Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Sarasota-Bradenton (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Sarasota-Bradenton was $47,440 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 $90,980.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $95,930.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Sarasota-Bradenton. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL)) 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. North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL had about 339,940 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 | Sarasota-Bradenton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $90,980 | 400 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $81,230 | 410 | $87,520 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $79,970 | 460 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $78,100 | 1,340 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $77,160 | 2,950 | $79,920 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $75,820 | 1,500 | $76,210 |
| Food Service Managers | $74,260 | 620 | $69,390 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $70,210 | 1,170 | $69,990 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $67,090 | 2,870 | $69,500 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $66,150 | 470 | $58,940 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $65,810 | 530 | $76,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $64,070 | 1,240 | $74,450 |
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 | Sarasota-Bradenton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $95,930 | 610 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $81,480 | 610 | $80,110 |
| Physical Therapist Assistants | $69,380 | 450 | $68,380 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $63,770 | 1,910 | $64,400 |
| Firefighters | $62,120 | 650 | $59,280 |
| Surgical Technologists | $60,840 | 380 | $64,650 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $60,070 | 990 | $62,890 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $59,070 | 1,870 | $61,010 |
The most common jobs in Sarasota-Bradenton, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $35,160 | 13,420 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,660 | 9,200 |
| General and Operations Managers | $94,900 | 8,610 |
| Registered Nurses | $86,130 | 8,380 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $30,000 | 8,330 |
| Cashiers | $31,240 | 7,520 |
| Office Clerks, General | $45,630 | 7,230 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,130 | 6,060 |
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 Sarasota-Bradenton relative to the nation is roofers, with a location quotient of 6.7. That means those jobs make up about 6.7 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,990 of them locally, at a median of $48,860. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk