Careers: High school diploma or equivalent
100 occupations requiring high school diploma or equivalent, sorted by median salary.
This page lists the 100 BLS-tracked occupations assigned High school diploma or equivalent in the BLS “typical education needed for entry” category, ranked by national median salary from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. Leading the list is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890/year, projected to decline 15% through 2034. The equal-weighted mean of the published occupation medians in this category is $72,767. It is a comparison of occupation medians, not a worker-level wage or the return from obtaining a credential.
6 of 100 occupations in this BLS category have a published median above $100,000 per year. 62 occupations in this list are projected to grow through 2034 per BLS Employment Projections, while 38 are flat or declining. Summing the published projected annual openings across the list gives approximately 1,759,500. This is an occupation-level projection sum, not a live vacancy count or an individual entry probability. Workplace safety grades shown on each row derive from BLS CFOI fatality rates and SOII injury rates, useful for roles involving fieldwork, construction, transportation, or healthcare where physical hazard matters alongside compensation.
“Typical education needed for entry” is the BLS category describing the education workers typically need to enter an occupation. It is not a legal or employer-specific requirement and does not describe every worker. Many roles on this list have alternative pathways through experience, certifications, portfolio-based entry, or higher credentials. Those pathways are context for further research; this ranking does not measure their effect on pay. Use this ranking to compare occupations that share the same BLS entry-education assignment, then open a national profile to inspect its published percentile boundaries, state and local-area variation, and employment projections. The assignment does not measure your current credential, a program's cost, or the best route for an individual. OEWS percentiles are wage boundaries, not entry or senior work-level estimates. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses. Employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, and nonproduction bonuses are excluded, so compare those parts of an offer separately.
| # | Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear Power Reactor Operators Production Occupations | $122,890 |
| 2 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $109,910 |
| 3 | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers Management Occupations | $107,230 |
| 4 | Power Distributors and Dispatchers Production Occupations | $106,730 |
| 5 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Protective Service Occupations | $106,040 |
| 6 | Power Plant Operators Production Occupations | $102,040 |
| 7 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Production Occupations | $96,710 |
| 8 | Postmasters and Mail Superintendents Management Occupations | $96,660 |
| 9 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $95,320 |
| 10 | Detectives and Criminal Investigators Protective Service Occupations | $93,790 |
| 11 | Gambling Managers Management Occupations | $93,220 |
| 12 | Signal and Track Switch Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $92,460 |
| 13 | Transportation Inspectors Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $92,100 |
| 14 | Transit and Railroad Police Protective Service Occupations | $90,230 |
| 15 | Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers Management Occupations | $89,900 |
| 16 | Gas Plant Operators Production Occupations | $87,820 |
| 17 | First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers Sales and Related Occupations | $87,520 |
| 18 | Subway and Streetcar Operators Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $86,380 |
| 19 | Locomotive Engineers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $81,410 |
| 20 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $79,920 |
| 21 | First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $79,860 |
| 22 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators Production Occupations | $78,620 |
| 23 | Roof Bolters, Mining Construction and Extraction Occupations | $78,540 |
| 24 | Chemical Plant and System Operators Production Occupations | $78,120 |
| 25 | Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators Business and Financial Operations Occupations | $78,000 |
| 26 | Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $78,000 |
| 27 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers Protective Service Occupations | $77,970 |
| 28 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $77,320 |
| 29 | Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants Office and Administrative Support Occupations | $76,590 |
| 30 | Boilermakers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $76,410 |
| 31 | First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other Protective Service Occupations | $76,400 |
| 32 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers Protective Service Occupations | $76,210 |
| 33 | Terrazzo Workers and Finishers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $76,170 |
| 34 | Construction and Building Inspectors Construction and Extraction Occupations | $74,690 |
| 35 | First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers Production Occupations | $74,450 |
| 36 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $74,340 |
| 37 | Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $74,330 |
| 38 | Media and Communication Workers, All Other Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations | $73,620 |
| 39 | Pile Driver Operators Construction and Extraction Occupations | $73,300 |
| 40 | Real Estate Brokers Sales and Related Occupations | $73,220 |
| 41 | Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Sales and Related Occupations | $72,080 |
| 42 | Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations | $70,720 |
| 43 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Construction and Extraction Occupations | $70,070 |
| 44 | Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers Management Occupations | $69,990 |
| 45 | Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel Sales and Related Occupations | $69,990 |
| 46 | Wellhead Pumpers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $69,960 |
| 47 | Personal Service Managers, All Other Management Occupations | $69,770 |
| 48 | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers Office and Administrative Support Occupations | $69,500 |
| 49 | Food Service Managers Management Occupations | $69,390 |
| 50 | Lodging Managers Management Occupations | $69,250 |
| 51 | Precision Instrument and Equipment Repairers, All Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $68,990 |
| 52 | Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $68,840 |
| 53 | Crane and Tower Operators Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $68,080 |
| 54 | Rail Car Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $67,530 |
| 55 | Watch and Clock Repairers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $67,230 |
| 56 | Transportation Security Screeners Protective Service Occupations | $66,770 |
| 57 | Brokerage Clerks Office and Administrative Support Occupations | $65,750 |
| 58 | Millwrights Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $65,700 |
| 59 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $65,510 |
| 60 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers Production Occupations | $65,380 |
| 61 | Hearing Aid Specialists Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations | $65,160 |
| 62 | Advertising Sales Agents Sales and Related Occupations | $64,820 |
| 63 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $64,520 |
| 64 | Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic Production Occupations | $63,870 |
| 65 | First-Line Supervisors of Gambling Services Workers Personal Care and Service Occupations | $63,820 |
| 66 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters Construction and Extraction Occupations | $63,800 |
| 67 | Flight Attendants Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $63,580 |
| 68 | Model Makers, Metal and Plastic Production Occupations | $63,340 |
| 69 | Electricians Construction and Extraction Occupations | $63,190 |
| 70 | First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $62,890 |
| 71 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $62,780 |
| 72 | Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers Production Occupations | $62,750 |
| 73 | Riggers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $62,640 |
| 74 | Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters Production Occupations | $62,620 |
| 75 | Chefs and Head Cooks Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations | $62,470 |
| 76 | Plant and System Operators, All Other Production Occupations | $62,470 |
| 77 | Insurance Sales Agents Sales and Related Occupations | $62,280 |
| 78 | Brickmasons and Blockmasons Construction and Extraction Occupations | $62,120 |
| 79 | Sheet Metal Workers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $61,800 |
| 80 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $61,770 |
| 81 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $61,770 |
| 82 | Occupational Health and Safety Technicians Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations | $61,560 |
| 83 | Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters Construction and Extraction Occupations | $61,390 |
| 84 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $61,290 |
| 85 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $60,850 |
| 86 | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $60,600 |
| 87 | Carpenters Construction and Extraction Occupations | $60,580 |
| 88 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Construction and Extraction Occupations | $60,190 |
| 89 | Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations | $60,070 |
| 90 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Production Occupations | $60,020 |
| 91 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Construction and Extraction Occupations | $59,850 |
| 92 | Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks Office and Administrative Support Occupations | $59,650 |
| 93 | First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations | $59,320 |
| 94 | Traffic Technicians Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $59,090 |
| 95 | Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity Transportation and Material Moving Occupations | $59,050 |
| 96 | Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Construction and Extraction Occupations | $58,970 |
| 97 | Correctional Officers and Jailers Protective Service Occupations | $58,940 |
| 98 | Machinists Production Occupations | $58,750 |
| 99 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers Legal Occupations | $58,650 |
| 100 | First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations | $58,430 |
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Education, growth, and openings use BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII where present. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.