High paying jobs in Wausau, WI that need no experience

Every occupation here pays well in Wausau, WI, 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 Wausau, WI run 7.3% below the national average (2024), so a Wausau, WI 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 Wausau, WI

OccupationMedian, Wausau, WI · Employed

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$90,900
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,830 – $96,020200
2Dental Hygienists$87,470
Associate's degree
$77,670 – $99,830150
3Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$86,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,380 – $103,440260
4Millwrights$83,480
High school diploma or equivalent
$70,820 – $91,05050
5Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$80,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,090 – $121,660200
6Electricians$78,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$41,530 – $86,790480
7Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$78,150
High school diploma or equivalent
$59,130 – $98,800250
8Sheet Metal Workers$77,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$42,540 – $91,970170
9Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$75,340
Associate's degree
$62,350 – $95,220140
10Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians$72,540
Postsecondary nondegree award
$60,110 – $75,93040
11Surgical Technologists$69,430
Postsecondary nondegree award
$54,480 – $86,84090
12Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$69,080
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,190 – $80,020190
13Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,490
Associate's degree
$47,680 – $84,00070
14Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$64,100
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,580 – $120,160970
15Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,040
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,220 – $81,020560
16Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$63,980
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,420 – $92,80080
17Tool and Die Makers$63,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,170 – $77,13060
18Insurance Sales Agents$62,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,100 – $137,370160
19Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$62,110
Associate's degree
$46,720 – $102,50050
20Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$62,020
No formal educational credential
$48,640 – $83,300110
21Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$61,070
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,560 – $80,870430
22Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$60,360
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,450 – $73,930150
23Physical Therapist Assistants$60,250
Associate's degree
$52,790 – $77,65040
24Postal Service Mail Carriers$59,880
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040130
25Architectural and Civil Drafters$59,850
Associate's degree
$49,400 – $93,95070
26Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$59,730
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,670 – $72,72050
27Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks$59,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,140 – $69,73060
28Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians$59,630
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,210 – $79,53050
29Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$59,450
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,650 – $102,700350
30Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$59,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,370 – $76,890280
31Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$59,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,420 – $60,100150
32Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers$59,160
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,660 – $73,02040
33Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$59,110
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,370 – $91,560140
34Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,360 – $74,2601,460
35Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers$58,420
Postsecondary nondegree award
$43,600 – $78,73050
36Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$58,220
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,930 – $64,10080
37Mechanical Drafters$57,920
Associate's degree
$46,650 – $78,94060
38Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$47,200 – $70,720190
39Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$56,460
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,480 – $72,80080
40Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$56,050
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,490 – $76,360270
41Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$55,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,130 – $64,840930
42Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$55,650
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,900 – $72,410830
43Social and Human Service Assistants$55,330
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,260 – $84,230110
44Machinists$53,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$40,600 – $71,510360
45Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$53,100
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,450 – $78,530340
46Highway Maintenance Workers$52,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,680 – $62,400120
47Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$52,670
High school diploma or equivalent
$46,890 – $59,52030
48Construction Laborers$52,620
No formal educational credential
$38,910 – $79,060510
49Automotive Body and Related Repairers$52,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,860 – $72,31080
50Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$51,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,090 – $60,72030

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

#	Occupation	MedianWausau, WI	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$90,900	$49,830 – $96,020	200
2	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$87,470	$77,670 – $99,830	150
3	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$86,750	$50,380 – $103,440	260
4	MillwrightsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,480	$70,820 – $91,050	50
5	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$80,430	$58,090 – $121,660	200
6	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,680	$41,530 – $86,790	480
7	Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$78,150	$59,130 – $98,800	250
8	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,330	$42,540 – $91,970	170
9	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$75,340	$62,350 – $95,220	140
10	Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$72,540	$60,110 – $75,930	40
11	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$69,430	$54,480 – $86,840	90
12	Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$69,080	$48,190 – $80,020	190
13	Industrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$64,490	$47,680 – $84,000	70
14	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,100	$39,580 – $120,160	970
15	Industrial Machinery MechanicsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$64,040	$50,220 – $81,020	560
16	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$63,980	$47,420 – $92,800	80
17	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$63,570	$47,170 – $77,130	60
18	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,760	$37,100 – $137,370	160
19	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$62,110	$46,720 – $102,500	50
20	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$62,020	$48,640 – $83,300	110
21	Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,070	$49,560 – $80,870	430
22	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,360	$49,450 – $73,930	150
23	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$60,250	$52,790 – $77,650	40
24	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$59,880	$42,390 – $81,040	130
25	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$59,850	$49,400 – $93,950	70
26	Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,730	$49,670 – $72,720	50
27	Payroll and Timekeeping ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,650	$45,140 – $69,730	60
28	Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,630	$40,210 – $79,530	50
29	Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,450	$36,650 – $102,700	350
30	Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,350	$36,370 – $76,890	280
31	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$59,270	$39,420 – $60,100	150
32	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool ProgrammersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,160	$48,660 – $73,020	40
33	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$59,110	$45,370 – $91,560	140
34	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,520	$45,360 – $74,260	1,460
35	Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,420	$43,600 – $78,730	50
36	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,220	$48,930 – $64,100	80
37	Mechanical DraftersAssociate's degree	$57,920	$46,650 – $78,940	60
38	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$57,330	$47,200 – $70,720	190
39	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,460	$38,480 – $72,800	80
40	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,050	$40,490 – $76,360	270
41	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,780	$48,130 – $64,840	930
42	Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,650	$36,900 – $72,410	830
43	Social and Human Service AssistantsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,330	$36,260 – $84,230	110
44	MachinistsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,680	$40,600 – $71,510	360
45	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$53,100	$36,450 – $78,530	340
46	Highway Maintenance WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,820	$46,680 – $62,400	120
47	Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,670	$46,890 – $59,520	30
48	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$52,620	$38,910 – $79,060	510
49	Automotive Body and Related RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$52,430	$36,860 – $72,310	80
50	Eligibility Interviewers, Government ProgramsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,290	$48,090 – $60,720	30

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

High paying jobs in Wausau, WI that need no experience

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