Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Lakeland-Winter Haven (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Lakeland-Winter Haven was $46,140 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 $99,980.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by radiologic technologists and technicians at $68,910.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Lakeland-Winter Haven. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Lakeland-Winter Haven, 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. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL had about 265,280 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.
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 | Lakeland-Winter Haven median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $68,910 | 520 | $80,110 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $59,940 | 1,310 | $64,400 |
| Computer Network Support Specialists | $59,320 | 320 | $76,220 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,090 | 7,820 | $58,640 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $56,680 | 1,120 | $61,010 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $51,080 | 840 | $61,860 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $49,520 | 630 | $62,890 |
| Firefighters | $48,560 | 560 | $59,280 |
The most common jobs in Lakeland-Winter Haven, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $39,690 | 9,400 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $42,800 | 8,440 |
| Retail Salespersons | $31,820 | 8,220 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,090 | 7,820 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,050 | 7,380 |
| Registered Nurses | $84,030 | 6,140 |
| Customer Service Representatives | $38,750 | 6,000 |
| Cashiers | $29,900 | 5,540 |
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 Lakeland-Winter Haven relative to the nation is weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping, with a location quotient of 3.51. That means those jobs make up about 3.51 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 320 of them locally, at a median of $49,130. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk