With over 1300 different jobs in the world, it is difficult to navigate the highest-paying jobs without a degree. By this I meant, jobs that you can do without the need to have a university or college degree. This is why we have collated (alphabetically) the highest-paying jobs for you on this.
While all jobs listed on this page do not require a college degree, getting one can provide you with important benefits. Actually, there are more jobs available to degree holders than high school graduates. A college degree qualifies you for additional opportunities and offers you more flexibility in where you choose to work. Moreover, the skills and experience you gain in college can help you in many other areas of your life, including your health and social life.
Although all highest-paying jobs without a degree listed on this page typically require at least a high school diploma or equivalent, no formal educational credential is required to enter the occupation. For the most, you will be provided with several months of the on-the-job training program.
This program may last a few weeks to a few months, depending on the company and the complexity of the job. The program may include some time in a classroom within or outside the company and some hands-on experience under the direction of an experienced employee.
Highest-paying jobs without a degree
- Athletes and Sports Competitors
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Power Plant Operators
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
- Pile-Driver Operators
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Subway and Streetcar Operators
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Power Plant Operators
- Locomotive Engineers
Others…
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Agricultural Inspectors
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
- Amusement and Recreation Attendants
- Animal Control Workers
- Animal Trainers
- Athletes and Sports Competitors
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers
- Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers
- Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants
- Baggage Porters and Bellhops
- Bailiffs
- Bakers
- Bartenders
- Bicycle Repairers
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons
- Bridge and Lock Tenders
- Bus Drivers, School or Special Client
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
- Butchers and Meat Cutters
- Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters
- Cargo and Freight Agents
- Carpet Installers
- Cashiers
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Childcare Workers
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers
- Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food
- Construction Laborers
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders
- Cooks, Fast Food
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
- Cooks, Restaurant
- Cooks, Short Order
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
- Correspondence Clerks
- Costume Attendants
- Counter Attendants, Cafeteria, Food Concession, and Coffee Shop
- Counter and Rental Clerks
- Couriers and Messengers
- Craft Artists
- Crossing Guards
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Customer Service Representatives
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Data Entry Keyers
- Demonstrators and Product Promoters
- Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Derrick Operators, Oil, and Gas
- Dietetic Technicians
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
- Dishwashers
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Door-To-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers
- Dredge Operators
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Driver/Sales Workers
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
- Etchers and Engravers
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Fabric Menders, Except Garment
- Fallers
- Farm Labor Contractors
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Fence Erectors
- Fiberglass Laminators and Fabricators
- File Clerks
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles
- Floor Sanders and Finishers
- Floral Designers
- Food Batchmakers
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
- Food Preparation Workers
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Foundry Mold and Coremakers
- Funeral Attendants
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
- Furniture Finishers
- Gaming Cage Workers
- Gaming Change Persons and Booth Cashiers
- Gaming Dealers
- Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators
- Gaming and Sports Book Writers and Runners
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
- Glaziers
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Helpers–Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
- Helpers–Carpenters
- Helpers–Electricians
- Helpers–Extraction Workers
- Helpers–Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
- Helpers–Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers, and Stucco Masons
- Helpers–Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Helpers–Production Workers
- Helpers–Roofers
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Hoist and Winch Operators
- Home Health Aides
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical
- Interviewers, Except Eligibility and Loan
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
- Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic
- Library Assistants, Clerical
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers
- Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
- Loading Machine Operators, Underground Mining
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants
- Locksmiths and Safe Repairers
- Locomotive Engineers
- Locomotive Firers
- Logging Equipment Operators
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
- Mail Clerks and Mail Machine Operators, Except Postal Service
- Manicurists and Pedicurists
- Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
- Mechanical Door Repairers
- Medical Equipment Preparers
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
- Meter Readers, Utilities
- Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators
- Mine Shuttle Car Operators
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Models
- Molding, coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Motion Picture Projectionists
- Motorboat Operators
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- New Accounts Clerks
- Nonfarm Animal Caretakers
- Nursing Assistants
- Office Clerks, General
- Office Machine Operators, Except Computer
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Order Clerks
- Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Packers and Packagers, Hand
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Painters, Transportation Equipment
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Paperhangers
- Parking Enforcement Workers
- Parking Lot Attendants
- Parts Salespersons
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Personal Care Aides
- Pest Control Workers
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
- Pharmacy Aides
- Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Pile-Driver Operators
- Pipelayers
- Plasterers and Stucco Masons
- Plating and Coating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers
- Postal Service Clerks
- Postal Service Mail Carriers
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
- Pourers and Casters, Metal
- Pressers, Textile, Garment, and Related Materials
- Print Binding and Finishing Workers
- Psychiatric Aides
- Public Address System and Other Announcers
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- Rail Car Repairers
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
- Receptionists and Information Clerks
- Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Retail Salespersons
- Riggers
- Rock Splitters, Quarry
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Roof Bolters, Mining
- Roofers
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
- Sailors and Marine Oilers
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
- Security Guards
- Semiconductor Processors
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
- Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining
- Sewers, Hand
- Sewing Machine Operators
- Shampooers
- Sheet Metal Workers
- Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers
- Solar Photovoltaic Installers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Subway and Streetcar Operators
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
- Tapers
- Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
- Telemarketers
- Telephone Operators
- Tellers
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Textile Knitting and Weaving Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Textile Winding, Twisting, and Drawing Out Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Tile and Marble Setters
- Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters
- Tire Builders
- Tire Repairers and Changers
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
- Transportation Attendants, Except Flight Attendants
- Transportation Security Screeners
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners
- Upholsterers
- Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
- Waiters and Waitresses
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Wellhead Pumpers
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Word Processors and Typists