No Bachelor's Degree Required

32 Jobs Paying Over $100K Without a Degree in California (2024)

There are 32 occupations in California where the median salary exceeds $100,000 per year — and none of them typically require a bachelor's degree. The highest-paying is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives at $165,370/year (typical entry: High School Diploma or Equivalent). Based on 2024 BLS salary data combined with O*NET education requirements.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 + O*NET 28.3

32
$100K+ Jobs, No Degree
$165,370
#1: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
$117,665
Avg Median of Listed Jobs
526,190
Workers in These Roles

Education Breakdown

These high-paying jobs span different education levels — from no formal education to associate's degrees and trade certifications.

High School Diploma or Equivalent
18 jobs
Top: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives — $165,370
Associate's Degree
9 jobs
Top: Radiation Therapists — $156,310
Post-Secondary Certificate
5 jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $115,890

All 32 Jobs Paying $100K+ Without a Bachelor's Degree

Ranked by median annual salary. Education level from O*NET (typical entry-level requirement). Click any job for the full salary breakdown.

# Occupation Education Median Salary Workers
1 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives HS Diploma $165,370 8,890
2 Air Traffic Controllers HS Diploma $160,490 2,490
3 Radiation Therapists Associate's $156,310 980
4 Nuclear Medicine Technologists Associate's $139,970 1,370
5 First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers HS Diploma $136,040 6,310
6 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $134,320 2,080
7 Special Effects Artists and Animators HS Diploma $130,460 13,470
8 General and Operations Managers HS Diploma $122,140 273,630
9 Dental Hygienists Associate's $120,640 24,880
10 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Associate's $119,120 8,600
11 Gas Plant Operators HS Diploma $116,400 750
12 Commercial Divers Certificate $115,890 N/A
13 First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers HS Diploma $115,400 4,560
14 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists Associate's $115,360 3,320
15 Motion Picture Projectionists HS Diploma $114,910 290
16 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers HS Diploma $113,460 68,010
17 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay Certificate $113,050 1,710
18 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $112,410 9,000
19 Boilermakers HS Diploma $111,320 280
20 Administrative Services Managers HS Diploma $110,750 37,990
21 Power Distributors and Dispatchers HS Diploma $109,740 980
22 Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Certificate $105,640 1,840
23 Pile Driver Operators HS Diploma $104,870 590
24 Insulation Workers, Mechanical HS Diploma $104,640 500
25 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers HS Diploma $104,410 3,680
26 Chemical Plant and System Operators Certificate $103,300 270
27 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Associate's $102,230 19,670
28 Gambling Managers HS Diploma $101,880 790
29 Broadcast Technicians Associate's $101,780 7,790
30 Makeup Artists, Theatrical and Performance Certificate $101,420 N/A
31 Respiratory Therapists Associate's $101,200 15,480
32 Technical Writers Associate's $100,370 5,990

Top Career Fields (No Degree, $100K+)

Healthcare Practitioners
7 qualifying jobs
Top: Radiation Therapists — $156,310
Protective Service
4 qualifying jobs
Top: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives — $165,370
Construction
4 qualifying jobs
Top: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers — $134,320
Arts & Media
4 qualifying jobs
Top: Special Effects Artists and Animators — $130,460
Production
4 qualifying jobs
Top: Gas Plant Operators — $116,400
Management
3 qualifying jobs
Top: General and Operations Managers — $122,140
Installation & Maintenance
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $115,890
Personal Care
2 qualifying jobs
Top: Motion Picture Projectionists — $114,910

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs pay over $100K without a degree in California?
According to 2024 BLS data combined with O*NET education requirements, there are 32 occupations in California where the median salary exceeds $100,000/year and the typical entry-level education is below a bachelor's degree.
What is the highest-paying job without a degree in California?
The highest-paying occupation in California that doesn't typically require a bachelor's degree is First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives, with a median annual salary of $165,370. Entry typically requires: High School Diploma or Equivalent.
What education do you need for a $100K job without a college degree?
The jobs on this list typically require one of: a high school diploma, a post-secondary certificate or trade certification, some college courses, or an associate's degree. Many of these roles value on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or industry certifications over formal degrees.
What's the average salary for $100K+ no-degree jobs in California?
Among the 32 qualifying occupations in CA, the average median salary is $117,665/year. These jobs range from just over $100,000 to well above $200,000 in some fields like management and skilled trades.
How do I get a $100K job without a bachelor's degree?
Focus on high-demand fields like skilled trades (elevator installers, power plant operators), transportation (airline pilots, air traffic controllers), sales management, or tech roles that accept certifications. Build relevant experience through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, or industry certifications. Many employers value demonstrated skills and experience over formal education.

$100K+ Jobs Without a Degree in Other States

$100K+ No Degree in Washington (28) $100K+ No Degree in New York (24) $100K+ No Degree in New Jersey (21) $100K+ No Degree in Illinois (17) $100K+ No Degree in District of Columbia (16) $100K+ No Degree in Oregon (16) $100K+ No Degree in Colorado (15) $100K+ No Degree in Hawaii (15) $100K+ No Degree in Alaska (14) $100K+ No Degree in Connecticut (13) $100K+ No Degree in Maryland (12) $100K+ No Degree in Massachusetts (11) $100K+ No Degree in Minnesota (10) $100K+ No Degree in Rhode Island (10) $100K+ No Degree in North Dakota (9) $100K+ No Degree in Texas (9)

What's the actual take-home? These $100K+ salaries are before taxes.

More Salary Data for California

All $100K+ Jobs in California · Highest Paying Jobs in California · Average Salary in California · All California Jobs

Data Source & Methodology

This page combines two authoritative data sources: salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 estimates, and education requirements from the O*NET 28.3 database maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor. Jobs are filtered to those where the typical education requirement is below a bachelor's degree (including high school diploma, post-secondary certificate, associate's degree, or some college courses) and the state-level median salary exceeds $100,000/year.

See our Methodology and Data Sources pages for details.

Sources: BLS OEWS · O*NET OnLine

More About California

Salary Data
All Salaries in California Average Salary in California Highest Paying Jobs in California
Salary Thresholds
Jobs Over $100K in California Jobs Over $50K in California $100K+ Jobs Without a Degree in California
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