High paying jobs in Fort Wayne, IN that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN run 7.4% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Wayne, IN salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Fort Wayne, IN

OccupationMedian, Fort Wayne, IN · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$105,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,550 – $175,640300
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$101,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,340 – $117,020100
3First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$95,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$84,930 – $123,990100
4First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$92,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$85,880 – $103,280130
5Millwrights$91,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,670 – $91,410110
6First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$86,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,630 – $148,360210
7Dental Hygienists$86,120
Associate's degree
$79,900 – $93,970460
8Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$83,500
Associate's degree
$66,190 – $98,830110
9Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$83,290
Associate's degree
$64,300 – $98,69080
10First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$81,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,150 – $112,5301,250
11Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$79,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,520 – $90,390820
12Computer Network Support Specialists$78,440
Associate's degree
$47,920 – $127,690360
13Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$77,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,500 – $95,730650
14Respiratory Therapists$77,390
Associate's degree
$62,730 – $93,320210
15Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$77,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,850 – $102,5201,160
16Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$76,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,880 – $104,720360
17Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,840
Associate's degree
$56,680 – $89,720370
18First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$76,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,140 – $109,030950
19Firefighters$75,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,520 – $76,390420
20Detectives and Criminal Investigators$74,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,520 – $111,99090
21Occupational Therapy Assistants$73,130
Associate's degree
$52,870 – $89,870100
22Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$71,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $130,7002,490
23Electricians$71,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,720 – $95,1501,260
24First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$71,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,500 – $103,1101,510
25Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$71,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,630 – $82,58090
26Construction and Building Inspectors$67,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,150 – $89,410120
27Structural Iron and Steel Workers$67,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,610 – $92,180190
28Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$67,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,230 – $80,87070
29First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$66,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,880 – $90,30090
30Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$66,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,010 – $78,240190
31Surgical Assistants$65,910
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,090 – $97,290110
32Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$65,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,710 – $78,930190
33First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$65,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,970 – $97,0701,880
34Mechanical Drafters$64,820
Associate's degree
$42,340 – $86,63080
35Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,490
Associate's degree
$48,370 – $95,270100
36Brickmasons and Blockmasons$64,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,780 – $89,64090
37Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,190 – $75,7901,200
38Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$63,260
Associate's degree
$41,200 – $80,330220
39Surgical Technologists$63,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,670 – $79,680210
40Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$62,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,490 – $94,390220
41Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$62,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,860 – $83,560220
42Food Service Managers$62,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,600 – $98,660360
43Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,03080
44Physical Therapist Assistants$62,360
Associate's degree
$42,760 – $76,250230
45First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,090 – $78,980160
46Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040440
47Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,860
Associate's degree
$46,060 – $85,510140
48First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$61,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,420 – $88,7701,060
49Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,550 – $77,4801,050
50Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$61,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,150 – $76,330160

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

#	Occupation	MedianFort Wayne, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,770	$68,550 – $175,640	300
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,810	$62,340 – $117,020	100
3	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,400	$84,930 – $123,990	100
4	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$92,310	$85,880 – $103,280	130
5	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,410	$58,670 – $91,410	110
6	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,400	$54,630 – $148,360	210
7	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$86,120	$79,900 – $93,970	460
8	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$83,500	$66,190 – $98,830	110
9	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$83,290	$64,300 – $98,690	80
10	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,760	$60,150 – $112,530	1,250
11	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,210	$61,520 – $90,390	820
12	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$78,440	$47,920 – $127,690	360
13	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,450	$46,500 – $95,730	650
14	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$77,390	$62,730 – $93,320	210
15	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,110	$47,850 – $102,520	1,160
16	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,880	$50,880 – $104,720	360
17	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,840	$56,680 – $89,720	370
18	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,640	$53,140 – $109,030	950
19	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,860	$53,520 – $76,390	420
20	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,820	$39,520 – $111,990	90
21	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,130	$52,870 – $89,870	100
22	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,330	$38,280 – $130,700	2,490
23	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,290	$42,720 – $95,150	1,260
24	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,100	$47,500 – $103,110	1,510
25	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,070	$46,630 – $82,580	90
26	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,680	$48,150 – $89,410	120
27	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,530	$44,610 – $92,180	190
28	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,140	$41,230 – $80,870	70
29	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,720	$36,880 – $90,300	90
30	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,030	$39,010 – $78,240	190
31	Surgical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,910	$41,090 – $97,290	110
32	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,490	$49,710 – $78,930	190
33	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,470	$46,970 – $97,070	1,880
34	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,820	$42,340 – $86,630	80
35	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,490	$48,370 – $95,270	100
36	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,240	$39,780 – $89,640	90
37	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,640	$51,190 – $75,790	1,200
38	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,260	$41,200 – $80,330	220
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,140	$57,670 – $79,680	210
40	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,750	$46,490 – $94,390	220
41	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,640	$44,860 – $83,560	220
42	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,620	$51,600 – $98,660	360
43	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	80
44	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,360	$42,760 – $76,250	230
45	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,280	$45,090 – $78,980	160
46	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	440
47	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,860	$46,060 – $85,510	140
48	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,850	$42,420 – $88,770	1,060
49	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,790	$47,550 – $77,480	1,050
50	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,640	$47,150 – $76,330	160

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Fort Wayne, IN. 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 Fort Wayne, IN to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Fort Wayne, IN that need no degree

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