High paying jobs in Grand Junction, CO that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Grand Junction, CO 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 Grand Junction, CO run 4.5% below the national average (2024), so a Grand Junction, CO 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 Grand Junction, CO

OccupationMedian, Grand Junction, CO · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$121,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$91,790 – $148,70090
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$117,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,470 – $167,35070
3Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$116,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,930 – $116,58050
4First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$113,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,040 – $113,86040
5Detectives and Criminal Investigators$106,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,140 – $149,28070
6Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$99,980
Associate's degree
$47,270 – $120,90050
7Dental Hygienists$98,910
Associate's degree
$90,380 – $116,320170
8First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$95,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,830 – $164,850120
9Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$93,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$64,380 – $97,410240
10Respiratory Therapists$81,290
Associate's degree
$64,700 – $109,67070
11Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$61,760 – $108,740140
12First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$77,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,660 – $116,710330
13Medical Equipment Repairers$75,880
Associate's degree
$37,500 – $99,92040
14Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$75,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,550 – $101,86040
15Food Service Managers$74,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,170 – $115,45050
16First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$74,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,110 – $102,050710
17Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$73,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,020 – $82,57060
18Computer Network Support Specialists$73,520
Associate's degree
$46,800 – $91,36050
19Correctional Officers and Jailers$73,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,360 – $91,090140
20Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$71,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,040 – $84,08060
21Firefighters$70,190
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,730 – $93,610220
22Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$69,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,760 – $99,64030
23Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$69,120
No formal educational credential
$53,340 – $81,78030
24Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$68,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,910 – $131,470570
25First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$68,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,710 – $107,930250
26Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,070
Associate's degree
$43,840 – $78,88040
27Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$67,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,370 – $96,630200
28First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$67,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,140 – $100,370540
29Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$66,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,090 – $134,900490
30Construction and Building Inspectors$66,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,520 – $85,53050
31Surgical Technologists$65,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,360 – $85,50080
32Physical Therapist Assistants$65,140
Associate's degree
$47,950 – $77,59030
33Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,430 – $77,080160
34Computer User Support Specialists$63,860
Some college, no degree
$42,880 – $105,760220
35Transportation Security Screeners$63,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,940 – $67,20030
36Industrial Machinery Mechanics$62,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,580 – $96,990200
37Massage Therapists$62,550
Postsecondary nondegree award
$31,540 – $90,86090
38Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $84,240140
39Paramedics$62,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,030 – $75,80050
40Chefs and Head Cooks$61,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,220 – $84,570110
41Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$61,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,170 – $91,580300
42Paralegals and Legal Assistants$61,420
Associate's degree
$56,780 – $89,910100
43Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,380 – $77,000100
44Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,770 – $92,620260
45First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$60,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,850 – $93,650280
46Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$60,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,720 – $83,240160
47Carpenters$60,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,290 – $80,100340
48Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,870 – $82,990190
49Postal Service Clerks$58,880
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,36030
50Tile and Stone Setters$58,680
No formal educational credential
$31,140 – $84,74040

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

#	Occupation	MedianGrand Junction, CO	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$121,670	$91,790 – $148,700	90
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,120	$57,470 – $167,350	70
3	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,570	$54,930 – $116,580	50
4	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$113,860	$53,040 – $113,860	40
5	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,270	$68,140 – $149,280	70
6	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$99,980	$47,270 – $120,900	50
7	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,910	$90,380 – $116,320	170
8	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,330	$56,830 – $164,850	120
9	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,640	$64,380 – $97,410	240
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,290	$64,700 – $109,670	70
11	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$61,760 – $108,740	140
12	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,940	$50,660 – $116,710	330
13	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$75,880	$37,500 – $99,920	40
14	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,350	$50,550 – $101,860	40
15	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,740	$58,170 – $115,450	50
16	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,660	$51,110 – $102,050	710
17	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,920	$53,020 – $82,570	60
18	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$73,520	$46,800 – $91,360	50
19	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,150	$56,360 – $91,090	140
20	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,990	$45,040 – $84,080	60
21	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$70,190	$43,730 – $93,610	220
22	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,570	$40,760 – $99,640	30
23	Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$69,120	$53,340 – $81,780	30
24	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,990	$44,910 – $131,470	570
25	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,730	$42,710 – $107,930	250
26	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,070	$43,840 – $78,880	40
27	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,440	$50,370 – $96,630	200
28	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,240	$45,140 – $100,370	540
29	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,610	$37,090 – $134,900	490
30	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,240	$39,520 – $85,530	50
31	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,410	$51,360 – $85,500	80
32	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$65,140	$47,950 – $77,590	30
33	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,480	$47,430 – $77,080	160
34	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$63,860	$42,880 – $105,760	220
35	Transportation Security ScreenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,130	$49,940 – $67,200	30
36	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,570	$45,580 – $96,990	200
37	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,550	$31,540 – $90,860	90
38	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $84,240	140
39	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,000	$46,030 – $75,800	50
40	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,810	$45,220 – $84,570	110
41	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,430	$45,170 – $91,580	300
42	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,420	$56,780 – $89,910	100
43	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,130	$46,380 – $77,000	100
44	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,540	$45,770 – $92,620	260
45	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,350	$46,850 – $93,650	280
46	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,310	$45,720 – $83,240	160
47	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,230	$44,290 – $80,100	340
48	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$49,870 – $82,990	190
49	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$58,880	$42,600 – $76,360	30
50	Tile and Stone SettersNo formal educational credential	$58,680	$31,140 – $84,740	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Grand Junction, CO. 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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Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Grand Junction, CO to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Grand Junction, CO that need no degree

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