Highest-paying jobs without a degree
Find occupations that typically do not require an associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate degree.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment ProjectionsPeriod: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wagesRetrieved 2026-10-05T08:25:31+00:00
Includes no formal educational credential, high school diploma, some college with no degree, and postsecondary nondegree award. Excludes associate’s degrees as well as bachelor’s and graduate degrees. Certificates, apprenticeships, and experience may still be required. National BLS detailed occupations only. Wages are median annual employee wages, not starting salaries or self-employed earnings. Missing wages are excluded from pay rankings. A “+” means a lower bound, not an exact wage; equal reported bounds share a rank. Education describes the typical entry requirement, not a guarantee of eligibility. Training, licensing, and experience may still be needed.
| Rank | Name | Typical education | Median annual wage | Projected growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 | Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,380 | -4.8% |
| 302 | Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,350 | -3.3% |
| 303 | Pesticide handlers, sprayers, and applicators, vegetation DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,340 | 3.9% |
| 303 | Upholsterers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,340 | -2.3% |
| 305 | Log graders and scalers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,330 | -2.2% |
| 305 | Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,330 | -10.5% |
| 307 | Order clerks DetailsEducation: Some college, no degree. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Some college, no degree | $46,170 | -17.5% |
| 307 | Molders, shapers, and casters, except metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Long-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $46,170 | 5.8% |
| 309 | Craft artists DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Long-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $46,080 | 2.0% |
| 310 | Manufactured building and mobile home installers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,990 | 5.8% |
| 311 | Metal workers and plastic workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,950 | -7.1% |
| 312 | Social and human service assistants DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,930 | 7.4% |
| 312 | Medical secretaries and administrative assistants DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,930 | 4.8% |
| 314 | Interviewers, except eligibility and loan DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,920 | -10.4% |
| 315 | Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,850 | 5.0% |
| 316 | Printing press operators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,780 | -8.7% |
| 317 | Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,760 | 1.5% |
| 318 | Pharmacy technicians DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,750 | 6.4% |
| 319 | Medical assistants DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,690 | 12.9% |
| 320 | Office and administrative support workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,670 | -7.3% |
| 321 | Animal control workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,660 | 4.0% |
| 322 | Transportation workers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,650 | 4.0% |
| 323 | Ophthalmic medical technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,570 | 21.4% |
| 324 | Skincare specialists DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,330 | 8.8% |
| 325 | Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,260 | -7.6% |
| 326 | Pest control workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,250 | 5.5% |
| 327 | Phlebotomists DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,230 | 6.8% |
| 328 | Psychiatric technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $45,130 | 22.3% |
| 329 | Office clerks, general DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $45,010 | -6.0% |
| 330 | Psychiatric aides DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,910 | 1.9% |
| 331 | Light truck drivers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,860 | 6.3% |
| 332 | Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,810 | 0.4% |
| 333 | Customer service representatives DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,770 | -5.3% |
| 334 | Photographers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,660 | -0.7% |
| 335 | Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,650 | 1.1% |
| 336 | Library technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $44,580 | -6.4% |
| 337 | Furniture finishers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,540 | -3.5% |
| 338 | Woodworkers, all other DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,530 | -2.3% |
| 339 | Emergency medical technicians DetailsEducation: Postsecondary nondegree award. Experience: None. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | Postsecondary nondegree award | $44,470 | 5.8% |
| 340 | Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,390 | 2.5% |
| 341 | Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,350 | -3.4% |
| 342 | Helpers--roofers DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,160 | -0.1% |
| 343 | First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: Less than 5 years. Training: None. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $44,080 | 5.4% |
| 344 | Building cleaning workers, all other DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $44,040 | 2.0% |
| 345 | Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,960 | -9.7% |
| 346 | Helpers--carpenters DetailsEducation: No formal educational credential. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | No formal educational credential | $43,780 | -1.7% |
| 347 | Forest and conservation workers DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,680 | -1.5% |
| 348 | Crematory operators DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,650 | 3.1% |
| 349 | File clerks DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Short-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,600 | -15.8% |
| 350 | Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders DetailsEducation: High school diploma or equivalent. Experience: None. Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. Source period: 2025–2035 projections · 2025 median annual wages | High school diploma or equivalent | $43,530 | 3.4% |
Wages marked + are top-coded: the published figure is the lower bound of the capped wage.
487 ranked entries.