Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Worcester, Massachusetts (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Worcester, Massachusetts was $57,830 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 electrical power-line installers and repairers, at a median of $116,460.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by radiologic technologists and technicians at $103,090.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Worcester, Massachusetts. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Worcester, MA)) 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. Worcester, MA had about 349,880 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 | Worcester, Massachusetts median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $116,460 | 380 | $95,320 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $115,180 | 380 | $107,230 |
| Roofers | $105,270 | 350 | $55,440 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $99,860 | 450 | $87,520 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $94,570 | 1,880 | $79,920 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $93,630 | 310 | $69,990 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $91,980 | 640 | $58,940 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $87,950 | 760 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $84,240 | 1,230 | $79,860 |
| Food Service Managers | $83,570 | 340 | $69,390 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $82,260 | 1,370 | $63,800 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $80,650 | 540 | $74,690 |
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 | Worcester, Massachusetts median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $103,090 | 610 | $80,110 |
| Dental Hygienists | $100,460 | 790 | $98,100 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $79,060 | 2,030 | $64,400 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $76,900 | 310 | $68,380 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $75,530 | 320 | $78,190 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $73,800 | 800 | $61,010 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $70,990 | 480 | $62,890 |
| Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians | $66,670 | 300 | $66,120 |
The most common jobs in Worcester, Massachusetts, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $40,870 | 14,720 |
| Registered Nurses | $100,240 | 10,070 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,220 | 8,830 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,610 | 8,800 |
| General and Operations Managers | $111,900 | 7,910 |
| Cashiers | $34,770 | 6,930 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,250 | 6,360 |
| Nursing Assistants | $45,710 | 5,250 |
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 Worcester, Massachusetts relative to the nation is biochemists and biophysicists, with a location quotient of 13.9. That means those jobs make up about 13.9 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,060 of them locally, at a median of $125,420. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Worcester, MA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk