The 15 highest-paying jobs you can land without a 4-year degree, says new report
Getting a bachelor’s degree is no longer the only way to get gainfully employed.
Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Resume Genius’ latest report identified jobs that offer the highest salaries without requiring a four-year college degree.
report It shows that “there’s no single way to find a high-paying job,” according to Resume Genius career expert Eva Chan.
“All jobs require some degree of education, some require education, but all are attainable without a degree,” he says.
Blue-collar jobs such as power line installers and repairmen are becoming increasingly popular, according to Chan.
“Maybe 10 to 15 years ago these weren’t seen as lucrative,” Chan says, but more and more people are realizing that blue-collar positions and skilled jobs can offer “high wages” and plenty of growth opportunities.
According to Chan, management and sales roles, such as insurance sales agent, are ideal for people with strong interpersonal skills.
“If you’re consistent and good at building relationships, your salary can increase pretty quickly,” he says.
According to Resume Genius, these are the 15 highest-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree, along with each job’s average annual salary, average hourly wage, and projected job growth over the next decade.
1. Elevator and escalator installer and repairer
Average annual salary: $106,580
Average hourly wage: $51.24
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 5%
2. Transportation, storage and distribution manager
Average annual salary: $102,010
Average hourly wage: $49.05
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 6%
3. Electrical line installer and repairman
Average annual salary: $92,560
Average hourly wage: $44.50
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 7%
4. Aircraft and avionics equipment repairman and technician
Average annual salary: $79,140
Average hourly wage: $38.05
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 5%
5. Detective and criminal investigator
Average annual salary: $77,270
Average hourly wage: $37.15
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 3%
6. Locomotive engineer
Average annual salary: $75,680
Average hourly wage: $36.38
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 1%
7. Wholesale and manufacturing sales representative
Average annual salary: $74,100
Average hourly wage: $35.63
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 1%
8. Flight attendant
Average annual salary: $67,130
Average hourly wage: $32.27
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 9%
9. Property, estate and community association manager
Average annual salary: $66,700
Average hourly wage: $32.07
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 4%
10. Water transport worker
Average annual salary: $66,490
Average hourly wage: $31.97
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 1%
11. Food service manager
Average annual salary: $65,310
Average hourly wage: $31.40
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 6%
12. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technician
Average annual salary: $62,740
Average hourly wage: $30.16
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 6%
13. Athlete and sports competitor
Average annual salary: $62,360
Average hourly wage: None
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 5%
14. Cook and head chef
Average annual salary: $60,990
Average hourly wage: $29.32
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 7%
15. Insurance sales agency
Average annual salary: $60,370
Average hourly wage: $29.02
Estimated job growth 2024–2034: 4%
These jobs may not require traditional four-year degrees, but they do require “real skills and real education,” Chan says.
He advises job seekers to research the role and “look at the potential education you would need.”
“You may need licenses, you may need a certification, or you may just need years of experience or some training,” he says.
Chan says many of these jobs also have clear pathways for career advancement; which is “really interesting” for people looking for reliability and steady growth.
“Most of these jobs aren’t that glamorous or widely talked about,” he says, “but they exist and they have strong salaries and they keep the basic systems running.”
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