Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Massachusetts (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Massachusetts was $63,590 in May 2025, above the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $123,830.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by magnetic resonance imaging technologists at $110,600.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Massachusetts. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Massachusetts) 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 state that don’t require a bachelor’s degree. Massachusetts had about 3,637,650 wage and salary jobs in the survey.
Top-paying jobs that need a high school diploma or less
Jobs with at least 1,000 positions in the state, ranked by median annual wage. The last column shows the national median for comparison.
| Occupation | Massachusetts median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $123,830 | 4,310 | $107,230 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $120,840 | 2,050 | $62,780 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $115,150 | 5,490 | $87,520 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $110,210 | 2,350 | $95,320 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $110,150 | 1,300 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $104,320 | 5,540 | $106,040 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $103,410 | 2,230 | $74,330 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $103,410 | 7,320 | $69,990 |
| Glaziers | $100,810 | 1,080 | $57,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $97,850 | 18,330 | $79,920 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $95,520 | 1,320 | $74,340 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $94,950 | 1,570 | $62,120 |
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 | Massachusetts median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $110,600 | 1,490 | $95,480 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $107,480 | 2,190 | $96,590 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $105,580 | 1,110 | $74,310 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $103,620 | 5,500 | $80,110 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $102,170 | 2,220 | $82,280 |
| Dental Hygienists | $100,640 | 6,850 | $98,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $96,600 | 3,370 | $93,530 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $93,040 | 1,410 | $79,870 |
The most common jobs in Massachusetts, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $40,910 | 117,940 |
| General and Operations Managers | $127,220 | 95,880 |
| Registered Nurses | $104,550 | 88,200 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,610 | 86,860 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $35,850 | 85,810 |
| Cashiers | $35,520 | 58,880 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $45,580 | 55,490 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $38,460 | 54,670 |
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 Massachusetts relative to the nation is biochemists and biophysicists, with a location quotient of 18.8. That means those jobs make up about 18.8 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 14,890 of them locally, at a median of $131,600. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Massachusetts.