10 states with the highest increase in well-paid jobs that don't require a college degree

There's no doubt that it's much harder to live a comfortable life without a college degree today than it was a few decades ago.

The number of well-paid, blue collar jobs that don't require a four-year degree has decreased. At the same time college prices have soared, with one year of public university costing an average of $9,650 at one at a private university, a whopping $24,930.

According to new research, however, there are still good job opportunities for people who can't afford to spend a fortune or go into debt getting a college degree.

There are some 30 million well-paid jobs that don't require a four-year degree, according to a new report by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Several states in particular have added a significant number of "good jobs" that don't require a college degree.

The research team at Georgetown University defines a "good job" as one that pays an average of $55,000 per year, with a minimum of $35,000 for people under age 45 and $45,000 for people age 45 and older.

These jobs, which now make up about a quarter of all U.S. jobs, are increasingly in skilled services such as healthcare or leisure and hospitality, says Jeff Strohl, director of research at the center and co-author of the report. They are less concentrated in blue collar industries like manufacturing, transportation and construction.

According to the report's authors, this growth is likely to continue.

Here are the 10 states that saw the fastest growth in well-paid, non-college degree jobs in skilled services between 1991 and 2015:

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 118 percent increase or 232,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 15 percent increase or 63,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $54,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 120 percent increase or 51,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 23 percent increase or 32,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $54,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 124 percent increase or 648,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 26 percent increase or 290,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $57,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 126 percent increase or 97,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: -1 percent or a decrease of 3,000 jobs

Median earnings: $55,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 139 percent increase or 81,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 105 percent increase or 92,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $56,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 142 percent increase or 21,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 95 percent increase or 24,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $52,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 156 percent increase or 17,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 88 percent increase or 27,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $57,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 172 percent increase or 37,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 54 percent increase or 34,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $54,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 187 percent increase or 26,000 gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 10 percent increase or 4,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $57,000

Change in well-paid skilled services jobs: 199 percent increase or 223,000 jobs gained

Change in well-paid blue collar jobs: 31 percent increase or 70,000 jobs gained

Median earnings: $55,000

Though 23 states did add well-paid blue collar jobs, the sector continues to shrink in terms of the overall share of the economy. From 1991 to 2015, the U.S. lost about 1.3 million blue collar jobs, the report shows.

"Blue collar jobs are in decline, driven by large losses in manufacturing," Strohl says, "while skilled services have increased by 4 million."

A key way to secure a well-paid job in the promising area of skilled services, the report notes, is to get an associate's degree.

"More associate's degree holders are getting good jobs," the report's authors write. "[These degrees] have become increasingly important for finding a good job."

Check out 10 jobs with the fastest salary growth in the US

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