High paying jobs in El Centro, CA that need no degree

These occupations pay well in El Centro, CA 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 El Centro, CA run 4.8% below the national average (2024), so a El Centro, CA salary is worth about 1.05× 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 El Centro, CA

OccupationMedian, El Centro, CA · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$149,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$82,600 – $205,04050
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$134,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,210 – $134,95040
3Detectives and Criminal Investigators$123,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,610 – $130,850770
4Dental Hygienists$115,870
Associate's degree
$103,290 – $130,84040
5Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$101,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$89,600 – $117,72040
6Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$98,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,140 – $159,28040
7Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$96,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,750 – $120,57040
8Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$95,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,250 – $156,84080
9Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$92,000
Associate's degree
$80,570 – $123,34060
10Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$89,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,890 – $123,54050
11First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$86,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,160 – $125,650170
12First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$80,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,320 – $126,330190
13First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,400 – $141,600190
14Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$78,020
No formal educational credential
$37,750 – $78,80090
15Food Service Managers$77,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,950 – $123,44060
16Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,890 – $159,420290
17Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$76,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,890 – $119,03070
18Industrial Machinery Mechanics$75,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,670 – $97,500180
19Computer User Support Specialists$75,460
Some college, no degree
$47,920 – $117,840130
20Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$75,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,370 – $111,110120
21Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$74,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,220 – $112,860100
22Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$74,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,140 – $91,180300
23Electricians$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,570 – $121,310160
24Carpenters$74,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,420 – $99,740140
25Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$73,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,190 – $141,840360
26Construction and Building Inspectors$72,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,650 – $129,49040
27Computer Network Support Specialists$71,390
Associate's degree
$45,200 – $94,23030
28Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$70,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $122,530240
29Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$70,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,310 – $89,85080
30First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$70,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,270 – $117,09050
31Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$70,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,480 – $97,650140
32Automotive Body and Related Repairers$68,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,000 – $74,71050
33Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$67,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,750 – $87,880140
34First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$66,820
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,220 – $140,69050
35First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$66,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,920 – $94,580480
36First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers$64,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $80,250240
37Postal Service Clerks$63,970
No formal educational credential
$56,390 – $75,03040
38Paralegals and Legal Assistants$63,000
Associate's degree
$44,770 – $106,75060
39Bus Drivers, School$62,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,850 – $73,78060
40Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$62,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $96,180150
41Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$61,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,640 – $73,70050
42Medical Records Specialists$60,850
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,000 – $80,86060
43Self-Enrichment Teachers$59,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,040 – $168,92090
44First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers$58,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $76,34040
45First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,350 – $83,650240
46Public Safety Telecommunicators$58,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,790 – $90,92040
47Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$58,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $90,93070
48Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$58,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,320 – $135,140100
49Procurement Clerks$57,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,440 – $77,99040
50Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$57,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,640 – $83,180100

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

#	Occupation	MedianEl Centro, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$149,290	$82,600 – $205,040	50
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$134,950	$68,210 – $134,950	40
3	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,970	$73,610 – $130,850	770
4	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$115,870	$103,290 – $130,840	40
5	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,650	$89,600 – $117,720	40
6	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,630	$73,140 – $159,280	40
7	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,150	$48,750 – $120,570	40
8	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,330	$57,250 – $156,840	80
9	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$92,000	$80,570 – $123,340	60
10	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,600	$50,890 – $123,540	50
11	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,010	$60,160 – $125,650	170
12	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,640	$48,320 – $126,330	190
13	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,060	$44,400 – $141,600	190
14	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$78,020	$37,750 – $78,800	90
15	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,290	$45,950 – $123,440	60
16	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,230	$57,890 – $159,420	290
17	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,050	$47,890 – $119,030	70
18	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,890	$42,670 – $97,500	180
19	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$75,460	$47,920 – $117,840	130
20	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,220	$47,370 – $111,110	120
21	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,790	$47,220 – $112,860	100
22	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,710	$62,140 – $91,180	300
23	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$45,570 – $121,310	160
24	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,340	$44,420 – $99,740	140
25	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,270	$43,190 – $141,840	360
26	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,860	$45,650 – $129,490	40
27	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$71,390	$45,200 – $94,230	30
28	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,830	$46,970 – $122,530	240
29	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,710	$50,310 – $89,850	80
30	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,430	$43,270 – $117,090	50
31	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,360	$36,480 – $97,650	140
32	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,410	$38,000 – $74,710	50
33	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,000	$40,750 – $87,880	140
34	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,820	$57,220 – $140,690	50
35	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,410	$43,920 – $94,580	480
36	First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,150	$37,020 – $80,250	240
37	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,970	$56,390 – $75,030	40
38	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,000	$44,770 – $106,750	60
39	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,610	$42,850 – $73,780	60
40	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,390	$46,970 – $96,180	150
41	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,330	$46,640 – $73,700	50
42	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,850	$40,000 – $80,860	60
43	Self-Enrichment TeachersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,600	$35,040 – $168,920	90
44	First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,840	$37,080 – $76,340	40
45	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,780	$40,350 – $83,650	240
46	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,560	$48,790 – $90,920	40
47	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,350	$38,280 – $90,930	70
48	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,230	$48,320 – $135,140	100
49	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,640	$37,440 – $77,990	40
50	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,610	$38,640 – $83,180	100

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in El Centro, CA. 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 El Centro, CA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in El Centro, CA that need no degree

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