She is currently pursuing certifications in data analysis and project management.
University was not a good fit for Hanna Maruyama. At the recommendation of her teacher, she took classes at Georgia Southern University while still in high school, and although she started her studies early, it did not appeal to her.
“He knew I was bored in high school, and I don't think college was that exciting either,” says Maruyama, now 29. CNBC Make It. “I remember thinking, 'Am I going to go into debt for this?'” She left Georgia Southern after a few semesters. Maruyama said she was worried that her career possibilities would be limited without a college degree.
Until his late 20s, he worked as a lifeguard, bartender, and even a deckhand on a dolphin-watching boat, but his annual salary never exceeded $30,000.
Now, the 29-year-old has broken the $100,000 salary barrier in the field of AI, despite not having a bachelor's degree. She helps young adults (ages 16-20) plan successful careers outside of the traditional college route.
In 2018, Maruyama and her husband Ryan moved from Savannah to Honolulu, Hawaii, to pursue their childhood dreams of becoming a cosmetic tattoo artist and firefighter.
“I saw a documentary in school about a Saudi woman who did cosmetic tattoos for women who had suffered acid burns, and I always thought that was the most amazing thing,” she recalls.
Maruyama obtained her cosmetic tattoo artist license in 20018 while living in Savannah. The couple opened Yama Studio, a tattoo studio in Honolulu at the end of 2018, and have been taking turns running the shop outside of their day jobs.
“I loved it, but it was difficult,'' Maruyama recalls. “If I had time before work, I would curl up under the desk at the call center and take a quick nap because I was so tired.”
Maruyama had to close his tattoo studio after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted business around the world. She was furloughed from her job at a call center, but she had no clear schedule as to when she would return to her job, CNBC Make It reported.
“At that point, I decided it was time to look for a new job,” she says. “I had to pay two rents: a house and a studio. Hawaii is not cheap.”
She began actively looking for jobs that didn't require a bachelor's degree.
“I applied even though I didn't meet the education requirements. I said on my application and during the interview that I would learn what I needed to know as soon as possible,” she says. “I think the exact phrase I used was, 'I'm a shiny new penny!'”
At the same time, she began sharing her experiences searching for and finding jobs without a college degree on TikTok, and each of her videos received approximately 500,000 views.
“People liked the content and it quickly became popular,” she says. She said, “I remember staring at my phone and seeing the likes and comments pouring in and thinking, 'There's something here.'”
In October 2021, she launched Degree Free, an online platform that provides career coaching and free educational resources to young people interested in careers that don't require a college degree.
She is currently pursuing certifications in data analysis and project management.
In 2023, degree is free Financial documents reviewed by CNBC Make It show the company generates about $128,000 in profits from coaching services and brand partnerships, which the Maruyamas split 50-50.
“Growing up, I was told that college was the end point of everything and that you couldn't be successful without it,” she says. “But that's not the world we live in anymore. There are a million avenues to explore without needing a degree, and I consider myself lucky to have found the one that made me happy.”
