Highest-Paying Jobs Without a Bachelor's Degree in 2026
A four-year degree is not the only route to strong pay, but “no bachelor’s degree” does not mean “no training.” The careers on this page include apprenticeships, licenses, postsecondary certificates, associate degrees, employer training, and jobs that usually require years of related experience.
The pay figures below are national median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. A median is the midpoint for workers in an occupation, not a starting salary. New entrants may earn substantially less, and local pay can vary.
Use the comparison to answer two questions separately: How much can this occupation pay? and What does it actually take to become employable? Those are often very different questions.
Pick the route you actually mean
| Route | What it means | Examples on this page | Go deeper |
|---|---|---|---|
| No college degree required for typical entry | High school plus apprenticeship, employer training, or on-the-job training | Elevator installer, electrician, plumber, power dispatcher | Career summaries and trade program pages |
| Postsecondary nondegree | License, certificate, technical program, or other nondegree training | Commercial pilot, aircraft mechanic, HVAC technician, truck driver | Career summaries and program pages |
| Associate degree | A two-year degree is the typical entry credential | Air traffic controller, radiation therapist, dental hygienist, radiologic technologist | Highest-paying associate degrees |
| Experience-dependent | The occupation may not require a bachelor’s degree, but it is normally not an entry-level jump | Transportation manager, detective | Career-specific guidance below |
If your priority is the shortest training, use Short Certificate Programs That Pay Well. If you specifically want a two-year route with six-figure potential, use 2-Year Degrees That Can Lead to $100K Jobs. For a broader look at six-figure careers across credential levels, use Jobs That Pay $100K.
May 2025 pay and entry route
This table is the core comparison for all 24 careers in the interactive sorter. It stays readable if JavaScript is off. Every wage is a May 2025 national median, which is the midpoint for people already in the occupation, not starting pay. Trade-Schools.net route links are separate from the BLS education, experience, and training fields.
| Occupation | May 2025 median | Typical BLS entry education | Related work experience | OJT or apprenticeship | Route class | Training route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controller | $148,080 | Associate's degree | None | Long-term on-the-job training | Associate degree | Career summary |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | Moderate-term on-the-job training | Postsecondary nondegree | See flight training paths |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operator | $122,890 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Long-term on-the-job training | No college degree required for typical entry | Career summary |
| Elevator Installer & Repairer | $109,910 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Apprenticeship | No college degree required for typical entry | Career summary |
| Transportation / Distribution Manager | $107,230 | High school diploma or equivalent | 5 years or more | None listed | Experience-dependent | Career summary |
| Power Distributor / Dispatcher | $106,730 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Long-term on-the-job training | No college degree required for typical entry | Career summary |
| Radiation Therapist | $105,310 | Associate's degree | None | None listed | Associate degree | Explore healthcare training paths |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | Associate's degree | None | None listed | Associate degree | Find dental hygiene programs |
| Police Detective | $93,790 | High school diploma or equivalent | Less than 5 years | Moderate-term on-the-job training | Experience-dependent | Career summary |
| Web Developer | $92,650 | Bachelor's degree | None | None listed | Possible without a bachelor's, but not a clean no-bachelor route | Explore web development training |
| Radiologic Technologist / X-Ray Tech | $80,110 | Associate's degree | None | None listed | Associate degree | Explore radiologic tech training |
| Aircraft Mechanic | $79,870 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | None listed | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore aircraft mechanic training |
| Plumber | $63,800 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Apprenticeship | No college degree required for typical entry | See plumbing training paths |
| Electrician | $63,190 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Apprenticeship | No college degree required for typical entry | See electrician training paths |
| Computer Technician / IT Support | $61,860 | Some college, no degree | None | Moderate-term on-the-job training | Some college, no degree | Explore IT support training |
| Diesel Mechanic | $61,770 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Long-term on-the-job training | No college degree required for typical entry | Explore diesel mechanic training |
| HVAC Technician | $61,010 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | Long-term on-the-job training | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore HVAC training |
| CDL Truck Driver | $58,640 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | Short-term on-the-job training | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore CDL training |
| Welder | $53,750 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Moderate-term on-the-job training | No college degree required for typical entry | Explore welding training |
| Medical Billing & Coding Specialist | $51,140 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | None listed | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore billing and coding training |
| Automotive Mechanic | $50,620 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | Short-term on-the-job training | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore auto mechanic training |
| Pharmacy Technician | $45,750 | High school diploma or equivalent | None | Moderate-term on-the-job training | No college degree required for typical entry | Explore pharmacy tech training |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | None listed | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore medical assistant training |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 | Postsecondary nondegree award | None | None listed | Postsecondary nondegree | Explore phlebotomy training |
Interactive comparison
Compare High-Paying Careers by Pay, Training Time, and Entry Path
Salary is only part of the decision. Some high-paying careers without a bachelor’s degree require apprenticeships, licenses, flight hours, clinical training, or employer-based experience. Use this sorter to compare the tradeoffs before you pick a path.
For a demand-and-outlook-first view, compare this list with the best careers for the future.
Pay level
Training time
Entry path
Work style
Training route on Trade-Schools.net
Online-friendly
How to read this: Pay figures are May 2025 national median annual wages from BLS OEWS. A median is the midpoint for workers already in the occupation, not a starting salary. BLS typical entry education, related work experience, and on-the-job training are separate facts. Trade-Schools.net route-fit labels are editorial and are not BLS classifications.
Why some cards are info-only: Some careers are included for comparison even when Trade-Schools.net does not have a direct training route for them.
Career data last reviewed: October 6, 2026.
How the highest-paying routes differ in real life
These notes group well-known careers by the route it actually takes to get hired. Pay rank alone does not show that route. Medians are May 2025 national midpoint wages, not starting pay. The interactive comparison above still covers all 24 careers.
High school plus structured training or apprenticeship
Nuclear power reactor operator
May 2025 median: $122,890. BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical entry education and long-term on-the-job training. This is a specialized employer-training route, not a quick certificate path, and projected employment is declining.
Elevator and escalator installer/repairer
May 2025 median: $109,910. BLS lists high school plus an apprenticeship as the typical route. Apprenticeship availability and sponsorship vary, and the route is not exclusively union-sponsored.
Power distributor and dispatcher
May 2025 median: $106,730. BLS lists high school plus long-term on-the-job training. Treat it as a utility-employer route rather than a short school program.
Electrician
May 2025 median: $63,190. BLS lists high school plus an apprenticeship. Licensing rules vary by state. See electrician training.
Plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter
May 2025 median: $63,800. BLS lists high school plus an apprenticeship. Licensing rules vary by state. See plumbing training.
License or postsecondary nondegree training
Commercial pilot
May 2025 median: $123,220. BLS classifies the occupation under a postsecondary nondegree entry route. FAA certification is the legal gate. FAA rules allow 250 total flight hours to satisfy the commercial-pilot certificate minimum for an airplane rating, but employers can require far more experience. Airline hiring is a different pathway. See flight training paths.
Aircraft mechanic
May 2025 median: $79,870. The FAA allows qualification through an FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School or documented practical experience before testing. School is not the only route. See aircraft mechanic training.
Associate-degree routes
Air traffic controller
May 2025 median: $148,080. BLS lists an associate degree as typical entry education, but the FAA’s applicant qualifications are broader. Applicants generally must be U.S. citizens, be under 31, pass medical, security, and pre-employment testing, and qualify through work experience, a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of postsecondary education and work experience. AT-CTI is a pathway, not the sole eligibility route. FAA training continues after hiring.
Radiation therapist
May 2025 median: $105,310. BLS lists an associate degree as typical entry education. For the ARRT primary pathway, candidates must earn an associate degree or higher and complete an ARRT-approved educational program, then meet ethics and examination requirements. State licensing rules vary, so ARRT certification and state licensure are not one requirement. See health care training.
Dental hygienist
May 2025 median: $98,100. This stays in the associate-degree route. State licensure is a separate gate. Check the state dental board and program guidance. See dental hygienist programs.
Experience-dependent, not entry-level
Transportation, storage, and distribution manager
May 2025 median: $107,230. BLS lists high school as typical entry education and five years or more of related work experience. That makes this an advancement route, not a realistic first job after a short program.
Detective and criminal investigator
May 2025 median: $93,790. BLS lists high school as typical entry education and less than five years of related work experience. It is an advancement and public-safety route, not a clean school-to-job path.
Possible without a bachelor’s, but not a clean no-bachelor route
Web developer
May 2025 median: $92,650. Some employers hire based on demonstrated skills and portfolio work, while BLS classifies a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry education nationally. A portfolio does not completely replace that typical requirement. See web development training.
Maritime credential and sea service
Captain, mate, and pilot of water vessels
May 2025 median: $92,460. BLS lists a postsecondary nondegree award and less than five years of related work experience. U.S. Coast Guard credentialing can involve a Merchant Mariner Credential, documented sea service, relevant training or assessments, and medical qualification, depending on the credential sought. Do not reduce the pathway to experience alone. This occupation is explained here and is not one of the 24 cards in the interactive comparison.
Maximize Your Return on Investment
In contrast to most traditional four-year institutions, career and technical schools specialize in putting students on a more defined path to success in the job market. They offer the chance to earn quick degrees or diplomas and complete fast career certification programs. Many of the best, highest-paying entry-level jobs can be attained with only two years or less of focused career education, including skilled trades like auto body work where collision repair training can lead to shop roles without a bachelor's degree.
That’s the real value of short vocational schooling. It’s all about getting new opportunities and a positive return on investment (ROI) with the least amount of schooling needed.
Ready to compare training? Use the school search when the occupation you want actually has a school-based entry route. For apprenticeship-, employer-training-, or experience-based careers, follow the career-specific route above first.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Controller Qualifications.
- Federal Aviation Administration, Become a Pilot, and 14 CFR 61.129 commercial-pilot aeronautical experience.
- Federal Aviation Administration, Become an Aircraft Mechanic.
- American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Primary Eligibility Requirements for Radiation Therapy.
- U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center, credential and medical guidance.
