High paying jobs in Vermont that need no degree

These occupations pay well in Vermont 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 Vermont run 2.0% below the national average (2024), so a Vermont salary is worth about 1.02× 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 Vermont.

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

Find high paying jobs in Vermont

OccupationMedian, Vermont · Employed

1Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$108,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$89,450 – $125,680270
2Detectives and Criminal Investigators$106,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,690 – $153,670190
3Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$104,100
Associate's degree
$80,190 – $134,080140
4Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$101,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,090 – $167,530390
5First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$99,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,780 – $129,940210
6Dental Hygienists$97,470
Associate's degree
$81,010 – $110,010560
7Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$94,540
Associate's degree
$66,960 – $125,230470
8Postmasters and Mail Superintendents$89,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$85,090 – $101,050120
9Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$83,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$62,360 – $118,500280
10Respiratory Therapists$83,820
Associate's degree
$50,310 – $99,940210
11First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$83,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,570 – $122,340630
12First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$82,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,870 – $124,4201,010
13First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$81,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,180 – $132,120200
14Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$81,800
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,910 – $90,820310
15Lodging Managers$81,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,860 – $121,230210
16Power Plant Operators$78,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,110 – $127,790140
17Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$77,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,710 – $104,180140
18Food Service Managers$77,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,100 – $134,010500
19Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$77,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,290 – $148,4701,130
20Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$76,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,620 – $127,4001,890
21Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$76,370
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,610 – $98,810160
22First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,080 – $100,5601,000
23Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,760
Associate's degree
$54,440 – $98,610300
24Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$74,100
Associate's degree
$60,520 – $91,600200
25Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,000
Postsecondary nondegree award
$52,000 – $85,850110
26Crane and Tower Operators$72,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$61,070 – $105,910170
27Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$72,410
Associate's degree
$53,760 – $100,920110
28Computer Network Support Specialists$72,400
Associate's degree
$52,950 – $97,740120
29Physical Therapist Assistants$71,600
Associate's degree
$60,580 – $83,250100
30Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$70,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,770 – $96,520770
31Insurance Sales Agents$70,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,070 – $118,890730
32Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$69,930
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,230 – $84,7101,130
33Tool and Die Makers$69,300
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,480 – $106,640140
34Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$68,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,950 – $95,5301,020
35First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$68,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,930 – $91,9201,710
36Paralegals and Legal Assistants$67,160
Associate's degree
$48,650 – $87,390660
37First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$66,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,010 – $96,040160
38Construction and Building Inspectors$66,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,350 – $92,110120
39Chemical Technicians$65,560
Associate's degree
$49,530 – $89,040150
40Chefs and Head Cooks$65,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,950 – $83,040610
41Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$64,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,520 – $89,490350
42Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$63,640
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,820 – $81,100320
43Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$63,460
Associate's degree
$42,060 – $88,560160
44Electricians$63,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,470 – $132,0801,270
45Industrial Machinery Mechanics$63,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,170 – $86,210700
46Computer User Support Specialists$63,030
Some college, no degree
$49,020 – $95,6801,630
47Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$62,810
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,640 – $124,000560
48Machinists$62,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,670 – $95,690220
49Carpenters$62,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,840 – $76,8503,080
50Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$62,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,800 – $91,940980

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

#	Occupation	MedianVermont	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,520	$89,450 – $125,680	270
2	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,330	$65,690 – $153,670	190
3	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$104,100	$80,190 – $134,080	140
4	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$101,850	$70,090 – $167,530	390
5	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,280	$79,780 – $129,940	210
6	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$97,470	$81,010 – $110,010	560
7	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$94,540	$66,960 – $125,230	470
8	Postmasters and Mail SuperintendentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$89,890	$85,090 – $101,050	120
9	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,970	$62,360 – $118,500	280
10	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$83,820	$50,310 – $99,940	210
11	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,050	$58,570 – $122,340	630
12	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,490	$61,870 – $124,420	1,010
13	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,850	$63,180 – $132,120	200
14	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,800	$49,910 – $90,820	310
15	Lodging ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,440	$48,860 – $121,230	210
16	Power Plant OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,240	$49,110 – $127,790	140
17	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$77,980	$60,710 – $104,180	140
18	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,910	$43,100 – $134,010	500
19	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,530	$47,290 – $148,470	1,130
20	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,840	$50,620 – $127,400	1,890
21	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,370	$55,610 – $98,810	160
22	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$75,540	$50,080 – $100,560	1,000
23	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,760	$54,440 – $98,610	300
24	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,100	$60,520 – $91,600	200
25	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,000	$52,000 – $85,850	110
26	Crane and Tower OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,760	$61,070 – $105,910	170
27	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$72,410	$53,760 – $100,920	110
28	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$72,400	$52,950 – $97,740	120
29	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$71,600	$60,580 – $83,250	100
30	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,770	$54,770 – $96,520	770
31	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,720	$51,070 – $118,890	730
32	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,930	$50,230 – $84,710	1,130
33	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,300	$50,480 – $106,640	140
34	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,910	$53,950 – $95,530	1,020
35	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$68,790	$49,930 – $91,920	1,710
36	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$67,160	$48,650 – $87,390	660
37	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,810	$52,010 – $96,040	160
38	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,580	$49,350 – $92,110	120
39	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$65,560	$49,530 – $89,040	150
40	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,440	$48,950 – $83,040	610
41	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,020	$48,520 – $89,490	350
42	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,640	$50,820 – $81,100	320
43	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$63,460	$42,060 – $88,560	160
44	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,430	$47,470 – $132,080	1,270
45	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,180	$50,170 – $86,210	700
46	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$63,030	$49,020 – $95,680	1,630
47	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,810	$47,640 – $124,000	560
48	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,680	$40,670 – $95,690	220
49	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,400	$47,840 – $76,850	3,080
50	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,170	$48,800 – $91,940	980

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

Metro areas in Vermont

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

Burlington-South Burlington

By field in Vermont

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Vermont that need no degree

More for Vermont

Metro areas in Vermont

By field in Vermont

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree