Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Charleston, South Carolina (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Charleston, South Carolina was $49,150 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 transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $100,610.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $94,570.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Charleston, South Carolina. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Charleston-North Charleston, SC)) 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. Charleston-North Charleston, SC had about 394,170 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 | Charleston, South Carolina median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $100,610 | 610 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $81,800 | 340 | $106,040 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $81,330 | 370 | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operators | $80,880 | 320 | $68,080 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $80,410 | 520 | $64,820 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $79,990 | 1,530 | $74,450 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $78,890 | 1,330 | $62,280 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $77,470 | 2,560 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $77,300 | 1,760 | $79,860 |
| Food Service Managers | $75,700 | 960 | $69,390 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $75,570 | 300 | $95,320 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $74,210 | 770 | $62,470 |
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 | Charleston, South Carolina median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $94,570 | 540 | $98,100 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $86,370 | 520 | $78,190 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $81,990 | 690 | $76,220 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | $81,690 | 380 | $79,870 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $79,410 | 390 | $82,280 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers | $73,280 | 330 | $93,530 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $72,730 | 640 | $80,110 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $71,160 | 410 | $66,120 |
The most common jobs in Charleston, South Carolina, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $34,090 | 11,930 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,500 | 10,850 |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | 9,760 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $19,340 | 9,580 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $38,090 | 8,100 |
| Cashiers | $30,130 | 7,960 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $44,000 | 7,940 |
| Office Clerks, General | $39,250 | 6,890 |
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 31, 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 Charleston, South Carolina relative to the nation is computer and information research scientists, with a location quotient of 4.22. That means those jobs make up about 4.22 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 400 of them locally, at a median of $126,860. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Charleston-North Charleston, SC). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk