Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley) (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley) was $50,990 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 first-line supervisors of police and detectives, at a median of $119,320.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $100,600.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley). Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY)) 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. Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY had about 268,970 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 | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $119,320 | 330 | $106,040 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $112,140 | 350 | $87,520 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $87,930 | 1,360 | $76,210 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $84,020 | 970 | $79,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $82,960 | 900 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $78,470 | 720 | $74,450 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $76,580 | 490 | $62,280 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $75,240 | 1,990 | $58,940 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $74,810 | 1,710 | $72,080 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $74,260 | 1,710 | $76,590 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $72,690 | 350 | $74,690 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $72,470 | 2,070 | $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 | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley) median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $100,600 | 450 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $95,860 | 470 | $80,110 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $70,110 | 870 | $61,860 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $66,360 | 1,250 | $64,400 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $65,530 | 1,150 | $61,010 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $62,760 | 3,330 | $58,640 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $61,350 | 600 | $62,890 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $56,260 | 1,530 | $50,620 |
The most common jobs in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley), for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $39,040 | 10,750 |
| Retail Salespersons | $36,160 | 9,890 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $44,510 | 7,030 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $40,350 | 6,500 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $35,320 | 6,280 |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | 5,760 |
| General and Operations Managers | $102,140 | 5,430 |
| Cashiers | $35,000 | 5,350 |
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 November 9, 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 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Hudson Valley) relative to the nation is word processors and typists, with a location quotient of 10.25. That means those jobs make up about 10.25 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 620 of them locally, at a median of $47,860. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk