High paying jobs in Mankato, MN that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Mankato, MN, 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 Mankato, MN run 9.0% below the national average (2024), so a Mankato, MN salary is worth about 1.10× 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 Mankato, MN

OccupationMedian, Mankato, MN · Employed

1Dental Hygienists$100,260
Associate's degree
$78,810 – $103,89080
2Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$99,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,960 – $115,85040
3Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$83,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,660 – $106,160150
4Electricians$83,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,140 – $100,770260
5Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$81,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,200 – $94,86070
6Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$78,690
Associate's degree
$64,100 – $95,64050
7Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$78,610
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,090 – $81,86040
8Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$78,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,010 – $91,730150
9Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$76,670
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,900 – $100,270120
10Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$74,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,870 – $114,890130
11Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$73,150
Associate's degree
$47,170 – $86,61090
12Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$72,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,680 – $87,53060
13Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$71,770
Associate's degree
$48,820 – $79,86040
14Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$71,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,050 – $90,13040
15Computer Network Support Specialists$71,140
Associate's degree
$51,170 – $94,01050
16Public Safety Telecommunicators$70,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,940 – $73,88030
17Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$69,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,030 – $79,61060
18Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$69,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,380 – $125,300530
19Mechanical Drafters$67,250
Associate's degree
$49,130 – $76,82050
20Industrial Machinery Mechanics$65,830
High school diploma or equivalent
$53,030 – $81,39090
21Insurance Sales Agents$65,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,530 – $107,110120
22Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$64,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,750 – $78,510130
23Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$53,510 – $77,940360
24Highway Maintenance Workers$63,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,280 – $70,68080
25Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$62,770
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,240 – $77,66060
26Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$62,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,220 – $88,470180
27Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$61,590
No formal educational credential
$47,510 – $74,77040
28Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$61,440
No formal educational credential
$49,100 – $62,63070
29Carpenters$61,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,900 – $78,220230
30Computer User Support Specialists$61,150
Some college, no degree
$44,760 – $89,470170
31Machinists$61,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,370 – $79,080160
32Dental Assistants$61,010
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,120 – $72,330120
33Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$60,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,360 – $109,270220
34Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators$60,530
No formal educational credential
$47,440 – $75,03040
35Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$60,070
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,640 – $93,650740
36Advertising Sales Agents$60,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,670 – $129,86030
37Sheet Metal Workers$59,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,720 – $106,87050
38Paralegals and Legal Assistants$59,490
Associate's degree
$46,550 – $82,330100
39Construction Laborers$59,350
No formal educational credential
$43,930 – $78,580340
40Correctional Officers and Jailers$59,240
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,240 – $67,53060
41Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$58,860
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,650 – $71,20060
42Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$57,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,390 – $70,24060
43Postal Service Mail Carriers$57,700
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040100
44Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$56,940
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,900 – $77,150100
45Automotive Body and Related Repairers$56,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,220 – $68,28080
46Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$56,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,980 – $75,220630
47Library Technicians$56,310
Postsecondary nondegree award
$46,480 – $59,38030
48Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$54,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,230 – $74,30050
49Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$53,910
Associate's degree
$40,700 – $68,20050
50Medical Records Specialists$53,040
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,220 – $98,43050

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

#	Occupation	MedianMankato, MN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$100,260	$78,810 – $103,890	80
2	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$99,170	$79,960 – $115,850	40
3	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,670	$43,660 – $106,160	150
4	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,120	$50,140 – $100,770	260
5	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,990	$56,200 – $94,860	70
6	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$78,690	$64,100 – $95,640	50
7	Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,610	$58,090 – $81,860	40
8	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,560	$51,010 – $91,730	150
9	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$76,670	$47,900 – $100,270	120
10	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,450	$48,870 – $114,890	130
11	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$73,150	$47,170 – $86,610	90
12	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,100	$43,680 – $87,530	60
13	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$71,770	$48,820 – $79,860	40
14	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$71,290	$56,050 – $90,130	40
15	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$71,140	$51,170 – $94,010	50
16	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,190	$59,940 – $73,880	30
17	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,830	$49,030 – $79,610	60
18	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,100	$43,380 – $125,300	530
19	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$67,250	$49,130 – $76,820	50
20	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,830	$53,030 – $81,390	90
21	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,200	$48,530 – $107,110	120
22	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,480	$45,750 – $78,510	130
23	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,400	$53,510 – $77,940	360
24	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,650	$37,280 – $70,680	80
25	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,770	$52,240 – $77,660	60
26	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,170	$48,220 – $88,470	180
27	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$61,590	$47,510 – $74,770	40
28	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$61,440	$49,100 – $62,630	70
29	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,150	$45,900 – $78,220	230
30	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$61,150	$44,760 – $89,470	170
31	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,120	$46,370 – $79,080	160
32	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,010	$47,120 – $72,330	120
33	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,850	$37,360 – $109,270	220
34	Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$60,530	$47,440 – $75,030	40
35	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,070	$45,640 – $93,650	740
36	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,050	$30,670 – $129,860	30
37	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,840	$46,720 – $106,870	50
38	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$59,490	$46,550 – $82,330	100
39	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$59,350	$43,930 – $78,580	340
40	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,240	$48,240 – $67,530	60
41	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,860	$46,650 – $71,200	60
42	Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,850	$45,390 – $70,240	60
43	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$57,700	$42,390 – $81,040	100
44	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,940	$46,900 – $77,150	100
45	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,790	$37,220 – $68,280	80
46	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,690	$36,980 – $75,220	630
47	Library TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$56,310	$46,480 – $59,380	30
48	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$54,230	$37,230 – $74,300	50
49	Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and TimekeepingAssociate's degree	$53,910	$40,700 – $68,200	50
50	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,040	$48,220 – $98,430	50

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

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Mankato, MN

Without a degree

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

High paying jobs in Mankato, MN that need no experience

More for Mankato, MN

Other metro areas in MN

By field in Mankato, MN

Without a degree

High paying jobs in each state that need no experience