High paying jobs in Missouri that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Missouri 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 Missouri run 9.2% below the national average (2024), so a Missouri salary is worth about 1.10× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Missouri.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Missouri

OccupationMedian, Missouri · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$102,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,240 – $186,0403,650
2Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,130
Associate's degree
$76,820 – $106,0901,930
3Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$96,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,900 – $115,7403,440
4First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$94,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,610 – $125,0003,490
5Dental Hygienists$92,750
Associate's degree
$59,880 – $99,4003,810
6First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$87,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,240 – $120,28013,330
7Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$83,110
Associate's degree
$65,400 – $99,1301,040
8First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$79,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,570 – $160,4602,910
9Locomotive Engineers$78,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,750 – $79,0401,110
10Respiratory Therapists$78,390
Associate's degree
$60,950 – $95,7303,030
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$77,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,420 – $121,94011,220
12Structural Iron and Steel Workers$77,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,650 – $89,3501,320
13First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$75,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,210 – $125,9401,950
14Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$75,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,900 – $111,0706,200
15Detectives and Criminal Investigators$75,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $151,7201,600
16First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$73,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,230 – $99,02015,430
17Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$73,080
Associate's degree
$50,810 – $97,1505,170
18Computer Network Support Specialists$72,780
Associate's degree
$42,440 – $129,5103,910
19Brickmasons and Blockmasons$72,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,610 – $85,6301,940
20Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,120
Associate's degree
$49,480 – $103,2401,390
21Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$71,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,620 – $97,1601,700
22Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$69,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,410 – $98,5601,560
23Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$68,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,990 – $68,590970
24Industrial Machinery Mechanics$67,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,190 – $104,1105,420
25Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$66,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,780 – $117,1808,310
26Occupational Therapy Assistants$66,070
Associate's degree
$50,990 – $80,9301,470
27Food Service Managers$65,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,680 – $98,4001,600
28Electricians$65,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,860 – $104,06012,780
29Chefs and Head Cooks$64,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,650 – $91,5001,750
30Physical Therapist Assistants$63,770
Associate's degree
$50,460 – $79,0002,490
31Maintenance Workers, Machinery$63,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,070 – $84,4302,180
32Sheet Metal Workers$63,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $110,5802,640
33Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,930 – $88,3803,370
34First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$63,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,090 – $100,30022,360
35Construction and Building Inspectors$62,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,980 – $87,6901,640
36Tax Preparers$62,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,400 – $124,3001,330
37Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,440
Associate's degree
$44,560 – $104,3001,220
38Real Estate Brokers$62,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,590 – $111,0701,980
39Massage Therapists$62,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,680 – $101,9001,500
40Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$61,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,110 – $125,28021,960
41Architectural and Civil Drafters$61,940
Associate's degree
$44,760 – $90,2002,270
42Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$61,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,100 – $97,3904,740
43Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,580 – $77,12014,700
44Advertising Sales Agents$61,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,020 – $128,3001,640
45Paralegals and Legal Assistants$61,410
Associate's degree
$42,150 – $96,8207,130
46Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,390
No formal educational credential
$42,280 – $87,0106,220
47Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,350
Associate's degree
$43,060 – $82,6401,300
48Tree Trimmers and Pruners$61,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,560 – $70,950970
49Surgical Technologists$61,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,930 – $78,4102,100
50Carpenters$60,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,700 – $96,31014,410

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

#	Occupation	MedianMissouri	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,870	$58,240 – $186,040	3,650
2	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,130	$76,820 – $106,090	1,930
3	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,360	$59,900 – $115,740	3,440
4	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,440	$59,610 – $125,000	3,490
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$92,750	$59,880 – $99,400	3,810
6	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,520	$57,240 – $120,280	13,330
7	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$83,110	$65,400 – $99,130	1,040
8	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,440	$47,570 – $160,460	2,910
9	Locomotive EngineersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,820	$78,750 – $79,040	1,110
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,390	$60,950 – $95,730	3,030
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,470	$48,420 – $121,940	11,220
12	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,410	$48,650 – $89,350	1,320
13	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,970	$45,210 – $125,940	1,950
14	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,840	$48,900 – $111,070	6,200
15	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,650	$49,190 – $151,720	1,600
16	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,210	$46,230 – $99,020	15,430
17	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,080	$50,810 – $97,150	5,170
18	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$72,780	$42,440 – $129,510	3,910
19	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,370	$47,610 – $85,630	1,940
20	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,120	$49,480 – $103,240	1,390
21	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$71,470	$45,620 – $97,160	1,700
22	Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,400	$42,410 – $98,560	1,560
23	Railroad Conductors and YardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,030	$59,990 – $68,590	970
24	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,390	$45,190 – $104,110	5,420
25	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,790	$44,780 – $117,180	8,310
26	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$66,070	$50,990 – $80,930	1,470
27	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,520	$51,680 – $98,400	1,600
28	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,410	$43,860 – $104,060	12,780
29	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,480	$39,650 – $91,500	1,750
30	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$63,770	$50,460 – $79,000	2,490
31	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,720	$48,070 – $84,430	2,180
32	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,560	$38,090 – $110,580	2,640
33	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,390	$45,930 – $88,380	3,370
34	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,050	$42,090 – $100,300	22,360
35	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,970	$46,980 – $87,690	1,640
36	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,780	$31,400 – $124,300	1,330
37	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,440	$44,560 – $104,300	1,220
38	Real Estate BrokersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,280	$31,590 – $111,070	1,980
39	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,050	$43,680 – $101,900	1,500
40	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,940	$35,110 – $125,280	21,960
41	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$61,940	$44,760 – $90,200	2,270
42	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,640	$39,100 – $97,390	4,740
43	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,530	$48,580 – $77,120	14,700
44	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,440	$37,020 – $128,300	1,640
45	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$61,410	$42,150 – $96,820	7,130
46	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,390	$42,280 – $87,010	6,220
47	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,350	$43,060 – $82,640	1,300
48	Tree Trimmers and PrunersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,140	$37,560 – $70,950	970
49	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,120	$44,930 – $78,410	2,100
50	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,840	$38,700 – $96,310	14,410

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Missouri. 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 Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

Pay varies more between metros than between states — the spread inside one state is often wider than the gap between two.

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Missouri that need no degree

More for Missouri

Metro areas in Missouri

By field in Missouri

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree