How to Get Into Tech Without a Degree

It seems crazy, but tech is one of the few high-paying professional industries where you don’t need a degree to get hired.

You just need:

• To learn the required skills
• And prove you can do the work

Easy right?

But how do you actually do that? How do you choose which career fits you, learn the skills for it, build a portfolio and practice for the interview?

In this guide I’ll break it all down step-by-step so you can start learning, building, and working your way into a tech career, with no degree required.

Let's get started.

Why tech doesn’t care about your degree

Sure, some people working in tech did go to university and get computer science degrees. Maybe they were curious about the academic side of things, or maybe they thought they needed it because that’s what companies like Google or Facebook used to ask for.

But the truth is, you don’t need a degree to get hired in tech anymore, and there are a few simple reasons why.

Reason #1. Tech moves fast

What you learn in year one of a degree might be outdated by the time you reach year four. That’s a long time to commit to something that might not even be relevant by the time you graduate.

Most companies would rather see that you’ve been learning in real time, building things, and staying current.

Reason #2. Having a degree doesn’t mean you can actually do the work

Knowing theory is one thing. Being able to apply it is another. That’s why companies like Microsoft changed their approach years ago. Instead of relying on degrees, they started focusing on portfolios and technical interviews.

They wanted to see if someone could think through problems and build things that work, not just talk about it.

Reason #3. You can learn the same information elsewhere faster and cheaper

You can learn everything that’s taught in a computer science degree online. Even the core fundamentals like data structures, algorithms, and how systems work are all covered in courses that are easier to follow and far more up to date.

Most people learn this way now. They skip the lectures and overpriced textbooks, and follow a clear path instead, and they do it much faster. No joke but you can go from starting out to job-ready in just a few months, without wasting years or racking up debt.

So no, you don’t need a degree. You do however have to learn the right skills, so let’s break down the options for picking these up.

The main paths into tech (without a degree)

There are 4 other potential paths to get into tech. We cover them in more detail in this guide here, but here's a mile high overview of each.

Option #1. Completely self-taught

Basically just learning for free with stuff you can find online, such as YouTube tutorials, documentation, projects etc.

A lot of people start here and it’s totally fine to learn this way, and it’s completely free. However, it does come with some common issues:

• The information can be outdated or incorrect
• It can be hard to know what to learn, in what order and how much.
• It can be hard to know when you’re ‘ready’ to apply for jobs

This happens so often that there’s a name for it in the industry - tutorial hell. Basically you’re unsure what you need to know, or bounce around never finishing anything, or simply never applying for roles. Sure, some people get through it and learn to code for free but they are normally the outliers who are super motivated and organized.

What most people realize is that self taught is great for starting out but it's hard to progress, and so they start here and then move onto another option on this list.

Option #2. Online courses or learning platforms

Similar to being self taught in that you’re learning online, but rather than having to figure it all out yourself, you follow set courses and roadmaps to learn what you need to get all the skills and then hired.

• It’s faster
• It’s easier than trying to figure it out on your own
• Courses are always updated
• You have community support to help make sure you follow through and finish training
• You learn the actual skills you need so you can get hired
• And they are fairly cheap

For example

Here at Zero To Mastery, our monthly plan is just $49 a month, or $299 for a year if you pay in advance. (Working out at $25 a month).

Or you can pay $1,299 for lifetime access.

That gives you access to every single course in our library, so you can learn everything you need to know to get started, skill up, and get hired.

As for the courses themselves, each one is taught by an industry expert, who not only makes sure they are always up to date, but is available inside our private community to answer your questions.

But better still?

Because they work in the industry, they focus on teaching you exactly what you need to know to get hired asap, and cut out everything else. They basically say “What would the ideal hire for my department need?" and then make sure you get those skills.

This makes it so much faster than you might think because you’re not wasting time on things you don’t need to get you hired. All of our courses only take a few months to complete, and we have thousands of testimonials of people starting with absolutely zero skill and then getting hired in under 6 months.

That's a big difference in cost and time spent to learn when compared to college degrees right!? Speaking of degrees, we also have students who came to use after college degrees because they were missing skills that they needed for a role.

While others joined ZTM who were self taught and got stuck. They take our courses and get more progress in 4 months than they did in 4 years on their own.

Heck, we even have people in senior roles at tech companies who take our courses so they can skill up into even more senior roles. That’s how good the stuff we teach is!

I know it sounds biased seeing as we’re a platform that teaches online, but honestly - online courses are the #1 way to get into tech. The barriers are low and you learn what you actually need.

There are other options though so let's cover those also.

Option #3. Bootcamps

Bootcamps are in person events designed to help you learn to code and hopefully get hired ASAP. You turn up on a set date and work with them each day alongside other bootcamp members, and try to learn everything in a few months.

Sometimes they will have direct industry connections with potential job offers at the end. However, the cost is steep. Not as much as a degree, but you’ll often see them at around $5,000 to $10,000 or higher.

Some are cheaper but will normally have a stipulation that they get X percent of your salary from your new role for the first X years as part of their payment. If you’re getting a 6 figure a year career and need that extra push to get finished these can definitely work and force you to take action.

Honestly though, it’s the same stuff you learn with us for just $49 a month instead.

Option #4. Apprenticeships or internships

These are less common but growing. They let you learn on the job, often while getting paid. Some companies now offer structured programs specifically for people without traditional backgrounds.

Honestly, unless you’re looking to get your foot in the door in a place that's notoriously hard, I would skip them. You often end up underpaid and stuck in the lower earning role for much longer than you need to be. Just learn what you need for the role instead in 6 months, and then jump right into a 6 figure a year role. It’s so much faster and higher paid.

So, now you know the paths you can take, let’s look at how to decide which career you should go into.

How to choose the best tech career for you

There’s this myth that everyone in tech has to be a developer, love math, or be some kind of computer wizard, but that’s not true at all. In reality, the tech world is full of very different roles and many of them don’t involve coding.

The trick is to simply pick a role and start learning. But if you’ve never worked in tech before, how do you even choose?

Instead of guessing what sounds cool or trying to figure out which jobs are “better,” the easiest way to decide is to look at your existing strengths and interests, and see how they align with common roles:

• What types of problems do you like solving?
• What kinds of tasks energize you?
• What do people usually come to you for?

We’ve covered all the different roles and who they best fit before in this guide here. But let’s give you a mile high overview so you can have a rough idea.

If you enjoy solving problems, working through logical steps, or understanding how things fit together, then you’ll probably enjoy Web Development

It’s one of the most direct ways to build a tech career, and it doesn’t require you to be a math genius or have years of experience. Think of it like building Lego with logic, in that you're piecing together ideas to make apps, websites, tools, and automation's work.

I don’t want to get overly complex because this is just a beginner’s guide, but there are 3 types of web developers.

• You have front-end developers who make all the things the user sees and interacts with. Think of the website or app interface
• Then you have backend developers who work on all the hidden technical aspects that make sure everything works behind the scenes
• And finally, you have full-stack developers. These people can do both and get paid the most out of the three

Click any of the links above to jump to a roadmap on each career, what to learn, and resources to get started.

If you're detail-oriented, love refining things, or enjoy getting processes running smoothly, then you might thrive in DevOps or Cloud Engineering

These roles are perfect for people who like understanding systems, setting up automations, or making things more efficient. Think behind-the-scenes work that helps developers release features faster, more reliably, and with fewer bugs.

DevOps Engineers focus on more traditional systems, while Cloud Engineers focus on doing the same but inside cloud platforms like AWS or Azure

The cool thing is, you don’t need to be a developer to start here either. Just a strong desire to make things work better. Click on any of the links to jump to the roadmaps and resources for these roles.

If you're creative, empathetic, and enjoy making things easy to use or visually appealing then UI/UX Design could be a great fit

You’ll focus on how apps, websites, or platforms look and feel, and how real people interact with them. If you find yourself frustrated by clunky websites or thinking “why isn’t this easier to use?, then this path was made for you.

No coding required, just curiosity about people and how they use technology.

Check out our UI/UX Design roadmap here.

If you love working with numbers, spotting patterns, or making sense of messy information then you’re probably a good fit for the data side of tech

Whether you want to generate insights for a business or go deep into machine learning, data-driven roles are high-paying and in demand.

Start with Data Analysis if you like turning data into charts and dashboards. Go toward Data Science if you're interested in deeper modeling, or Business Intelligence (BI) if you want to help predict business trends.

If you’re fascinated by how computers “think” or want to build intelligent tools, then you’ll want to explore Machine Learning and AI

These fields are great for people who are curious, methodical, and want to build things that automate decisions or learn from data.

It’s a little more technical, but totally learnable if you like experimenting, testing, and solving puzzles with data.

If you’re protective by nature, cautious, or love solving mysteries then you might be perfect for Cyber Security

Cybersecurity isn’t just about firewalls and passwords. It’s about finding weaknesses before attackers do. Learning how they think and work, so you can fix things before they can become an issue.

It’s a mix of technical knowledge, investigative thinking, and constant curiosity. If you’ve ever wondered how hackers work, or how to stop them, then this path is for you.

If you're excited about crypto, decentralization, or cutting-edge tech then you should check out Blockchain development

Web 3.0 is the future of how the internet will work, and you can get in now on the ground floor. This is ideal for curious people who don’t mind learning something that’s still rapidly changing.

You’ll work on smart contracts, decentralized apps, or infrastructure that supports the next wave of internet platforms on the blockchain.

If you love tech but are more interested in mobile apps than websites, then Mobile development might be the perfect match

Mobile Development is all about building apps that live on your phone or tablet, whether it's a social media app, a fitness tracker, or a mobile game. You’ll learn how to create smooth, responsive experiences for users on the go.

You can build apps natively using languages like Swift (for iOS) or Kotlin (for Android), or you can use cross-platform tools like React Native or Flutter to build once and deploy everywhere. This makes it a really flexible skill set that’s in high demand across industries.

It’s a great path if you love clean interfaces, fast feedback loops, and working on products people interact with daily. And since nearly every business now needs a mobile presence, the job market here is huge.

If you want a versatile, long-term foundation in development, then you might be a great fit for Software Engineering

Software Engineering is one of the most flexible and future-proof paths in tech. You’ll learn how to build applications from the ground up.

It’s a great option if you want to eventually move into senior developer roles, architecture, or tech leadership. You won’t just learn how to write code, you’ll learn how to design and structure systems that are scalable, maintainable, and built for real-world complexity.

If you love storytelling, design, and interactive entertainment, you might be a great fit for Game development

Game Development is all about creating experiences, not just code. You’ll learn about engines like Unity or Unreal, and work on graphics, sound, and gameplay.

It’s ideal for creative minds who also enjoy problem-solving and building worlds.

If you're excited about building smart tools that feel like magic, then you might be a great fit for AI Development

This role is all about using existing AI models such as ChatGPT, image generators, or recommendation systems, and integrating them into real-world products.

Unlike Machine Learning engineers, AI Developers don’t need to train models from scratch. Instead, you’ll work with APIs, prebuilt models, and toolkits like OpenAI, Hugging Face, or TensorFlow to build apps that feel intelligent.

Still not sure?

I know that's a lot to take in, so if you’re still not sure the best option for you, then go ahead and take our tech career path quiz.

It asks a few simple questions and helps match your personality to a role that fits so you don’t have to figure this all out.

Just focused on salary?

Alternatively, if you just want to make bank and don’t really care which area to focus in, then check out this guide to the highest-paying and most in-demand roles in 2025 so you can pick based on earning potential instead. Simple!

So what’s next?

Well once you’ve decided on a role and gone through and learned the skills, you need to apply for jobs and pass the interview.

How to pass the tech interview

Remember how I said at the start that the tech industry is different and you don’t need a degree - just the skills and proof that you can do what you say?

Well because of that, the interview process at tech companies is different to most roles. We go into it in full detail here along with other tips, but there’s usually 4 stages to the tech interview process.

First, you apply online.

You’ll submit a short application and include a portfolio or GitHub link that shows off your best work. If you’ve followed one of the career roadmaps from the links above then this part will be easy, because every course in those roadmaps includes real projects you can use to show you know what you’re doing.

Next, some companies will ask you to take a short quiz.

These are usually multiple-choice questions meant to filter out applicants who don’t understand the basics. It’s not a trick. They’re just checking that you actually know the fundamentals before you talk to a human.

Then comes the technical interview.

This is where they ask you questions about the skills for the role. You might talk through a past project, solve a simple problem, or walk through your thought process step by step. The goal isn’t to be perfect, but to instead show that you understand the topic and can think logically under pressure.

Finally, you’ll have a behavioral interview.

This is more like a traditional job interview. You’ll meet the team, talk about how you work, and make sure it’s a good fit on both sides.

TL;DR

Tech interviews are more in depth than any interview you’ve done before, but that's why they can let people sidestep the 4 year degree into a 6 figure a year job. As long as you follow the path and prove you can do the work, you’ll be fine.

You don’t need a degree, you just need to start!

So as you can see, getting into tech without a degree really isn’t that hard.

You simply:

• Choose a career
• Follow a roadmap and learn the skills
• Apply + ace the interview

The main difference is that you take months to learn instead of 4 years, and you save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The key of course is taking that first step. Take our tech career path quiz to find the best option for you, or simply click on any of the roadmaps to get started.

Then email me once you’re hired to be a featured success story on the blog 😉.