Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Stockton (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Stockton was $48,990 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 correctional officers and jailers, at a median of $107,220.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $125,130.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Stockton. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Stockton-Lodi, 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. Stockton-Lodi, CA had about 289,660 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 | Stockton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $107,220 | 1,220 | $58,940 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $101,340 | 800 | $107,230 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $99,900 | 930 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $94,300 | 980 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $82,490 | 1,140 | $79,920 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $79,200 | 500 | $76,590 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $77,420 | 760 | $59,850 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $76,780 | 1,040 | $74,450 |
| Electricians | $76,410 | 1,180 | $63,190 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $76,140 | 740 | $64,520 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $75,140 | 2,000 | $72,080 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $74,100 | 2,190 | $69,500 |
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 | Stockton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $125,130 | 480 | $98,100 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $102,050 | 350 | $82,280 |
| Psychiatric Technicians | $95,580 | 330 | $45,130 |
| Firefighters | $79,540 | 320 | $59,280 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $77,830 | 1,430 | $64,400 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $75,710 | 390 | $61,010 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $69,070 | 550 | $61,860 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $62,840 | 1,310 | $50,620 |
The most common jobs in Stockton, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $47,330 | 15,030 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $34,320 | 12,580 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $60,470 | 10,110 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $41,740 | 7,560 |
| Cashiers | $36,340 | 5,900 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $48,290 | 5,810 |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,660 | 5,680 |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | 5,460 |
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 Stockton relative to the nation is farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, with a location quotient of 8.07. That means those jobs make up about 8.07 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 3,990 of them locally, at a median of $35,640. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Stockton-Lodi, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk