Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Tampa Bay (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Tampa Bay was $48,940 in May 2025, below the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was first-line supervisors of police and detectives, at a median of $114,400.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by commercial pilots at $106,440.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Tampa Bay. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL) and the education level BLS lists as typical for entry into each job (BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35), here are the best-paying jobs in the metro area that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL had about 1,447,120 wage and salary jobs in the survey.
Top-paying jobs that need a high school diploma or less
Jobs with at least 300 positions in the metro area, ranked by median annual wage. The last column shows the national median for comparison.
| Occupation | Tampa Bay median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $114,400 | 1,040 | $106,040 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $105,990 | 380 | $109,910 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $100,740 | 450 | $77,970 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $94,510 | 950 | $95,320 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $92,420 | 1,150 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $80,250 | 2,380 | $87,520 |
| Food Service Managers | $80,180 | 2,670 | $69,390 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $77,990 | 7,240 | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $77,420 | 370 | $68,080 |
| Athletes and Sports Competitors | $76,860 | 350 | $66,710 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $75,880 | 5,610 | $79,860 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,710 | 5,190 | $76,210 |
Many of these jobs pay well because they come with long on-the-job training, licensing, physical risk or irregular hours. Several are skilled trades that train through paid apprenticeships.
Top-paying jobs that need a certificate or associate’s degree
Jobs where BLS lists a postsecondary certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as the typical entry credential:
| Occupation | Tampa Bay median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $106,440 | 360 | $123,220 |
| Dental Hygienists | $95,870 | 1,670 | $98,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $95,670 | 1,010 | $93,530 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $82,690 | 540 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $82,120 | 1,090 | $96,590 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $81,630 | 1,320 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $77,430 | 2,610 | $80,110 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $77,180 | 580 | $92,460 |
The most common jobs in Tampa Bay, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $33,790 | 45,130 |
| Registered Nurses | $85,470 | 38,720 |
| General and Operations Managers | $103,670 | 35,700 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,660 | 34,150 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,260 | 33,910 |
| Cashiers | $30,290 | 25,820 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $37,070 | 25,280 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $35,420 | 23,830 |
How to use these numbers
- Medians are midpoints. Half of workers in each job earn more and half earn less; new workers usually start well below the median.
- Overtime is not included. BLS wage estimates exclude overtime pay and shift differentials, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice (see the OEWS technical notes).
- Check the training path. “Typical entry education” is what most new workers have; licenses and apprenticeships may still be required.
Published October 27, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
One more data point from the same survey: the occupation most concentrated in Tampa Bay relative to the nation is medical appliance technicians, with a location quotient of 3.2. That means those jobs make up about 3.2 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 340 of them locally, at a median of $46,210. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.