High paying jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA that need no degree

These occupations pay well in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA run 11.9% above the national average (2024), so a San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA salary is worth about 0.89× 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA

OccupationMedian, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$148,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$129,070 – $203,540960
2Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$129,630
Associate's degree
$65,290 – $168,060720
3Detectives and Criminal Investigators$124,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,790 – $167,1102,990
4Dental Hygienists$123,790
Associate's degree
$108,320 – $130,5301,940
5Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$120,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$71,230 – $201,9801,920
6Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$120,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,670 – $158,870740
7Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$113,480
Associate's degree
$65,440 – $149,3901,770
8Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$110,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$78,010 – $151,9604,950
9Respiratory Therapists$105,040
Associate's degree
$82,140 – $131,4401,430
10Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$104,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,810 – $130,540490
11First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$99,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$80,910 – $140,430710
12Construction and Building Inspectors$98,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,730 – $158,9301,330
13Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$96,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,780 – $103,780660
14First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$95,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,230 – $147,8507,000
15Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$92,480
Associate's degree
$52,380 – $131,6001,450
16Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$92,390
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,510 – $128,040690
17Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$91,620
Associate's degree
$61,090 – $138,6601,980
18Legal Support Workers, All Other$89,920
Associate's degree
$48,430 – $147,580570
19Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$87,560
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,440 – $104,8301,720
20First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$85,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,490 – $129,8704,240
21Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$84,550
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,520 – $118,5102,840
22Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$84,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,430 – $121,7704,510
23Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$83,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,520 – $136,0803,130
24Surgical Technologists$82,260
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,300 – $101,4301,110
25Physical Therapist Assistants$82,160
Associate's degree
$42,050 – $101,060870
26Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$80,840
Associate's degree
$57,780 – $99,170700
27Sheet Metal Workers$80,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,440 – $126,5401,480
28Food Service Managers$80,010
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,760 – $122,0404,130
29Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$79,720
Postsecondary nondegree award
$64,950 – $96,3906,610
30Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$79,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,390 – $108,020880
31First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,330 – $127,8703,960
32Computer Network Support Specialists$79,270
Associate's degree
$48,090 – $114,280990
33Public Safety Telecommunicators$78,950
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,650 – $97,700710
34Lodging Managers$78,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,720 – $157,450500
35First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$78,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,950 – $150,0701,450
36Architectural and Civil Drafters$78,340
Associate's degree
$49,920 – $105,2901,130
37Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$78,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,930 – $139,8305,480
38Insurance Sales Agents$77,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,950 – $164,3303,680
39Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$76,970
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,140 – $103,5801,030
40Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$76,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,730 – $98,7301,080
41Structural Iron and Steel Workers$76,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,340 – $110,350740
42Paralegals and Legal Assistants$76,300
Associate's degree
$48,210 – $107,3804,440
43Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$76,290
No formal educational credential
$48,410 – $114,1103,220
44Electricians$76,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,890 – $126,2608,060
45First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$76,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,940 – $114,73011,780
46Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$76,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,320 – $152,1109,040
47Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$75,970
Associate's degree
$50,180 – $106,4401,900
48Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$75,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,370 – $95,5201,430
49Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$74,880
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,710 – $113,9903,210
50Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$74,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,250 – $151,56011,730

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

#	Occupation	MedianSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$148,310	$129,070 – $203,540	960
2	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$129,630	$65,290 – $168,060	720
3	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,840	$77,790 – $167,110	2,990
4	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$123,790	$108,320 – $130,530	1,940
5	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,960	$71,230 – $201,980	1,920
6	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$120,870	$65,670 – $158,870	740
7	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$113,480	$65,440 – $149,390	1,770
8	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$110,400	$78,010 – $151,960	4,950
9	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$105,040	$82,140 – $131,440	1,430
10	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$104,840	$61,810 – $130,540	490
11	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,540	$80,910 – $140,430	710
12	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,580	$58,730 – $158,930	1,330
13	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,580	$58,780 – $103,780	660
14	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,850	$60,230 – $147,850	7,000
15	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$92,480	$52,380 – $131,600	1,450
16	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$92,390	$58,510 – $128,040	690
17	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$91,620	$61,090 – $138,660	1,980
18	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$89,920	$48,430 – $147,580	570
19	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,560	$61,440 – $104,830	1,720
20	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$85,080	$49,490 – $129,870	4,240
21	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,550	$59,520 – $118,510	2,840
22	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,540	$56,430 – $121,770	4,510
23	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,670	$54,520 – $136,080	3,130
24	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,260	$62,300 – $101,430	1,110
25	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$82,160	$42,050 – $101,060	870
26	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,840	$57,780 – $99,170	700
27	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,080	$47,440 – $126,540	1,480
28	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,010	$45,760 – $122,040	4,130
29	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,720	$64,950 – $96,390	6,610
30	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,630	$61,390 – $108,020	880
31	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,350	$49,330 – $127,870	3,960
32	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$79,270	$48,090 – $114,280	990
33	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,950	$63,650 – $97,700	710
34	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,800	$47,720 – $157,450	500
35	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,680	$50,950 – $150,070	1,450
36	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$78,340	$49,920 – $105,290	1,130
37	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,250	$43,930 – $139,830	5,480
38	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,020	$44,950 – $164,330	3,680
39	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,970	$55,140 – $103,580	1,030
40	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,510	$47,730 – $98,730	1,080
41	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,400	$49,340 – $110,350	740
42	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,300	$48,210 – $107,380	4,440
43	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$76,290	$48,410 – $114,110	3,220
44	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,160	$47,890 – $126,260	8,060
45	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,120	$49,940 – $114,730	11,780
46	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,100	$43,320 – $152,110	9,040
47	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$75,970	$50,180 – $106,440	1,900
48	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,070	$51,370 – $95,520	1,430
49	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,880	$46,710 – $113,990	3,210
50	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,610	$41,250 – $151,560	11,730

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA that need no degree

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