The BLS tracks education requirements for every occupation it surveys. Some of the highest-paying careers in the country require nothing more than a high school diploma and on-the-job training — or an apprenticeship you get paid to complete.
These aren't hypothetical. These are occupations where the BLS median salary exceeds $60K with no bachelor's degree required. The data comes from employer surveys, not job postings. These are what people actually earn.
The top 15 (by median salary)
1. Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
Median salary: $102,420 | 10th–90th range: $55K–$131K
Education: High school diploma + 4-year apprenticeship
The highest-paying trade in America. Elevator mechanics install, maintain, and repair elevators, escalators, and moving walkways. The apprenticeship is competitive to get into — IUEC (the elevator union) has waiting lists in most cities — but once you're in, you're earning while you learn. Journeyman wages start strong and the 90th percentile clears $130K.
2. Power Plant Operators
Median salary: $94,790 | Range: $57K–$128K
Education: High school diploma + long-term OJT
You run the systems that generate electricity. The job requires extended on-the-job training and typically a plant-specific certification, but no college degree. Shift work is standard — nights, weekends, holidays. The pay reflects it.
3. Commercial Pilots
Median salary: $103,910 | Range: $50K–$205K
Education: High school diploma + flight certification
Not airline pilots (those require a bachelor's and ATP certificate). Commercial pilots fly charter, cargo, agricultural, and tour flights. The wide range reflects the gap between a bush pilot in Alaska and a corporate jet captain.
4. Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
Median salary: $99,200 | Range: $58K–$161K
Education: High school diploma (many start as warehouse workers)
Logistics management. You oversee the movement of goods — warehousing, shipping, fleet management. Many people in this role worked their way up from warehouse or dispatch positions. The explosion of e-commerce has made this role both higher-paying and harder to fill.
5. First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Median salary: $99,330 | Range: $55K–$153K
Education: High school diploma + work experience
Police sergeants and lieutenants. The path: get hired as a patrol officer (most departments require a diploma, not a degree), gain experience, pass promotional exams. The jump from officer (~$65K median) to supervisor is significant.
6. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Median salary: $82,340 | Range: $45K–$113K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship
Lineworkers install and repair the electrical grid. The work is physically demanding, often outdoors in bad weather, and sometimes dangerous. Storm restoration crews can earn significantly above the median through overtime.
7. Elevator Constructors (IUEC jurisdictions)
See #1 — listed under a different SOC code in some states, same career.
8. Boilermakers
Median salary: $64,290 | Range: $39K–$95K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship
Fabricate, install, and repair boilers, tanks, and vats. Industrial environments — power plants, refineries, shipyards. The work is seasonal in some regions, and travel is common. Union boilermakers in high-demand areas (Gulf Coast refineries) earn well above the median.
9. Electricians
Median salary: $61,590 | Range: $37K–$99K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship (4-5 years)
The quintessential skilled trade. The range is enormous because it spans a first-year apprentice and a master electrician running their own crew. Most states require licensure after completing the apprenticeship. Union electricians in high-cost metros (San Francisco, New York, Chicago) consistently clear $90K+.
Full electrician salary data by state →
10. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Median salary: $60,090 | Range: $36K–$98K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship
Similar trajectory to electricians. Apprenticeship, licensure, then specialization. Steamfitters and pipefitters who work in commercial/industrial settings earn more than residential plumbers. The aging workforce means demand is strong and growing.
11. Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Median salary: $60,760 | Range: $37K–$96K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship
Ironworkers erect the structural steel framework of buildings, bridges, and towers. Physically intense, height-intensive work. Union ironworkers in major construction markets earn near or above the 90th percentile.
12. Sheet Metal Workers
Median salary: $55,880 | Range: $32K–$88K
Education: High school diploma + apprenticeship
Fabricate and install sheet metal for HVAC, roofing, and industrial applications. The HVAC specialization is particularly in demand as commercial buildings upgrade climate systems.
13. Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
Median salary: $60,250 | Range: $33K–$86K
Education: High school diploma + OJT
Install and repair fiber optic, cable, and telephone lines. The fiber buildout across rural America is driving demand and pay upward.
14. Construction and Building Inspectors
Median salary: $63,600 | Range: $39K–$100K
Education: High school diploma + work experience
After years in a trade, many workers move into inspection. You verify that construction meets code. The work is less physical, the hours are more regular, and the pay is competitive. Many inspectors are former electricians, plumbers, or carpenters who wanted off the tools.
15. Real Estate Appraisers and Assessors
Median salary: $58,430 | Range: $34K–$100K
Education: High school diploma + state licensure + coursework
Requires completing appraisal coursework and logging supervised hours, but no degree. The licensing process takes 1-2 years. Appraisers who achieve the MAI designation (commercial property) earn significantly more.
The pattern
Three things stand out in the data:
Apprenticeships are the path. Most of these careers involve structured training where you earn a paycheck from day one. No tuition. No student loans. Four years of paid learning instead of four years of paid tuition.
The 10th-90th range is wide. A first-year electrician apprentice at $37K and a master electrician at $99K have the same job title in the BLS data. Experience, specialization, licensure, and geography drive the gap. The career investment is in years, not degrees.
Geography still matters. An electrician in San Francisco earns $96K at the median but faces rent of $2,600/month. An electrician in Indianapolis earns $62K at the median with rent of $1,150. After housing, the Indianapolis electrician has more disposable income. Always check the affordability numbers, not just the salary.
Explore these careers
Search any of these job titles on AffordMap to see the full percentile breakdown, state-by-state comparison, and affordability analysis for your city. Every career guide page includes education requirements, licensing details, and the actual path from entry to experienced.
All salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Education requirements from BLS Employment Projections program. Full methodology.