that a fancy degree is your only shot at earning the magic number. Reality check: focus on skills, pick smart paths, network, keep learning, and always back yourself. The $80k mark isn’t reserved for graduates—it’s wide open for anyone willing to hustle and play it smart in New Zealand today.