Ranking · original analysis of BLS and O*NET data
Jobs that pay $40 an hour without a degree
The most common occupations with a median wage of at least $40 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 $40 an hour is Operations Manager ($50.85, 3,503,020 employed, BLS May 2025).
The ranking
23 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 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $50.44 | $104,920 | 284,800 |
| 3 | Administrative Services Managers | $54.87 | $114,130 | 263,960 |
| 4 | Industrial Production Manager | $60.61 | $126,060 | 246,250 |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $50.98 | $106,040 | 154,610 |
| 6 | Lineman | $45.83 | $95,320 | 131,070 |
| 7 | Ship Captain | $44.45 | $92,460 | 36,850 |
| 8 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $46.50 | $96,710 | 33,160 |
| 9 | Power Plant Operator | $49.06 | $102,040 | 29,320 |
| 10 | Elevator Mechanic | $52.84 | $109,910 | 23,790 |
| 11 | Air Traffic Controller | $71.19 | $148,080 | 22,510 |
| 12 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $49.53 | $103,020 | 20,720 |
| 13 | Gas Plant Operators | $42.22 | $87,820 | 18,030 |
| 14 | Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | $46.47 | $96,660 | 13,810 |
| 15 | Subway and Streetcar Operators | $41.53 | $86,380 | 10,200 |
| 16 | Signal and Track Switch Repairers | $44.45 | $92,460 | 8,720 |
| 17 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $51.31 | $106,730 | 8,520 |
| 18 | Ship Engineers | $52.66 | $109,530 | 8,400 |
| 19 | Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment | $40.81 | $84,890 | 6,940 |
| 20 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | $59.08 | $122,890 | 5,150 |
| 21 | Gambling Managers | $44.82 | $93,220 | 5,030 |
| 22 | Transit and Railroad Police | $43.38 | $90,230 | 4,390 |
| 23 | Makeup Artist | $46.71 | $97,150 | 2,340 |
Method
How this page is built
Occupations with a BLS national median hourly wage of at least $40 (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.