NextChapter

Occupations needing no college degree with the highest posted pay

First-line supervisors of security workers has the highest median posted pay of the occupations that typically need no college degree (a high school diploma or less): $209k a year.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 First-line supervisors of security workers, High school diploma or equivalent: $209k
  • #2 Stationary engineers and boiler operators, High school diploma or equivalent: $187k
  • #3 Transportation, storage, and distribution managers, High school diploma or equivalent: $140k
  • 18 occupations ranked across all occupations
  • Data as of November 2026
  1. 1First-line supervisors of security workers High school diploma or equivalent$209k
  2. 2Stationary engineers and boiler operators High school diploma or equivalent$187k
  3. 3Transportation, storage, and distribution managers High school diploma or equivalent$140k
  4. 4Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel High school diploma or equivalent$130k
  5. 5Detectives and criminal investigators High school diploma or equivalent$122k
  6. 6First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers High school diploma or equivalent$120k
  7. 7Tax preparers High school diploma or equivalent$109k
  8. 8Property, real estate, and community association managers High school diploma or equivalent$108k
  9. 9First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers High school diploma or equivalent$103k
  10. 10Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent$89k

What stands out

  • The lead is wide: First-line supervisors of security workers ($209k) is well clear of Legal secretaries and administrative assistants at #10 ($89k).
  • Stationary engineers and boiler operators reaches #2 on a sample of 114 open jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel is the largest market in the top ten, with 8,206 open jobs behind its figure.
  • Occupations with fewer than 100 open jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

Why this ranking matters

What it shows

Some occupations pay well without a four-year degree, and some that need one pay little. Ranking occupations by median advertised pay at one education level shows where the money is for that route.

How to use it

Use it to find well-paid roles you can reach with the schooling you have or plan to get. Posted pay is a range an employer advertises, so treat it as a guide.

The top 25

  1. 1

    First-line supervisors of security workers High school diploma or equivalent

    $209k

    Open jobs
    187
    Median posted pay
    $209k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    82,700

    Based on 187 openings.

  2. 2

    Stationary engineers and boiler operators High school diploma or equivalent

    $187k

    Open jobs
    114
    Median posted pay
    $187k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    31,200

    Based on 114 openings.

  3. 3

    Transportation, storage, and distribution managers High school diploma or equivalent

    $140k

    Open jobs
    3,247
    Median posted pay
    $140k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +6.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    228,100

    Based on 3,247 openings.

  4. 4

    Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel High school diploma or equivalent

    $130k

    Open jobs
    8,206
    Median posted pay
    $130k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +2.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,272,700

    Based on 8,206 openings.

  5. 5

    Detectives and criminal investigators High school diploma or equivalent

    $122k

    Open jobs
    346
    Median posted pay
    $122k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.2%
    Workers in the occupation
    120,500

    Based on 346 openings.

  6. 6

    First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers High school diploma or equivalent

    $120k

    Open jobs
    1,160
    Median posted pay
    $120k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,506,100

    Based on 1,160 openings.

  7. 7

    Tax preparers High school diploma or equivalent

    $109k

    Open jobs
    336
    Median posted pay
    $109k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +4.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    95,800

    Based on 336 openings.

  8. 8

    Property, real estate, and community association managers High school diploma or equivalent

    $108k

    Open jobs
    817
    Median posted pay
    $108k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    460,400

    Based on 817 openings.

  9. 9

    First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers High school diploma or equivalent

    $103k

    Open jobs
    456
    Median posted pay
    $103k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +4.1%
    Workers in the occupation
    629,000

    Based on 456 openings.

  10. 10

    Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent

    $89k

    Open jobs
    272
    Median posted pay
    $89k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −5.2%
    Workers in the occupation
    157,600

    Based on 272 openings.

  11. 11

    First-line supervisors of retail sales workers High school diploma or equivalent

    $82k

    Open jobs
    325
    Median posted pay
    $82k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −3.7%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,419,800

    Based on 325 openings.

  12. 12

    Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products High school diploma or equivalent

    $80k

    Open jobs
    1,227
    Median posted pay
    $80k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −0.9%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,279,400

    Based on 1,227 openings.

  13. 13

    Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators High school diploma or equivalent

    $80k

    Open jobs
    948
    Median posted pay
    $80k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −5.5%
    Workers in the occupation
    376,100

    Based on 948 openings.

  14. 14

    Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent

    $78k

    Open jobs
    410
    Median posted pay
    $78k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +0.0%
    Workers in the occupation
    489,300

    Based on 410 openings.

  15. 15

    Retail salespersons No formal educational credential

    $78k

    Open jobs
    874
    Median posted pay
    $78k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −0.3%
    Workers in the occupation
    3,998,100

    Based on 874 openings.

  16. 16

    Insurance sales agents High school diploma or equivalent

    $75k

    Open jobs
    475
    Median posted pay
    $75k
    Projected growth to 2035
    +3.3%
    Workers in the occupation
    572,600

    Based on 475 openings.

  17. 17

    Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive High school diploma or equivalent

    $62k

    Open jobs
    1,792
    Median posted pay
    $62k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −6.0%
    Workers in the occupation
    1,889,800

    Based on 1,792 openings.

  18. 18

    Bill and account collectors High school diploma or equivalent

    $61k

    Open jobs
    564
    Median posted pay
    $61k
    Projected growth to 2035
    −10.4%
    Workers in the occupation
    160,200

    Based on 564 openings.

Full ranking

All 18 occupations that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankOccupationScoreSample
1First-line supervisors of security workers High school diploma or equivalent$209k187
2Stationary engineers and boiler operators High school diploma or equivalent$187k114
3Transportation, storage, and distribution managers High school diploma or equivalent$140k3,247
4Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel High school diploma or equivalent$130k8,206
5Detectives and criminal investigators High school diploma or equivalent$122k346
6First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers High school diploma or equivalent$120k1,160
7Tax preparers High school diploma or equivalent$109k336
8Property, real estate, and community association managers High school diploma or equivalent$108k817
9First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers High school diploma or equivalent$103k456
10Legal secretaries and administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent$89k272
11First-line supervisors of retail sales workers High school diploma or equivalent$82k325
12Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products High school diploma or equivalent$80k1,227
13Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators High school diploma or equivalent$80k948
14Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants High school diploma or equivalent$78k410
15Retail salespersons No formal educational credential$78k874
16Insurance sales agents High school diploma or equivalent$75k475
17Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive High school diploma or equivalent$62k1,792
18Bill and account collectors High school diploma or equivalent$61k564

How this ranking works

An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, no college degree (a high school diploma or less). An occupation's score is the median advertised annual salary of its roles that post a salary range.

A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only occupations with at least 100 open jobs and 30 that post pay are ranked.

Sample bar: occupations with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles, matched to standard occupation (SOC) codes; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-35: typical entry-level education and projected employment change by occupation. Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which occupation ranks first: occupations needing no college degree with the highest posted pay?
First-line supervisors of security workers has the highest median posted pay of the occupations that typically need no college degree (a high school diploma or less): $209k a year.
How many occupations are ranked?
18 occupations have at least 100 open jobs, so the list has 18 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, no college degree (a high school diploma or less). An occupation's score is the median advertised annual salary of its roles that post a salary range. A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only occupations with at least 100 open jobs and 30 that post pay are ranked.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Occupations needing no college degree with the highest posted pay,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-no-college-degree-with-the-highest-posted-pay

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-no-college-degree-with-the-highest-posted-pay">Occupations needing no college degree with the highest posted pay (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.

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