Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Vermont (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Vermont was $56,390 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 first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers, at a median of $82,490.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses at $69,930.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Vermont. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Vermont) 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. Vermont had about 303,890 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 | Vermont median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $82,490 | 1,010 | $79,920 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $77,530 | 1,130 | $69,990 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $76,840 | 1,890 | $72,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $75,540 | 1,000 | $74,450 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $68,910 | 1,020 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $68,790 | 1,710 | $69,500 |
| Electricians | $63,430 | 1,270 | $63,190 |
| Carpenters | $62,400 | 3,080 | $60,580 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $59,140 | 4,040 | $35,230 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $58,870 | 1,280 | $59,850 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | $58,460 | 1,170 | $50,260 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators | $57,500 | 1,190 | $50,690 |
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 | Vermont median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $69,930 | 1,130 | $64,400 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $63,030 | 1,630 | $61,860 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,830 | 3,560 | $58,640 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $54,720 | 2,950 | $50,670 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $51,630 | 1,610 | $50,620 |
| Medical Assistants | $47,250 | 1,140 | $45,690 |
| Nursing Assistants | $47,130 | 3,030 | $42,260 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $43,800 | 4,960 | $36,780 |
The most common jobs in Vermont, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $37,400 | 8,250 |
| General and Operations Managers | $98,640 | 8,000 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $41,600 | 7,700 |
| Registered Nurses | $97,460 | 7,410 |
| Cashiers | $35,720 | 7,030 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $36,030 | 6,830 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,130 | 5,360 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $40,910 | 5,130 |
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 28, 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 Vermont relative to the nation is highway maintenance workers, with a location quotient of 3.87. That means those jobs make up about 3.87 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,170 of them locally, at a median of $58,460. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates for Vermont. Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk