Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Denver (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Denver was $62,320 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 $135,220.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by commercial pilots at $132,810.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Denver. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO)) 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. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO had about 1,609,350 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 | Denver median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $135,220 | 1,340 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $127,250 | 1,430 | $106,040 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $123,360 | 450 | $109,910 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $115,390 | 5,430 | $87,520 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $113,340 | 1,230 | $93,790 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $101,970 | 4,990 | $76,210 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $101,750 | 1,340 | $69,990 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $98,640 | 360 | $87,820 |
| Lodging Managers | $96,470 | 390 | $69,250 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $91,090 | 1,180 | $95,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $86,800 | 7,180 | $79,860 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $84,540 | 620 | $64,820 |
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 | Denver median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $132,810 | 710 | $123,220 |
| Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | $123,350 | 390 | $82,890 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $119,500 | 890 | $93,530 |
| Dental Hygienists | $113,760 | 2,100 | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $108,410 | 750 | $96,590 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | $105,920 | 330 | $95,480 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $98,000 | 1,980 | $80,110 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $92,260 | 400 | $74,310 |
The most common jobs in Denver, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $37,070 | 42,810 |
| Retail Salespersons | $38,470 | 40,340 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $44,480 | 32,610 |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | 30,380 |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | 27,010 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $38,900 | 26,130 |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $80,650 | 24,480 |
| Cashiers | $37,620 | 23,860 |
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 Denver relative to the nation is mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers, with a location quotient of 8.31. That means those jobs make up about 8.31 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 520 of them locally, at a median of $93,100. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk