No Bachelor's Degree Required

28 Jobs Paying Over $100K Without a Degree in Washington (2024)

There are 28 occupations in Washington where the median salary exceeds $100,000 per year — and none of them typically require a bachelor's degree. The highest-paying is Air Traffic Controllers at $155,210/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

28
$100K+ Jobs, No Degree
$155,210
#1: Air Traffic Controllers
$116,606
Avg Median of Listed Jobs
111,640
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
14 jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $155,210
Associate's Degree
7 jobs
Top: Dental Hygienists — $127,180
Post-Secondary Certificate
6 jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $143,190
Less than a High School Diploma
1 job
Top: Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers — $106,320

All 28 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 Air Traffic Controllers HS Diploma $155,210 560
2 Commercial Divers Certificate $143,190 130
3 Administrative Services Managers HS Diploma $138,400 N/A
4 Power Distributors and Dispatchers HS Diploma $136,230 380
5 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $131,340 1,080
6 Dental Hygienists Associate's $127,180 6,620
7 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives HS Diploma $126,520 2,540
8 General and Operations Managers HS Diploma $123,330 59,230
9 First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers HS Diploma $120,200 3,110
10 Nuclear Medicine Technologists Associate's $119,800 240
11 Radiation Therapists Associate's $119,740 320
12 Sound Engineering Technicians Associate's $118,970 310
13 Power Plant Operators HS Diploma $118,590 480
14 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $115,600 2,830
15 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay Certificate $114,480 410
16 Gambling Managers HS Diploma $113,710 100
17 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists Associate's $110,780 800
18 Fire Inspectors and Investigators Certificate $107,340 250
19 Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers No Formal $106,320 N/A
20 Pile Driver Operators HS Diploma $105,300 160
21 Special Effects Artists and Animators HS Diploma $103,170 2,490
22 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers Certificate $102,820 20,320
23 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels HS Diploma $102,750 1,500
24 Avionics Technicians Certificate $101,730 4,930
25 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Associate's $101,530 2,020
26 Gas Plant Operators HS Diploma $100,480 160
27 Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment Certificate $100,150 220
28 Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians Associate's $100,110 450

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

Installation & Maintenance
5 qualifying jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $143,190
Healthcare Practitioners
5 qualifying jobs
Top: Dental Hygienists — $127,180
Construction
4 qualifying jobs
Top: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers — $131,340
Management
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Administrative Services Managers — $138,400
Production
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Power Distributors and Dispatchers — $136,230
Protective Service
3 qualifying jobs
Top: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives — $126,520
Transportation
2 qualifying jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $155,210
Arts & Media
2 qualifying jobs
Top: Sound Engineering Technicians — $118,970

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs pay over $100K without a degree in Washington?
According to 2024 BLS data combined with O*NET education requirements, there are 28 occupations in Washington 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 Washington?
The highest-paying occupation in Washington that doesn't typically require a bachelor's degree is Air Traffic Controllers, with a median annual salary of $155,210. 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 Washington?
Among the 28 qualifying occupations in WA, the average median salary is $116,606/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 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 Washington

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

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