Highest-Paying Jobs Without a College Degree in Santa Rosa-Petaluma (2025 BLS Data)
- The median wage for all jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma was $56,850 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 police and sheriff's patrol officers, at a median of $125,910.
- Short training programs and associate’s degrees open another tier, led by dental hygienists at $136,210.
You don’t need a four-year degree to earn well in Santa Rosa-Petaluma. Using the federal government’s most recent occupational wage survey (BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Santa Rosa-Petaluma, 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. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA had about 205,260 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 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $125,910 | 590 | $76,210 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $105,080 | 710 | $59,850 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $103,600 | 1,200 | $79,920 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $92,620 | 720 | $79,860 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | $92,240 | 490 | $76,590 |
| Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $82,650 | 700 | $58,930 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $82,510 | 300 | $87,520 |
| Carpenters | $80,520 | 2,150 | $60,580 |
| Food Service Managers | $79,750 | 330 | $69,390 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $79,680 | 440 | $62,280 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $79,350 | 1,840 | $72,080 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | $77,910 | 480 | $69,990 |
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 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma median | Jobs | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental Hygienists | $136,210 | 310 | $98,100 |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $92,580 | 870 | $64,400 |
| Firefighters | $87,400 | 310 | $59,280 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | $79,510 | 560 | $61,010 |
| Computer User Support Specialists | $76,900 | 520 | $61,860 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | $75,080 | 1,000 | $50,620 |
| Medical Assistants | $64,820 | 1,550 | $45,690 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $62,620 | 1,860 | $58,640 |
The most common jobs in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, for context
The largest occupations by employment, and what they pay locally:
| Occupation | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $36,850 | 10,150 |
| Retail Salespersons | $39,570 | 5,720 |
| Cashiers | $38,440 | 5,030 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $43,610 | 4,720 |
| General and Operations Managers | $109,970 | 4,090 |
| Registered Nurses | $174,550 | 3,720 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $36,830 | 3,670 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $39,210 | 3,620 |
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 Santa Rosa-Petaluma relative to the nation is demonstrators and product promoters, with a location quotient of 14.69. That means those jobs make up about 14.69 times as large a share of local employment as they do nationally. There are about 1,250 of them locally, at a median of $45,540. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 metropolitan-area data (includes Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA). Location quotients compare each job’s share of local employment with its share nationally (see BLS OEWS overview).
— JobPayRaise Data Desk