High paying jobs in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI run 4.8% above the national average (2024), so a Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI salary is worth about 0.95× 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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

OccupationMedian, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI · Employed

1Air Traffic Controllers$179,670
Associate's degree
$99,230 – $222,000620
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$124,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$75,310 – $206,7603,030
3First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$123,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$103,670 – $140,8001,750
4Dental Hygienists$112,630
Associate's degree
$86,000 – $122,1802,590
5Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$106,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$85,000 – $122,3301,130
6Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$103,570
Associate's degree
$90,790 – $120,2001,060
7First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$103,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,510 – $130,1608,310
8Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$101,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,370 – $121,7206,730
9Respiratory Therapists$100,920
Associate's degree
$84,510 – $110,050820
10Brickmasons and Blockmasons$97,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,020 – $101,720820
11Structural Iron and Steel Workers$97,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,780 – $99,150750
12Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$97,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,340 – $109,2305,570
13Construction and Building Inspectors$94,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,450 – $113,570940
14First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$93,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,640 – $155,5601,710
15First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$92,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,710 – $129,5105,450
16Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$90,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,100 – $133,0202,110
17Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$86,510
Associate's degree
$71,610 – $107,2002,710
18Detectives and Criminal Investigators$85,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,110 – $126,0501,230
19Insurance Sales Agents$84,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,030 – $177,7106,750
20Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,100 – $104,2504,270
21Surgical Technologists$82,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$72,730 – $98,5601,080
22Electricians$81,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,970 – $123,2508,810
23First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$81,630
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,470 – $133,950830
24Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$81,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,340 – $99,1601,630
25Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$80,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,090 – $103,5206,150
26Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$79,890
Associate's degree
$62,760 – $98,2201,220
27First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,200 – $105,9908,300
28Food Service Managers$79,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,310 – $104,950660
29Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$79,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,590 – $100,610870
30Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$78,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,140 – $139,14021,560
31Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,400 – $106,8804,280
32First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$78,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,100 – $112,86014,480
33Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,280
Associate's degree
$55,740 – $99,8001,030
34Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$78,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,720 – $91,850850
35Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$77,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,660 – $100,6602,420
36Paramedics$77,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,810 – $96,100820
37Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$77,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,160 – $87,5101,010
38Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$77,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,910 – $154,62014,070
39Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$76,990
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,220 – $93,350890
40Computer Network Support Specialists$76,560
Associate's degree
$55,150 – $112,3102,040
41Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$76,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,450 – $99,030750
42Paralegals and Legal Assistants$76,220
Associate's degree
$49,230 – $105,2205,990
43Surveying and Mapping Technicians$76,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,440 – $94,800740
44Mechanical Drafters$75,770
Associate's degree
$57,130 – $101,990830
45Roofers$75,400
No formal educational credential
$46,080 – $99,1701,250
46Massage Therapists$75,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,950 – $111,8901,290
47Advertising Sales Agents$75,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,000 – $137,7301,110
48Tool and Die Makers$74,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,520 – $93,510930
49Industrial Machinery Mechanics$74,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,540 – $99,8203,800
50Carpenters$74,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,920 – $100,83010,200

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

#	Occupation	MedianMinneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Air Traffic ControllersAssociate's degree	$179,670	$99,230 – $222,000	620
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,600	$75,310 – $206,760	3,030
3	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$123,350	$103,670 – $140,800	1,750
4	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$112,630	$86,000 – $122,180	2,590
5	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,840	$85,000 – $122,330	1,130
6	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$103,570	$90,790 – $120,200	1,060
7	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,290	$62,510 – $130,160	8,310
8	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,630	$51,370 – $121,720	6,730
9	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$100,920	$84,510 – $110,050	820
10	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,960	$71,020 – $101,720	820
11	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,810	$81,780 – $99,150	750
12	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,190	$63,340 – $109,230	5,570
13	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,420	$77,450 – $113,570	940
14	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,440	$50,640 – $155,560	1,710
15	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,200	$58,710 – $129,510	5,450
16	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$90,050	$59,100 – $133,020	2,110
17	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$86,510	$71,610 – $107,200	2,710
18	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,300	$60,110 – $126,050	1,230
19	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,670	$51,030 – $177,710	6,750
20	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,340	$60,100 – $104,250	4,270
21	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,000	$72,730 – $98,560	1,080
22	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,890	$48,970 – $123,250	8,810
23	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,630	$49,470 – $133,950	830
24	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,290	$59,340 – $99,160	1,630
25	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,030	$61,090 – $103,520	6,150
26	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,890	$62,760 – $98,220	1,220
27	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,820	$58,200 – $105,990	8,300
28	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,820	$57,310 – $104,950	660
29	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,300	$60,590 – $100,610	870
30	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,470	$48,140 – $139,140	21,560
31	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,460	$60,400 – $106,880	4,280
32	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,410	$53,100 – $112,860	14,480
33	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,280	$55,740 – $99,800	1,030
34	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,010	$55,720 – $91,850	850
35	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,490	$48,660 – $100,660	2,420
36	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,430	$60,810 – $96,100	820
37	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,170	$57,160 – $87,510	1,010
38	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,120	$42,910 – $154,620	14,070
39	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,990	$48,220 – $93,350	890
40	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$76,560	$55,150 – $112,310	2,040
41	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,560	$63,450 – $99,030	750
42	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,220	$49,230 – $105,220	5,990
43	Surveying and Mapping TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,140	$51,440 – $94,800	740
44	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$75,770	$57,130 – $101,990	830
45	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$75,400	$46,080 – $99,170	1,250
46	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,340	$46,950 – $111,890	1,290
47	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,060	$47,000 – $137,730	1,110
48	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,840	$49,520 – $93,510	930
49	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,800	$57,540 – $99,820	3,800
50	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,060	$49,920 – $100,830	10,200

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-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.

More for Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Without a degree

The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI that need no degree

More for Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree