High paying jobs in New Jersey that need no degree

These occupations pay well in New Jersey 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 New Jersey run 8.8% above the national average (2024), so a New Jersey salary is worth about 0.92× 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 New Jersey.

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

Find high paying jobs in New Jersey

OccupationMedian, New Jersey · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$142,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$114,480 – $181,0107,650
2First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$133,210
Postsecondary nondegree award
$105,990 – $164,6102,210
3Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$130,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$87,330 – $216,8409,120
4Detectives and Criminal Investigators$116,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$73,100 – $165,5703,080
5Dental Hygienists$107,040
Associate's degree
$94,260 – $117,7307,230
6First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$105,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,210 – $153,94016,230
7Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$105,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$72,760 – $133,7901,900
8Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$103,150
Associate's degree
$80,090 – $134,5503,370
9Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$102,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,690 – $115,0002,540
10Respiratory Therapists$100,810
Associate's degree
$78,000 – $123,3703,350
11First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$99,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,640 – $167,15010,370
12Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$95,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,780 – $129,7209,650
13Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$95,000
Associate's degree
$71,770 – $118,4106,320
14Correctional Officers and Jailers$94,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,410 – $106,5707,570
15Sheet Metal Workers$92,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,290 – $130,6302,790
16First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$92,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,750 – $133,25014,930
17Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$92,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,740 – $134,26021,780
18Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$89,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,760 – $133,3305,980
19Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$89,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,000 – $119,99011,690
20Computer Network Support Specialists$87,440
Associate's degree
$50,830 – $136,2603,370
21Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,510
Associate's degree
$58,460 – $118,1202,250
22Firefighters$84,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,920 – $123,9407,500
23Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$82,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,220 – $170,9007,110
24Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$82,710
Associate's degree
$47,950 – $115,5502,440
25Construction and Building Inspectors$81,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,880 – $126,4005,950
26Insurance Sales Agents$81,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,330 – $169,77011,370
27First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$81,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,560 – $124,37015,040
28Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$79,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,910 – $169,82034,360
29Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$79,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,290 – $167,43044,980
30Solar Photovoltaic Installers$78,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,600 – $102,0501,880
31Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$78,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,050 – $99,2402,500
32Physical Therapist Assistants$78,440
Associate's degree
$62,620 – $90,0901,810
33Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$78,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,720 – $136,7108,750
34Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$78,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,040 – $99,6803,520
35Food Service Managers$78,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,240 – $122,5106,360
36Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$78,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,590 – $104,7702,690
37Electricians$77,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,570 – $130,86013,520
38Surgical Technologists$77,200
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,270 – $100,4902,780
39First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$76,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,620 – $116,44055,210
40Roofers$76,600
No formal educational credential
$45,230 – $103,7201,860
41Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$76,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,170 – $106,4901,400
42Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$75,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$63,210 – $85,40017,410
43Brokerage Clerks$74,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,930 – $100,4103,260
44Industrial Machinery Mechanics$74,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,680 – $99,4408,380
45Sales and Related Workers, All Other$74,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,520 – $106,8904,190
46Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$74,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,020 – $116,55010,330
47Chefs and Head Cooks$74,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,200 – $100,1009,100
48Opticians, Dispensing$72,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,110 – $85,0202,010
49Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$72,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,140 – $94,1508,160
50Paralegals and Legal Assistants$71,500
Associate's degree
$47,070 – $99,90012,010

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

#	Occupation	MedianNew Jersey	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$142,990	$114,480 – $181,010	7,650
2	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$133,210	$105,990 – $164,610	2,210
3	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$130,610	$87,330 – $216,840	9,120
4	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,300	$73,100 – $165,570	3,080
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$107,040	$94,260 – $117,730	7,230
6	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,510	$63,210 – $153,940	16,230
7	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$105,370	$72,760 – $133,790	1,900
8	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$103,150	$80,090 – $134,550	3,370
9	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,090	$58,690 – $115,000	2,540
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$100,810	$78,000 – $123,370	3,350
11	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,030	$61,640 – $167,150	10,370
12	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,690	$61,780 – $129,720	9,650
13	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$95,000	$71,770 – $118,410	6,320
14	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,770	$51,410 – $106,570	7,570
15	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,840	$46,290 – $130,630	2,790
16	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,680	$58,750 – $133,250	14,930
17	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,610	$57,740 – $134,260	21,780
18	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,660	$50,760 – $133,330	5,980
19	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,520	$60,000 – $119,990	11,690
20	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$87,440	$50,830 – $136,260	3,370
21	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$85,510	$58,460 – $118,120	2,250
22	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,130	$47,920 – $123,940	7,500
23	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,850	$46,220 – $170,900	7,110
24	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$82,710	$47,950 – $115,550	2,440
25	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,760	$48,880 – $126,400	5,950
26	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,640	$49,330 – $169,770	11,370
27	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,110	$48,560 – $124,370	15,040
28	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,410	$47,910 – $169,820	34,360
29	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,200	$44,290 – $167,430	44,980
30	Solar Photovoltaic InstallersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,950	$47,600 – $102,050	1,880
31	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,760	$51,050 – $99,240	2,500
32	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,440	$62,620 – $90,090	1,810
33	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,240	$48,720 – $136,710	8,750
34	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,180	$52,040 – $99,680	3,520
35	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,020	$55,240 – $122,510	6,360
36	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,000	$51,590 – $104,770	2,690
37	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,250	$48,570 – $130,860	13,520
38	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,200	$48,270 – $100,490	2,780
39	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,640	$49,620 – $116,440	55,210
40	RoofersNo formal educational credential	$76,600	$45,230 – $103,720	1,860
41	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,560	$54,170 – $106,490	1,400
42	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,160	$63,210 – $85,400	17,410
43	Brokerage ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,830	$60,930 – $100,410	3,260
44	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,760	$48,680 – $99,440	8,380
45	Sales and Related Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,520	$39,520 – $106,890	4,190
46	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,450	$48,020 – $116,550	10,330
47	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,280	$49,200 – $100,100	9,100
48	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,460	$47,110 – $85,020	2,010
49	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,340	$49,140 – $94,150	8,160
50	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,500	$47,070 – $99,900	12,010

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

Metro areas in New Jersey

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

By field in New Jersey

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in New Jersey that need no degree

More for New Jersey

Metro areas in New Jersey

By field in New Jersey

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree