Highest Paying Jobs with No College Degree Required
@juliepeasleydataviz
No Degree? No Problem.
You don’t need college to earn six figures. With just a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or specialized certification, these 20 roles deliver above-average pay—according to May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data (rounded to the nearest hundred).
The top earner, air traffic controller, doesn’t require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The FAA mandates only its Academy training, rigorous exams, medical clearance, and applicants must be under 31.
Likewise, commercial pilots need no degree from the FAA—only flight hours and certification. Major airlines typically require a bachelor’s for captains and first officers, so this ranking covers non-airline roles (charters, medevac, crop dusting, etc.). The BLS combines both pilot types, but no degree is required for entry.
Many of these jobs demand high responsibility, risk, and specialized skills—but not formal education. The list spans linemen and nuclear reactor operators to casino managers and ship engineers.
Source: BLS Occupational Finder filtered for “high school diploma or equivalent” + highest median wage (May 2024).
Dataset
OccupationMedian Annual Wage (May 2024)|
| Air Traffic Controller | $144,580 | | Commercial Pilot (Non-Airline) | $122,670 | | Nuclear Power Reactor Operator | $122,610 | | Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer | $106,580 | | First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives | $105,980 | | Power Plant Distributor and Dispatcher | $103,600 | | Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager | $102,010 | | Power Plant Operator | $99,670 | | Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator, and Gauger | $97,540 | | Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,580 | | Postmaster and Mail Superintendent | $92,730 | | Electrical Power-Line Installer and Repairer | $92,560 | | Farmer, Rancher, and Agricultural Manager | $87,980 | | Transportation Inspector | $85,750 | | Gambling Manager at Casino or Racetrack | $85,580 | | Subway and Streetcar Operator | $84,830 | | First-line Supervisor of Sales Workers (Non-retail) | $84,130 | | Signal and Track Switch Repairer | $83,600 |
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