Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Jobs that pay $20 an hour without a degree
The most common occupations with a median wage of at least $20 an hour where most workers report no college degree is required, ranked by how many people do the job.
Quick answer
The largest no-degree occupation paying a median of at least $20 an hour is Operations Manager ($50.85, 3,503,020 employed, BLS May 2025).
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 hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operations Manager | $50.85 | $105,770 | 3,503,020 |
| 2 | Customer Service Representative | $21.53 | $44,770 | 2,595,750 |
| 3 | Office Clerks, General | $21.64 | $45,010 | 2,464,940 |
| 4 | Truck Driver | $28.19 | $58,640 | 2,062,040 |
| 5 | Administrative Assistant | $22.86 | $47,540 | 1,706,790 |
| 6 | Maintenance Technician | $23.84 | $49,590 | 1,529,700 |
| 7 | CNA | $20.32 | $42,260 | 1,448,910 |
| 8 | Bookkeeper | $24.36 | $50,670 | 1,373,680 |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $21.19 | $44,080 | 1,223,240 |
| 10 | Store Manager | $23.33 | $48,520 | 1,121,800 |
| 11 | Construction Worker | $22.66 | $47,120 | 1,096,780 |
| 12 | Delivery Driver | $21.57 | $44,860 | 983,300 |
| 13 | Medical Secretary | $22.08 | $45,930 | 961,610 |
| 14 | Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | $21.76 | $45,260 | 816,870 |
| 15 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $38.42 | $79,920 | 812,210 |
| 16 | Electrician | $30.38 | $63,190 | 757,220 |
| 17 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $35.79 | $74,450 | 673,430 |
| 18 | Carpenter | $29.12 | $60,580 | 670,090 |
| 19 | LPN | $30.96 | $64,400 | 648,410 |
| 20 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $38.39 | $79,860 | 617,500 |
| 21 | Inspector | $23.35 | $48,570 | 597,370 |
| 22 | Pharmacy Technician | $22.00 | $45,750 | 471,680 |
| 23 | Plumber | $30.67 | $63,800 | 465,840 |
| 24 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $31.02 | $64,520 | 439,640 |
| 25 | Welder | $25.84 | $53,750 | 416,210 |
| 26 | School Bus Driver | $23.04 | $47,920 | 402,930 |
| 27 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks | $28.68 | $59,650 | 390,160 |
| 28 | Dental Assistant | $23.11 | $48,070 | 387,790 |
| 29 | Correctional Officer | $28.34 | $58,940 | 380,500 |
| 30 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $20.78 | $43,220 | 379,060 |
| 31 | Bank Teller | $20.69 | $43,030 | 329,480 |
| 32 | Mail Carrier | $29.11 | $60,550 | 328,820 |
| 33 | Personal Trainer | $22.67 | $47,160 | 322,930 |
| 34 | Diesel Mechanic | $29.70 | $61,770 | 289,960 |
| 35 | Machinist | $28.24 | $58,750 | 287,050 |
| 36 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $50.44 | $104,920 | 284,800 |
| 37 | Administrative Services Managers | $54.87 | $114,130 | 263,960 |
| 38 | Industrial Production Manager | $60.61 | $126,060 | 246,250 |
| 39 | Food Service Manager | $33.36 | $69,390 | 238,430 |
| 40 | Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | $23.67 | $49,230 | 214,260 |
| 41 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers | $27.41 | $57,020 | 206,170 |
| 42 | Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | $24.20 | $50,340 | 202,810 |
| 43 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | $23.61 | $49,100 | 178,760 |
| 44 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $31.50 | $65,510 | 176,600 |
| 45 | Food Batchmakers | $20.33 | $42,290 | 174,520 |
| 46 | Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $22.27 | $46,330 | 171,200 |
| 47 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $24.37 | $50,690 | 169,450 |
| 48 | Loan Interviewers and Clerks | $24.05 | $50,020 | 164,790 |
| 49 | Bus Driver | $28.39 | $59,050 | 159,240 |
| 50 | Bill and Account Collectors | $22.61 | $47,030 | 158,830 |
Method
How this page is built
Occupations with a BLS national median hourly wage of at least $20 (May 2025) where at least 50% of O*NET respondents report no college degree is required, ranked by employment.
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.