High paying jobs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA, requires no bachelor's degree, and requires no prior experience in a related job. That second filter is what separates this from the no-degree list, which is topped by supervisor roles asking five years in the trade before they will look at you. Several of these do involve months of training — but the employer provides it, and pays you during it, which is a feature rather than a barrier. Entry requirements come from the BLS Employment Projections program and describe what is typical, not mandatory.

Cost of living: prices in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA salary is worth about 1.08× 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA

OccupationMedian, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA · Employed

1Dental Hygienists$90,550
Associate's degree
$63,980 – $104,31070
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$84,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,320 – $104,28050
3Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$77,110
Associate's degree
$53,300 – $95,390110
4Physical Therapist Assistants$73,000
Associate's degree
$52,160 – $101,24050
5Computer Network Support Specialists$68,290
Associate's degree
$47,470 – $99,02050
6Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$66,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,160 – $133,060300
7Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,370 – $83,140330
8Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,770
Associate's degree
$46,400 – $85,41030
9Electricians$62,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,130 – $80,090270
10Postal Service Mail Carriers$62,390
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040170
11Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,460
Associate's degree
$48,000 – $81,100150
12Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$61,310
Associate's degree
$49,330 – $79,810150
13Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$61,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,090 – $80,280230
14Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$61,100
Associate's degree
$46,850 – $76,49070
15Machinists$59,920
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,690 – $79,340230
16Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$58,910
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,960 – $72,07050
17Paralegals and Legal Assistants$58,320
Associate's degree
$42,750 – $78,83070
18Postal Service Clerks$58,150
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $76,36050
19Chemical Technicians$57,670
Associate's degree
$45,700 – $69,410120
20Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$57,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,510 – $62,820250
21Maintenance Workers, Machinery$57,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,180 – $73,99030
22Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$57,460
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,190 – $73,880360
23Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$56,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,230 – $77,770470
24Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$56,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,530 – $129,940280
25Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,630 – $98,590100
26Computer User Support Specialists$54,190
Some college, no degree
$41,310 – $83,550330
27Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$53,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,910 – $76,040920
28Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$51,960
Associate's degree
$34,520 – $65,900150
29Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$51,950
Associate's degree
$32,130 – $60,70050
30Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,710 – $61,110300
31Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$51,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,880 – $99,39050
32Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$51,620
Some college, no degree
$36,750 – $65,000720
33Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$50,740
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,780 – $66,55090
34Correctional Officers and Jailers$50,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,250 – $59,120150
35Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$50,030
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,280 – $68,710190
36Highway Maintenance Workers$49,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,910 – $55,060100
37Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other$49,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,660 – $60,18050
38Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$48,500
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,500 – $76,710440
39Emergency Medical Technicians$48,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,010 – $59,870100
40Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,480 – $68,540930
41Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,340 – $62,53080
42Bus Drivers, School$47,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,000 – $59,370300
43Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$47,870
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,250 – $64,020100
44Carpenters$47,580
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,640 – $64,000340
45Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$46,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,910 – $67,81060
46Dental Assistants$46,480
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,800 – $49,950120
47Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$46,440
No formal educational credential
$30,990 – $60,3001,310
48Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,200 – $65,85030
49Public Safety Telecommunicators$46,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,820 – $48,16080
50Medical Records Specialists$46,350
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,750 – $72,60040

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

#	Occupation	MedianBlacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$90,550	$63,980 – $104,310	70
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,840	$45,320 – $104,280	50
3	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$77,110	$53,300 – $95,390	110
4	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$73,000	$52,160 – $101,240	50
5	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$68,290	$47,470 – $99,020	50
6	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,180	$37,160 – $133,060	300
7	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,150	$45,370 – $83,140	330
8	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,770	$46,400 – $85,410	30
9	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,490	$39,130 – $80,090	270
10	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$62,390	$42,390 – $81,040	170
11	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,460	$48,000 – $81,100	150
12	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$61,310	$49,330 – $79,810	150
13	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,240	$38,090 – $80,280	230
14	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$61,100	$46,850 – $76,490	70
15	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,920	$44,690 – $79,340	230
16	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,910	$37,960 – $72,070	50
17	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$58,320	$42,750 – $78,830	70
18	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$58,150	$42,600 – $76,360	50
19	Chemical TechniciansAssociate's degree	$57,670	$45,700 – $69,410	120
20	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,650	$40,510 – $62,820	250
21	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,580	$45,180 – $73,990	30
22	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$57,460	$48,190 – $73,880	360
23	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,250	$48,230 – $77,770	470
24	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,020	$31,530 – $129,940	280
25	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,330	$38,630 – $98,590	100
26	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$54,190	$41,310 – $83,550	330
27	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,980	$37,910 – $76,040	920
28	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$51,960	$34,520 – $65,900	150
29	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$51,950	$32,130 – $60,700	50
30	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,800	$40,710 – $61,110	300
31	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,670	$38,880 – $99,390	50
32	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$51,620	$36,750 – $65,000	720
33	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,740	$40,780 – $66,550	90
34	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,170	$36,250 – $59,120	150
35	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,030	$39,280 – $68,710	190
36	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,400	$36,910 – $55,060	100
37	Office and Administrative Support Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,100	$38,660 – $60,180	50
38	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,500	$35,500 – $76,710	440
39	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,320	$37,010 – $59,870	100
40	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$34,480 – $68,540	930
41	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,040	$38,340 – $62,530	80
42	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,970	$39,000 – $59,370	300
43	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,870	$44,250 – $64,020	100
44	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,580	$35,640 – $64,000	340
45	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,770	$37,910 – $67,810	60
46	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,480	$37,800 – $49,950	120
47	Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNo formal educational credential	$46,440	$30,990 – $60,300	1,310
48	Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,430	$31,200 – $65,850	30
49	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,380	$37,820 – $48,160	80
50	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$46,350	$35,750 – $72,600	40

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA. 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA that need no experience

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