Don't know what you will do? Read this list.
Here are 50 options that high school students have after graduation:
1. Attend a Four-Year College or University
1. Attend a Four-Year College or University
- Pursue a bachelor's degree in a wide range of disciplines.
- Complete an associate's degree or transfer to a four-year institution later.
- Learn a specific trade, such as welding, plumbing, or electrical work.
- Receive training in specific fields like healthcare, culinary arts, or automotive repair.
- Gain hands-on experience in a trade while earning a wage and learning on the job.
- Serve in the armed forces, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard.
- Enter the workforce in an entry-level job to gain professional experience.
- Spend a year traveling, volunteering, or exploring other interests before committing to a formal path.
- Join a volunteer organization like AmeriCorps or Peace Corps to give back while gaining valuable life experience.
- Study at a college or university remotely through an online degree program.
- Gain specialized certification in fields like IT, healthcare, or business to advance career prospects.
- Gain experience through internships, even unpaid, in areas that align with your future career goals.
- Pursue acting, music, visual arts, or writing through specialized programs or schools.
- Focus on music, dance, theater, or visual arts in a conservatory setting.
- Start a business or become self-employed in a field you're passionate about.
- Join a pre-law, pre-med, or pre-engineering program to prepare for future professional school.
- Enroll in free or low-cost online courses through platforms like Coursera, edX, or Udemy.
- Find a job overseas to gain international work experience.
- Study in another country as part of a formal exchange or program.
- Gain international experience by interning in a foreign country.
- Join a sports team professionally or semi-professionally, or work as a coach, trainer, or sports analyst.
- Enroll in enrichment or continuing education courses offered locally.
- Study theology or ministry at a religious institution.
- Serve in missionary work, often traveling to other countries to provide aid and support.
- Participate in government-sponsored workforce development programs.
- Earn IT certifications like CompTIA, Cisco, or Microsoft to build a tech career.
- Join a fire academy and train to become a firefighter.
- Enroll in a police academy to begin a career in law enforcement.
- Train to become an emergency medical technician or paramedic.
- Attend a coding boot camp or self-study to learn programming and web development skills.
- Get a job in the hotel, restaurant, or tourism industry.
- Attend flight school to train as a pilot or work in the aviation industry as ground crew.
- Serve part-time in the military while maintaining a civilian job or attending school.
- Create a nonprofit to address social, environmental, or community issues.
- Many large companies offer specialized training programs for entry-level employees.
- Start freelancing in areas like writing, graphic design, photography, or consulting.
- Work on a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business, or pursue studies in agricultural science.
- Obtain your real estate license and start selling property.
- Join a sales team in retail, tech, or other industries to build experience.
- Work in television, film production, or digital media, or attend film school.
- Earn a certification to work as a personal trainer or fitness instructor.
- Help students by tutoring subjects in which you excel.
- Build a career as a YouTuber, podcaster, or social media influencer.
- Become a local or international tour guide in travel and tourism.
- Work in fashion design, merchandising, or as a stylist.
- Gain short-term employment experience by working with a temp agency.
- Take on gig work like driving for Uber, delivering for DoorDash, or freelance jobs.
- Start working as a photographer, either freelance or by building a portfolio for clients.
- Train to become a chef or work in the culinary industry.
- Help people plan vacations and business trips by becoming a travel advisor or agent.
- Train to become a medical assistant, phlebotomist, or certified nursing assistant (CNA).
- Train to transcribe medical records for healthcare providers.
- Complete certification to become a licensed massage therapist.
- Start a career organizing weddings, corporate events, or festivals.
- Work or study in environmental conservation, sustainability, or ecology.
- Manage social media platforms for businesses or influencers.
- Gain experience working in customer service for various industries.
- Enroll in an apprenticeship or training program to become a licensed electrician.
- Train to work in the plumbing trade through vocational programs or apprenticeships.
- Learn carpentry skills through an apprenticeship or vocational training.
- Study graphic design through college courses or self-teaching to become a freelance or employed designer.
- Start a career in retail, eventually working your way into management roles.
- Train to become a bartender and work in the food and beverage industry.
- Work your way up in the culinary industry through hands-on experience or by attending culinary school.
- Attend a nursing program to become a licensed practical nurse and work in healthcare.
- Join the construction industry as a laborer, machine operator, or manager.
- Complete a paralegal studies program and work in law firms or legal departments.
- Train to become a court stenographer or court reporter, documenting legal proceedings.
- Learn about property investment and begin working in real estate buying, selling, or flipping properties.
- Train to become a certified life coach and help others set and achieve personal and professional goals.
- Become a financial advisor, accountant, or work in banking and financial planning.
- Train to inspect properties for buyers or sellers in the real estate market.
- Train to become a certified tax preparer and assist individuals or businesses with tax filings.
- Work in landscape design, gardening, or lawn care, or start your own landscaping business.
- Attend an automotive vocational school and learn how to repair and maintain vehicles.
- Specialize in diesel engines, working with large trucks or heavy equipment.
- Train to become an aircraft maintenance technician or mechanic.
- Study cybersecurity through degree programs, boot camps, or certifications and protect networks and data.
- Learn data analysis skills and work in fields like business intelligence, marketing, or finance.
- Study game design and development to work in the video game industry.
- Pursue a career in public relations, managing the reputation of companies or individuals.
- Study marketing strategies and work in advertising, digital marketing, or content creation.
- Work as a freelance writer, creating content for websites, blogs, and companies.
- Start a career in HR, handling recruitment, employee relations, and training for businesses.
- Work with clients to help them choose clothing, gifts, or other items.
- Train to work as a flight attendant in the airline industry.
- Get a job in a coffee shop and learn the ins and outs of making specialty coffee drinks.
- Train to work with dogs, teaching obedience or specialized skills like service dog training.
- Train to groom pets, either as part of a business or as a self-employed groomer.
- Start an online store or work with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Amazon, or Etsy.
- Get a job in a warehouse managing stock, shipping, and receiving.
- Train and get certified to work as a security guard in various settings.
- Become a representative for pharmaceutical companies, selling medication to healthcare providers.
- Attend a truck driving school to obtain your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and work in long-haul or local trucking.
- Train in video editing software to work in film, television, or digital media.
- Create and lead tours for travelers, specializing in local, international, or adventure tours.
- Study or work your way up in hotel or resort management.
- Train in floral design and work in flower shops or open your own business.
- Work in daycare, nannying, or babysitting services.
- Learn to operate heavy machinery used in construction and other industries.