High paying jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA run 10.4% above the national average (2024), so a San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA salary is worth about 0.91× 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

OccupationMedian, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA · Employed

1Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$173,150
Associate's degree
$100,130 – $213,010500
2Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$154,850
Associate's degree
$98,910 – $185,3401,000
3Firefighters$152,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$59,680 – $181,2701,330
4Respiratory Therapists$149,680
Associate's degree
$98,000 – $178,5801,060
5Dental Hygienists$139,990
Associate's degree
$128,620 – $156,8501,620
6Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$136,140
High school diploma or equivalent
$105,050 – $174,0302,590
7Correctional Officers and Jailers$132,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$90,020 – $132,6701,050
8Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$124,340
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,680 – $152,7601,360
9Computer Network Support Specialists$124,130
Associate's degree
$74,110 – $205,4001,080
10Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment$122,860
Postsecondary nondegree award
$80,410 – $150,830600
11Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$116,510
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,500 – $217,68013,390
12Electrical and Electronics Drafters$115,530
Associate's degree
$59,590 – $210,370480
13Public Safety Telecommunicators$113,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$65,400 – $159,540400
14Advertising Sales Agents$113,250
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,950 – $178,580380
15Sheet Metal Workers$109,280
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,810 – $155,470750
16Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$108,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,150 – $139,050460
17Legal Support Workers, All Other$107,980
Associate's degree
$72,190 – $187,860380
18Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$107,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$63,270 – $155,6003,830
19Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$107,310
High school diploma or equivalent
$79,660 – $121,200390
20Surgical Technologists$106,840
Postsecondary nondegree award
$77,640 – $133,480700
21Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$103,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,980 – $211,4206,530
22Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$102,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$67,320 – $133,080420
23Paralegals and Legal Assistants$99,250
Associate's degree
$60,030 – $157,4502,030
24Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$98,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,740 – $148,660370
25Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$98,020
Associate's degree
$67,410 – $134,330420
26Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$97,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$68,150 – $100,8101,240
27Physical Therapist Assistants$97,190
Associate's degree
$69,290 – $118,810400
28Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians$96,680
Associate's degree
$74,600 – $144,300530
29Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$95,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$57,160 – $117,020510
30Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$95,320
Postsecondary nondegree award
$77,320 – $113,2203,290
31Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians$95,280
Associate's degree
$66,570 – $126,9702,880
32Computer User Support Specialists$93,590
Some college, no degree
$59,310 – $135,6905,790
33Tapers$92,810
No formal educational credential
$65,670 – $133,880480
34Electricians$91,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$54,290 – $173,3405,480
35Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$90,660
Associate's degree
$57,100 – $114,6001,000
36Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$88,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$56,550 – $113,440720
37Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$87,950
Postsecondary nondegree award
$62,940 – $124,4601,060
38Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors$87,430
No formal educational credential
$56,080 – $110,950870
39Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$87,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$52,770 – $126,880660
40Medical Records Specialists$86,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$55,430 – $151,520920
41Medical Equipment Repairers$84,970
Associate's degree
$57,170 – $139,600390
42Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$84,670
Associate's degree
$56,120 – $130,260590
43Industrial Machinery Mechanics$84,620
High school diploma or equivalent
$60,550 – $118,500920
44Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$83,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,450 – $99,490550
45Architectural and Civil Drafters$82,820
Associate's degree
$55,100 – $132,600610
46Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$82,050
Postsecondary nondegree award
$57,170 – $136,6501,740
47Tax Preparers$81,180
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,390 – $113,530760
48Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$81,170
Postsecondary nondegree award
$58,610 – $166,8401,330
49Medical Equipment Preparers$81,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,650 – $98,540540
50Carpenters$80,190
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,210 – $133,8604,460

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

#	Occupation	MedianSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$173,150	$100,130 – $213,010	500
2	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$154,850	$98,910 – $185,340	1,000
3	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$152,100	$59,680 – $181,270	1,330
4	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$149,680	$98,000 – $178,580	1,060
5	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$139,990	$128,620 – $156,850	1,620
6	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$136,140	$105,050 – $174,030	2,590
7	Correctional Officers and JailersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$132,670	$90,020 – $132,670	1,050
8	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$124,340	$60,680 – $152,760	1,360
9	Computer Network Support SpecialistsAssociate's degree	$124,130	$74,110 – $205,400	1,080
10	Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial EquipmentPostsecondary nondegree award	$122,860	$80,410 – $150,830	600
11	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$116,510	$49,500 – $217,680	13,390
12	Electrical and Electronics DraftersAssociate's degree	$115,530	$59,590 – $210,370	480
13	Public Safety TelecommunicatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,800	$65,400 – $159,540	400
14	Advertising Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$113,250	$58,950 – $178,580	380
15	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$109,280	$54,810 – $155,470	750
16	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$108,190	$63,150 – $139,050	460
17	Legal Support Workers, All OtherAssociate's degree	$107,980	$72,190 – $187,860	380
18	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,560	$63,270 – $155,600	3,830
19	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$107,310	$79,660 – $121,200	390
20	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$106,840	$77,640 – $133,480	700
21	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$103,670	$56,980 – $211,420	6,530
22	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$102,980	$67,320 – $133,080	420
23	Paralegals and Legal AssistantsAssociate's degree	$99,250	$60,030 – $157,450	2,030
24	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,230	$59,740 – $148,660	370
25	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$98,020	$67,410 – $134,330	420
26	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$97,900	$68,150 – $100,810	1,240
27	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$97,190	$69,290 – $118,810	400
28	Mechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$96,680	$74,600 – $144,300	530
29	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$95,980	$57,160 – $117,020	510
30	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$95,320	$77,320 – $113,220	3,290
31	Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$95,280	$66,570 – $126,970	2,880
32	Computer User Support SpecialistsSome college, no degree	$93,590	$59,310 – $135,690	5,790
33	TapersNo formal educational credential	$92,810	$65,670 – $133,880	480
34	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,030	$54,290 – $173,340	5,480
35	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$90,660	$57,100 – $114,600	1,000
36	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$88,980	$56,550 – $113,440	720
37	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$87,950	$62,940 – $124,460	1,060
38	Refuse and Recyclable Material CollectorsNo formal educational credential	$87,430	$56,080 – $110,950	870
39	Legal Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$87,270	$52,770 – $126,880	660
40	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$86,890	$55,430 – $151,520	920
41	Medical Equipment RepairersAssociate's degree	$84,970	$57,170 – $139,600	390
42	Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherAssociate's degree	$84,670	$56,120 – $130,260	590
43	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$84,620	$60,550 – $118,500	920
44	Court, Municipal, and License ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,490	$58,450 – $99,490	550
45	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$82,820	$55,100 – $132,600	610
46	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,050	$57,170 – $136,650	1,740
47	Tax PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,180	$48,390 – $113,530	760
48	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$81,170	$58,610 – $166,840	1,330
49	Medical Equipment PreparersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$81,090	$58,650 – $98,540	540
50	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,190	$55,210 – $133,860	4,460

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA to rank honestly.

High paying jobs in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA that need no experience

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