Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Trenton-Princeton (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Trenton-Princeton was $63,490 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 transportation, storage, and distribution managers, at a median of $138,760.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $100,920.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Trenton-Princeton. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Trenton-Princeton, NJ)) 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. Trenton-Princeton, NJ had about 240,190 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 | Trenton-Princeton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $138,760 | 370 | $107,230 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | $132,610 | 330 | $106,040 |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | $110,750 | 370 | $93,790 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $104,310 | 710 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $100,490 | 400 | $87,520 |
| Electricians | $98,210 | 600 | $63,190 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $90,190 | 680 | $79,860 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $84,920 | 900 | $72,080 |
| Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | $83,420 | 770 | $78,000 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $82,660 | 660 | $74,690 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $80,700 | 1,250 | $76,590 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | $79,460 | 2,770 | $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 | Trenton-Princeton median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $100,920 | 330 | $98,100 |
| Firefighters | $88,090 | 340 | $59,280 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $75,380 | 880 | $64,400 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $75,240 | 430 | $61,010 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $73,250 | 790 | $62,890 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $71,920 | 1,180 | $61,860 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,460 | 1,230 | $58,640 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | $58,020 | 1,470 | $50,670 |
The most common jobs in Trenton-Princeton, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | 5,180 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $37,760 | 4,920 |
| Cashiers | $34,710 | 4,800 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $37,560 | 4,460 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,720 | 4,300 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,640 | 3,840 |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $54,050 | 3,680 |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | 3,390 |
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 Trenton-Princeton relative to the nation is natural sciences managers, with a location quotient of 12.78. That means those jobs make up about 12.78 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 2,150 of them locally, at a median of $182,230. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Trenton-Princeton, NJ). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk