High paying jobs in Rochester, NY that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Rochester, NY 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 Rochester, NY run 3.0% below the national average (2024), so a Rochester, NY 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 Rochester, NY

OccupationMedian, Rochester, NY · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$110,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,110 – $150,650450
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$107,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,140 – $128,050450
3First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$107,340
Postsecondary nondegree award
$98,660 – $127,930290
4Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$76,290 – $176,490410
5Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$105,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,770 – $127,750310
6First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$99,660
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,210 – $169,050800
7First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$98,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,830 – $114,240170
8Dental Hygienists$93,650
Associate's degree
$80,290 – $95,160940
9Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$92,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,140 – $101,4301,800
10Firefighters$89,120
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,280 – $93,810730
11Real Estate Sales Agents$88,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $198,270270
12Respiratory Therapists$82,990
Associate's degree
$74,580 – $100,900410
13Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$82,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,850 – $128,040470
14Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$82,070
Associate's degree
$75,530 – $102,780400
15First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$81,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,560 – $123,4302,080
16Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$81,180
Associate's degree
$73,930 – $98,320250
17First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,260 – $121,3901,730
18Insurance Sales Agents$79,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,550 – $168,100930
19Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$77,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,340 – $105,090350
20Construction and Building Inspectors$77,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,170 – $110,500690
21Electricians$77,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,410 – $107,9102,540
22Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$77,280
Associate's degree
$48,070 – $98,790390
23Correctional Officers and Jailers$76,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,600 – $85,0701,390
24Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$76,390
Associate's degree
$63,050 – $95,870650
25Food Service Managers$76,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,420 – $123,840340
26First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,810 – $104,6002,230
27Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$75,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,440 – $132,1003,220
28Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$73,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,740 – $100,340330
29Brickmasons and Blockmasons$73,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,440 – $94,350180
30Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$73,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,570 – $100,1401,460
31Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$72,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,180 – $99,3502,830
32Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$71,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,850 – $88,040200
33Mechanical Drafters$69,750
Associate's degree
$42,890 – $90,980220
34First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,100 – $99,9804,220
35Advertising Sales Agents$68,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,440 – $137,510260
36Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$67,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,220 – $132,0103,510
37Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$66,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,330 – $89,700220
38Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$66,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,800 – $97,500160
39First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers$66,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,630 – $89,750170
40Massage Therapists$66,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$32,240 – $92,000200
41Chefs and Head Cooks$66,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,070 – $102,800690
42Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$65,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,800 – $112,740910
43Computer Network Support Specialists$65,180
Associate's degree
$49,050 – $98,320650
44Architectural and Civil Drafters$64,770
Associate's degree
$48,200 – $97,640310
45Sheet Metal Workers$63,710
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $97,170510
46Postal Service Clerks$63,650
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030250
47Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$63,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,860 – $91,1901,850
48Maintenance Workers, Machinery$63,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,740 – $83,710280
49Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,740 – $82,7101,290
50Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,180 – $78,980440

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

#	Occupation	MedianRochester, NY	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,490	$90,110 – $150,650	450
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,660	$62,140 – $128,050	450
3	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$107,340	$98,660 – $127,930	290
4	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,190	$76,290 – $176,490	410
5	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,110	$58,770 – $127,750	310
6	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,660	$62,210 – $169,050	800
7	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,580	$78,830 – $114,240	170
8	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$93,650	$80,290 – $95,160	940
9	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,920	$57,140 – $101,430	1,800
10	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$89,120	$57,280 – $93,810	730
11	Real Estate Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,310	$45,760 – $198,270	270
12	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,990	$74,580 – $100,900	410
13	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,080	$54,850 – $128,040	470
14	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$82,070	$75,530 – $102,780	400
15	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,380	$59,560 – $123,430	2,080
16	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$81,180	$73,930 – $98,320	250
17	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,920	$56,260 – $121,390	1,730
18	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,150	$42,550 – $168,100	930
19	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,530	$48,340 – $105,090	350
20	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,340	$46,170 – $110,500	690
21	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,310	$45,410 – $107,910	2,540
22	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,280	$48,070 – $98,790	390
23	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,820	$60,600 – $85,070	1,390
24	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$76,390	$63,050 – $95,870	650
25	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,100	$55,420 – $123,840	340
26	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,460	$49,810 – $104,600	2,230
27	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,450	$45,440 – $132,100	3,220
28	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$73,870	$47,740 – $100,340	330
29	Brickmasons and BlockmasonsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,860	$50,440 – $94,350	180
30	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,580	$43,570 – $100,140	1,460
31	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,210	$55,180 – $99,350	2,830
32	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,490	$54,850 – $88,040	200
33	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$69,750	$42,890 – $90,980	220
34	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,450	$49,100 – $99,980	4,220
35	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,310	$34,440 – $137,510	260
36	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,400	$38,220 – $132,010	3,510
37	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,650	$53,330 – $89,700	220
38	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,260	$48,800 – $97,500	160
39	First-Line Supervisors of Security WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,140	$42,630 – $89,750	170
40	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$66,110	$32,240 – $92,000	200
41	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,080	$48,070 – $102,800	690
42	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,720	$46,800 – $112,740	910
43	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$65,180	$49,050 – $98,320	650
44	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$64,770	$48,200 – $97,640	310
45	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,710	$37,700 – $97,170	510
46	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$63,650	$42,600 – $75,030	250
47	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,570	$45,860 – $91,190	1,850
48	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,500	$39,740 – $83,710	280
49	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,460	$46,740 – $82,710	1,290
50	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,120	$50,180 – $78,980	440

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Rochester, NY. 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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Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Rochester, NY that need no degree

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