High paying jobs in America that need no degree

These occupations pay well in America 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.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025

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OccupationMedian, America · Employed

1Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers$107,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,120 – $194,900221,180
2First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives$106,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,350 – $165,110154,610
3Dental Hygienists$98,100
Associate's degree
$74,880 – $126,050222,740
4Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
Associate's degree
$67,820 – $129,37090,160
5Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$95,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,470 – $128,690131,070
6Detectives and Criminal Investigators$93,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,390 – $160,540114,430
7First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers$93,530
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,430 – $140,01099,140
8First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers$87,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,320 – $164,070214,390
9Respiratory Therapists$82,280
Associate's degree
$63,660 – $118,050139,790
10Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
Associate's degree
$55,980 – $118,660230,490
11First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,280 – $128,260812,210
12Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$79,870
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,780 – $128,890138,090
13First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,600 – $126,790617,500
14Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$78,350
Associate's degree
$47,030 – $118,33059,930
15Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,190
Associate's degree
$49,510 – $115,70095,130
16Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$78,000
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,850 – $117,040324,230
17First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers$77,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,330 – $127,78053,380
18Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$76,590
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,560 – $109,850459,910
19Computer Network Support Specialists$76,220
Associate's degree
$47,120 – $127,780146,190
20Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,510 – $115,120670,520
21Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,140 – $114,200146,720
22First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,130 – $108,750673,430
23Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$74,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,310 – $103,68097,720
24Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310
Associate's degree
$39,000 – $121,35062,960
25Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$74,090
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,840 – $105,59065,010
26Occupational Therapy Assistants$72,300
Associate's degree
$51,490 – $89,78051,290
27Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$72,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,090 – $137,5501.2M
28Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,980 – $148,8401.3M
29Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers$69,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,010 – $139,680311,180
30First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers$69,500
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,610 – $104,7101.4M
31Food Service Managers$69,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,960 – $107,640238,430
32Physical Therapist Assistants$68,380
Associate's degree
$47,750 – $89,510112,430
33Transportation Security Screeners$66,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,700 – $78,35050,290
34Architectural and Civil Drafters$66,150
Associate's degree
$46,260 – $99,710103,700
35Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120
Associate's degree
$47,300 – $99,15075,570
36Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,820 – $94,460176,600
37Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950
Associate's degree
$44,220 – $98,98068,520
38Advertising Sales Agents$64,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,240 – $146,01091,700
39Surgical Technologists$64,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,940 – $96,940117,460
40Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,120 – $95,170439,640
41Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,740 – $83,440648,410
42Tool and Die Makers$64,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,680 – $92,68056,930
43Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$63,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,240 – $96,730140,920
44Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,150 – $108,420465,840
45Flight Attendants$63,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,110 – $136,430131,650
46Electricians$63,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,640 – $108,510757,220
47First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,360 – $96,150623,640
48Paralegals and Legal Assistants$62,890
Associate's degree
$44,740 – $101,500392,880
49Structural Iron and Steel Workers$62,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,580 – $108,26068,380
50Chefs and Head Cooks$62,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,900 – $98,560200,040

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

#	Occupation	MedianAmerica	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Transportation, Storage, and Distribution ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,230	$65,120 – $194,900	221,180
2	First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$106,040	$63,350 – $165,110	154,610
3	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,100	$74,880 – $126,050	222,740
4	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$96,590	$67,820 – $129,370	90,160
5	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,320	$51,470 – $128,690	131,070
6	Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,790	$55,390 – $160,540	114,430
7	First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention WorkersPostsecondary nondegree award	$93,530	$53,430 – $140,010	99,140
8	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,520	$50,320 – $164,070	214,390
9	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,280	$63,660 – $118,050	139,790
10	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,110	$55,980 – $118,660	230,490
11	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,920	$53,280 – $128,260	812,210
12	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$79,870	$48,780 – $128,890	138,090
13	First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,860	$49,600 – $126,790	617,500
14	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$78,350	$47,030 – $118,330	59,930
15	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,190	$49,510 – $115,700	95,130
16	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,000	$48,850 – $117,040	324,230
17	First-Line Supervisors of Correctional OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,970	$52,330 – $127,780	53,380
18	Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,590	$50,560 – $109,850	459,910
19	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$76,220	$47,120 – $127,780	146,190
20	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$76,210	$47,510 – $115,120	670,520
21	Construction and Building InspectorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,690	$47,140 – $114,200	146,720
22	First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$47,130 – $108,750	673,430
23	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,330	$45,310 – $103,680	97,720
24	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,310	$39,000 – $121,350	62,960
25	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$74,090	$46,840 – $105,590	65,010
26	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$72,300	$51,490 – $89,780	51,290
27	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$72,080	$39,090 – $137,550	1.2M
28	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,990	$37,980 – $148,840	1.3M
29	Property, Real Estate, and Community Association ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,990	$41,010 – $139,680	311,180
30	First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,500	$45,610 – $104,710	1.4M
31	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,390	$45,960 – $107,640	238,430
32	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$68,380	$47,750 – $89,510	112,430
33	Transportation Security ScreenersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,770	$44,700 – $78,350	50,290
34	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$66,150	$46,260 – $99,710	103,700
35	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$66,120	$47,300 – $99,150	75,570
36	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,510	$46,820 – $94,460	176,600
37	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,950	$44,220 – $98,980	68,520
38	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,820	$35,240 – $146,010	91,700
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,650	$45,940 – $96,940	117,460
40	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,520	$46,120 – $95,170	439,640
41	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,400	$49,740 – $83,440	648,410
42	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,050	$44,680 – $92,680	56,930
43	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,890	$44,240 – $96,730	140,920
44	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,800	$44,150 – $108,420	465,840
45	Flight AttendantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,580	$35,110 – $136,430	131,650
46	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,190	$42,640 – $108,510	757,220
47	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,890	$43,360 – $96,150	623,640
48	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$62,890	$44,740 – $101,500	392,880
49	Structural Iron and Steel WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,780	$44,580 – $108,260	68,380
50	Chefs and Head CooksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,470	$37,900 – $98,560	200,040

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

High paying jobs in America that need no degree

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Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no degree