High paying jobs in Madison, WI that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI run 2.7% below the national average (2024), so a Madison, WI salary is worth about 1.03× 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 Madison, WI

OccupationMedian, Madison, WI · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$117,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$80,810 – $138,420230
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$104,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $121,000360
3Detectives and Criminal Investigators$102,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,230 – $109,300280
4Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$101,960
Associate's degree
$97,410 – $127,240210
5Dental Hygienists$100,340
Associate's degree
$83,660 – $105,440680
6Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,410 – $183,250580
7First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$98,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,250 – $165,680670
8Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars$98,530
Associate's degree
$50,600 – $128,450270
9First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$93,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,750 – $128,4002,320
10Computer Network Support Specialists$90,400
Associate's degree
$65,330 – $110,660460
11Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$85,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,310 – $123,2701,590
12First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$84,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,970 – $129,4201,400
13Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,830 – $102,450680
14Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$82,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,790 – $118,690130
15Brickmasons and Blockmasons$82,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,650 – $100,820150
16Respiratory Therapists$81,530
Associate's degree
$75,960 – $100,320350
17Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$81,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,860 – $105,2401,400
18Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,920
Associate's degree
$62,230 – $99,720770
19Insurance Sales Agents$80,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,780 – $152,3301,090
20Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$80,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,730 – $98,4101,600
21Electricians$78,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,050 – $102,8601,760
22Construction and Building Inspectors$78,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,590 – $103,250140
23Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$77,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,010 – $77,800240
24Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$77,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,880 – $124,340260
25Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$76,970
Associate's degree
$48,150 – $98,620300
26First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$76,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,740 – $104,9702,000
27Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,520 – $92,140610
28Medical Equipment Repairers$76,020
Associate's degree
$50,640 – $120,990210
29Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$75,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,740 – $75,990170
30Surgical Technologists$75,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,930 – $96,720330
31Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$75,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,510 – $93,290220
32First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$75,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,460 – $106,3603,380
33Sheet Metal Workers$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,150 – $107,280340
34Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$74,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,410 – $98,670170
35Architectural and Civil Drafters$72,210
Associate's degree
$52,570 – $102,540390
36Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$71,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,220 – $83,700150
37Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$70,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,970 – $96,860950
38First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$70,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,780 – $89,530370
39Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$68,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,340 – $92,670230
40Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$65,910
No formal educational credential
$50,890 – $92,490570
41Tool and Die Makers$65,900
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,470 – $95,250150
42Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$65,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,470 – $119,5404,060
43Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,700 – $88,110930
44Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$65,420
Associate's degree
$51,120 – $105,260270
45Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$65,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,480 – $132,4903,750
46Mechanical Drafters$64,990
Associate's degree
$48,150 – $92,040180
47Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$64,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,940 – $127,460370
48Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,550
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,800 – $79,370650
49First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$64,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,720 – $96,1901,280
50Psychiatric Technicians$64,380
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,690 – $86,4901,030

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

#	Occupation	MedianMadison, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$117,080	$80,810 – $138,420	230
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,220	$47,600 – $121,000	360
3	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,780	$77,230 – $109,300	280
4	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$101,960	$97,410 – $127,240	210
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,340	$83,660 – $105,440	680
6	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,340	$57,410 – $183,250	580
7	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,620	$61,250 – $165,680	670
8	Health Information Technologists and Medical RegistrarsAssociate's degree	$98,530	$50,600 – $128,450	270
9	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,290	$53,750 – $128,400	2,320
10	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$90,400	$65,330 – $110,660	460
11	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,160	$48,310 – $123,270	1,590
12	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,950	$57,970 – $129,420	1,400
13	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,060	$58,830 – $102,450	680
14	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,960	$60,790 – $118,690	130
15	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,420	$48,650 – $100,820	150
16	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$81,530	$75,960 – $100,320	350
17	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,200	$59,860 – $105,240	1,400
18	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,920	$62,230 – $99,720	770
19	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,700	$49,780 – $152,330	1,090
20	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,580	$61,730 – $98,410	1,600
21	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,430	$45,050 – $102,860	1,760
22	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,190	$51,590 – $103,250	140
23	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,800	$47,010 – $77,800	240
24	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,460	$52,880 – $124,340	260
25	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,970	$48,150 – $98,620	300
26	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,700	$52,740 – $104,970	2,000
27	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,250	$53,520 – $92,140	610
28	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$76,020	$50,640 – $120,990	210
29	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,990	$49,740 – $75,990	170
30	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,930	$61,930 – $96,720	330
31	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,640	$50,510 – $93,290	220
32	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,290	$49,460 – $106,360	3,380
33	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$47,150 – $107,280	340
34	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,030	$38,410 – $98,670	170
35	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$72,210	$52,570 – $102,540	390
36	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,850	$51,220 – $83,700	150
37	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,800	$55,970 – $96,860	950
38	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,740	$56,780 – $89,530	370
39	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,610	$54,340 – $92,670	230
40	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$65,910	$50,890 – $92,490	570
41	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,900	$48,470 – $95,250	150
42	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,840	$40,470 – $119,540	4,060
43	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,620	$49,700 – $88,110	930
44	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,420	$51,120 – $105,260	270
45	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,400	$39,480 – $132,490	3,750
46	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,990	$48,150 – $92,040	180
47	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,580	$47,940 – $127,460	370
48	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,550	$55,800 – $79,370	650
49	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,420	$43,720 – $96,190	1,280
50	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,380	$36,690 – $86,490	1,030

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

High paying jobs in Madison, WI that need no degree

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