High paying jobs in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Lafayette-West Lafayette, 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN run 6.6% below the national average (2024), so a Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

OccupationMedian, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$112,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$69,910 – $212,17080
2Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$95,810
Associate's degree
$76,760 – $96,85040
3Dental Hygienists$91,750
Associate's degree
$67,570 – $102,030150
4First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$89,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $120,40040
5First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$83,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,100 – $118,480430
6Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,350 – $95,360340
7Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,050
Associate's degree
$37,630 – $108,82040
8First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$80,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,780 – $106,580400
9Respiratory Therapists$80,140
Associate's degree
$65,510 – $94,720110
10Tool and Die Makers$80,060
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,260 – $81,36080
11Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,570
Associate's degree
$51,250 – $104,520160
12Electricians$78,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,730 – $96,840580
13Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,940 – $101,02060
14Detectives and Criminal Investigators$77,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,740 – $77,96040
15First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,500 – $96,5801,720
16First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$74,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,070 – $148,20090
17Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$74,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,830 – $90,990350
18Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,280
Associate's degree
$39,110 – $106,64090
19Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$73,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,710 – $88,890150
20Computer Network Support Specialists$72,800
Associate's degree
$47,050 – $114,13090
21Millwrights$72,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,020 – $76,92040
22Occupational Therapy Assistants$71,930
Associate's degree
$40,740 – $78,80060
23Industrial Machinery Mechanics$70,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,580 – $92,540370
24Construction and Building Inspectors$68,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $84,08050
25Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$68,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,140 – $130,800630
26First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$67,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,430 – $104,420780
27Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$67,550
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,350 – $85,60050
28Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$66,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,410 – $67,04070
29First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$66,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,680 – $86,59060
30Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$65,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,080 – $87,59030
31Food Service Managers$65,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,080 – $96,800120
32Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,610 – $75,900330
33Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$64,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,260 – $84,980180
34Chemical Technicians$64,190
Associate's degree
$42,470 – $97,72080
35Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$63,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,410 – $93,22030
36Surgical Technologists$63,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,100 – $82,220130
37Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$63,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,750 – $71,8606,280
38Carpenters$63,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,000 – $95,940300
39Sheet Metal Workers$62,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,890 – $102,600140
40Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$62,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,350 – $122,250450
41Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$62,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,800 – $100,350320
42Automotive Body and Related Repairers$62,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,810 – $72,500170
43Machinists$62,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,060 – $75,610720
44Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$62,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,690 – $74,63070
45Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$62,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,710 – $71,10050
46Insurance Sales Agents$62,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,810 – $165,240240
47Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,070
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040190
48Physical Therapist Assistants$62,030
Associate's degree
$35,720 – $76,710110
49First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$61,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,700 – $93,750290
50Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$61,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,290 – $133,040140

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

#	Occupation	MedianLafayette-West Lafayette, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$112,900	$69,910 – $212,170	80
2	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$95,810	$76,760 – $96,850	40
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$91,750	$67,570 – $102,030	150
4	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,610	$35,920 – $120,400	40
5	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,520	$57,100 – $118,480	430
6	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,460	$47,350 – $95,360	340
7	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,050	$37,630 – $108,820	40
8	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,220	$52,780 – $106,580	400
9	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$80,140	$65,510 – $94,720	110
10	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$80,060	$59,260 – $81,360	80
11	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,570	$51,250 – $104,520	160
12	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,540	$43,730 – $96,840	580
13	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,290	$44,940 – $101,020	60
14	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,960	$61,740 – $77,960	40
15	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,770	$52,500 – $96,580	1,720
16	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,640	$49,070 – $148,200	90
17	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,320	$58,830 – $90,990	350
18	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,280	$39,110 – $106,640	90
19	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,830	$49,710 – $88,890	150
20	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$72,800	$47,050 – $114,130	90
21	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,450	$47,020 – $76,920	40
22	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,930	$40,740 – $78,800	60
23	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,130	$49,580 – $92,540	370
24	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,090	$39,130 – $84,080	50
25	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,080	$40,140 – $130,800	630
26	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,600	$48,430 – $104,420	780
27	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,550	$47,350 – $85,600	50
28	Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,800	$39,410 – $67,040	70
29	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,080	$47,680 – $86,590	60
30	Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,290	$48,080 – $87,590	30
31	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,200	$50,080 – $96,800	120
32	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,160	$52,610 – $75,900	330
33	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,970	$50,260 – $84,980	180
34	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,190	$42,470 – $97,720	80
35	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,570	$49,410 – $93,220	30
36	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,200	$60,100 – $82,220	130
37	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,140	$36,750 – $71,860	6,280
38	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,050	$47,000 – $95,940	300
39	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,900	$42,890 – $102,600	140
40	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,870	$37,350 – $122,250	450
41	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,780	$44,800 – $100,350	320
42	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,380	$38,810 – $72,500	170
43	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,220	$41,060 – $75,610	720
44	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,210	$47,690 – $74,630	70
45	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,180	$38,710 – $71,100	50
46	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,150	$46,810 – $165,240	240
47	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,070	$42,390 – $81,040	190
48	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,030	$35,720 – $76,710	110
49	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,760	$44,700 – $93,750	290
50	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,510	$45,290 – $133,040	140

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

High paying jobs in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN that need no degree

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