The 25 highest-paying jobs that don't require a bachelor's degree

If you don't have a bachelor's degree but want to earn a lot, you could consider becoming an air traffic controller, a nuclear power reactor operator, or a diagnostic medical sonographer.

To get a sense of good options for those who don't have or want a four-year degree, Business Insider ranked median annual wages of jobs that usually just need an associate degree, a high school diploma or the equivalent, a postsecondary nondegree award, or no formal education using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Based on May 2025 pay data, about a dozen jobs that typically don't need a bachelor's degree had a median annual wage in the six figures.

Air traffic controllers had a median annual wage of $148,080. BLS said prospective controllers can qualify with an associate degree through an air traffic collegiate training initiative program. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers were another high-paying job, and interested job seekers may need no more than a high school diploma.

https://www.businessinsider.com/highest-paying-jobs-no-bachelors-degree-2026-6?utm_campaign=business-link-post&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky