Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Fresno (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Fresno was $46,910 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 correctional officers, at a median of $131,790.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by diagnostic medical sonographers at $107,750.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Fresno. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Fresno, 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. Fresno, CA had about 476,890 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 | Fresno median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | $131,790 | 350 | $77,970 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $127,830 | 310 | $106,040 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $109,720 | 420 | $93,790 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $100,770 | 1,560 | $76,210 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $96,610 | 630 | $107,230 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $94,010 | 2,660 | $58,940 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $87,910 | 550 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,660 | 1,820 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $82,960 | 1,260 | $79,860 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $78,310 | 1,290 | $59,850 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $77,610 | 880 | $76,590 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $73,970 | 3,080 | $72,080 |
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 | Fresno median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | $107,750 | 390 | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $107,350 | 760 | $80,110 |
| Dental Hygienists | $101,730 | 530 | $98,100 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $83,340 | 580 | $82,280 |
| Firefighters | $79,160 | 770 | $59,280 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $77,840 | 400 | $55,090 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $75,580 | 2,360 | $64,400 |
| Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers | $71,300 | 420 | $63,890 |
The most common jobs in Fresno, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,320 | 33,580 |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $34,610 | 28,570 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $39,480 | 12,330 |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | 11,030 |
| Cashiers | $35,270 | 9,780 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,460 | 9,290 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $39,130 | 8,850 |
| Office Clerks, General | $46,070 | 8,710 |
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 Fresno relative to the nation is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, with a location quotient of 35.08. That means those jobs make up about 35.08 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 28,570 of them locally, at a median of $34,610. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Fresno, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk