Occupation ranking

Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree

Occupations with the highest published medians among selected BLS typical-entry education categories.

50
Occupations ranked
122,890
Highest (Annual Median)
69,770
Lowest in list

This list, in one line

Every occupation on this list ranks annual median at 69,770 or better, led by Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at 122,890 - 1.8x the #50 cutoff.

122,890
#1 - Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
69,770
#50, the cutoff to make this list

Based on 50 occupations ranked by annual median, BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics / Employment Projections.

This ranking surfaces 50 distinct occupations using the selected measure from Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and Employment Projections typical-education field, each scored on the "Annual Median" dimension. The top-ranked occupation is Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at 122,890, versus 69,770 at rank 50. This is the observed spread in the selected published measure and does not establish its causes. Every row links to the occupation's national profile with state and local-area wage breakdowns.

These occupations have the highest published OEWS annual medians among rows whose BLS Employment Projections typical-entry assignment is high school diploma or equivalent, no formal educational credential, or some college with no degree. The assignment is an occupation-level classification, not a rule for every employer or worker, and the joined datasets do not establish why an occupation pays its observed median.

The values are published BLS estimates from the program named above, not job-board averages. Wage rankings use OEWS; growth, openings, and typical-entry education assignments use Employment Projections. Occupation profiles show OEWS wage percentiles and local-area estimates where published, plus BLS education assignments and projections where available. See our methodology for the source and field definitions.

Full ranking table

# Occupation Annual Median
1 Nuclear Power Reactor Operators 122,890
2 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers 109,910
3 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers 107,230
4 Power Distributors and Dispatchers 106,730
5 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 106,040
6 Power Plant Operators 102,040
7 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers 96,710
8 Postmasters and Mail Superintendents 96,660
9 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers 95,320
10 Detectives and Criminal Investigators 93,790
11 Gambling Managers 93,220
12 Signal and Track Switch Repairers 92,460
13 Transportation Inspectors 92,100
14 Transit and Railroad Police 90,230
15 Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers 89,900
16 Gas Plant Operators 87,820
17 First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers 87,520
18 Subway and Streetcar Operators 86,380
19 Locomotive Engineers 81,410
20 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 79,920
21 First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers 79,860
22 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators 78,620
23 Roof Bolters, Mining 78,540
24 Chemical Plant and System Operators 78,120
25 Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators 78,000
26 Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters 78,000
27 First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers 77,970
28 Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators 77,320
29 Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants 76,590
30 Boilermakers 76,410
31 First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other 76,400
32 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 76,210
33 Terrazzo Workers and Finishers 76,170
34 Construction and Building Inspectors 74,690
35 Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining 74,500
36 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers 74,450
37 Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door 74,340
38 Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers 74,330
39 Media and Communication Workers, All Other 73,620
40 Pile Driver Operators 73,300
41 Real Estate Brokers 73,220
42 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products 72,080
43 Artists and Related Workers, All Other 71,240
44 Media and Communication Equipment Workers, All Other 70,720
45 Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other 70,130
46 Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators 70,070
47 Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers 69,990
48 Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel 69,990
49 Wellhead Pumpers 69,960
50 Personal Service Managers, All Other 69,770

Last updated: May 2025. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and Employment Projections typical-education field.

Percentile bands and state/local-area breakouts use BLS OEWS State and Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, May 2025.

How this list is computed: every detailed SOC occupation with a published "Annual Median" value in the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release is ranked directly on that value, with no editorial weighting or WageDex-imputed fill-ins for suppressed cells. The source values themselves are BLS estimates; occupations without a published value are absent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "no degree required" mean here?

BLS Employment Projections assigns each occupation a typical education-needed-for-entry category. This ranking includes high school diploma or equivalent, no formal educational credential, and some college with no degree categories, while excluding associate’s degree or higher categories. It is an occupation-level assignment, not a requirement for every job or worker.

Does the table explain why these occupations pay more?

No. It combines a wage ranking with the BLS typical-entry category. Licensing, training, duties, hazards, labor supply, and employer requirements need separate occupation-specific evidence.

Do these figures include on-the-job training time?

No. The wage statistic describes covered workers in the occupation and is not a first-day wage or a training timeline. Check the separate BLS on-the-job-training and related-work-experience assignments on each occupation profile.

Related Rankings & Nearby Pages

Jump to another ranking lens, explore the top-ranked occupation, or compare roles side-by-side.

Highest Paying Lowest Paying Fastest Growing Largest Employment Most Openings Highest Hourly Nuclear Power Reactor Operators →
Compare Nuclear Power Reactor Operators side-by-side with another occupation →
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How to read this ranking

Use the ranking to scope a field, then drill into a specific job

  • These are occupation medians from the BLS OEWS survey: in each role, half of workers earn more and half earn less. The ranking is a starting point, not your expected pay. Browse occupations
  • Pay rank shifts by location. A role near the top nationally can pay very differently in your state or metro, before you even adjust for cost of living. Compare states
  • Open any occupation to see its full pay band, percentiles, and outlook, so you read the number in context. All rankings

Estimates reflect the BLS May 2025 reference period and exclude self-employed workers; some small occupation-area cells are suppressed.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Each ranking labels its BLS source in context: OEWS May 2025 for wage rankings and Employment Projections 2024–2034 for growth and openings rankings. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. National rankings reflect aggregate BLS figures and may not represent a specific employer's actual pay, consult a qualified career counselor or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.