Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Buffalo (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Buffalo was $50,790 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 first-line supervisors of police and detectives, at a median of $103,330.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by first-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers at $99,260.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Buffalo. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY)) 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. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY had about 534,550 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 | Buffalo median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $103,330 | 510 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $102,520 | 850 | $87,520 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $102,330 | 370 | $107,230 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $95,150 | 850 | $93,790 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $94,730 | 390 | $74,340 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $82,190 | 1,730 | $79,920 |
| Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers | $81,060 | 360 | $74,330 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $80,950 | 2,110 | $76,210 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $80,780 | 470 | $69,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $80,230 | 1,840 | $79,860 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $78,810 | 2,040 | $78,000 |
| Electricians | $77,930 | 2,340 | $63,190 |
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 | Buffalo median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $99,260 | 300 | $93,530 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $97,310 | 360 | $96,590 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $86,720 | 510 | $82,280 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $83,090 | 1,040 | $80,110 |
| Dental Hygienists | $82,470 | 760 | $98,100 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $79,020 | 530 | $76,220 |
| Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $78,210 | 360 | $74,510 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $78,100 | 1,260 | $66,120 |
The most common jobs in Buffalo, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $36,570 | 18,090 |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,910 | 15,160 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,560 | 14,170 |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | 13,830 |
| General and Operations Managers | $103,280 | 11,100 |
| Cashiers | $33,850 | 10,590 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,970 | 9,990 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $45,520 | 9,850 |
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 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 Buffalo relative to the nation is word processors and typists, with a location quotient of 10.79. That means those jobs make up about 10.79 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,300 of them locally, at a median of $47,040. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk