High paying jobs in Jacksonville, NC that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Jacksonville, NC 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 Jacksonville, NC run 7.9% below the national average (2024), so a Jacksonville, NC 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 Jacksonville, NC

OccupationMedian, Jacksonville, NC · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$103,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,800 – $151,29030
2First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$97,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,000 – $166,03080
3Avionics Technicians$97,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$74,370 – $116,15060
4Detectives and Criminal Investigators$92,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,640 – $140,500100
5Dental Hygienists$82,380
Associate's degree
$77,750 – $94,270120
6Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$82,340
Associate's degree
$51,170 – $106,33070
7Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,210
Associate's degree
$44,240 – $93,29040
8Computer Network Support Specialists$73,710
Associate's degree
$47,320 – $86,25040
9Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$73,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,500 – $95,950110
10First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$69,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,140 – $92,770100
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$68,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,580 – $104,260230
12Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$68,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,550 – $81,62050
13Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$68,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,820 – $76,90070
14First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$64,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,930 – $101,040310
15Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,930
Associate's degree
$43,470 – $79,26070
16Food Service Managers$63,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,940 – $94,340130
17Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,270 – $82,64040
18Postal Service Clerks$62,130
No formal educational credential
$55,350 – $76,36040
19Physical Therapist Assistants$61,780
Associate's degree
$52,310 – $75,73030
20Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,060 – $92,81040
21Construction and Building Inspectors$61,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,320 – $128,00080
22Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$61,360
No formal educational credential
$23,060 – $68,12080
23Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$61,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,710 – $95,97040
24Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,770
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,440 – $74,940130
25First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$59,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,410 – $103,58090
26Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$59,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,600 – $76,90050
27Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$59,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,070 – $73,320440
28First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$59,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,440 – $100,30060
29Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$59,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,940 – $128,940210
30Postal Service Mail Carriers$56,660
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040250
31Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$56,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,660 – $69,24070
32Machinists$55,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,620 – $76,90030
33First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$55,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,240 – $85,090350
34Opticians, Dispensing$54,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $82,60030
35Respiratory Therapists$54,790
Associate's degree
$50,900 – $76,20040
36Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$53,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,840 – $78,730270
37Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,960 – $64,00060
38Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$52,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,580 – $68,260100
39Medical Records Specialists$51,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,870 – $69,24080
40First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$51,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,650 – $80,43060
41Paralegals and Legal Assistants$51,630
Associate's degree
$36,460 – $78,850210
42Procurement Clerks$51,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,330 – $63,27070
43Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$51,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,340 – $100,14040
44First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$50,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,610 – $81,050140
45Sheet Metal Workers$50,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,650 – $72,61040
46Insurance Sales Agents$50,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,910 – $103,140150
47Surveying and Mapping Technicians$50,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,800 – $81,33040
48Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$50,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,120 – $91,840140
49Information and Record Clerks, All Other$49,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $59,950130
50Computer User Support Specialists$49,770
Some college, no degree
$30,800 – $77,090150

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

#	Occupation	MedianJacksonville, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,120	$53,800 – $151,290	30
2	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,470	$75,000 – $166,030	80
3	Avionics TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$97,240	$74,370 – $116,150	60
4	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,410	$60,640 – $140,500	100
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$82,380	$77,750 – $94,270	120
6	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$82,340	$51,170 – $106,330	70
7	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,210	$44,240 – $93,290	40
8	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$73,710	$47,320 – $86,250	40
9	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,240	$53,500 – $95,950	110
10	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,240	$49,140 – $92,770	100
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,710	$39,580 – $104,260	230
12	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,700	$40,550 – $81,620	50
13	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,120	$43,820 – $76,900	70
14	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,980	$44,930 – $101,040	310
15	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,930	$43,470 – $79,260	70
16	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,710	$47,940 – $94,340	130
17	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,320	$62,270 – $82,640	40
18	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,130	$55,350 – $76,360	40
19	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,780	$52,310 – $75,730	30
20	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,770	$46,060 – $92,810	40
21	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,670	$43,320 – $128,000	80
22	Motor Vehicle Operators, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$61,360	$23,060 – $68,120	80
23	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,360	$47,710 – $95,970	40
24	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,770	$49,440 – $74,940	130
25	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,820	$33,410 – $103,580	90
26	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,760	$32,600 – $76,900	50
27	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,540	$46,070 – $73,320	440
28	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,480	$47,440 – $100,300	60
29	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,280	$32,940 – $128,940	210
30	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$56,660	$42,390 – $81,040	250
31	Healthcare Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,620	$41,660 – $69,240	70
32	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,500	$42,620 – $76,900	30
33	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,130	$37,240 – $85,090	350
34	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,900	$35,480 – $82,600	30
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$54,790	$50,900 – $76,200	40
36	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,230	$37,840 – $78,730	270
37	Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and WeighersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,790	$34,960 – $64,000	60
38	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,710	$37,580 – $68,260	100
39	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,930	$35,870 – $69,240	80
40	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,640	$40,650 – $80,430	60
41	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$51,630	$36,460 – $78,850	210
42	Procurement ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,630	$40,330 – $63,270	70
43	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,070	$27,340 – $100,140	40
44	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,770	$32,610 – $81,050	140
45	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,680	$40,650 – $72,610	40
46	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,560	$36,910 – $103,140	150
47	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,400	$37,800 – $81,330	40
48	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,060	$35,120 – $91,840	140
49	Information and Record Clerks, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,940	$38,880 – $59,950	130
50	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$49,770	$30,800 – $77,090	150

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

High paying jobs in Jacksonville, NC that need no degree

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