That's why the Salt Lake City man is pursuing a certificate in auto mechanics at the Salt Lake Tooele Applied Technology College instead of a more traditional college degree.
Because auto mechanics earn starting annual salaries of about $32,000, Harr's career path, in addition to making him happy, also may prove just as lucrative as if he were to earn a bachelor's degree.
Students getting ready to pursue higher education can learn from his example, educators say.
"We need to be constantly educating our potential students, [telling] them that if you want to make a wage that can sustain a family, you can do it with the right certification," said Robert Brems, Utah College of Applied Technology president.
No one disputes that educational attainment translates into higher earning power.
The median salary for a person with a bachelor's degree is $45,776, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy, compared with $22,437 for a high school graduate and $30,356 for a worker with an associate's degree.
Yet traditional degrees aren't for everyone, and certain certificate programs present earning potential that is even greater than that offered by some bachelor's degrees.
Only about 30 percent of U.S. jobs require a four-year degree, Brems said. The rest need to be filled by people such as Tim Arnow.
The 25-year-old is currently an auto mechanic, but he's taking courses at the Salt Lake Tooele ATC to become certified in diesel mechanics.
"This just opens doors for me," Arnow said. "I know that wherever I go, I can secure a job."
Going to a four-year school never really appealed to him, but he knew navigating an engine was what he liked to do.
"The financial stuff is sort of part of it, but really, I just wanted a good learning experience and a job I liked," he said.
Utah Higher Education Commissioner Richard Kendell hopes more young people who aren't planning to pursue any post-high school education learn the value of technical certifications, many of which can be completed in less than two years.
"There are many great career paths that can lead to becoming a self-sustaining adult, and you don't have to attend a four-year institution to get it," he said.
But Kendell added that four-year degrees are "tickets to many other opportunities," and he has faith in students who seek traditional degrees out of passion or dedication even when they know their degree might result in low-paying jobs - such as teaching or social work.
"People are smart," he said. "They know what they're getting into." Plus, the actual experience of going to a university or college is worthwhile, too, said Susan Olson, associate vice president of faculty at the University of Utah.
She points to the writing and critical reading skills students obtain with a liberal arts education, and the ability to think critically and "learn how to learn," all skills that can be applied to more practical pursuits later in life.
"Somebody who is a big fan of technical education would undoubtedly say students there learn those skills," she said. "But in a liberal arts degree, you are not having to focus on learning a lot of details or real specific how-tos, but instead you're focusing on a more abstract level of thinking."
She doesn't dispute, though, that four-year degrees aren't for every student.
And UCAT's Brems knows there is opportunity in many career fields.
"We are focusing on the areas that are going to offer the highest wages and most-demanded skills," he said. "We want students to leave our college with some kind of certificate that can make them employable."
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* SHEENA MCFARLAND can be contacted at smcfarlandÂ@sltrib.com or 801-257-8619.
Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune
Carolina Galicia and Andy Harr work on a camshaft and crankshaft sensor with a lab scope in an automotive repair shop and training facility at Salt Lake Tooele Applied Technology College.
* Median earnings by educational degree. B2
