High-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree: 12 Careers and What They Pay in 2026
High-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree: 12 Careers and What They Pay in 2026
Does earning a six-figure income require a four-year degree? For a number of well-established occupations, it does not. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the typical worker whose highest credential is a bachelor's degree earned a median of about $80,200 per year in 2024 ($1,543 a week). A worker whose highest credential is a high school diploma earned a median of about $48,400 per year ($930 a week).
That gap is real — but it is an average, and averages hide the exceptions. Several skilled trades whose typical entry requirement is nothing more than a high school diploma pay well above the bachelor's-degree median, and a few clear six figures at the median wage.
Below are 12 of those occupations, using the most recent BLS wage data (the May 2024 release). Every dollar figure is a median annual wage: half of the workers in that occupation earned more, and half earned less.
What 12 no-degree careers pay
| Occupation | Median pay (2024) | Typical entry-level education |
|---|---|---|
| Elevator & escalator installers and repairers | $106,580 | High school diploma |
| Power plant operators, distributors & dispatchers | $103,600 | High school diploma |
| Electrical power-line installers and repairers | $92,560 | High school diploma |
| Aircraft & avionics equipment mechanics | $79,140 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Stationary engineers & boiler operators | $75,190 | High school diploma |
| Boilermakers | $73,340 | High school diploma |
| Construction & building inspectors | $72,120 | High school diploma |
| Industrial machinery mechanics & millwrights | $63,510 | High school diploma |
| Plumbers, pipefitters & steamfitters | $62,970 | High school diploma |
| Electricians | $62,350 | High school diploma |
| HVAC mechanics and installers | $59,810 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Welders, cutters, solderers & brazers | $51,000 | High school diploma |
For comparison, the median wage across all U.S. occupations was $49,500 in May 2024. Every job on this list pays above that line.
Three jobs that out-earn the average bachelor's degree
Three occupations on the list have a median wage higher than the roughly $80,200 the typical bachelor's-degree holder earns — and none of them list a college degree as a typical entry requirement.
Elevator and escalator installers and repairers top the list at $106,580. They install and service elevators, escalators, and moving walkways, usually after a multi-year apprenticeship.
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers earn a median of $103,600. Within that group, nuclear power reactor operators earn a median of $122,610 — though that role also requires a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. One honest caveat: BLS projects overall employment in this group to decline about 10% through 2034 as plants automate, even as pay stays high.
Electrical power-line installers and repairers — the workers who build and repair the power grid — earn a median of $92,560, and the top 10% earn more than $126,000. BLS projects this occupation to grow 7% through 2034, faster than the average for all jobs, driven partly by rising electricity demand and EV charging infrastructure.
The most accessible trades: electrician, plumber, HVAC
The highest-paying jobs above are relatively small fields. The trades that hire at scale — the ones most people picture when they think "skilled trade" — sit a little lower on the pay scale but offer far more openings.
Electricians earn a median of $62,350, and the field is both large (about 819,000 jobs) and growing fast: BLS projects 9% growth through 2034, with roughly 81,000 openings every year. The top 10% of electricians earn more than $106,000.
Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters earn a median of $62,970, with the top 10% above $105,000.
HVAC mechanics and installers earn a median of $59,810. Unlike electricians and plumbers, HVAC work typically calls for a postsecondary nondegree award — a short certificate from a trade or technical school, not a four-year degree.
A common thread runs through all three: they are usually learned through a paid apprenticeship, typically four to five years, combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Apprentices earn a wage from day one and avoid student debt entirely.
What "no degree" really means
"No college degree" does not mean "no training." It is worth being clear about what these careers actually ask for:
- An apprenticeship. Electricians, plumbers, line installers, and elevator installers almost all train through multi-year apprenticeships.
- A license. Most states require electricians and plumbers to pass a licensing exam. Nuclear reactor operators need a federal license.
- A short certificate, in some cases. HVAC technicians and aircraft mechanics typically complete a postsecondary nondegree award — months of training, not years.
The distinction that matters is cost and time: an apprentice is paid to learn, while a four-year degree is usually paid for. That is the real financial story behind these numbers.
A note on your own diploma
Nearly every apprenticeship and trade employer on this list asks applicants for proof of a high school diploma or its equivalent. If your original diploma has been lost or damaged, your school district or state education agency can issue an official copy for application purposes. For a framed copy to display at home or in an office, DiplomaCraft also offers replica high school diplomas for novelty and display use.
Sources
- Median annual wages by occupation: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release, as published in the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (updated August 2025).
- Median earnings by education level: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education pays, Current Population Survey, 2024.
All wage figures are medians and reflect the most recent BLS data available as of 2026. Actual pay varies by state, employer, and experience.