High paying jobs in Burlington, NC that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Burlington, NC, 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 Burlington, NC run 6.8% below the national average (2024), so a Burlington, NC salary is worth about 1.07× 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 Burlington, NC

OccupationMedian, Burlington, NC · Employed

1Dental Hygienists$97,210
Associate's degree
$80,100 – $102,800100
2Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$79,550
Associate's degree
$48,620 – $94,220120
3Tool and Die Makers$78,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,390 – $78,14040
4Physical Therapist Assistants$76,010
Associate's degree
$60,130 – $81,86040
5Computer Network Support Specialists$69,850
Associate's degree
$37,310 – $103,59050
6Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$68,740
Associate's degree
$49,100 – $90,63030
7Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$67,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,860 – $107,26050
8Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$66,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,160 – $150,870600
9Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$66,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,760 – $82,370100
10Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$65,700
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,650 – $83,190370
11Postal Service Clerks$65,170
No formal educational credential
$56,390 – $75,03040
12Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$56,580 – $77,970260
13Postal Service Mail Carriers$61,010
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,620170
14Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$60,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,500 – $78,360180
15Computer User Support Specialists$59,550
Some college, no degree
$39,570 – $90,510190
16Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$58,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,920 – $125,550380
17Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians$58,310
Associate's degree
$41,600 – $71,47040
18Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$56,890
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,730 – $74,050260
19Machinists$56,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,590 – $72,390110
20Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$56,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,870 – $94,0001,020
21Opticians, Dispensing$55,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,850 – $76,11040
22Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$55,440
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,620 – $74,63050
23Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$52,450
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,490 – $73,940280
24Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$52,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $65,68030
25Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$51,640
Postsecondary nondegree award
$39,010 – $73,76050
26Paralegals and Legal Assistants$51,620
Associate's degree
$37,440 – $71,240110
27Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$51,570
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,060 – $61,980200
28Electricians$51,400
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,500 – $72,350230
29Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$50,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,370 – $65,620100
30Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$50,740
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,810 – $64,790120
31Loan Interviewers and Clerks$50,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$19,360 – $60,06080
32Dental Assistants$50,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,910 – $57,360150
33Insurance Sales Agents$49,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,050 – $103,150320
34Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$49,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,440 – $63,65090
35Automotive Body and Related Repairers$49,300
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,560 – $75,190100
36Carpenters$49,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,700 – $60,910100
37Emergency Medical Technicians$49,180
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,800 – $49,180190
38Printing Press Operators$48,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,330 – $67,35090
39Industrial Machinery Mechanics$48,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,550 – $75,600280
40Billing and Posting Clerks$48,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,410 – $61,05070
41Public Safety Telecommunicators$48,160
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,820 – $48,63070
42Maintenance Workers, Machinery$47,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,720 – $74,550100
43Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$47,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,580 – $73,25040
44Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks$47,460
Some college, no degree
$31,900 – $66,820600
45Highway Maintenance Workers$47,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,610 – $55,47040
46Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$47,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,080 – $61,07050
47New Accounts Clerks$47,110
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,670 – $72,84030
48Sheet Metal Workers$47,020
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,660 – $59,39050
49Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$46,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,470 – $58,5901,090
50Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,530
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,990 – $58,990110

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

#	Occupation	MedianBurlington, NC	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$97,210	$80,100 – $102,800	100
2	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$79,550	$48,620 – $94,220	120
3	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$78,140	$49,390 – $78,140	40
4	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$76,010	$60,130 – $81,860	40
5	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$69,850	$37,310 – $103,590	50
6	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$68,740	$49,100 – $90,630	30
7	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$67,290	$44,860 – $107,260	50
8	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,890	$32,160 – $150,870	600
9	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$66,860	$39,760 – $82,370	100
10	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,700	$55,650 – $83,190	370
11	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$65,170	$56,390 – $75,030	40
12	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,450	$56,580 – $77,970	260
13	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$61,010	$42,390 – $81,620	170
14	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,680	$40,500 – $78,360	180
15	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$59,550	$39,570 – $90,510	190
16	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,340	$35,920 – $125,550	380
17	Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$58,310	$41,600 – $71,470	40
18	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,890	$38,730 – $74,050	260
19	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,460	$37,590 – $72,390	110
20	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,290	$39,870 – $94,000	1,020
21	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,530	$36,850 – $76,110	40
22	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,440	$36,620 – $74,630	50
23	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$52,450	$37,490 – $73,940	280
24	Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, RecordkeepingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,390	$38,480 – $65,680	30
25	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,640	$39,010 – $73,760	50
26	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$51,620	$37,440 – $71,240	110
27	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,570	$40,060 – $61,980	200
28	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,400	$37,500 – $72,350	230
29	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,960	$40,370 – $65,620	100
30	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,740	$38,810 – $64,790	120
31	Loan Interviewers and ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,420	$19,360 – $60,060	80
32	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,140	$37,910 – $57,360	150
33	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,990	$39,050 – $103,150	320
34	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,670	$43,440 – $63,650	90
35	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,300	$36,560 – $75,190	100
36	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,280	$35,700 – $60,910	100
37	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$49,180	$38,800 – $49,180	190
38	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,650	$33,330 – $67,350	90
39	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,490	$36,550 – $75,600	280
40	Billing and Posting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,380	$37,410 – $61,050	70
41	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$48,160	$42,820 – $48,630	70
42	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,970	$34,720 – $74,550	100
43	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,490	$39,580 – $73,250	40
44	Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksSome college, no degree	$47,460	$31,900 – $66,820	600
45	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,180	$33,610 – $55,470	40
46	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,110	$37,080 – $61,070	50
47	New Accounts ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,110	$44,670 – $72,840	30
48	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,020	$31,660 – $59,390	50
49	Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,650	$30,470 – $58,590	1,090
50	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,530	$36,990 – $58,990	110

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in Burlington, NC. 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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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Burlington, NC to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in Burlington, NC that need no experience

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