High paying jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA run 7.8% above the national average (2024), so a Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA salary is worth about 0.93× 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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA

OccupationMedian, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA · Employed

1Commercial Pilots$274,730
Postsecondary nondegree award
$75,320 – $306,270130
2Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$161,570
Associate's degree
$103,280 – $206,22090
3First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$157,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$102,570 – $197,03080
4First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$140,830
Postsecondary nondegree award
$96,470 – $167,61080
5Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$137,530
Associate's degree
$85,830 – $174,150200
6Dental Hygienists$136,210
Associate's degree
$130,010 – $151,580310
7Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$125,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$81,320 – $149,560590
8Respiratory Therapists$123,220
Associate's degree
$93,540 – $138,750200
9Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$122,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,450 – $307,390270
10Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers$108,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,840 – $201,82090
11Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$105,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,900 – $144,270710
12First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$103,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,500 – $152,5901,200
13Construction and Building Inspectors$102,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,950 – $181,160140
14Surgical Technologists$99,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$61,470 – $121,010120
15Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$99,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$77,070 – $103,970180
16Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$97,410
Associate's degree
$62,970 – $124,420130
17Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$96,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,290 – $124,940150
18Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door$95,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,380 – $131,02090
19First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$92,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,780 – $159,920720
20Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$92,580
Postsecondary nondegree award
$74,280 – $110,300870
21Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$92,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,940 – $132,650490
22Firefighters$87,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$41,380 – $120,820310
23Physical Therapist Assistants$87,300
Associate's degree
$65,420 – $109,27090
24Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$82,650
No formal educational credential
$57,990 – $127,990700
25First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$82,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,130 – $132,100300
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$82,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,480 – $102,440190
27Public Safety Telecommunicators$81,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,270 – $101,400100
28Carpenters$80,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,070 – $121,4902,150
29Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$80,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$66,080 – $91,760240
30Architectural and Civil Drafters$80,040
Associate's degree
$60,220 – $116,810150
31Food Service Managers$79,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,760 – $133,860330
32Insurance Sales Agents$79,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,280 – $177,030440
33Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$79,510
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,200 – $122,600560
34Lodging Managers$79,410
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,170 – $141,900130
35Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$79,410
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,480 – $120,830120
36Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$79,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $153,8601,840
37Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$78,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,140 – $101,240180
38Computer Network Support Specialists$78,450
Associate's degree
$44,630 – $121,620190
39Paralegals and Legal Assistants$78,160
Associate's degree
$49,400 – $100,890290
40Automotive Body and Related Repairers$78,060
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,960 – $100,150260
41Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$77,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $162,640480
42Opticians, Dispensing$77,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,270 – $87,940120
43Electricians$77,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,850 – $134,9901,080
44Industrial Machinery Mechanics$77,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,600 – $131,340260
45Computer User Support Specialists$76,900
Some college, no degree
$58,380 – $101,960520
46First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$76,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,910 – $105,5801,730
47First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,740 – $122,870660
48Maintenance Workers, Machinery$75,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,590 – $96,87080
49Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$75,080
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,540 – $98,9401,000
50Sheet Metal Workers$74,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,190 – $161,510110

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

#	Occupation	MedianSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Commercial PilotsPostsecondary nondegree award	$274,730	$75,320 – $306,270	130
2	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$161,570	$103,280 – $206,220	90
3	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$157,650	$102,570 – $197,030	80
4	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$140,830	$96,470 – $167,610	80
5	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$137,530	$85,830 – $174,150	200
6	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$136,210	$130,010 – $151,580	310
7	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$125,910	$81,320 – $149,560	590
8	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$123,220	$93,540 – $138,750	200
9	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$122,360	$60,450 – $307,390	270
10	Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,310	$56,840 – $201,820	90
11	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$105,080	$56,900 – $144,270	710
12	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,600	$68,500 – $152,590	1,200
13	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$102,060	$52,950 – $181,160	140
14	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$99,960	$61,470 – $121,010	120
15	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,560	$77,070 – $103,970	180
16	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$97,410	$62,970 – $124,420	130
17	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$96,970	$66,290 – $124,940	150
18	Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical DoorHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,680	$55,380 – $131,020	90
19	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,620	$57,780 – $159,920	720
20	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$92,580	$74,280 – $110,300	870
21	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$92,240	$60,940 – $132,650	490
22	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,400	$41,380 – $120,820	310
23	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$87,300	$65,420 – $109,270	90
24	Drywall and Ceiling Tile InstallersNo formal educational credential	$82,650	$57,990 – $127,990	700
25	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,510	$56,130 – $132,100	300
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,200	$62,480 – $102,440	190
27	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,990	$51,270 – $101,400	100
28	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,520	$51,070 – $121,490	2,150
29	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,330	$66,080 – $91,760	240
30	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$80,040	$60,220 – $116,810	150
31	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,750	$47,760 – $133,860	330
32	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,680	$41,280 – $177,030	440
33	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,510	$49,200 – $122,600	560
34	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,410	$48,170 – $141,900	130
35	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,410	$58,480 – $120,830	120
36	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,350	$48,270 – $153,860	1,840
37	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,960	$56,140 – $101,240	180
38	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$78,450	$44,630 – $121,620	190
39	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,160	$49,400 – $100,890	290
40	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,060	$48,960 – $100,150	260
41	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,910	$44,670 – $162,640	480
42	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,460	$48,270 – $87,940	120
43	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,380	$47,850 – $134,990	1,080
44	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,020	$51,600 – $131,340	260
45	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$76,900	$58,380 – $101,960	520
46	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,320	$52,910 – $105,580	1,730
47	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,790	$48,740 – $122,870	660
48	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,780	$50,590 – $96,870	80
49	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$75,080	$45,540 – $98,940	1,000
50	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,440	$49,190 – $161,510	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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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High paying jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA that need no degree

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