Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Sacramento (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Sacramento was $59,750 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 police and detectives, at a median of $163,810.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by diagnostic medical sonographers at $163,220.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Sacramento. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA)) 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. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA had about 1,080,590 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 | Sacramento median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $163,810 | 1,020 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $135,040 | 540 | $77,970 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $131,120 | 330 | $74,340 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $127,160 | 650 | $95,320 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $114,990 | 1,410 | $107,230 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $111,460 | 5,420 | $76,210 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $109,500 | 1,570 | $93,790 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $103,980 | 1,060 | $74,690 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $99,840 | 520 | $78,620 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $96,880 | 550 | $74,330 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $96,860 | 6,320 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $92,680 | 2,930 | $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 | Sacramento median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $163,220 | 610 | $96,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $160,450 | 700 | $93,530 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $135,880 | 1,360 | $80,110 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $134,430 | 1,140 | $82,280 |
| Dental Hygienists | $122,540 | 2,200 | $98,100 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $106,040 | 13,820 | $61,860 |
| Firefighters | $94,080 | 2,590 | $59,280 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $88,290 | 330 | $74,310 |
The most common jobs in Sacramento, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,320 | 60,350 |
| Management Analysts | $82,990 | 25,600 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $42,860 | 24,910 |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | 23,590 |
| Retail Salespersons | $38,100 | 22,970 |
| Office Clerks, General | $48,940 | 21,340 |
| Cashiers | $36,790 | 19,910 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $45,930 | 18,560 |
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 29, 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 Sacramento relative to the nation is tax examiners and collectors, and revenue agents, with a location quotient of 9.6. That means those jobs make up about 9.6 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 3,780 of them locally, at a median of $67,610. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk