If you want “high pay without a degree” claims you can verify, start with standardized benchmarks. This 2026 edition uses the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) to list high-paying occupations that do not require a bachelor’s degree (typical entry-level education is high school or an associate’s degree on the cited pages). For the pages we cite below, the latest published median wages shown are 2024.
- A shortlist of high-paying occupations where BLS lists entry-level education as high school or an associate’s degree
- Which roles look most “prospective” (stronger projected growth in BLS job outlook)
- A clean way to interpret median pay vs. personal outcomes
- A fast checklist for validating a “no degree, high pay” claim before you invest in training
Quick Answers
What does “without a degree” mean in this research?
We interpret it as “without a bachelor’s degree.” Specifically, we include occupations where BLS OOH lists typical entry-level education as either “High school diploma or equivalent” or “Associate’s degree” on the cited pages.
Which roles look most promising (best prospects) in BLS outlook?
In this shortlist, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (13% outlook, 2024–34) and Respiratory Therapists (12% outlook, 2024–34) have the strongest projected growth on their BLS OOH pages.
What’s the highest median pay in this no-bachelor shortlist?
Air Traffic Controllers: $144,580 median annual wage (BLS OOH; 2024 median pay shown on the page).
Is this a guarantee I’ll make these salaries?
No. BLS medians are national benchmarks. Actual pay varies by geography, employer type, seniority, overtime/shift differentials, union coverage, and specialty.
- → Highest median pay in this shortlist: Air Traffic Controllers — $144,580 (Associate’s degree listed as typical entry-level education).
- → Best outlook (growth) in this shortlist: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers — 13% job outlook (2024–34).
- → Another strong-growth healthcare role: Respiratory Therapists — 12% job outlook (2024–34).
- → High-paying skilled trades example: Elevator and Escalator Installers/Repairers — $106,580 median pay; 5% outlook (2024–34).
- → High pay, weaker outlook example: Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers — $103,600 median pay; -10% outlook (2024–34).
Methodology (public-data only)
We built this shortlist by:
- Starting from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook occupation pages
- Including roles where the page lists Typical entry-level education as High school diploma or equivalent or Associate’s degree
- Keeping the list “high-paying” by focusing on roles with ~$80k+ median annual wages on the cited pages
- Recording (from each page) the median annual wage, number of jobs (2024), job outlook (2024–34), and employment change (2024–34)
BLS OOH uses standardized occupation definitions and comparable wage/outlook fields. That makes it a strong anchor for filtering out “no degree, $X salary” anecdotes that are hard to validate.
The median is the midpoint: half earn more, half earn less. It does not capture overtime-heavy schedules, travel premiums, or unusual contract/day‑rate arrangements.
Most prospective (best outlook) high-paying jobs without a bachelor’s degree
Below is the shortlist sorted by job outlook (2024–34) (higher is more “prospective” in BLS projections).
Job outlook by occupation (BLS OOH; 2024–34)
Projected percent change in employment from 2024 to 2034. Higher = faster projected growth.
Highest median pay (BLS OOH; 2024 medians shown on cited pages)
Median annual wages by occupation (BLS OOH; 2024 median pay shown on pages)
Comparison of median annual wages for the shortlist. Higher bars = higher median pay.
The shortlist (what BLS reports)
People often search for “high pay without a degree” using only wage numbers. The power plant operator/distributor/dispatcher category is included as an example of why you should check both pay and outlook before you commit to a training path.
How to validate a “high pay, no degree” claim (fast)
- Standardize the title: map the job title to a BLS OOH occupation page.
- Confirm the education field: check the page’s “Typical entry-level education.”
- Anchor on the median: use the published median pay as a reality check (then adjust for your geography).
- Check the outlook: compare job outlook and employment change for 2024–34.
- Price the path: licensing, clinical rotations, apprenticeship length, exam fees, and time-to-eligibility often drive the true ROI.
Limitations (what this is NOT proving)
- This is not a guarantee of salary outcomes for individuals.
- “Typical entry-level education” does not mean “only education ever used”; employers can set stricter requirements.
- Many roles have licensing/certification steps that matter as much as school level.
- Local labor markets can diverge significantly from national projections.
Takeaways
- 1BLS OOH provides a clean way to filter “no degree, high pay” claims into verifiable occupation benchmarks.
- 2In this shortlist, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (13%) and Respiratory Therapists (12%) have the strongest projected growth (2024–34) on their cited BLS pages.
- 3Use median pay + job outlook together; high pay with weak outlook is a common pitfall when people only look at salary lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is this a 2026 edition if the wages are “2024 median pay”?
Because BLS OOH pages publish the latest available wage year. For the cited pages in this report, the latest median wages shown are for 2024. This page packages those public benchmarks for a 2026 reading context.
Does “associate’s degree” count as “no degree”?
Some people mean “no bachelor’s degree” (which can include associate’s degrees). Others mean “no college credential at all.” This research uses the “no bachelor’s degree” interpretation and is explicit about the entry-level education field on each BLS page.
What if a job title doesn’t match a BLS page exactly?
Map it to the closest BLS occupation category, then treat the benchmark as an approximation. Avoid comparing a niche job title’s pay claims to an unrelated BLS category.
How to cite
Careery Research (2026). “High-paying jobs without a bachelor’s degree (BLS data): 7 roles + best prospects (2026 edition)”. https://careery.pro/research/high-paying-jobs-without-degree-bls-2026 (accessed YYYY-MM-DD).
- Link to the canonical URL: https://careery.pro/research/high-paying-jobs-without-degree-bls-2026
- Include the accessed date when you publish.
- If you reuse numbers, keep the same definitions/timeframe and attribute the source line to Careery.
Sources & References
- BLS OOH: Air Traffic Controllers (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Dental Hygienists (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Respiratory Therapists (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Radiation Therapists (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)
- BLS OOH: Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers (2024 median pay shown; outlook 2024–34)