Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Louisville (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Louisville was $48,370 in May 2025, below the U.S. median of $50,980.
- The best-paid job here that typically needs only a high school diploma or less was maintenance workers, machinery, at a median of $157,260.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by commercial pilots at $193,940.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Louisville. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-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. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN had about 685,190 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 | Louisville median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Workers, Machinery | $157,260 | 970 | $60,850 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $98,040 | 1,050 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $95,610 | 480 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,190 | 3,240 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $78,510 | 3,210 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $77,940 | 760 | $87,520 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $77,020 | 650 | $95,320 |
| Millwrights | $76,300 | 490 | $65,700 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $75,610 | 790 | $74,330 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $75,010 | 4,180 | $74,450 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $74,680 | 2,780 | $63,800 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $72,510 | 1,910 | $78,000 |
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 | Louisville median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Pilots | $193,940 | 430 | $123,220 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $130,380 | 800 | $92,460 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $97,700 | 370 | $96,590 |
| Dental Hygienists | $81,390 | 780 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $76,860 | 1,200 | $80,110 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $76,800 | 470 | $79,870 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $76,560 | 840 | $82,280 |
| Tool and Die Makers | $75,250 | 610 | $64,050 |
The most common jobs in Louisville, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $46,830 | 29,400 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $48,440 | 20,920 |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | 18,180 |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,660 | 17,540 |
| General and Operations Managers | $89,140 | 16,830 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,610 | 16,410 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,690 | 15,540 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $41,600 | 13,630 |
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 30, 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 Louisville relative to the nation is statistical assistants, with a location quotient of 15.55. That means those jobs make up about 15.55 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 320 of them locally, at a median of $45,660. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk