High paying jobs in Chattanooga, TN-GA that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Chattanooga, TN-GA 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA run 8.5% below the national average (2024), so a Chattanooga, TN-GA salary is worth about 1.09× 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian, Chattanooga, TN-GA · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$100,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $100,340180
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$95,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,630 – $186,490380
3Dental Hygienists$83,460
Associate's degree
$62,780 – $97,510460
4First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$82,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,010 – $141,390310
5Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$78,670
Associate's degree
$63,620 – $99,350190
6Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$78,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,000 – $98,800550
7First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$77,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,150 – $95,610160
8Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$77,700
Associate's degree
$39,200 – $99,470110
9Surgical Assistants$77,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,500 – $109,580110
10Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$76,840
Associate's degree
$61,350 – $89,220170
11First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$75,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,910 – $102,2301,430
12First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$74,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,090 – $112,630410
13Detectives and Criminal Investigators$74,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,930 – $158,060140
14Respiratory Therapists$74,350
Associate's degree
$63,480 – $81,230370
15Electricians$72,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,030 – $85,8301,760
16First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$70,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,980 – $104,0401,730
17Brickmasons and Blockmasons$69,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,790 – $69,660150
18Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,480
Associate's degree
$36,710 – $98,550170
19Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$64,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,420 – $92,670440
20First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$64,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,790 – $99,9903,940
21Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$64,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,380 – $81,350140
22Food Service Managers$63,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,790 – $100,290460
23Chefs and Head Cooks$63,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,400 – $96,340280
24Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$63,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,920 – $117,940330
25Postal Service Clerks$63,650
No formal educational credential
$54,330 – $76,360110
26Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,500
Associate's degree
$46,530 – $83,580180
27Millwrights$62,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,990 – $73,780160
28Maintenance Workers, Machinery$62,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,420 – $73,810110
29Physical Therapist Assistants$62,360
Associate's degree
$48,960 – $79,040340
30First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,360 – $92,5001,250
31Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$62,090
Associate's degree
$50,080 – $84,020350
32Structural Iron and Steel Workers$61,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,870 – $71,920150
33Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$61,760
Associate's degree
$42,590 – $107,000140
34Tool and Die Makers$61,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,210 – $84,860260
35Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$61,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,270 – $79,300220
36Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$61,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,690 – $100,940570
37Occupational Therapy Assistants$61,360
Associate's degree
$23,710 – $75,910210
38First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$61,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,040 – $110,5301,690
39Surgical Technologists$60,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,600 – $77,610380
40Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$60,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,670 – $130,0001,750
41Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other$60,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,090 – $82,230280
42Industrial Machinery Mechanics$60,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $82,4101,480
43Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,290
Associate's degree
$38,840 – $81,470530
44Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$58,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,980 – $92,200130
45Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$58,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,070 – $75,340230
46Architectural and Civil Drafters$58,780
Associate's degree
$47,680 – $86,040190
47Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$58,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,670 – $78,880860
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$58,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$42,810 – $65,5201,560
49Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,390
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,280200
50Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$57,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,000 – $83,200480

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

#	Occupation	MedianChattanooga, TN-GA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,340	$38,480 – $100,340	180
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,640	$54,630 – $186,490	380
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$83,460	$62,780 – $97,510	460
4	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,510	$46,010 – $141,390	310
5	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$78,670	$63,620 – $99,350	190
6	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,240	$59,000 – $98,800	550
7	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,920	$51,150 – $95,610	160
8	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,700	$39,200 – $99,470	110
9	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,570	$61,500 – $109,580	110
10	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$76,840	$61,350 – $89,220	170
11	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,090	$48,910 – $102,230	1,430
12	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,860	$51,090 – $112,630	410
13	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,600	$48,930 – $158,060	140
14	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$74,350	$63,480 – $81,230	370
15	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,330	$38,030 – $85,830	1,760
16	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,660	$47,980 – $104,040	1,730
17	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,660	$50,790 – $69,660	150
18	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,480	$36,710 – $98,550	170
19	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,680	$47,420 – $92,670	440
20	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,150	$43,790 – $99,990	3,940
21	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,010	$36,380 – $81,350	140
22	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,720	$41,790 – $100,290	460
23	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,690	$36,400 – $96,340	280
24	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,680	$45,920 – $117,940	330
25	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,650	$54,330 – $76,360	110
26	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,500	$46,530 – $83,580	180
27	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,850	$45,990 – $73,780	160
28	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,690	$36,420 – $73,810	110
29	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,360	$48,960 – $79,040	340
30	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,270	$42,360 – $92,500	1,250
31	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,090	$50,080 – $84,020	350
32	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,880	$43,870 – $71,920	150
33	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$61,760	$42,590 – $107,000	140
34	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,720	$47,210 – $84,860	260
35	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,680	$47,270 – $79,300	220
36	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,590	$48,690 – $100,940	570
37	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,360	$23,710 – $75,910	210
38	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,340	$29,040 – $110,530	1,690
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,900	$47,600 – $77,610	380
40	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,600	$34,670 – $130,000	1,750
41	Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,580	$41,090 – $82,230	280
42	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,180	$47,150 – $82,410	1,480
43	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,290	$38,840 – $81,470	530
44	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,910	$45,980 – $92,200	130
45	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,870	$46,070 – $75,340	230
46	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$58,780	$47,680 – $86,040	190
47	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,720	$37,670 – $78,880	860
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,580	$42,810 – $65,520	1,560
49	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,390	$42,600 – $75,280	200
50	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,450	$39,000 – $83,200	480

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Chattanooga, TN-GA. 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.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Chattanooga, TN-GA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Chattanooga, TN-GA that need no degree

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