High paying jobs in Columbia, MO that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Columbia, MO 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 Columbia, MO run 10.6% below the national average (2024), so a Columbia, MO salary is worth about 1.12× 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 Columbia, MO

OccupationMedian, Columbia, MO · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$105,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,650 – $175,27080
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$97,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,730 – $102,66080
3Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$88,540
Associate's degree
$64,590 – $97,96050
4Dental Hygienists$86,300
Associate's degree
$53,020 – $97,850140
5Radiation Therapists$84,980
Associate's degree
$70,340 – $103,23060
6First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$81,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,830 – $96,50090
7Structural Iron and Steel Workers$79,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,550 – $79,10040
8First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$78,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,130 – $110,270310
9Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$76,930
Associate's degree
$71,350 – $115,27060
10Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$76,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,920 – $81,820100
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$74,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,640 – $118,050330
12First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$73,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,560 – $101,910280
13Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,560
Associate's degree
$49,650 – $97,47050
14Respiratory Therapists$69,400
Associate's degree
$55,450 – $83,780150
15Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$69,170
Associate's degree
$55,510 – $91,790230
16First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$68,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,160 – $134,15070
17Chemical Technicians$67,760
Associate's degree
$38,060 – $108,75050
18Computer Network Support Specialists$66,380
Associate's degree
$46,320 – $128,19080
19Food Service Managers$66,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $91,15080
20Maintenance Workers, Machinery$64,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,430 – $73,640100
21Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$64,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,610 – $102,970280
22Physical Therapist Assistants$63,540
Associate's degree
$49,800 – $74,600110
23Occupational Therapy Assistants$62,810
Associate's degree
$55,560 – $73,06080
24Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,450
Associate's degree
$47,960 – $99,19040
25Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$62,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,540 – $73,380310
26Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$44,160 – $81,040200
27First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$61,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,340 – $91,560930
28Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,880 – $75,280800
29Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$61,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,910 – $81,900390
30Electricians$61,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,520 – $88,940290
31Construction and Building Inspectors$61,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,980 – $76,21050
32Detectives and Criminal Investigators$61,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,660 – $71,79040
33Medical Records Specialists$60,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,910 – $74,080300
34Insurance Sales Agents$60,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,500 – $122,440350
35Industrial Machinery Mechanics$59,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,250 – $80,37070
36Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$59,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $75,23040
37Postal Service Clerks$59,490
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,03040
38Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$59,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,100 – $80,490140
39First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$59,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,600 – $116,41080
40Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$59,090
No formal educational credential
$37,970 – $98,810160
41Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$58,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,430 – $82,870330
42Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$58,780
No formal educational credential
$47,440 – $75,030100
43First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,180 – $92,480280
44Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$58,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,690 – $94,940200
45Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$58,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,800 – $96,920310
46Architectural and Civil Drafters$57,410
Associate's degree
$38,500 – $77,52080
47Advertising Sales Agents$57,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,120 – $107,17060
48Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$56,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,710 – $80,120110
49Construction Laborers$56,810
No formal educational credential
$37,570 – $84,540470
50Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$56,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,790 – $90,730310

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

#	Occupation	MedianColumbia, MO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,640	$61,650 – $175,270	80
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,390	$58,730 – $102,660	80
3	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$88,540	$64,590 – $97,960	50
4	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,300	$53,020 – $97,850	140
5	Radiation TherapistsAssociate's degree	$84,980	$70,340 – $103,230	60
6	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,340	$61,830 – $96,500	90
7	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,100	$58,550 – $79,100	40
8	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,060	$51,130 – $110,270	310
9	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$76,930	$71,350 – $115,270	60
10	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,120	$46,920 – $81,820	100
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,050	$45,640 – $118,050	330
12	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,670	$48,560 – $101,910	280
13	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,560	$49,650 – $97,470	50
14	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$69,400	$55,450 – $83,780	150
15	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$69,170	$55,510 – $91,790	230
16	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,130	$43,160 – $134,150	70
17	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$67,760	$38,060 – $108,750	50
18	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$66,380	$46,320 – $128,190	80
19	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,020	$42,850 – $91,150	80
20	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,670	$59,430 – $73,640	100
21	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,250	$50,610 – $102,970	280
22	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,540	$49,800 – $74,600	110
23	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,810	$55,560 – $73,060	80
24	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,450	$47,960 – $99,190	40
25	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,080	$43,540 – $73,380	310
26	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$44,160 – $81,040	200
27	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,670	$42,340 – $91,560	930
28	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,670	$48,880 – $75,280	800
29	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,500	$44,910 – $81,900	390
30	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,500	$39,520 – $88,940	290
31	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,170	$46,980 – $76,210	50
32	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,170	$46,660 – $71,790	40
33	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,960	$43,910 – $74,080	300
34	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,890	$30,500 – $122,440	350
35	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,850	$45,250 – $80,370	70
36	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,690	$38,480 – $75,230	40
37	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$42,600 – $75,030	40
38	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,460	$38,100 – $80,490	140
39	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,320	$41,600 – $116,410	80
40	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$59,090	$37,970 – $98,810	160
41	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,880	$39,430 – $82,870	330
42	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$58,780	$47,440 – $75,030	100
43	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,450	$41,180 – $92,480	280
44	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,420	$37,690 – $94,940	200
45	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,010	$36,800 – $96,920	310
46	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$57,410	$38,500 – $77,520	80
47	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,140	$38,120 – $107,170	60
48	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,820	$44,710 – $80,120	110
49	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$56,810	$37,570 – $84,540	470
50	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,770	$41,790 – $90,730	310

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Columbia, MO. 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 Columbia, MO to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Columbia, MO that need no degree

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