High paying jobs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and typically require less than a bachelor's degree to enter — a high school diploma, a postsecondary certificate, or an associate's degree. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC run 2.7% below the national average (2024), so a Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

OccupationMedian, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC · Employed

1Commercial Pilots$144,750
Postsecondary nondegree award
$67,070 – $265,710430
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$118,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,250 – $206,8602,150
3First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$107,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,340 – $124,120950
4Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$98,650
Associate's degree
$78,070 – $107,950730
5Dental Hygienists$98,390
Associate's degree
$92,120 – $103,7601,910
6First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$96,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,750 – $196,7003,680
7Respiratory Therapists$82,020
Associate's degree
$65,170 – $100,4501,110
8Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$81,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,080 – $109,4501,130
9First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$80,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,350 – $122,2705,750
10Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$79,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,620 – $105,3702,620
11Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,950
Associate's degree
$58,690 – $100,8702,470
12Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,430 – $113,3102,460
13Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$78,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,650 – $128,9201,310
14First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$77,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,430 – $107,0809,670
15Construction and Building Inspectors$75,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,980 – $96,1801,760
16Food Service Managers$75,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,900 – $112,0902,760
17Computer Network Support Specialists$75,420
Associate's degree
$48,610 – $117,1601,110
18Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,760
Associate's degree
$49,470 – $107,350650
19First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,390 – $103,2805,910
20Private Detectives and Investigators$73,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,370 – $99,090860
21Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$72,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,170 – $124,2902,820
22Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,780
Associate's degree
$58,430 – $79,210450
23Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$72,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,360 – $95,0101,150
24Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,000 – $149,46015,910
25Detectives and Criminal Investigators$71,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,050 – $161,600600
26Physical Therapist Assistants$70,720
Associate's degree
$57,910 – $83,250870
27Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,530 – $93,5801,780
28First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$65,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,280 – $118,4701,180
29Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,290 – $85,6904,690
30First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$65,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,650 – $100,99010,770
31Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$65,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,890 – $93,760480
32Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,210 – $76,3703,890
33Flight Attendants$64,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,340 – $94,3001,440
34Transportation Security Screeners$64,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,840 – $70,780560
35Chefs and Head Cooks$64,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,360 – $92,7301,480
36Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,940
Associate's degree
$45,760 – $93,860740
37Real Estate Sales Agents$63,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,960 – $158,6603,190
38Financial Clerks, All Other$63,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,310 – $100,620470
39Surgical Technologists$63,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,600 – $81,0301,170
40First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$63,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,370 – $90,9406,590
41Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$63,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,850 – $94,4305,770
42Insurance Sales Agents$62,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,390 – $154,7206,800
43Tool and Die Makers$62,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,340 – $92,260450
44Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$61,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,590 – $143,99013,980
45Chemical Technicians$61,730
Associate's degree
$44,660 – $85,020480
46Paramedics$61,660
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,380 – $77,6001,180
47Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers$61,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,110 – $76,060890
48Medical Equipment Repairers$61,530
Associate's degree
$35,510 – $82,220640
49Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $83,2202,710
50Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,990 – $77,710910

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$144,750	$67,070 – $265,710	430
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$118,100	$71,250 – $206,860	2,150
3	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,150	$73,340 – $124,120	950
4	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$98,650	$78,070 – $107,950	730
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,390	$92,120 – $103,760	1,910
6	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,030	$57,750 – $196,700	3,680
7	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,020	$65,170 – $100,450	1,110
8	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,740	$46,080 – $109,450	1,130
9	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,070	$48,350 – $122,270	5,750
10	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,900	$53,620 – $105,370	2,620
11	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,950	$58,690 – $100,870	2,470
12	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,680	$47,430 – $113,310	2,460
13	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,580	$51,650 – $128,920	1,310
14	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,300	$57,430 – $107,080	9,670
15	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,570	$48,980 – $96,180	1,760
16	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,460	$56,900 – $112,090	2,760
17	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$75,420	$48,610 – $117,160	1,110
18	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,760	$49,470 – $107,350	650
19	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,080	$48,390 – $103,280	5,910
20	Private Detectives and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,430	$39,370 – $99,090	860
21	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,900	$49,170 – $124,290	2,820
22	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,780	$58,430 – $79,210	450
23	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,600	$49,360 – $95,010	1,150
24	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,500	$40,000 – $149,460	15,910
25	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,460	$53,050 – $161,600	600
26	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$70,720	$57,910 – $83,250	870
27	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,420	$48,530 – $93,580	1,780
28	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,960	$45,280 – $118,470	1,180
29	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,530	$46,290 – $85,690	4,690
30	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,170	$46,650 – $100,990	10,770
31	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,170	$48,890 – $93,760	480
32	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,140	$51,210 – $76,370	3,890
33	Flight AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,890	$63,340 – $94,300	1,440
34	Transportation Security ScreenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,540	$44,840 – $70,780	560
35	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,260	$46,360 – $92,730	1,480
36	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,940	$45,760 – $93,860	740
37	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,930	$30,960 – $158,660	3,190
38	Financial Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,640	$48,310 – $100,620	470
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,490	$49,600 – $81,030	1,170
40	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,470	$44,370 – $90,940	6,590
41	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,190	$49,850 – $94,430	5,770
42	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,490	$37,390 – $154,720	6,800
43	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,440	$41,340 – $92,260	450
44	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,850	$37,590 – $143,990	13,980
45	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,730	$44,660 – $85,020	480
46	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,660	$50,380 – $77,600	1,180
47	Security and Fire Alarm Systems InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,590	$40,110 – $76,060	890
48	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$61,530	$35,510 – $82,220	640
49	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,010	$42,390 – $83,220	2,710
50	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,580	$44,990 – $77,710	910

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

More for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Other metro areas in NC

By field in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC that need no degree

More for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Other metro areas in NC

By field in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree