Best-paying careers without a bachelor's degree
Highest median pay where the typical entry education is less than a bachelor's degree. Top 30 of 290 occupations we profile, from official BLS Employment Projections (2025–35). Use the Career Explorer to filter all of them.
Updated
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial pilots | $123,220 | +5.2% | 5,200 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Transportation, storage, and distribution managers | $107,230 | +6.1% | 18,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Dental hygienists | $98,100 | +8.0% | 15,000 | Associate's degree |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers | $96,590 | +13.9% | 6,000 | Associate's degree |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $95,320 | +10.3% | 10,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Detectives and criminal investigators | $93,790 | +0.2% | 7,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers | $89,900 | -3.4% | 70,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Respiratory therapists | $82,280 | +8.5% | 8,600 | Associate's degree |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians | $80,110 | +5.0% | 13,000 | Associate's degree |
| Aircraft mechanics and service technicians | $79,870 | +5.4% | 11,400 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians | $78,190 | +2.4% | 8,100 | Associate's degree |
| Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators | $78,000 | -5.5% | 20,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants | $76,590 | +0.0% | 43,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Computer network support specialists | $76,220 | +1.2% | 9,000 | Associate's degree |
| Police and sheriff's patrol officers | $76,210 | +3.5% | 51,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Construction and building inspectors | $74,690 | +0.0% | 14,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Telecommunications line installers and repairers | $74,330 | -3.4% | 8,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Real estate brokers | $73,220 | +0.8% | 7,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Occupational therapy assistants | $72,300 | +21.5% | 8,100 | Associate's degree |
| Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products | $72,080 | -0.9% | 99,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Property, real estate, and community association managers | $69,990 | +3.7% | 36,900 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Food service managers | $69,390 | +5.8% | 38,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Lodging managers | $69,250 | +3.8% | 5,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Physical therapist assistants | $68,380 | +23.0% | 18,500 | Associate's degree |
| Architectural and civil drafters | $66,150 | +5.2% | 9,100 | Associate's degree |
| Industrial engineering technologists and technicians | $66,120 | +3.1% | 6,600 | Associate's degree |
| Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines | $65,510 | +6.7% | 15,000 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Civil engineering technologists and technicians | $64,950 | +3.2% | 6,100 | Associate's degree |
| Advertising sales agents | $64,820 | -7.2% | 7,800 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Surgical technologists | $64,650 | +5.0% | 7,100 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, Table 1.2 Occupational projections, 2025–35, and worker characteristics, 2025 ↗. Employment is for 2025, projections to 2035; median annual wage is for 2025; openings are the projected annual average for 2025–35. Figures are national, not local. Data last downloaded Oct 16, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is #1 on this list?
Commercial pilots: median pay $123,220 in 2025, projected growth +5.2% for 2025–35, about 5,200 openings a year (BLS).