Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Jobs that pay $30 an hour without a degree
The most common occupations with a median wage of at least $30 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 $30 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 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $38.42 | $79,920 | 812,210 |
| 3 | Electrician | $30.38 | $63,190 | 757,220 |
| 4 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $35.79 | $74,450 | 673,430 |
| 5 | LPN | $30.96 | $64,400 | 648,410 |
| 6 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $38.39 | $79,860 | 617,500 |
| 7 | Plumber | $30.67 | $63,800 | 465,840 |
| 8 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $31.02 | $64,520 | 439,640 |
| 9 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $50.44 | $104,920 | 284,800 |
| 10 | Administrative Services Managers | $54.87 | $114,130 | 263,960 |
| 11 | Industrial Production Manager | $60.61 | $126,060 | 246,250 |
| 12 | Food Service Manager | $33.36 | $69,390 | 238,430 |
| 13 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $31.50 | $65,510 | 176,600 |
| 14 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $50.98 | $106,040 | 154,610 |
| 15 | Home Inspector | $35.91 | $74,690 | 146,720 |
| 16 | Aircraft Mechanic | $38.40 | $79,870 | 138,090 |
| 17 | Lineman | $45.83 | $95,320 | 131,070 |
| 18 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $31.23 | $64,950 | 68,520 |
| 19 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | $35.62 | $74,090 | 65,010 |
| 20 | Tool and Die Makers | $30.79 | $64,050 | 56,930 |
| 21 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $37.49 | $77,970 | 53,380 |
| 22 | Transportation Security Screeners | $32.10 | $66,770 | 50,290 |
| 23 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $35.74 | $74,340 | 48,240 |
| 24 | Train Conductor | $37.50 | $78,000 | 46,440 |
| 25 | Crane Operator | $32.73 | $68,080 | 42,890 |
| 26 | Millwrights | $31.59 | $65,700 | 40,330 |
| 27 | Ship Captain | $44.45 | $92,460 | 36,850 |
| 28 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $31.43 | $65,380 | 34,020 |
| 29 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $46.50 | $96,710 | 33,160 |
| 30 | Power Plant Operator | $49.06 | $102,040 | 29,320 |
| 31 | Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers | $32.75 | $68,120 | 28,500 |
| 32 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $37.80 | $78,620 | 28,250 |
| 33 | First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers | $30.68 | $63,820 | 26,010 |
| 34 | Elevator Mechanic | $52.84 | $109,910 | 23,790 |
| 35 | Rigger | $30.12 | $62,640 | 22,530 |
| 36 | Air Traffic Controller | $71.19 | $148,080 | 22,510 |
| 37 | Rail Car Repairers | $32.46 | $67,530 | 21,350 |
| 38 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $49.53 | $103,020 | 20,720 |
| 39 | Forensic Scientist | $34.65 | $72,060 | 19,120 |
| 40 | Avionics Technician | $39.56 | $82,280 | 18,830 |
| 41 | Gas Plant Operators | $42.22 | $87,820 | 18,030 |
| 42 | Wellhead Pumpers | $33.63 | $69,960 | 17,990 |
| 43 | Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | $46.47 | $96,660 | 13,810 |
| 44 | Fire Inspectors and Investigators | $36.50 | $75,920 | 13,800 |
| 45 | Sound Engineer | $35.16 | $73,130 | 13,080 |
| 46 | Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $32.64 | $67,890 | 12,600 |
| 47 | Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage | $37.61 | $78,240 | 11,560 |
| 48 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $39.85 | $82,890 | 11,280 |
| 49 | Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | $30.54 | $63,520 | 11,140 |
| 50 | Subway and Streetcar Operators | $41.53 | $86,380 | 10,200 |
Method
How this page is built
Occupations with a BLS national median hourly wage of at least $30 (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.