No Bachelor's Degree Required

24 Jobs Paying Over $100K Without a Degree in New York (2024)

There are 24 occupations in New York where the median salary exceeds $100,000 per year — and none of them typically require a bachelor's degree. The highest-paying is Commercial Divers at $162,440/year (typical entry: Post-Secondary Certificate). Based on 2024 BLS salary data combined with O*NET education requirements.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2024 + O*NET 28.3

24
$100K+ Jobs, No Degree
$162,440
#1: Commercial Divers
$115,607
Avg Median of Listed Jobs
261,680
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
15 jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $135,590
Associate's Degree
4 jobs
Top: Radiation Therapists — $119,000
Post-Secondary Certificate
3 jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $162,440
Less than a High School Diploma
2 jobs
Top: Hoist and Winch Operators — $114,880

All 24 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 Commercial Divers Certificate $162,440 N/A
2 Air Traffic Controllers HS Diploma $135,590 1,250
3 Nuclear Power Reactor Operators HS Diploma $128,110 250
4 First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers HS Diploma $127,490 2,670
5 General and Operations Managers HS Diploma $126,330 212,770
6 Administrative Services Managers HS Diploma $125,340 N/A
7 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives HS Diploma $122,760 8,270
8 Radiation Therapists Associate's $119,000 1,110
9 Ship Engineers Certificate $118,550 450
10 Power Distributors and Dispatchers HS Diploma $118,090 170
11 Power Plant Operators HS Diploma $115,460 1,630
12 Hoist and Winch Operators No Formal $114,880 160
13 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $112,050 4,530
14 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $111,640 4,400
15 Nuclear Technicians Associate's $110,650 240
16 Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Certificate $105,060 1,050
17 Nuclear Medicine Technologists Associate's $104,850 930
18 Real Estate Sales Agents HS Diploma $104,000 6,030
19 Gambling Managers HS Diploma $103,120 100
20 Locomotive Engineers HS Diploma $103,000 1,200
21 Plasterers and Stucco Masons No Formal $102,630 550
22 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists Associate's $102,460 2,770
23 Special Effects Artists and Animators HS Diploma $100,980 1,950
24 Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $100,090 9,200

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

Transportation
4 qualifying jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $135,590
Installation & Maintenance
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $162,440
Production
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators — $128,110
Management
3 qualifying jobs
Top: General and Operations Managers — $126,330
Healthcare Practitioners
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Radiation Therapists — $119,000
Protective Service
2 qualifying jobs
Top: First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers — $127,490
Construction
2 qualifying jobs
Top: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers — $112,050
Arts & Media
2 qualifying jobs
Top: Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners — $105,060

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs pay over $100K without a degree in New York?
According to 2024 BLS data combined with O*NET education requirements, there are 24 occupations in New York 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 New York?
The highest-paying occupation in New York that doesn't typically require a bachelor's degree is Commercial Divers, with a median annual salary of $162,440. Entry typically requires: Post-Secondary Certificate.
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 New York?
Among the 24 qualifying occupations in NY, the average median salary is $115,607/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 California (32) $100K+ No Degree in Washington (28) $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 New York

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

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