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No Bachelor's Degree Required

42 Jobs Paying Over $100K Without a Degree in Washington (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

There are 42 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 $162,570/year (typical entry: High School Diploma or Equivalent). Based on 2025 BLS salary data combined with O*NET education requirements.

Data: BLS OEWS May 2025 + O*NET 28.3

42
$100K+ Jobs, No Degree
$162,570
#1: Air Traffic Controllers
$119,097
Avg Median of Listed Jobs
129,800
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
20 jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $162,570
Post-Secondary Certificate
10 jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $161,800
Associate's Degree
10 jobs
Top: Dental Hygienists — $131,160
Less than a High School Diploma
2 jobs
Top: Signal and Track Switch Repairers — $121,710

All 42 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 $162,570 620
2 Commercial Divers Certificate $161,800 N/A
3 Power Distributors and Dispatchers HS Diploma $144,710 380
4 Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $137,180 540
5 First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives HS Diploma $136,280 2,750
6 General and Operations Managers HS Diploma $133,750 50,630
7 Special Effects Artists and Animators HS Diploma $133,480 1,130
8 Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers HS Diploma $133,060 2,340
9 Power Plant Operators HS Diploma $131,620 430
10 Dental Hygienists Associate's $131,160 6,330
11 Administrative Services Managers HS Diploma $130,630 3,490
12 First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers HS Diploma $129,350 3,350
13 Nuclear Medicine Technologists Associate's $126,200 320
14 Radiation Therapists Associate's $125,880 540
15 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay Certificate $125,620 410
16 Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians Certificate $125,160 1,590
17 Fire Inspectors and Investigators Certificate $122,900 380
18 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists Associate's $122,750 960
19 Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment Certificate $122,140 230
20 Signal and Track Switch Repairers No Formal $121,710 210
21 Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Associate's $121,340 2,190
22 Pile Driver Operators HS Diploma $111,080 50
23 Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers HS Diploma $110,470 4,280
24 First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers Certificate $109,570 19,550
25 Tool and Die Makers Certificate $109,390 1,510
26 Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers No Formal $108,970 130
27 Nuclear Technicians Associate's $108,200 90
28 Ship Engineers Certificate $107,940 730
29 Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators HS Diploma $107,920 2,270
30 Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners Certificate $107,670 80
31 Structural Iron and Steel Workers HS Diploma $107,660 850
32 Gambling Managers HS Diploma $106,450 130
33 Transportation Inspectors HS Diploma $104,250 490
34 Technical Writers Associate's $104,070 1,620
35 Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels HS Diploma $103,730 1,560
36 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers HS Diploma $103,620 930
37 Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door HS Diploma $102,870 450
38 Funeral Home Managers Associate's $102,540 80
39 Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Associate's $102,090 4,130
40 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers HS Diploma $102,080 9,160
41 Respiratory Therapists Associate's $101,130 1,860
42 Crane and Tower Operators Certificate $101,110 1,030

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

Healthcare Practitioners
7 qualifying jobs
Top: Dental Hygienists — $131,160
Installation & Maintenance
6 qualifying jobs
Top: Commercial Divers — $161,800
Production
6 qualifying jobs
Top: Power Distributors and Dispatchers — $144,710
Transportation
5 qualifying jobs
Top: Air Traffic Controllers — $162,570
Construction
5 qualifying jobs
Top: Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers — $137,180
Protective Service
4 qualifying jobs
Top: First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives — $136,280
Management
4 qualifying jobs
Top: General and Operations Managers — $133,750
Arts & Media
3 qualifying jobs
Top: Special Effects Artists and Animators — $133,480

Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs pay over $100K without a degree in Washington?
According to 2025 BLS data combined with O*NET education requirements, there are 42 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 $162,570. 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 42 qualifying occupations in WA, the average median salary is $119,097/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.

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$100K+ Jobs Without a Degree in Other States

$100K+ No Degree in New Jersey (38) $100K+ No Degree in California (37) $100K+ No Degree in New York (36) $100K+ No Degree in Massachusetts (31) $100K+ No Degree in Illinois (29) $100K+ No Degree in District of Columbia (24) $100K+ No Degree in Hawaii (23) $100K+ No Degree in Maryland (22) $100K+ No Degree in Oregon (22) $100K+ No Degree in Connecticut (18) $100K+ No Degree in Alaska (17) $100K+ No Degree in Texas (17) $100K+ No Degree in Colorado (16) $100K+ No Degree in Nevada (15) $100K+ No Degree in Rhode Island (15) $100K+ No Degree in Minnesota (14)

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

More Salary Data for Washington

All $100K+ Jobs 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 2025 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 Washington

Salary Data
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Salary Thresholds
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