Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre was $46,330 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 $99,540.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $70,730.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA)) 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. Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA had about 255,620 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 | Scranton-Wilkes-Barre median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $99,540 | 460 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $78,660 | 990 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $77,940 | 910 | $79,860 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $76,560 | 580 | $78,000 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $73,160 | 1,510 | $74,450 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $72,210 | 1,360 | $76,210 |
| Electricians | $69,540 | 1,050 | $63,190 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $65,030 | 1,610 | $62,890 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $64,350 | 370 | $76,590 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $63,770 | 1,250 | $64,520 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | $62,580 | 760 | $61,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $62,400 | 2,500 | $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 | Scranton-Wilkes-Barre median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $70,730 | 400 | $98,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $68,740 | 360 | $80,110 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $61,750 | 650 | $61,010 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $61,740 | 2,270 | $64,400 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $57,600 | 400 | $62,890 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,580 | 5,210 | $58,640 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $54,010 | 810 | $61,860 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $47,600 | 1,300 | $50,620 |
The most common jobs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,410 | 10,250 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $29,460 | 9,970 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $42,900 | 9,630 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,520 | 6,450 |
| Retail Salespersons | $30,020 | 6,330 |
| General and Operations Managers | $93,820 | 6,010 |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | 5,400 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,580 | 5,210 |
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 Scranton-Wilkes-Barre relative to the nation is eligibility interviewers, government programs, with a location quotient of 3.85. That means those jobs make up about 3.85 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 980 of them locally, at a median of $59,010. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk