High paying medical jobs in America with no degree

The best paid medical occupations in America that require no bachelor's degree — a high school diploma, a certificate, or an associate's degree is the typical entry. This is the narrowest cut on the site, so it is also the shortest list: where a field has only two or three such occupations, there is no page at all rather than a page pretending otherwise.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025

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OccupationMedian, America · Employed

1Dental Hygienists$98,100
Associate's degree
$74,880 – $126,050222,740
2Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$96,590
Associate's degree
$67,820 – $129,37090,160
3Respiratory Therapists$82,280
Associate's degree
$63,660 – $118,050139,790
4Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110
Associate's degree
$55,980 – $118,660230,490
5Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,310
Associate's degree
$39,000 – $121,35062,960
6Surgical Technologists$64,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,940 – $96,940117,460
7Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$64,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,740 – $83,440648,410
8Paramedics$60,600
Postsecondary nondegree award
$44,230 – $84,850100,610
9Medical Records Specialists$51,140
Postsecondary nondegree award
$37,000 – $81,150194,720
10Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other$50,290
Postsecondary nondegree award
$38,180 – $85,270182,610
11Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,380
Associate's degree
$35,710 – $63,180129,140
12Opticians, Dispensing$47,260
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,610 – $76,75073,530
13Pharmacy Technicians$45,750
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,020 – $61,040471,680
14Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,700 – $61,94071,010
15Psychiatric Technicians$45,130
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,090 – $60,750156,960
16Emergency Medical Technicians$44,470
Postsecondary nondegree award
$34,130 – $62,500180,510

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

#	Occupation	MedianAmerica	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$98,100	$74,880 – $126,050	222,740
2	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$96,590	$67,820 – $129,370	90,160
3	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,280	$63,660 – $118,050	139,790
4	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$80,110	$55,980 – $118,660	230,490
5	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,310	$39,000 – $121,350	62,960
6	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,650	$45,940 – $96,940	117,460
7	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$64,400	$49,740 – $83,440	648,410
8	ParamedicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,600	$44,230 – $84,850	100,610
9	Medical Records SpecialistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$51,140	$37,000 – $81,150	194,720
10	Health Technologists and Technicians, All OtherPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,290	$38,180 – $85,270	182,610
11	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$47,380	$35,710 – $63,180	129,140
12	Opticians, DispensingHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,260	$35,610 – $76,750	73,530
13	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,750	$36,020 – $61,040	471,680
14	Ophthalmic Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,570	$35,700 – $61,940	71,010
15	Psychiatric TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$45,130	$35,090 – $60,750	156,960
16	Emergency Medical TechniciansPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,470	$34,130 – $62,500	180,510

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