Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Dallas-Fort Worth (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Dallas-Fort Worth was $51,440 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 inspectors, at a median of $126,010.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by air traffic controllers at $186,510.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Dallas-Fort Worth. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX)) 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. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had about 4,049,800 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 | Dallas-Fort Worth median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation Inspectors | $126,010 | 890 | $92,100 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $122,210 | 1,340 | $106,040 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $108,150 | 500 | $109,910 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $104,790 | 9,600 | $107,230 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $92,910 | 16,430 | $76,210 |
| Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | $86,520 | 2,450 | $65,380 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $86,110 | 1,830 | $93,790 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $82,890 | 8,630 | $78,000 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $81,360 | 470 | $67,890 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $80,230 | 8,290 | $76,590 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $80,110 | 5,440 | $47,180 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $78,740 | 19,530 | $79,860 |
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 | Dallas-Fort Worth median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | $186,510 | 800 | $148,080 |
| Commercial Pilots | $160,160 | 1,810 | $123,220 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $102,490 | 950 | $95,480 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $102,470 | 410 | $103,020 |
| Dental Hygienists | $101,870 | 7,050 | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $98,810 | 2,160 | $96,590 |
| Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | $97,970 | 300 | $63,520 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $94,920 | 8,000 | $79,870 |
The most common jobs in Dallas-Fort Worth, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,070 | 128,380 |
| General and Operations Managers | $111,010 | 125,090 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,590 | 111,100 |
| Retail Salespersons | $33,400 | 100,340 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,990 | 96,930 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $38,510 | 81,940 |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | 76,680 |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | 67,030 |
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 Dallas-Fort Worth relative to the nation is ophthalmic laboratory technicians, with a location quotient of 3.99. That means those jobs make up about 3.99 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,940 of them locally, at a median of $38,280. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk