Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Highest-paying jobs without a degree
The 50 best-paid occupations where most workers report that no college degree is required, ranked by the national median wage.
Quick answer
The highest-paying job where most workers need no college degree is Air Traffic Controller, with a median of $148,080 (BLS, May 2025). 13 such occupations have a median of $100,000 or more.
The ranking
50 occupations
Data Every figure is from BLS OEWS May 2025 or O*NET 31.0; the selection rule is below.
| # | Occupation | Median pay | No degree required | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air Traffic Controller | $148,080 | 64% | 22,510 |
| 2 | Industrial Production Manager | $126,060 | 62% | 246,250 |
| 3 | Commercial Pilot | $123,220 | 61% | 47,630 |
| 4 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $122,890 | 72% | 5,150 |
| 5 | Administrative Services Managers | $114,130 | 60% | 263,960 |
| 6 | Elevator Mechanic | $109,910 | 95% | 23,790 |
| 7 | Ship Engineers | $109,530 | 81% | 8,400 |
| 8 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $106,730 | 70% | 8,520 |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $106,040 | 77% | 154,610 |
| 10 | Operations Manager | $105,770 | 66% | 3,503,020 |
| 11 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | 59% | 284,800 |
| 12 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $103,020 | 70% | 20,720 |
| 13 | Power Plant Operator | $102,040 | 73% | 29,320 |
| 14 | Makeup Artist | $97,150 | 81% | 2,340 |
| 15 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $96,710 | 100% | 33,160 |
| 16 | Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | $96,660 | 80% | 13,810 |
| 17 | Lineman | $95,320 | 97% | 131,070 |
| 18 | Gambling Managers | $93,220 | 93% | 5,030 |
| 19 | Signal and Track Switch Repairers | $92,460 | 96% | 8,720 |
| 20 | Ship Captain | $92,460 | 89% | 36,850 |
| 21 | Transit and Railroad Police | $90,230 | 60% | 4,390 |
| 22 | Gas Plant Operators | $87,820 | 89% | 18,030 |
| 23 | Subway and Streetcar Operators | $86,380 | 100% | 10,200 |
| 24 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | $84,890 | 76% | 6,940 |
| 25 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $82,890 | 59% | 11,280 |
| 26 | Avionics Technician | $82,280 | 80% | 18,830 |
| 27 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | 78% | 812,210 |
| 28 | Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 | 84% | 138,090 |
| 29 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $79,860 | 87% | 617,500 |
| 30 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | 89% | 28,250 |
| 31 | Roof Bolters, Mining | $78,540 | 100% | 2,160 |
| 32 | Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $78,240 | 83% | 11,560 |
| 33 | Train Conductor | $78,000 | 94% | 46,440 |
| 34 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $77,970 | 66% | 53,380 |
| 35 | Terrazzo Workers and Finishers | $76,170 | 100% | 1,180 |
| 36 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $75,920 | 83% | 13,800 |
| 37 | Home Inspector | $74,690 | 76% | 146,720 |
| 38 | Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,500 | 99% | 5,930 |
| 39 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | 74% | 673,430 |
| 40 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $74,340 | 92% | 48,240 |
| 41 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $74,090 | 54% | 65,010 |
| 42 | Pile Driver Operators | $73,300 | 100% | 2,310 |
| 43 | Sound Engineer | $73,130 | 60% | 13,080 |
| 44 | Forensic Scientist | $72,060 | 66% | 19,120 |
| 45 | Wellhead Pumpers | $69,960 | 93% | 17,990 |
| 46 | Food Service Manager | $69,390 | 72% | 238,430 |
| 47 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $68,120 | 84% | 28,500 |
| 48 | Crane Operator | $68,080 | 100% | 42,890 |
| 49 | Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | 91% | 12,600 |
| 50 | Rail Car Repairers | $67,530 | 99% | 21,350 |
Method
How this page is built
Occupations where at least 50% of O*NET survey respondents report that the job requires less than an associate's degree (less than high school, high school, a post-secondary certificate, or some college), ranked by BLS national median annual wage, May 2025.
What this page can't tell you
Sources- Pay at a specific employer or for self-employed workers.
- Openings in your area: these are national figures.
- Whether a job suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.