Does a lack of a college degree mean low wages? - FOX 25/48 - WLAX/WEUX La Crosse & Eau Claire News

It's often believed that you need to go to college to make a decent wage, but some jobs around the Chippewa Valley are proving that idea isn't entirely true.

People in the Chippewa Valley are finding ways to be successful in jobs like 911 dispatchers and electricians without college degrees. Careerbuilder, a jobs website, says the average salary for an electrician, who goes through an apprenticeship program, is $48,000 a year.

But Master Electrician Ryan Emerson does add that there's a cap on how high some of those salaries can go. "There is a ceiling you know your only going make about that much unless you're willing to take a risk and see if you can do better on your own."

The Eau Claire Job Center says that by 2020, two out of three jobs nationwide will require post-secondary education.