Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Chicago (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Chicago was $54,720 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 elevator and escalator installers and repairers, at a median of $146,580.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by air traffic controllers at $189,780.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Chicago. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN)) 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. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN had about 4,513,280 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 | Chicago median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $146,580 | 850 | $109,910 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $135,080 | 3,800 | $106,040 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $124,120 | 8,570 | $107,230 |
| Power Plant Operators | $123,540 | 640 | $102,040 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $123,430 | 1,830 | $95,320 |
| Hoist and Winch Operators | $118,210 | 300 | $56,450 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $115,780 | 1,210 | $78,620 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | $114,670 | 660 | $56,210 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $111,370 | 620 | $96,710 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $111,260 | 13,420 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $107,810 | 22,680 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $105,450 | 680 | $77,970 |
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 | Chicago median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | $189,780 | 850 | $148,080 |
| Commercial Pilots | $157,420 | 840 | $123,220 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $126,200 | 2,600 | $93,530 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | $108,860 | 480 | $101,370 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $103,080 | 2,280 | $96,590 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $100,730 | 1,930 | $95,480 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $100,610 | 2,090 | $79,870 |
| Dental Hygienists | $100,260 | 6,470 | $98,100 |
The most common jobs in Chicago, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,550 | 157,920 |
| General and Operations Managers | $109,390 | 122,930 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,180 | 108,520 |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | 100,240 |
| Cashiers | $35,010 | 99,240 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,630 | 97,280 |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,820 | 96,950 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $38,450 | 79,850 |
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 Chicago relative to the nation is tank car, truck, and ship loaders, with a location quotient of 4.69. That means those jobs make up about 4.69 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,460 of them locally, at a median of $61,420. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk