High paying jobs in Texas that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Texas 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 Texas run 2.9% below the national average (2024), so a Texas 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. To see where a job pays a real premium, use jobs that pay more in Texas.

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

Find high paying jobs in Texas

OccupationMedian, Texas · Employed

1First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$111,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,910 – $149,5705,540
2Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$100,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,380 – $177,34028,710
3Dental Hygienists$99,240
Associate's degree
$71,530 – $117,89016,380
4Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$92,580
Associate's degree
$64,360 – $106,0906,960
5Detectives and Criminal Investigators$90,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,510 – $132,85018,870
6Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$84,440
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,600 – $122,18016,850
7Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$84,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,670 – $108,65010,510
8First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$81,710
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,260 – $118,5908,660
9Occupational Therapy Assistants$81,500
Associate's degree
$60,980 – $95,9005,610
10Respiratory Therapists$79,540
Associate's degree
$61,310 – $99,69012,130
11Mechanical Drafters$79,380
Associate's degree
$52,000 – $106,0804,630
12Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$78,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,760 – $107,55017,280
13Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,560 – $116,61029,220
14Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$78,630
Associate's degree
$48,550 – $102,63020,250
15Physical Therapist Assistants$78,000
Associate's degree
$43,900 – $99,64010,510
16Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$77,840
No formal educational credential
$47,840 – $121,4705,980
17First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$76,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,860 – $125,70075,340
18Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$75,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,240 – $98,35063,100
19Wellhead Pumpers$75,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,090 – $97,64010,250
20Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$75,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,540 – $102,5009,700
21First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$74,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,550 – $138,02020,690
22First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$74,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,000 – $109,46090,010
23Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,560 – $109,35013,540
24Calibration Technologists and Technicians$74,100
Associate's degree
$46,170 – $108,1205,020
25Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,050
Associate's degree
$41,550 – $105,5608,960
26Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$73,860
Associate's degree
$38,720 – $113,0507,110
27Crane and Tower Operators$73,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,790 – $93,3906,010
28Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$71,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,740 – $103,08034,520
29First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$70,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,360 – $115,23058,930
30Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$68,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,680 – $79,4004,640
31Computer Network Support Specialists$66,780
Associate's degree
$45,440 – $110,5709,930
32Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$65,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,380 – $137,02095,670
33Surgical Technologists$65,220
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,950 – $92,58010,160
34First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$64,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,320 – $103,540160,600
35Construction and Building Inspectors$64,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,220 – $105,16018,230
36Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,320
Associate's degree
$44,950 – $100,35011,710
37Postal Service Clerks$62,610
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,0304,900
38Chemical Technicians$62,580
Associate's degree
$43,970 – $105,6506,090
39Paralegals and Legal Assistants$62,310
Associate's degree
$39,190 – $98,44029,540
40Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$62,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,910 – $76,14057,560
41Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$62,020
Associate's degree
$45,650 – $103,3405,060
42Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$61,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,710 – $89,14020,080
43Industrial Machinery Mechanics$61,930
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,580 – $95,77056,950
44Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$61,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,360 – $127,930135,030
45Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$61,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,080 – $139,75045,350
46Food Service Managers$60,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,310 – $98,57025,990
47Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,550
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,04026,700
48Advertising Sales Agents$60,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,710 – $99,7106,230
49Firefighters$60,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,020 – $77,17028,170
50Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$60,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,230 – $106,23020,880

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

#	Occupation	MedianTexas	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$111,000	$70,910 – $149,570	5,540
2	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$100,700	$63,380 – $177,340	28,710
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$99,240	$71,530 – $117,890	16,380
4	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$92,580	$64,360 – $106,090	6,960
5	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,510	$52,510 – $132,850	18,870
6	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$84,440	$48,600 – $122,180	16,850
7	Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,100	$45,670 – $108,650	10,510
8	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,710	$60,260 – $118,590	8,660
9	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$81,500	$60,980 – $95,900	5,610
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$79,540	$61,310 – $99,690	12,130
11	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$79,380	$52,000 – $106,080	4,630
12	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,940	$46,760 – $107,550	17,280
13	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,800	$46,560 – $116,610	29,220
14	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,630	$48,550 – $102,630	20,250
15	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$78,000	$43,900 – $99,640	10,510
16	Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and GasNo formal educational credential	$77,840	$47,840 – $121,470	5,980
17	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,760	$46,860 – $125,700	75,340
18	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,900	$51,240 – $98,350	63,100
19	Wellhead PumpersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,860	$45,090 – $97,640	10,250
20	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,740	$46,540 – $102,500	9,700
21	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,590	$45,550 – $138,020	20,690
22	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,520	$48,000 – $109,460	90,010
23	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,480	$46,560 – $109,350	13,540
24	Calibration Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,100	$46,170 – $108,120	5,020
25	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,050	$41,550 – $105,560	8,960
26	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$73,860	$38,720 – $113,050	7,110
27	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$73,280	$42,790 – $93,390	6,010
28	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,990	$50,740 – $103,080	34,520
29	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,140	$43,360 – $115,230	58,930
30	Railroad Conductors and YardmastersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,980	$45,680 – $79,400	4,640
31	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$66,780	$45,440 – $110,570	9,930
32	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,970	$36,380 – $137,020	95,670
33	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,220	$39,950 – $92,580	10,160
34	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,940	$43,320 – $103,540	160,600
35	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,810	$43,220 – $105,160	18,230
36	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,320	$44,950 – $100,350	11,710
37	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$62,610	$42,600 – $75,030	4,900
38	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,580	$43,970 – $105,650	6,090
39	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,310	$39,190 – $98,440	29,540
40	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,240	$48,910 – $76,140	57,560
41	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,020	$45,650 – $103,340	5,060
42	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,940	$45,710 – $89,140	20,080
43	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,930	$41,580 – $95,770	56,950
44	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,680	$33,360 – $127,930	135,030
45	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,320	$35,080 – $139,750	45,350
46	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,770	$43,310 – $98,570	25,990
47	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$60,550	$42,390 – $81,040	26,700
48	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,280	$31,710 – $99,710	6,230
49	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,180	$40,020 – $77,170	28,170
50	Chemical Equipment Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,150	$36,230 – $106,230	20,880

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

Metro areas in Texas

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

By field in Texas

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Texas that need no degree

More for Texas

Metro areas in Texas

By field in Texas

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree